A Dream of Home: Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel series

Happy Friday!  I am doing a flashback review today to one of Amy Clipston's earlier novels:  A Dream of Home.  Amy Clipston has a new novel coming out in May titled The Beloved Hope Chest.  It is the fourth book in An Amish Heirloom series.  You can enter to win each of the four books in this series on Goodreads.  The Beloved Hope Chest, The Cherished Quilt, The Courtship Basket, and The Forgotten Recipe (just click on book title) are the four titles in An Amish Heirloom series.  Good luck on winning!

A Dream of Home by Amy Clipston is the third book in Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel series.  Madeleine Miller has gotten out of the Air Force where she was a flight nurse.  She has also lost her fiancé and needs some peace so she can heal.  She has moved to Paradise, Pennsylvania to live in the house she inherited from her grandparents (she enjoyed spending time there when she was younger).  Madeleine is working at the Lancaster Grand Hotel (she is not able to work as a nurse at this time) and makes friends with Carolyn, Ruth, and Linda.  Saul Beiler, a widower, lives in the house behind Madeleine, and has a sweet daughter named Emma (she’s a charmer).  Saul’s wife left him and Emma for her first love, and then she died in a boating accident.  Saul is finally ready to move on and find a new wife as well as mother for his daughter.   However, with his busy schedule (farm, business and daughter), it is difficult to get out and meet new people.  Emma quickly befriends Madeleine.  Emma is eager for female companionship and is delighted to spend time with Madeleine.  Because Emma is friends with Madeleine, Saul gets to know her as well.  They start spending more time together as he constructs new cabinets for her kitchen.  But he is afraid of letting Madeleine get too close to Emma or himself.  Saul is afraid that Madeleine will leave like his brother and his wife.  Madeleine is enjoying her time in Paradise.  She likes the slower pace, spending time with her new friends and enjoying their fellowship, and the peaceful life style the town provides.  For these two to move forward with their lives, Madeleine needs to determine what she wants to do with her life and Saul needs overcome his fears.  Is there a chance for this pair? 

A Dream of Home is great addition to the Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel series.  I found the book is be well written and easy to read.  The story contains engaging characters.  The author brings them to life and makes these characters feel like friends.  A Dream of Home is a heartwarming novel that is a pleasurable to read.   I give A Dream of Home 5 out of 5 stars.   It was nice to catch up with the other residents of Paradise (from the other books in the series).  It is sweet to read about the wedding of Carolyn and Joshua.  A Dream of Home should not be read alone.  You do need to read the first two books in the series.  The books in the series all tie together (which I really like).  The next book in the series is A Simple Prayer. The first two books in the series are A Hopeful Heart and A Mother's Secret. You can see how the author ties up the loose threads (and find out the identity of Ben’s father) in the final chapter in the Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel series.  I really enjoyed reading the books in this series.  They are so heartening. They are the type of books that you will remember fondly (I do) and you will want to read again.  

I hope my review introduces you to some new books.  If you like to read Amish fiction, then I encourage you to check out Amy Clipston's novels. I will be reviewing The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton tomorrow.  I am currently reading Upon a Spring Breeze by Kelly Irvin.  I hope you have a fantastic Friday.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader