Thursday, September 21, 2023

The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

 

The Book Club Hotel

Book Summary

This Christmas, USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan returns with another heartfelt exploration of change, the power of books to heal, and the enduring strength of female friendship. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Jennifer Weiner.

With its historic charm and picture-perfect library, the Maple Sugar Inn is considered the winter destination. As the holidays approach, the inn is fully booked with guests looking for their dream vacation. But widowed far too young, and exhausted from juggling the hotel with being a dedicated single mom, Hattie Coleman dreams only of making it through the festive season.

But when Erica, Claudia and Anna—lifelong friends who seem to have it all—check in for a girlfriends’ book club holiday, it changes everything. Their close friendship and shared love of books have carried them through life's ups and downs. But Hattie can see they're also packing some major emotional baggage, and nothing prepares her for how deeply her own story is about to become entwined in theirs. In the span of a week over the most enchanting time of the year, can these four women come together to improve each other’s lives and make this the start of a whole new chapter?

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as 'a magician with words' and nominated her books for their Reviewer's Choice Awards and their 'Top Pick' slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family.

Find out more at www.sararahmorgan.com

Author Links

Author Website: https://sarahmorgan.com/

My Thoughts

The Book Club Hotel by Sara Morgan is a cozy read with a charming inn, good food, friends, a book club, a precocious child, and holiday cheer.  I found The Book Club Hotel to be easy to read.  We get to meet a group of people who are realistic and relatable.  The story is told from alternating points of view.  It is easy to differentiate between each voice.  I loved the Maple Sugar Inn which is brimming with coziness and charm.  It is the type of place you do not want to leave.  There is a small town nearby that provides a large circle of friends (a family) for Hattie and her daughter.  There is a bookshop where I could spend hours browsing and reading.  I liked how close Erica, Clauda, and Anna were.  They had been friends since college.  They were there for each other through the good and the bad.  Of course, they can only help if you share what is bothering you.  One of them has a secret and she will need her friends when the truth comes to light.  There is some romance as well.  I like that the story had little angst (you do not want too much drama in a holiday story).  I did feel that the story was a tad long (368 pages).  The Book Club Hotel is a good book to read on a rainy or snowy afternoon while nestled in a comfy chair with a cup of hot chocolate and a soft blanket.   The Book Club Hotel is a heartfelt tale with loving friends, a surprising secret, a precocious child, an appealing inn, fantastic food, and a happy holiday.  
Excerpt

Hattie

Maple Sugar Inn, how may I help you?” Hattie answered the phone with a smile on her face because she’d discovered that it was impossible to sound defeated, moody or close to tears when you were smiling, and currently she was all those things.

“I’ve been planning a trip to Vermont in winter for years and then I spotted pictures of your inn on social media,” a woman gushed, “and it looks so cozy and welcoming. The type of place you can’t help but relax.”

It’s an illusion, Hattie thought. There was no relaxation to be had here; not for her, at any rate. Her head throbbed and her eyes pricked following another night without sleep. The head house­keeper was threatening to walk out and the executive chef had been late two nights running and she was worried tonight might be the third, which would be a disaster because they were fully booked. Chef Tucker had earned their restaurant that coveted star, and his confit of duck had been known to induce moans of ecstasy from diners, but there were days when Hattie would have traded that star for a chef with a more even temperament. His temper was so hot she sometimes wondered why he bothered switching on the grill. He could have yelled at the duck, and it would have been thoroughly singed in the flames of his anger. He was being disrespectful and taking advantage of her. Hat­tie knew that, and she also knew she should probably fire him but Brent had chosen him and firing him would have severed another thread from the past. Also, conflict drained her energy and right now she didn’t have enough of that to go around. It was simpler to placate him.

“I’m glad you’re impressed,” she said to the woman on the phone. “Can I make a reservation for you?”

“I hope so, but I’m very particular about the room. Can I tell you what I need?”

“Of course.” Bracing herself for a long and unachievable wish list, Hattie resisted the temptation to smack her forehead onto the desk. Instead, she reached for a pad of paper and pen that was always handy. “Go ahead.”

How bad could it be? A woman the week before had wanted to know if she could bring her pet rat with her on vacation—answer: no!—and a man the week before that had demanded that she turn down the sound of the river that ran outside his bedroom window because it was keeping him awake.

She went above and beyond in her attempts to satisfy the whims of guests but there were limits.

“I’d like the room to have a mountain view,” the woman said. “And a real fire would be a nice extra.”

“All our rooms have real fires,” Hattie said, “and the rooms at the back have wonderful views of the mountains. The ones at the front face the river.”

She relaxed slightly. So far, so straightforward.

“Mountains for me. Also, I’m particular about bedding. After all, we spend a third of our lives asleep so it’s important, don’t you agree?”

Hattie felt a twinge of envy. She definitely didn’t spend a third of her life asleep. With having a young child, owning an inn and grieving the loss of her husband, she barely slept at all. She dreamed of sleep but sadly, usually when she was awake.

“Bedding is important.” She said what was expected of her, which was what she’d been doing since the police had knocked on her door two years earlier to tell her that her beloved Brent had been killed instantly in a freak accident. A brick had fallen from a building as he’d been walking past on his way to the bank and struck him on the head.

It was mortifying to remember that her initial reaction had been to laugh—she’d been convinced it was a joke, be­cause normal people didn’t get killed by random bricks fall­ing from buildings, did they?—but then she’d realized they weren’t laughing and it probably wasn’t because they didn’t have a sense of humor.

She’d asked them if they were sure he was dead, and then had to apologize for questioning them because of course they were sure. How often did the police follow we’re sorry to have to tell you…with oops, we made a mistake.

After they’d repeated the bad news, she’d thanked them po­litely. Then she’d made them a cup of tea because she was a) half British and b) very much in shock.

When they’d drunk their tea and eaten two of her home­made cinnamon cookies, she’d shown them out as if they were treasured guests who had honored her with their presence, and not people who had just shattered her world in one short con­versation.

She’d stared at the closed door for a full five minutes after they’d left while she’d tried to process it. In a matter of min­utes her life had utterly changed, the future she’d planned with Brent stolen, her hopes crushed.

Even though two years had passed, there were still days when it felt unreal. Days when she still expected Brent to walk through the door with that bouncing stride of his, full of excite­ment because he’d had one of his brilliant ideas that he couldn’t wait to share with her.

I think we should get married…

I think we should start a family…

I think we should buy that historic inn we saw on our trip to Ver­mont…

They’d met in England during their final year of college and from the first moment she’d been swept away on the tide of Brent’s enthusiasm. After graduating, they’d both taken jobs in London but then two things had happened. Brent’s grand­mother had died, leaving him a generous sum of money, and they’d taken a trip to Vermont. They’d fallen in love with the place, and now here she was, a widow at the age of twenty-eight, raising their five-year-old child and managing the historic inn. Alone. Since she’d lost Brent she’d tried to keep every­thing going the way he’d wanted it, but that wasn’t proving easy. She worried that she wasn’t able to do this on her own. She worried that she was going to lose the inn. Most of all she worried that she wasn’t going to be enough for their daughter. Now Brent was gone she had to be two people—how could she be two people when most days she didn’t even feel whole?

She realized that while she’d been indulging in a moment of maudlin self-pity, the woman on the phone was still talking. “I’m sorry, could you say that again?”

“I’d like the bedsheets to be linen because I do struggle with overheating.”

“We have linen bedding, so that won’t be a problem.”

“And pink.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’d like the linen to be pink. I find I sleep better. White is too glaring and drab colors depress me.”

Pink.

“I’ll make a note.” She grabbed a notepad and scribbled Help followed by four exclamation marks. She might have writ­ten something ruder, but her daughter was a remarkably good reader and was given to demonstrating that skill wherever and whenever she could, so Hattie had learned to be mindful of what she wrote and left lying around. “Did you have a partic­ular date in mind?”

“Christmas. It’s the best time, isn’t it?”

Not for me, Hattie thought, as she checked the room occu­pancy. The first Christmas after Brent had died had been hid­eous, and last year hadn’t been much better. She’d wanted to burrow under the covers until it was all over, but instead, she’d been expected to inject festive joy into other people’s lives. And now it was the end of November again and Christmas was just weeks away.

Still, providing she didn’t lose any more staff, she’d no doubt find a way to muddle through. She’d survived it twice, and she’d survive it a third time.

“You’re in luck. We do still have a few rooms available, in­cluding one double facing the mountains. Would you like me to reserve that for you?”

“Is it a corner room? I do like more than one window.”

“It’s not a corner room, and there is only one window in this particular room, but it has wonderful views and a covered balcony.”

“There’s no way of getting a second window?”

“Sadly not.” What was she supposed to do? Knock a hole through the wall? “But I can send you a video of the room be­fore you make your choice if that would help.”

By the time she’d taken the woman’s email address, put a hold on the room for twenty-four hours and answered the rest of her questions, half an hour had passed.

When the woman finally ended the call, Hattie sighed. Christmas promised to be a nightmare. She made a note under the reservation. Pink sheets. Linen.

How would Brent handle it? It was a question she asked her­self a million times a day and she allowed herself to glance at one of the two photographs she kept on the desk. This one was of Brent swinging their daughter high in the air. Both were laughing. Sometimes, she’d discovered, remembering the best of times sustained you through the worst.

The Book Club Hotel is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Bookshop.org, and Harlequin.  You can find Sarah Morgan's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will be back on Tuesday, September 26 with Having a Fudgy Christmas Time by Nancy Coco.  It is A Candy-Coated Mystery Novella.  I hope that you have a relaxing weekend.  I am gearing up for Halloween decorating.  I have all the decorations (and necessary extension cords) as well as a plan.  I will begin on Friday, September 29.  It will take me a couple of days to get everything in place.  My design is based on the idea of Frankenstein and his family going out for a night of fun at the local cemetery.   I will share pictures when I have everything in place.  Do you decorate your yard for Halloween?  I would love to see pictures and hear your ideas.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas 

 

About Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas

 

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas (Year-Round Christmas Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 

6th in Series 

Setting - Rudolph, New York 

Crooked Lane Books (September 19, 2023) 

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

It’s beginning to look a lot like murder in the sixth installment of this charming cozy mystery series, perfect for fans of Donna Andrews and Jacqueline Frost.

It’s the beginning of December in Rudolph, New York, America's Christmas Town, and business is brisk at Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, a gift and décor shop owned by Merry Wilkinson. The local amateur dramatic society is intensely preparing a special musical production of A Christmas Carol. But it’s not a happy set, as rivalries between cast and crew threaten the production. Tensions come to a head when a member of the group is found dead shortly after a shopping excursion to Mrs. Claus's Treasures. Was someone looking to cut out the competition? Everyone in the cast and crew is a potential suspect, including Aline, Merry’s mother, and Merry's shop assistant Jackie O'Reilly, who was desperate for a starring role. It could be curtains for Christmas—and for Merry—unless the killer can be ferreted out of the wings.

About Vicki Delany

Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. Author of more than fifty books, she is currently writing the A Tea by the Sea Mysteries, A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries, A Year-Round Christmas Mysteries, and A Lighthouse Library Mysteries (as Eva Gates). Vicki is the recipient of the 2019 Derrick Murdoch Award for contributions to Canadian crime writing. She lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

Author Links


Websitewww.vickidelany.com 



Instagram: vickidelany 


My Thoughts

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany takes us back to Rudolph, New York. It is Merry Wilkinson’s busy season at Mrs. Claus’s Treasures.  It does not help that her assistant manager, Jackie O’Reilly is busy with rehearsals with the Rudolph Community Theater Players of a musical version of A Christmas Carol.  Merry is a friendly and relatable protagonist.  I love her charming shop (I could do some serious damage in there).  I do feel, though, that Merry needs to work on her managerial skills.  Her employees are breaking the rules and Merry is not holding them accountable (I do not like seeing them walk all over her).  I would not want to work with Jackie (I feel bad for the employee that must work with her).  Jackie is self-absorbed.  If it does not relate to her, Jackie is not interested (she is obtuse).   Rudolph is brimming with holiday charm.  It is a town that I would love to visit (do some shopping, take a sleigh ride, enjoy hot cocoa by the fire while reading a book).  

I would, though, avoid Rudolph Community Theater Players.  They fight more than toddlers over a new toy.  It was just a matter of time before one of them was murdered (the crime occurs about a quarter of a way into the story).  There are several suspects in the crime (not one cast member liked the woman).  The investigation was skimpy.  The crime is neatly wrapped up at the end with a bow.  The Rudolph Community Theater Players take the saying “the show must go on” seriously.   Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas is the sixth A Year-Round Christmas Mystery.   It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series.  The author takes the time in the beginning to describe the town and the characters.   My favorite character is Merry’s St. Bernard.   He provided some sweet and funny moments.   There is a scene near the end of the story that I loved.  It shows that a little kindness towards another person goes a long way.  Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is a festive tale with quarrelling players, a terrible Tiny Tim, singing snafus, an encounter with a killer, a crotchety storekeeper, a winter wonderland, and a Happy Holiday!

Excerpt

Paula, have you met my daughter, Merry? She owns Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, on Jingle Bell Lane. And this is Alan Anderson, who makes the most divine things out of wood you’ve ever seen. Merry and Alan, this is Paula Monahan. Paula’s an important part of the theater family. Isn’t that lovely?”

Probably only I, because I know my mother so well, heard the unsaid “not” at the end of that sentence.

“Are you in the cast, Paula?” Alan asked. “Or crew?”

I’d seen Paula around town, but I didn’t remember having ever met her and I didn’t think she shopped at my store. She was in her early forties, younger than most of the company, slightly taller than my five foot four, and slim beneath a padded black jacket. Heavy brown bangs peeked out from beneath her wool cap. “I play Mrs. Cratchit. My son, Eddie—he’s around here somewhere—is Tiny Tim.”

“Important roles. Tim, in particular,” Alan said.

Paula didn’t smile in acknowledgment. Instead she threw a not-friendly glare at my mother. “It is. As some people fail to understand. If you’ll excuse me. I need to ensure Eddie finds something other than cake to eat.”

“Sounds like an idea,” Alan said once she’d gone. “I’m ready to hit the buffet. Merry?”

“Go ahead. I’ll be with you in a minute.”

He needed no further encouragement and barely managed to refrain from breaking into a run as he crossed the lawn.

“That was tense,” I said to my mom. “What’s with you and Paula?”

Mom sighed. “All these years I have refrained from engaging in amateur dramatics, no matter how hard Desmond and Ron worked to entice me. At last, I succumbed. Much to my regret.”

Mom wasn’t exaggerating or bragging. The director and former artistic director of the Rudolph Community Theater Players came on pilgrimage once a year to the house to beg her to join the group. In her glory days, my mom had been a professional opera singer. Not just a singer, but a true diva. She’s sung solo parts with the Metropolitan Opera and at some of the best opera houses in Europe, including a sold-out performance of Madama Butterfly at La Scala, in which she sang Suzuki.

With her travel and performance schedule, it had largely been my dad—solid, sensible, small-town dad—who’d raised my three younger siblings and me. Mom was retired now, and she kept her hand in teaching vocal lessons to local children and a few adults who’d always wanted to sing but never had the chance to learn formally. She might be retired, but she was still every inch the diva. She’d never had anything but scorn for amateur theatrics. To everyone’s surprise, probably hers most of all, she agreed to appear with the Rudolph Community Theater Players in this year’s production of A Christmas Carol. Desmond Kerslake, the director, told her they’d be doing the musical version, and they desperately needed her help.

She not only would play the Ghost of Christmas Past, as well as Belle, Scrooge’s former fiancée, but she served as the musical coach. When I’d asked how she could play both the ghost and Belle when the ghost shows Scrooge his youth, she said, “With a bit of deft maneuvering from stage left to center and a flick of a cape. Belle has the strongest female song in the entire production, no one else is remotely capable of doing it.” She tried not to smile too widely as she said it.

“This,” she now declared dramatically, “is going to be the death of me.” All that was missing was the back of the hand held to the forehead and the drop into the fainting couch. “If not of me, likely someone else.”

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is available from Amazon, B&N, KoboBookshop.org, and PenguinRandomHouse.  You can find the other A Year-Round Christmas Mysteries here.  Check out Vicki Delany's other cozy mysteries.  Vicki Delany has The Sign of Four Spirits coming out January 9, 2024.  It is the ninth A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery.   Time for the giveaway!  You can win a signed hardcover of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas (open to US and Canada).  You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below or click here.  Leave a comment for an extra entry.  Good Luck!  Thank you for joining me today.  I will return tomorrow with my thoughts on The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan.  I hope that you have a pleasurable day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

Tour Participants


September 11 – Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT 

September 11 – Angel's Guilty Pleasures – SPOTLIGHT

September 12 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 12 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

September 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
September 13 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

September 14 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
September 15 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 15 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW

September 16 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

September 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 17 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 17 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 18 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 19 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 19 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

September 20 – Carla Loves to Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 21 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW

September 21 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

 Murder and Mamon

Book Summary


When murder mars the grand opening for Lila Macapagal’s aunties’ new laundromat, she will have to air out all the dirty laundry in Shady Palms to catch a killer…

Lila Macapagal's godmothers April, Mae, and June—AKA the Calendar Crew—are celebrating the opening of their latest joint business venture, a new laundromat, to much fanfare (and controversy). However, what should’ve been a joyous occasion quickly turns into a tragedy when they discover the building has been vandalized—and the body of Ninang April’s niece, recently arrived from the Philippines, next to a chilling message painted on the floor. The question is, was the message aimed at the victim or Lila's gossipy godmothers, who have not-so-squeaky-clean reputations?

With Ninang April falling apart from grief and little progress from the Shady Palms Police Department in this slippery case, it’s up to Lila and her network to find justice for the young woman.

The Calendar Crew have stuck their noses into everybody’s business for years, but now the tables are turned as Lila must pry into the Calendar Crew’s lives to figure out who has a vendetta against the (extremely opinionated yet loving) aunties and stop them before they strike again.

My Thoughts

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala takes us back to Shady Palms where there is controversy surrounding the opening of the Calendar Crew’s laundromat.  The highlight of the story is the characters.  The characters are complex and relatable.  I like that they continue to develop as the series progresses.  I like Lila, her friends, and her extended family.   The murder of Divina, Ninang April’s recently arrived niece from the Philippines, shocks Lila, her friends, and her relatives.  When the police do not make progress on the case, Ninang April asks Lila for her help.  Lila must turn the spotlight onto the Calendar Crew.  She will need to ask some uncomfortable questions, but Lila knows that the tiniest detail could be important to discovering the identity of the killer.   Readers can join Lila as she asks questions and gathers clues.  There are a several suspects and a red herring or two.  There was a detail I caught early in the story that sent me on the trail of the killer.  Other clues along the way solidified my decision.  I liked the action in the story that kept things lively.  There is a good wrap up at the end.  

I enjoyed learning about the Filipino culture and their food.  There are some interesting flavor combinations.  The rich descriptions of the food will have your mouth watering.  I do feel that there is too much detail at times as the ingredients of each drink and food item are listed.  Murder and Mamon is the fourth A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series.  Lila and Jae’s romance is moving along at a leisurely pace which is my preference for cozy mystery romances.  Tita Rosie and Jonathan are a cute couple.  I think Jonathan’s post-retirement career will prove helpful.  I found the pronunciation guide very useful and there are recipes for some of the dishes mentioned in the book.  Murder and Mamon is a cute cozy with an imaginative niece, a defaced laundromat, delightful Filipino fare, an intimidating message, a senseless slaying, and thoughtful family and friends.

Murder and Mamon is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries here.  If you follow Mia P. Manansala on Amazon, you will receive an email when she has a new book release.  The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan, Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany, and A Splendid Gift by Barbara Elle Prisceaux were also released today.  Thank you for joining me today.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany. It is the sixth A Year-Round Christmas Mystery. I am off to work on my closet.  I am slowly getting it organized.  When you have minimal storage, every inch counts.  I hope that you have a joyful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

 

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis

 The Heirloom

Book Summary

This heartwarming prequel to The Shunning is a tender story of love, belonging, and the courage to move forward.

After her widowed father remarries, nineteen-year-old Clara Bender is no longer needed to help run his household. Marriage seems like her best hope of moving out, but there are few young men in her tiny Indiana Amish community. When she comes across letters from her mother's aunt Ella Mae Zook, she sets off to visit Lancaster County's Hickory Hollow to decide where her future lies.

Ella Mae is not quite ready to move from the farmhouse where she and her recently deceased husband spent over fifty happy years, but her children are eager to resettle her, making Clara's visit seem like an answer to prayer. The two women form a warm bond while restoring an heirloom wedding quilt and sharing their lives, with Ella Mae confiding about a tragedy from her courting years. Eventually, Ella Mae suggests Clara stay for the summer, allowing Ella Mae more time with her and giving Clara an opportunity to meet the area's eligible young men. But when the unexpected happens, will Clara find where her heart truly belongs?
My Thoughts

The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis is a special story that is a prequel to The Shunning.  I thought the story was well-written and it had a good flow. The characters were developed and relatable.  Katie Lapp is in the story, but The Heirloom focuses on Clara Bender and Ella Mae Zook.   I liked both characters.  Clara and Ella Mae may be decades apart in age, but they got along so well.  The pair have a special relationship.  I like how a family quilt that needed to be repaired played into the story.  Ella Mae and Clara are quilters (another thing they have in common) and can repair quilts that need some love. I enjoyed the description of this family quilt. We get to see how the rules can differ from one Amish church district to the next.    The differences can include the style of dress, the type of caps, gizmos allowed in courting buggies, scooters versus bicycles, and so on.  Unfortunately, sometimes a bishop can be too strict which causes people to move.  I can understand why Clara’s father is worried about Clara finding a beau and possibly settling down in such a strict district.  

I could understand Clara’s grief over the loss of her mother.  She is having a hard time seeing someone come in and take her mother’s place in the house.  It is hard losing a parent and you will continue to miss them every day. Ella Mae is dealing with the loss of her husband and her children are pushing her into doing something she is not ready to do.  Ella Mae is a special woman who offered wise words, encouragement, and support.  One of my favorite phrases from The Heirloom is, “God cares ’bout even the little things, she always said.  Big or little, if they matter to you, dearie, they matter to Him.”  The Heirloom has a sweet ending, but there is a detail or two that I wish had been different.  This is a special Amish tale that deals with family, friendship, forgiveness, hope, grief, love, and faith.  The Heirloom is a touching Amish tale with distressed daughter, loving letters, a family friend, a bouncing buggy, youth group gatherings, a bothered bishop, and a devoted God.  

The Heirloom is available from Amazon*.  The novels in the Heritage of Lancaster County series are The Shunning (read for free with Kindle Unlimited), The Confession, and The Reckoning.  You can find Beverly Lewis's other novels here.  Thank you for joining me today.  I will return on September 19 with Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala.  It is the fourth book in A Tita Rosie's Kitchen.  On September 20, I am featuring Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany.  It is the return of A Year-Round Christmas Mysteries.  Then on September 21, I will share my thoughts on The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan.  As you can see, I have been busy reading during my down time.  I hope that you have a cozy week (I am eager for fall weather).  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader