Enjoy!
#4 Heart of the Amish
Inspirational Fiction
Publisher: Barbour
Fiction
Published: 4.1.24
Pages: 288
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Synopsis:
No One Is Ever Too Old to Love
Again Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the
Heart of Amish country. Simon Graber became a widower and a bishop early in
life. His focus is solely on his very close-knit Old Order Amish community—not
entertaining the idea of marriage, despite what many of the elders think. When
sickness comes to Cherry Grove, Kentucky, Simon reaches out into the next
community for help. But help is beginning to look a lot like a second chance
when Stella Schmucker agrees to offer her vast herbal knowledge to the sick.
Can it be that these two, who have been too busy serving others to entertain
the idea of love, have met at just the perfect time for an unlikely courtship?
Sophia Rose's Review:
A widower Amish Bishop needs a doctor
for his community and a woman herbalist in the next community answers his need
in a sweet opposites attract Amish Romance.
Mindy Steele is a new to me author, but I was captivated by the blurb so
gladly picked up Courting the Amish Bishop for a try.
Courting An Amish Bishop is fourth in
the Heart of the Amish series, but it is standalone and easily read out of
order.
Courting An Amish Bishop is told in
alternating narration between Simon Graber and Stella Schmucker. They’re a pair of opposites or they think
they are when they warily circle each other while working together to help the
Cherry Grove community.
Simon is a young bishop widower
raising his one remaining child (after his wife and two younger children died
in an accident) though he’s not really young and feels past the need for a
wife. Too bad his Cherry Grove people
and his family have other plans for him when they catch sight of bright and
helpful spinster, Stella. Simon isn’t
much impressed with Stella (and her dog) at first, but learns to respect her
work and her character. They grow a
friendship after a time.
Simon’s not the only one with an
uphill battle toward happiness. Stella
has a past history in her old Amish community back in Ohio where her
dysfunctional family was well known for being troublesome and users. She’s left that behind to start fresh in her
grandparent’s community and has worked hard to not be a user or seem like she
is in need of a man to do for her. She’s
got her simple cabin on the hill, her dog, and her work gathering herbs and
medicinal plants to help people. Not
until she goes with Simon to help heal his sick people does her isolated,
contented life start to chafe and she slowly starts to feel for the lonely
bishop.
I enjoy romances set in Amish
communities and this one was even more fascinating because it featured one of
the community leaders and a woman healer.
The author doesn’t stint on the Amish life and world for the story
backdrop and paints in some unique and fun assortment of characters from the
community. I just loved Simon’s old
mother with all her generous love and practical wisdom.
The romance is definitely slow burn
with the pair of them needing to deal with their pasts before they could move
forward in the present. Their courtship
sneaks up on them, but also takes place under the eyes of the interested Cherry
Grove community. That was the fun
part. Loved the scenes of healing, Amish
life, and oh yes, the food. Mindy Steele
writes a good heart-felt story that was a wonderful feel-gooder.
Author Bio:
I came to becoming a published author later in life, though I have been
writing since I was old enough to hold crayons to the wall. I feel God planned
that accordingly, as the older I got, the more life experiences I had. I give
all my words to Him, for helping me create stories with deeper realism and
unflinching faith.
I love touching all the senses to make readers laugh, cry, and root for the
happy-ever-after. My stories are faith tested, inspirationally driven, and at
times, a lit grit added to the grace of two characters struggling through
difficulty. Since my debut novel, To Catch A Hummingbird in 2021, I
have written a dozen novels and novellas. I’ve been a finalist in the Reader’s
Choice Awards, and the 2022 Winner of the Reader’s Choice Award
for Sweet Inspirational fiction for writing the first Hallmark Publishing
romance, An Amish Flower Farm. I have been honored by readers for
making the best seller lists with An Amish Flower Farm,
and my Love Inspired debut novel, His Amish Wife’s Hidden Past. I
can’t thank readers enough for finding love in these stories.
Though I love researching my stories and meeting readers, my heart is at
home, among Amish and English where sometimes I forget which side of the fence
I live on. Regardless of the story that is in the works currently, a journey is
promised, strength is found, and encouragement is woven in. Life has enough
rough corners, adding a little fiction smooths out the edges.
Steele lives in northeastern Kentucky with her husband, Mike. They have
five grown children, ten grandchildren, and many wonderful neighbors.
Represented by Julie Gwinn with the Seymour Agency, and is published by
Barbour Publishing, Hallmark, Love Inspired, Vinspire, Entangled, and Ally
Press.
Website: https://mindysteele.com/
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia
is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing,
piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments,
restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible
man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes
Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and
Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that
Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a
prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many
wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading
tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and
romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose
Aww, I am glad they find that happiness
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this was a feel good story. And I must admit, I am a sucker for a hero with a tragic past. Great review, Sophia Rose!
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