What a treat! In this book you get the writings of four great authors and four entertaining Amish romances. It can’t get better than that! All the writers were kind enough to add a word list with Pennsylvania Dutch words used in the story and an Amish recipe!
“Love Birds” by Amy Clipston. Ellie and Lloyd are both grieving over the loss of her brother Seth. With no male family member her mother and she are struggling to make ends meet. She must go to work at a gift shop to help support them. Lloyd, Seth’s best friend, along with others in the community regularly stops by to help. He begins to see Ellie as more than his friend’s little sister. Romance seems to be in the air until Ellie accidentally discovers an extraordinary talent Lloyd has for carving intricate wooden birds. She feels he must sell them in the gift shop where she is employed, but he refuses. Ignoring his protests she shows them to the owner. He sees her act as disloyalty and his love turns to anger and hurt. Is the relationship over?
Sweeter than Honey by Kelly Irvin. Will Glick and Isabella Shrock are two very shy, lonely people. Both are hindered in a relationship because they are having trouble moving forward with their lives. Isabella struggles to adjust to her family relocating to a new community. Will is held in the past by hurt and bitterness from the betrayal of a sweetheart. His critical judgmental spirit keeps everyone at a distance. Being a kind and sympathetic girl, she senses his pain after their first awkward meeting. She hurts for him and purposes to help him heal. He wants none of it, and then the shell around him begins to soften. Will Isabella’s compassion and efforts be enough?
The next two novellas were my favorite because the main characters were older people, not the usual young couples.
A Bid for Love by Kathleen Fuller. Ezra Yutzy is the town’s long-established bachelor. How odd that he makes weekly visits to the market to buy the butter Hannah Beiler makes. Who needs that much butter!? At the auction, Hannah puts all her money on one heirloom quilt, and loses. Ezra sees her disappointment and buys the quilt from the winner. The perfect love story, right? Not quite! This is the only beginning of miscommunication, misunderstandings, and conflict between the couple. There is a mystery here too; the quilt holds many secrets that neither of them knows about.
Love in Store by Vannetta Chapman. This story has a unique twist. A sweet Amish widower, David and cranky old maid, Stella are exact opposites, more like oil and water! With both being in their 50’s, they are not definitely spring chickens! They meet at the Amish Mill tourist attraction where both work. He is as kind as she is bad tempered. Knowing she could not have children from a young age, Stella decided no one would EVER want her for a wife. Her resentment hardened her through the years, turning to hostility and a sharp tongue. David sees past her crusty exterior and attempts become acquainted. They might never have come together except for some bizarre and dangerous occurrences at the mill. Both are concerned for the safety of others, and the possibility of the mill closing, so they make a combined effort to solve the mystery. There is a lot of suspense and surprises! Four entertaining novellas with distinctive lessons on relationships and forgiveness.
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