Serenity's Secret by Lisa Jones Baker

 

Serenity's Secret

About the Book

Serenity Holds Her Secrets Close

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.

Serenity Miller has much to love about life as the owner of The Pink Petal in Arthur, Illinois, and enjoys trying natural remedies and exploring garage sales. Then comes the day her neighbor, Stephen Lantz, saves her from trespassers on her property and their friendship deepens into an attraction Serenity knows can never lead to marriage. She holds secrets she can never divulge, despite Stephen’s way of wooing her. But how can Serenity return to her life of contentment after a taste of love? And when danger returns, will it steal her last hope for a bright future?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lisa Jones Baker writes Amish Inspirational fiction. She grew up near Arthur, Illinois, and became acquainted with the Plain Faith at an early age when they custom-made and installed her family’s kitchen cabinets. On weekends, she and her parents frequented the quaint Amish town, often the setting of her stories, where they purchased meat, cheese, and home-made baking spices. Now, decades later, she still loves visiting; the town and the people yet intrigue her, and she so appreciates the talent of quilt-making almost as much as she loves horse and buggy rides. But there is much more to this perplexing group than meets the eye; they are extremely disciplined, hard-working, and honest…and they don’t all think alike. For these reasons, writing about them is her passion.

Lisa was fortunate to have been raised in a loving, Christian home by two wonderful parents: a reading specialist mother who plays the piano, and a retired Junior High Principal father who’s also an avid fox hunter. She has a B.A. in French Education and is a former school teacher who loves gardening, cooking, reading, positive thinkers, and every dog she meets. Although a homebody, travel has played a large part of her life. Over three decades of working with the airline industry has landed her on five out of seven continents.

More from Lisa

Do you know a secret? Serenity Miller harbors something she can never reveal, not even to her two dearest friends. Her private knowledge has never interfered with her calm, steady life as owner of The Pink Petal in Arthur, Illinois until the day it impedes her from having what she truly yearns for, Stephen Lantz.

Serenity’s Secret is my utmost favorite of the books I’ve penned. I write to entertain myself, and as I created the very complex life of a simple, Gott-loving Amish woman, I wasn’t sure how I would eventually resolve the tough issues Serenity faces:  falling victim to a crime and completely unaware of why her assailant chose her, at the same time yearning for a future with true love Stephen Lantz, when their destiny together is blocked by a secret.

Stephen’s late aendi Margaret used to say that there’s nothing that love can’t overcome. But will the denouement concur with Margaret’s strong belief? Enjoy the twists and the turns that will eventually reveal Serenity’s Secret!

My Thoughts

Serenity’s Secret by Lisa Jones Baker is the sixth book in The Heart of the Amish series.  It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series, but I recommend reading the series in order (it will allow you to get to know the characters and their stories).  Serenity’s Secret is well-written and engaging.    I like that the character’s are realistic with strengths and flaws. It is nice that the relationship between Serenity and Stephen began as a friendship and slowly developed into something more.  Of course, if the pair are to have a future, Serenity must reveal her secret. I liked Serenity’s relationship with her rescue horse, Angel.  

Angel is a horse who knows who he likes and, more importantly, whom he does not like. Serenity’s family and friends have learned to steer clear of Angel, especially the men.  I enjoyed catching up with Trini, Abby, and their families.  Abby needs to be less pushy and slow her roll if she plans to push Gabriel into courting her.  The story is told from Serenity and Stephen’s point-of-view.  This does lead to some repetitive details. There is one scene near the end that had me laughing out loud (it cracked me up). I enjoyed learning about the meaning of the different flowers. It is amazing what you can say with a bouquet of flowers. The story has a sweet ending that left me smiling. I like how Serenity’s Secret combines romance, mystery, hope, suspense, forgiveness, and faith into one pleasing story.  Serenity’s Secret is a touching tale with intruders on the farm, a secret shame, the Pink Petal, a rescue horse, a thoughtful family, and facing the future.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon eGift card and a print copy of the book!! Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click here to enter.  Good Luck!

 

Serenity's Secret is available from Amazon*.  The next book in The Heart of the Amish series is A Stolen Kiss by Mindy Steele and it will be out on December 1. You can find the other books in The Heart of the Amish series here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will return on Tuesday, November 12 with Guilt and Ginataan by Mia P. Manansala.  It is the fifth book in A Tita Rosei's Kitchen Mysteries.  I had a little accident over the weekend (involving a runaway cat and a slippery driveway) and I need a few days to recover.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway before you depart.  I hope that you have a satisfying day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, November 1

Vicky Sluiter, November 2

Texas Book-aholic, November 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 4

The Avid Reader, November 5

Lighthouse Academy Blog, November 6 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 7

lakesidelivingsite, November 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 9

For Him and My Family, November 10

Devoted To Hope, November 10

Cover Lover Book Review, November 11

Stories By Gina, November 12 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, November 12

Arthur, Illinois

Holly’s Book Corner, November 13

Bizwings Book Blog, November 14

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

 

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you.  Thank you for supporting The Avid Reader.

The Quilt Room Secret by Lisa Jones Baker

 

The Quilt Room Secret

About the Book

Trini Holds Secret Dreams for Her Future

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.

As they took turns pushing each other on the swing that hung from a large tree, the mature—for a five-year-old—Jacob Lantz asked Trini Sutter to marry him. The nine-year-old thoughtfully responded that she’d consider his proposal when they were older.

Nearly two decades later, the Amish farmer returns to the beautiful countryside of Arthur, Illinois, to take the independent owner of The Quilt Room up on her promise. Quiet, handsome Jacob is truly in love with the spirited list maker, and Trini finds herself falling in love with Jacob, but the youngest of eleven has big plans of her own.

Jacob’s long-held aspirations are put to the test when he learns that Trini has been holding a secret. He prays for a turnaround of events; however, when Trini moves away from her tight-knit community, he begins to realize that his dream of them being Mr. and Mrs. most likely won’t happen.

Will Trini forfeit her own well-laid plan for the man of her dreams?

Click here to get your cohttps://amzn.to/3vTttEEpy!

About the Author

Lisa Jones Baker writes Amish Inspirational fiction. She grew up near Arthur, Illinois, and became acquainted with the Plain Faith at an early age when they custom-made and installed her family’s kitchen cabinets. On weekends, she and her parents frequented the quaint Amish town, often the setting of her stories, where they purchased meat, cheese, and home-made baking spices. Now, decades later, she still loves visiting; the town and the people yet intrigue her, and she so appreciate the talent of quilt-making almost as much as she loves horse and buggy rides. But there is much more to this perplexing group than meets the eye; they are extremely disciplined, hard-working, and honest…and they don’t all think alike. For these reasons, writing about them is her passion.

Lisa was fortunate to have been raised in a loving, Christian home by two wonderful parents: a reading specialist mother who plays the piano, and a retired Junior High Principal father who’s also an avid fox hunter. She has a B.A. in French Education and is a former school teacher who loves gardening, cooking, reading, positive thinkers, and every dog she meets. Although a homebody, travel has played a large part of her life. Over three decades of working with the airline industry has landed her on five out of seven continents.

More from Lisa

Secrets fascinate me. They always have. From experience, I know that they’re difficult to keep confidential. And when the wrong person gets hold of what you don’t want out. . .There’s no telling what will happen!

List maker Trini Sutter has decided her future, even though what’s ahead comes with great risk. The owner of The Quilt Room in Arthur, Illinois, relishes being in control of her life. But what she doesn’t expect is for someone to get wind of her deep, dark secret and to leak it to her tight-knit Amish community! Now that the quilter’s confidential plan has become public, will she be able to pull it off?  Or will Gott override her “list” with the destiny He has planned for her? Find out in The Quilt Room Secret.

Short Excerpt

“Trini, look at me.”

She hesitated. Did she dare? She didn’t know what it was about Jacob that stole her voice. Her breath. Her entire being.

With one gentle motion, he placed his finger underneath her chin. He was so close, the light cinnamon on his breath lingered in the small distance between them. His clothes smelled like outdoors. She could see tiny lines around his eyes. They made him take on an even more manly appearance. His voice was barely more than a whisper. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

The last thing she wanted was any romantic complications that would interfere with her plans to leave. I must not lead Jacob on. I must not lead myself on. What I’m feeling…it’s wrong.

My Thoughts

The Quilt Room Secret by Lisa Jones Baker is the third book in The Heart of the Amish series, but it can be read as a standalone.  I enjoyed the descriptions of the beautiful quilts Trini Sutter created.  I would love to own one of her creations.  The Quilt Room Secret is a sweet story, but I found the pacing to be on the slow side.  The overly detailed descriptions and repetitious details led to the lethargic tempo.  Trini’s two friends, Serenity and Abby, were certainly taken with the other two Lantz brothers, Gabriel and Stephen. I liked that the book did not solely focus on Trini and Jacob. I did find Trini to be a conundrum. She is having a crisis of faith and identity.  She feels the rules of the Amish community to be restricting yet she is not baptized.  I do not know how Trini kept track of all her lists.  I thought the ending was rushed.  I liked the wisdom that had been handed down by the Lantz brother’s Aunt Margaret.  She touched many lives.  The Quilt Room Secret is a sweetly stitched story with a heaven-sent bequest, lengthy lists, peaceful countryside, quality quilts, and an old love note.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card & print copy of the book.  Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!  Click here to enter.

The Quilt Room Secret is available from Amazon*.  You can find the first two novels in The Heart of the Amish series here.  The fourth through sixth books in The Heart of the Amish series are Courting an Amish Bishop by Mindy Steele (coming out April 1), Mary's Calico Hope by Anne Blackburne (releasing on May 15), and Serenity's Secret by Lisa Jones Baker (they are making us wait until October 1).  Thank you for stopping by today.  On March 5, I will feature Allie's Amish Family Miracle by Tracy Fredrychowski.  It is the fifth book in The Amish Women of Lawrence County series. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a print copy of the book.  Leave a comment for nine extra entries.  Good Luck!  I hope that you have an inspiring day and a relaxing weekend.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, February 29

Vicky Sluiter, March 1

Holly’s Book Corner, March 2

Devoted To Hope, March 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 3

Texas Book-aholic, March 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 5

lakesidelivingsite, March 6

Lighthouse Academy Blog, March 6 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 7

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 7

Cover Lover Book Review, March 8

She Lives To Read, March 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 10

Splashes of Joy, March 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 11

For Him and My Family, March 12

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 13 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 13

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

Secret at Pebble Creek: Hope Chest of Dreams

Welcome!  Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower will be available on September 25 along with Assault and Beadery by Mollie Cox Bryan and A Simple Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard.  Glitter Bomb by Laura Childs comes out on October 2 (I will be sharing my review with you on October 1).  

Secret at Pebble Creek by Lisa Jones Baker is the fourth novel in Hope Chest of Dreams series.  Jessica Beachy has come to Arthur, Illinois to fix-up the house she has inherited from her great-uncle, Sam Beachy.  Jessica was surprised by the inheritance since she had never met Sam.  She has managed to take four weeks off from work to fix up the house and get is listed for sale.  Jessica needs a carpenter to work on the house and Eli Miller was recommended.  Eli is surprised to learn that Jessica is going to sell the property because it has special meaning for his family.  Eli shares the story of how his parents fell in love on the property and the special place on the hill where they talked for hours.  While working on the home, Eli shares stories of Sam and his strong faith in God.  Jessica had not had a relationship with God and asks Eli questions. Eli is drawn is to Jessica, but, as an Englisher, she is off limits to him.  While cleaning the cottage, Jessica finds a hidden envelope.  Inside is a letter from Sam to his wife along with a key.  It seems he had made a special gift for their sixtieth wedding anniversary, but Esther passed away before the occasion.  Jessica sets out on a quest to find the handmade gift and learns so much more along the way.

Secret at Pebble Creek can be read alone.  The other characters from the series are mentioned along with Sam Beachy, the hope chest maker.  The author provided their backstories, so readers will not be lost. Jessica learns about God while fixing up the cottage.  The stories from Eli about Sam helped to teach Jessica about God and being a Christian.  Eli’s strong faith and that of those in the community played a big part.  Lisa Jones Baker has a nice writing style that makes Secret at Pebble Creek easy to read. I did feel the pace was too slow.  But part of it was a lack of solid content.  The story is very light.  The attraction between Jessica and Eli was instantaneous (of course).  The romance portion of the story was predictable.  It was obvious how this pair’s tale would play out.  The Christian element was abundant with numerous scripture passages (too many) along with discussions about God, faith, love, hope, importance of family and good friends.  I wish the author had taken the time to establish the characters (give us more background on them).  Jessica was a hard character to like.  She has trouble handling stress, frequent panic attacks and has yet to address the issue of growing up with an alcoholic father.  I did like how Jessica came to know God and develop a relationship with Him.  My rating for Secret at Pebble Creek is 3 out of 5 stars (sorry, but I found it to be ho hum).  Secret at Pebble Creek is a simple yet sweet romance novel that will appeal to a younger audience or those looking for a nice escape novel. 

The other books in the Hope Chest of Dreams series are Rebecca's Bouquet, Annie's Recipe, and Rachel's Dream.  Thank you for visiting today.  If you find my reviews helpful, please consider following my blog (upper right).  I will be sharing my review of A Wedding at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke tomorrow.  I hope you have a joyful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

The Amish Christmas Candle: Three Amish Novellas

Greetings!  Knit to Kill by Anne Canadeo along with The Quiche and the Dead by Kirsten Weiss will be out tomorrow (October 31).  

The Amish Christmas Candle contains three Amish stories written by Jennifer Beckstrand, Kelly Long and Lisa Jones Baker.  Snow Shines on Ice Mountain by Kelly Long is set in Ice Mountain, Pennsylvania.  Naomi Gish makes and sells candles in her shop.  She has been trying to convince her father, Bud to give up running moonshine.  Bud hires Grayson Fisher to work in Naomi’s shop during the day and run moonshine for him at night (sneaky).  Gray is bitter from an accident when he was fourteen that lost him the use of his right arm.  During the holiday season miracles can happen.  Is it possible for these two to find love and happiness this Christmas season?

A Honeybee Christmas by Jennifer Beckstrand tells the story of Bitsy Kiem.  Bitsy is on her own now that the three nieces she raised are happily married.  One day, Yost Weaver stops by with his grandson, Levi.  Levi “borrowed” some bee equipment from Bitsy and needs to make restitution.  Bitsy wants to start a candle making business and Levi can be her apprentice.  Yost will not allow his grandson to spend time alone with the unconventional Bitsy and insists upon accompanying him.  Yost and Bitsy become reacquainted.  Can these two very different people find a way to be together?

The Christmas Candle by Lisa Jones Baker revolves around Lydia Schultz.  Lydia injures her ankle on the way home and John King (King’s Bakery) stops to assist her.  King’s Bakery provides cinnamon rolls for Christmas treats for those in need every year.  This year the list has doubled and they might not be able to provide them.  Lydia misses her sister, Anna since she married and moved to Ohio.  Every Christmas they would decide on a Christmas blessing and make it happen.  Lydia and John team up to help each other and other this Christmas.

The Amish Christmas Candle has three heartwarming Amish stories.  My favorite is A Honeybee Christmas.  It is well-written, has delightful characters and plenty of humor.  Bitsy is quite a character (I wish I had her gumption and zest for life).  I am glad the author gave us Bitsy’s story (from the Honey Bee Sisters trilogy).  All three novellas are easy to read and have good life lessons (honesty, truth, love, value of compromise, true meaning of Christmas).  Snow Shine on Ice Mountain is heavy on romance (a little sappy), but the father was so mischievous.   I liked the bayberry candle (it was interesting to find out they were made) and the Christmas miracle.  There is a preview of An Amish Courtship on Ice Mountain at the end which tells the story of Bishop Umble.  The Christmas Candle had a slower pace than the other stories, but it has a lovely ending.  There is a recipe for the cinnamon rolls and an excerpt for Rachel’s Dream.  I give The Amish Christmas Candle 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). 

Thank you for visiting today.  I will be featuring The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams on Halloween.  By the way--Which ghost is the best dancer?  The Boogie Man!  May you have a witchingly good day!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Rachel's Dream: Hope Chest of Dreams

Greetings!  Wendy Wax has a new novel coming out tomorrow.  It is the fifth book in Ten Beach Road Novel series and called One Good Thing.  I have added it to my TBR pile.  I am curious to see what happens in the series.

Rachel’s Dream by Lisa Jones Baker is the third book in Hope Chest of Dreams series.  Rachel Kauffmann is eighteen years old, and her hope chest contains her journal with her secret dreams for her life.  Rachel loves the family horse Cinnamon and is worried about her.  Her father calls out the new vet Dr. Jarred Zimmerman.  Jarred is instantly attracted to Rachel’s sweet, caring nature and glass half full attitude.  Rachel appreciates Jarred’s love for animals and his caring personality.  Cinnamon is very ill and Rachel prays for his recovery.  She is grateful for Jarred doing everything possible to save the horse.  Rachel and Jarred get to know each other when Jarred visits to check on Cinnamon.  Rachel learns that Jarred has not gotten over a tragic incident when he way four years old.  It forever changed Jarred.  Rachel encourages him to contact his parents to resolve the matter.  Jarred is amazed at Grace’s faith and optimism.  The pair are quickly falling for each other, but the path to happiness is not a smooth one.  If they are to have a future together, God will show them the way. 

Rachel’s Dream is easy to read and ties in nicely with the other two books in the series.  I had trouble with the character of Rachel.  She is eighteen, but Rachel comes across as a starry eyed young teenager (a young idealistic twelve or thirteen-year-old girl).  I found the romance between Rachel who seems so naïve and young having a romance with a man in his late 20s or early 30s (I am guessing since Jarred’s age is not mentioned) was off-putting.  Rachel wants her horse to get better no matter what.  I can understand having faith and praying for a miracle, but not letting a horse suffer for months (I dislike seeing animals hurting and in pain).  I wish there were more miracles in the world, but it is hard to keep the faith with all the violence in our society.  I also doubt a practical farmer would keep paying vets bills for that length of time.  Rachel’s strong faith and belief in miracles is a lovely trait.  I wish I had such strong convictions.  Rachel also knew what she wanted from life, and she was very unwilling to compromise.  Rachel’s dreams mostly involve getting married and having a houseful of children (which she mentions many times throughout the book).  Of course, this does go with the Amish society as it is portrayed in novels (nevertheless, it really goes against my feminine beliefs).  It once again showcases Rachel’s youthfulness.   The religious aspect was medium level with the focus on prayer (also mentioned are faith and God’s plan for our lives).  I give Rachel’s Dream 2 out of 5 stars (I just found it lacking).  I found the storyline or plot to be flimsy (weak) and unrealistic.  Jarred talks about joining the Amish faith, but the practicalities of this decision are not discussed (would he be allowed to keep his practice for example).  I did find repetition of information throughout the story (the same details were repeated over and over).  It seemed like filler to lengthen the length of the book.  Rachel’s Dream is my least favorite book in the series.  I think Rachel’s Dream would do better with a younger audience (it reminds me of books I read as a young teen). While Rachel's Dream is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone.  Rachel's Dream will be released on April 25.

Thank you for reading through my review.  I know it was a little longer today.  I will be sharing my thoughts on Sweet Tea and Spirits by Angie Fox tomorrow.  May you have a marvelous Monday.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader