The Flower Quilter (Heart of the Amish) by Mindy Steele

 

Book Description:  Barbara Schwartz was born into a family of quilters, but she would rather eat dirt than partake in another quilting frolic or sew on another binding. When her parents send her to Indiana to help her grandmother in her quilting shop, she finds herself amongst a very different community. It’s only one summer and then she will be back in Kentucky where she belongs.

Melvin Bontrager’s world stopped six years ago when his parents died. Now when his only means of providing for his widowed sister and niece is threatened, Melvin finds his landscaping business disappearing too. When spring delivers a newcomer who is immune to his salty moods, Melvin does something he has never done before, accepts help. 

My thoughts:  Mindy Steele is a new to me author.  I was quite smitten with this story of a quilter, Barbara Swartz.  She not only quilts but she can grow the prettiest flowers.

Barbara is tired of her life.  She's tired of quilting frolics and sewing.  

Then she finds out that her grandmother needs her to help her in Indiana in her quilting shop.

In the Amish community one goes when one is needed.  Her parents seem to know that she needs a change and request that she go help her grandmother.

Barbara finds the community interesting and different.

The community accepts Barbara and she learns that sometimes change brings about a new love of old things.

Melvin Bontrager's world seems to be coming apart at the seams.  Nothing is going in the right direction until he meets Barbara.  She takes him as he is and that surprises him.  He decides to accept her help.

Together they find that the world is better with one person helping another. Somewhat like a quilt coming together one binding at a time.

A delightful read!

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Barbour Pub Inc (September 1, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 249 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1636096425
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1636096421

Happy Book Birthday!

 

WOW (Warm Oven Wednesday}

 

One of my favorite cookies:


• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup white sugar

• 2 large eggs

• ½ teaspoon orange extract

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 ½ cups rolled oats

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a bowl.

3. Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; beat in eggs, orange extract, and vanilla extract until well combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture until incorporated. Stir in oats, cranberries, and walnuts until thoroughly combined. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool cookies briefly on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
   

IT's Almost here!

 Two days until The Memory House releases!

Elise remembers a little girl named Ivy.

She remembers playing with her in the garden.

She remembers trying to protect her.

But no one else remembers Ivy.

“Don’t trust what your mother told you. Don’t trust your memories. Trust what you can prove.”

Who is Ivy—and why does someone want Elise to remember her?

Step inside Coldwater Hollow on September 24.

https://amzn.to/3NhHYKY

#TheMemoryHouse #WhoIsIvy #MaryAlford #PsychologicalThriller #TwoDays

SEPTEMBER 23—RELEASES TOMORROW

Shadows At Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard

 

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can't help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition--that he help her track down her friend's killer.

As the two close in on the answers they crave, they'll face dangers and connections they could not have imagined. They'll have to learn to trust one another--and face the dark secrets of the past--if they are ever to discover the truth and bring a killer to justice.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/461vqLT

Baker Book House: https://shorturl.at/ehtM2

B&N: https://shorturl.at/gvDGO

Christianbook: https://shorturl.at/kAJO0

Kobo: https://shorturl.at/otTW1

#shadowsatdusk #missinginalaskaseries #elizabethgoddardbooks #romanticsuspense #Christiansuspense #amreadingthrillers

The Amish Christmas Matchmaker (Indiana Amish Brides) by Vannetta Chapman

 

Book Description:  With her wedding business thriving, Annie Kauffmann could never leave her beloved Amish community. So when handsome Amish cowboy Levi Lapp tries to convince her father to move the family to Texas, she must put a stop to it. If Annie finds Levi a wife, he might forget his dream of moving…but can she keep from falling for him herself?

My Thoughts:  In my book there is nothing better than a Love Inspired romance especially when it's about Christmas and is authored by Vannetta Chapman.  A win-win!

This fantastic story is almost an oxymoron...An Amish matchmaker?!?  But then again no matter what, we all need love in our lives.  

Annie Kaufman actually has a wedding business so it's not all love and games.  However, she doesn't seem to have any romance in her own life.  And it seems that Annie is quite happy with her life so when Levi Lapp begins to talk her father into moving-to Texas of all places!  Annie decides she'll have none of that nonsense.  But love can get in the way of most well laid plans.

In a fun loving sort of way, Vannetta Chapman captures the romance between two young Amish people and somehow gets their families involved too.

This is a great story to begin your holiday season!

• Series: Indiana Amish Brides
• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1335479430
• ISBN-13: 978-1335479433

The Memory House by Mary Alford

 

A tarnished silver music box.

A melody Elise Warren recognizes but cannot place.

A fleeting memory of two little girls sitting on the floor.

And a name hovering just beyond her reach.

Ivy.

Each new clue inside Coldwater Hollow brings Elise closer to the truth about her childhood—but someone will do anything to stop her from uncovering what really happened there.

The Memory House by Mary Alford is an atmospheric psychological suspense novel where the smallest objects can unlock the most dangerous memories.

https://amzn.to/3NhHYKY

#TheMemoryHouse #MaryAlford #PsychologicalThriller #SuspenseReads #BookRecommendation