Felicitations! The Christmas Remedy by Cindy Woodsmall comes out on October 23. Another lovely Christmas story coming out in October is The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere (October 16).
A Love for Leah by Amy Lillard is
the second book in The Amish of Pontotoc series. Leah Gingerich is opening Twice Blessed, a
secondhand store on Main Street in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Leah is an independent Mennonite woman with forward
thinking ideas. Jamie Stoltzfus and his
nephew, Peter have moved into a cabin on the Gingerich property. Peter lost his parents and baby sister in a
house fire six months prior and has not spoken since that day. Jamie is a traditional and stubborn Amish man
who has certain ideas on how to live life and raise his nephew. Leah and Jamie clash from the moment they meet
and somehow, they keep finding themselves together (I believe there is some
matchmaking taking place). Despite
wanting to avoid Jamie, Leah feels that God is calling her to help Peter and
Jamie. Unfortunately, while Peter enjoys
spending time with Leah, Jamie does not want her assistance. Leah is not going to let that stop her. But will a blast from Jamie’s past ruin their
chances? Can this unlikely duo find common
ground?
A Love for Leah is the second
book in The Amish of Pontotoc, and I recommend reading the series in order. It will provide you with a better understanding
of the characters, their background, the town, etc. Leah is the twin sister of Hannah whom we met
in A Home for Hannah. She is present throughout
A Love for Leah. Leah is an independent and strong minded woman who cares for
her nephew, Brandon. I like the bond
between Leah and Brandon as well as their interactions. It is good that Leah is strong willed because
she pushes Jamie to do what is best for Peter. God finds a way to help those in need. With
Deborah King (Jamie’s ex-fiancé), the author created a character that readers
will love to dislike. She is annoying
and full of herself. I thought the story
was nicely written and it had gentle pacing.
I had trouble, though, getting into A Love for Leah and it failed to
hold my attention. While it is a cute Amish
romance, I found it to be expected. The
story could have used editing to tighten it up and it desperately needed to be
shortened (way too long). Some of the Christian themes present are having
faith, staying hopeful, and the power of prayer. We get to see the importance of being close
to family, having good friends, and allowing love into our lives. I like that we get to see some of the differences
between the Amish and Mennonite faith. My
rating for A Love for Leah is 3 out of 5 stars.
A Love for Leah is an uplifting Amish romance that will leave you with a
good feeling in your heart and a smile on your face.
I appreciate you visiting today. I am going to take Sunday off and return on Monday with my review of A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo. It is the tenth A Kate Burkholder Novel. On Tuesday, I will be featuring Dim Sum of All Fears by Vivien Chien. May you have a wonderful weekend. Take care of yourself and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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