The Blended Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter

The Blended Quilt

Book Summary

The Blended Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter has Sadie Kuhns deciding to create a unique quilt that combines an Amish pattern and a traditional Hawaiian pattern.  She wants a quilt to remind her of the special trip she made to the Hawaiian Islands with her friends over four years ago.  Sadie his being courted by Wyman Kaufman and would love to marry him someday.  She is worried, though, about his ability to provide for a wife and family because he cannot settle at a job.  Wyman gets bored easily and switches jobs frequently.  When Sadie finished the blended quilt hanging, her friend Ellen suggests that she write a book. Sadie is intrigued by the idea, but the cost of self-publishing the book is out of her reach at this time.  Then Sadie receives unexpected news that changes her life and those close to her.  What does the future hold for Sadie?

My Thoughts

The Blended Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter is a lovely story.  It is a continues the story of the four girls who took a cruise to the Hawaiian Island four and a half years ago in The Hawaiian Quilt.  The Hawaiian Discovery is the sequel to The Hawaiian Quilt and it tells Ellen’s story.  While The Blended Quilt could be read as a standalone, I believe it is best to read the books in order.  It will allow you to have a better understanding of the characters and their situations.  I thought this was a unique Amish book with our main character having an unusual occupation.  Sadie Kuhns is the only one of the four friends who is still unmarried.  She would love to marry beau, Wyman Kaufman, but he cannot seem to settle into a permanent job.  Wyman gets bored with a job, quits, and then moves onto another one.  Sadie worries that Wyman could not provide a steady life for a wife and family.  Sadie is a gifted quilter who sometimes creates her own patterns.  She decides to commemorate her trip to Hawaii with a quilted wall hanging that blends Amish and Hawaiian patterns.  The quilt sounded lovely when finished and unique.  This quilt leads to the suggestion that Sadie write a book.  I thought Sadie and Wyman were developed characters.  I liked Sadie who is a sweet, compassionate woman.  I was not fond of Wyman was immature and selfish.  I kept hoping that a new love interest would appear for Sadie.  I liked that we got updates on Mandy, Barbara, and Ellen.  We get to spend time with Mandy and Ken in Kauai as they suffer life’s ups and downs.  The point-of-view alternates between Sadie, Wyman, and several other characters.  I like getting a female and male perspective on situations. We get to see the characters face a series of challenges.  Life is not smooth sailing even in fiction.  I did wonder, though, why the author chose not to have the bishop or elders help the characters in their time of need.  It would have added another touch of realism to the story.  There were times when the Kuhnses and Kaufman families could have used some expert guidance and advice.  I did feel the ending was a little rushed.  I felt the changes were too sudden.  I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up this sweet story.  I enjoyed reading The Blended Quilt. It provided me with a lovely break from reality which I desperately needed.  The Blended Quilt is a heartwarming Amish tale with quaint quilts, ennui employment, an astonishing abundance, faithful friends, a bored beau, and an unforeseen opportunity.  

The Blended Quilt is available from Amazon* along with other major retailers (Barnes & Noble, BAM, Kobo, Powell's, Chapter's, Waterstone's). You can get a free preview of The Blended Quilt from Amazon. The two books that are part of this series are The Hawaiian Quilt and The Hawaiian Discovery (can get them in one book with The Amish Hawaiian Adventures). The images I used today show an Amish ocean waves pattern quilt and a traditional Hawaiian pineapple pattern quilt. Thank you for reading my review today.  Tomorrow I am featuring Puzzling Ink by Becky Clark.  It is the first book in A Crossword Puzzle Mystery series.  I am off on an adventure today with my mother.  We are exploring options for our future.  Sometimes you need to make a change even if you are reluctant to do it.  I will share more soon.  I hope that you have a special day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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