Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 New Ways to Turn Salad into Dinner--and Make-Ahead Lunches, Too Hard by Editors of Food52

Book Description:  A collection of 60 recipes for turning ordinary salads into one-dish worthy meals. 

Does anybody need a recipe to make a salad? Of course not. But if you want your salad to hold strong in your lunch bag or carry the day as a one-bowl dinner, dressing on lettuce isn’t going to cut it.

Make way for Mighty Salads, in which the editors of Food52 present sixty salads hefty with vegetables, meats, grains, beans, fish, seafood, pasta, and bread. Think shrimp and radicchio tossed in a bacon vinaigrette, a make-ahead jumble of white beans with charred lemon and fennel, slow-roasted duck and apples scattered across spicy greens. It’s comforting food made captivating by simply charring one ingredient or marinating another—shaving some, or roasting a bunch.

But because we don’t always follow recipes, there are also loose formulas for confident off-roading, as well as back-pocket tips and genius tricks for improving any old salad. Because once you know how to fix too-salty dressing, wash greens once and for all, keep an avocado from browning, and even sprout your own grains, the humble salad starts looking a lot more interesting—and a whole lot more like dinner.

My Thoughts:  We are trying to eat healthier and so when I saw this book I knew I needed it.

There are 60 wonderful recipes for salads.  Not just a lettuce and tomato kind but salads packed with protein and nutrients.

When it comes to making a salad I get stumped.  So this book has helped me to go beyond the boring and actually make a meal out of a one bowl supper.  

Some of the salads are a little on the "dicey" side for us . . . we don't eat roasted duck, I'm not even sure where to find such a delicacy.  But there are other salads that are great.  We like eggs so I began with a more simple salad that included soft boiled eggs.  It was good and filling.  And we felt better after eating a much healthier supper.

The tips for washing and keeping greens and how to keep an avocado from turning brown are quite helpful.

A lovely book with great directions to help us all eat a little more healthier.

*This book was provided for review by Waterbrook/Multnomah*

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (April 11, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399578048
• ISBN-13: 978-0399578045

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

 photo credit: www.pauladeen.com

Mexican Chicken Casserole with Cheddar Cheese and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 10 3/4 -ounce can cream of chicken soup
• 1 10 3/4 -ounce can cheddar cheese soup
• 1 10 3/4 -ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 10-ounce can tomatoes
• 1 whole chicken, cooked, boned, and chopped or 4 cups leftover cooked chicken
• 11 1/2-ounce package flour tortillas
• 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the three kinds of soup and the tomatoes. Stir in the chicken.
3. In a greased 13 x 9- inch pan, layer the tortillas and the chicken mixture, beginning and ending with tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese over the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

{Fiction Guild Team Challenge} You'll think of Me by Robin Lee Hatcher

Book Description:  In a small town in Idaho's idyllic wine country where the past looms large, can two people realize their individual dreams for the future . . . together?

Abandoned once too often, Brooklyn Meyers never intended to return to Thunder Creek, Idaho. Her hometown holds too many memories of heartache and rejection. But when her estranged husband Chad Hallston dies and leaves his family home and acreage to her and their ten-year-old daughter Alycia, it's an opportunity to change their lives for the better—a chance Brooklyn can't pass up, for Alycia's sake if not her own.

Derek Johnson, Chad's best friend since boyhood, isn't keen on the return of Brooklyn Meyers to Thunder Creek. He still blames her for leading his friend astray. And now she has ruined his chance to buy the neighboring ten acres that would have allowed him to expand his organic farm. To add insult to injury, Chad's dying request was that Derek become the father to Alycia that Chad never was. How can he keep that promise without also spending time with the girl's mother?

Brought together by unexpected circumstances, Derek and Brooklyn must both confront challenges to their dreams and expectations. He must overcome long held misconceptions about Brooklyn, while she must learn to trust someone other than herself. And if they can do it, they just might discover that God has something better in mind than either of them ever imagined. 

My Thoughts:  After reading a few suspense novels and Amish stories, I was ready for a lighter read.  And You'll think of Me came as a nice surprise.

It's been awhile since I've read a story by Robin Lee Hatcher.  But I embarked on a reading journey of love, forgiveness and redemption.

Poor Brooklyn Myers has had quite a life of disappointments and not many closures.

When her estranged husband, Chad Hallston, dies and leaves her and their daughter the family home in Idaho Brooklyn knows that she and her daughter, Alycia, must go home.

But as all things are in life it isn't easy going back.  For one thing, Derek Johnson, her estranged husband's good friend, is not happy to see her return.  He blames her for leading his good friend down a "bad path."

However, as life would have it, Derek and Brooklyn do meet up and must come to terms with life.  Life is full of choices and sometimes one choice is to either live with bitterness or enjoy forgiveness.

*This book was provided by the Fiction Guild*

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 11, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718085949
• ISBN-13: 978-0718085940

Upon a Spring Breeze (An Every Amish Season Novel) by Kelly Irvin

Book Description:  After a devastating winter, a spring breeze promises more than new flowers.… It promises a new chance at love.

Bess Weaver, twenty and expecting her first child, is in the kitchen making stew for her beloved mann, Caleb, one minute, and the next she’s burying him after a tragic accident. Facing life as a young widow, Bess finds comfort only in tending the garden at an Englisch-owned bed and breakfast—even as she doubts that new growth could ever come after such a long winter.

Aidan tries to repress his guilt over his best friend Caleb’s death and his long-standing feelings for Bess by working harder than ever. But as he spends time with the young son his friend left behind, he seems to be growing closer to the boy’s beautiful mother as well.

When a close-knit group of widows in her Amish community step in to help Bess find her way back to hope, she begins to wonder if Gott has a future for her after all. Will she ever believe that life can still hold joy and the possibility of love?

My Thoughts: Just a side note* Thanks  to my wonderful husband who took me away for a week to a "wilderness cabin" so I could rest, relax and read.

So, I was able to read this novel and finish it in a day.  😊

First of all, I found the the sub title, An Every Amish Season Novel interesting.  Because there are seasons to every part of our lives.

It seems that Bess Weaver has entered a new season...the season of widowhood.  But, yet, Bess is still quite young and with a baby on the way.

Bess deals with the loss of her beloved husband, Caleb, in the only way she can . . . she takes a job at the local bed -n- breakfast where her husband's good friend, Aidan works too.

This read is not just about a young Amish widow.  Its a story about a community, a close-knit community that comes together to give support to a young woman and her soon to be born baby.

A lovely read for a summer day.

*This book was provided for review by the Fiction Guild*

• Series: An Every Amish Season Novel
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (March 28, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310348056
• ISBN-13: 978-0310348054

{Fiction Guild Team Challenge} Beyond Justice by Cara C. Putman

Book Description:  Hayden McCarthy is on track to become the youngest partner in her prestigious D.C. law firm . . . if the case she’s just been handed doesn’t destroy her first.

Read the first five chapters by clicking here.

Hayden McCarthy knows firsthand the pain when justice is not served. It’s why she became an attorney and why she’s so driven in her career. When she’s assigned a wrongful death case against the government, she isn’t sure if it’s the lucky break she needs to secure a partnership—or an attempt to make sure she never gets there.

Further complicating matters is Andrew, her roommate’s distractingly attractive cousin. But Andrew’s father is a Congressman, and Hayden’s currently taking on the government. Could the timing be any worse?

The longer she keeps the case active, the higher the stakes become. Unknown enemies seem determined to kill the case—or her. Logic and self-preservation would indicate she should close the case. But how can she, when justice is still just beyond her reach?

My Thoughts:  I didn't realize that Cara Putman had a new novel out.  So when I received this book I was surprised.  

A legal thriller!  If you know a little about Cara, you know that she has a law degree so this novel is like reading about one of her cases.  😊

This is a fast paced novel.  Cara's knowledge of law and justice makes for a grand read.

Hayden McCarthy has had her share of loses in the judicial system.  So, when she is handed a case in a wrongful death against the government she comes against a mighty hand of evil.  

The case plus the action keeps the reader on her tippy toes.  

The romance is low key but just enough to take the edge off a serious case.

To say that I enjoyed this novel is an understatement.  I loved this novel.  

*This book was provided for review by the Fiction Guild*

Meet The Author:

Since the time I could read Nancy Drew, I have wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 I attended a book signing at my local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, is history. There I met Colleen Coble. With prompting from my husband, I shared my dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, I've been writing award-winning books with the count currently at 25. 

In addition to writing, I am a homeschooling mom of four, attorney, lecturer at a Big Ten university, active in women's ministry, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, my husband, and my kids. I graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!), George Mason Law School, and Purdue University's MBA program. You can learn more about my books at http://www.caraputman.com. And if you'd like a copy of my legal suspense novella, Dying for Love, simply connect with me here (http://www.caraputman.com/contact/) , and I'll send you the link.

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 4, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718083474
• ISBN-13: 978-0718083472

Remembering . . .

How about you . . .

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

A cool treat for summer!  

 20 oz can drained crushed pineapple or fruit cocktail 

16 oz cottage cheese

small box of lime jello 

8 oz whipped topping. 

Mix together and chill for a wonderfully refreshing 

side dish or summer time dessert.

The English Son: The Amish Millionaire by Wanda E. Brunstetter (Author), Jean Brunstetter (Author)

Book Description:  Meet businessman Joel Byler who has gotten himself into a financial bind and his eccentric, wealthy Amish father who is done bailing out his spoiled son. When will Joel learn he most pay for his own mistakes—and at what cost to his business, his fiancée, and his Amish siblings?

My Thoughts:  I was so excited to receive this new six part serial novel in the mail from authors Wanda E. & Jean Brunstetter.  

I have been waiting for this mini novel to make it's appearance on the book shelves.  

Joel Byler has decided that he needs to see the world so he decides to leave his Amish roots and go to the city.  

Much like the prodigal son story in the Bible, Joel too squanders his money and is left with nothing. 

He misses his home and wonders if his father would give another cash loan?  

An interesting beginning to the Amish Millionaire serials.  

My only complaint is that the books are only 124 pages long and then it's another month before the next issue.  

Ahhh! the life of a reader.  {smile}

I love this story....an Amish millionaire?!?!?  

To be honest I have never thought about the Amish bering millionaires.  

I guess the Amish didn't need much money because they grow and can everything or build it by themselves.  But being people I realized they have needs outside of the things they can't make, like tennis shoes or carriages. So, I love the way Wanda and Jean have portrayed a different line of thought in Amish life!  

*This book was generously provided for review by the author*

• Series: The Amish Millionaire (Book 1)
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (March 1, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1634092031
• ISBN-13: 978-1634092036

Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Marsh

Book Description:  In the decades since his execution by the Nazis in 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor, theologian, and anti-Hitler conspirator, has become one of the most widely read and inspiring Christian thinkers of our time. Now, drawing on extensive new research, Strange Glory offers a definitive account, by turns majestic and intimate, of this modern icon.

The scion of a grand family that rarely went to church, Dietrich decided as a thirteen-year-old to become a theologian. By twenty-one, the rather snobbish and awkward young man had already written a dissertation hailed by Karl Barth as a “theological miracle.” But it was only the first step in a lifelong effort to recover an authentic and orthodox Christianity from the dilutions of liberal Protestantism and the modern idolatries of blood and nation—which forces had left the German church completely helpless against the onslaught of Nazism.

From the start, Bonhoeffer insisted that the essence of Christianity was not its abstract precepts but the concrete reality of the shared life in Christ. In 1930, his search for that true fellowship led Bonhoeffer to America for ten fateful months in the company of social reformers, Harlem churchmen, and public intellectuals. Energized by the lived faith he had seen, he would now begin to make what he later saw as his definitive “turn from the phraseological to the real.” He went home with renewed vocation and took up ministry among Berlin’s downtrodden while trying to find his place in the hoary academic establishment increasingly captive to nationalist fervor. 

With the rise of Hitler, however, Bonhoeffer’s journey took yet another turn. The German church was Nazified, along with every other state-sponsored institution. But it was the Nuremberg laws that set Bonhoeffer’s earthly life on an ineluctable path toward destruction. His denunciation of the race statutes as heresy and his insistence on the church’s moral obligation to defend all victims of state violence, regardless of race or religion, alienated him from what would become the Reich church and even some fellow resistors. Soon the twenty-seven-year-old pastor was one of the most conspicuous dissidents in Germany. He would carry on subverting the regime and bearing Christian witness, whether in the pastorate he assumed in London, the Pomeranian monastery he established to train dissenting ministers, or in the worldwide ecumenical movement. Increasingly, though, Bonhoeffer would find himself a voice crying in the wilderness, until, finally, he understood that true moral responsibility obliged him to commit treason, for which he would pay with his life.  

My Thoughts:  About three years ago my husband and I "discovered"  Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Bonhoeffer's life takes place during World War II.  

How Bonhoeffer influenced those around him, how he found Christ, and how he felt about Hitler are all pretty interesting facts.  Considering that he seemed to be a wealthy, spoiled, maybe lazy child and teen . . .  but then something "snapped" in his heart.  It seems that Bonhoeffer was one of those men who wanted/needed to change the world for God.  But Bonhoeffer was such a young man to take on so much responsibility.  

His life began to change after he came to America and visited the Harlem church.  He had already began to have doubts about his countrymen and the Third Reich but now he knew that God was not pleased with people who took the lives of other, innocent people.  

This book is "chock full" of Bonhoeffer's life and thoughts.  It is written in a most excellent way...smooth and easy to read.  A great read about a great man who just wanted to do the "right" thing and live for God.

*This book was provided for review by Blogging for Books*

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; First Edition edition (April 29, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307269817
• ISBN-13: 978-0307269812

Once Upon A Time . . .

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

I found this wonderful salad on Pinterest and it is super yummy!

Ingredients

• For Salad:
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 cups mixed greens such as spinach and arugula
• 
  

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, combine all dressing ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Add more water, if necessary.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine cooked quinoa, dried cranberries, scallions and mixed greens; gently toss with Caesar dressing to coat.
4. Serve chilled.

COTT {Clash of the Titles}

Author Spotlight: Danny and Wanda Pelfrey

Danny and Wanda Pelfrey are longtime writers of non-fiction books in the educational and inspiration markets. They have for most of their lives been avid readers of mystery/suspense. AS A SHIELD and a previous mystery title are the result of a desire to entertain themselves and others as well as drive home important spiritual messages. Their passion is now “mysteries with a message.”

CLICK COVER to BUY

AS A SHIELD is one of four planned Davis Morgan mysteries set in a small North Georgia town. Davis, a pastor for almost twenty-five years, returns to his hometown after the death of his wife, to operate a rare and used bookstore. He is promptly appointed chaplain of the small police department and recruited by city officials to write a history of his home town. Mystery and romance seem always to be lurking around the corner for the popular bookseller.The reoccurring characters such as Charley Nelson, young police officer; Amy Morgan, Davis’s young daughter who is an English teacher; her roommate Deidre, who Davis is more and more drawn to as time passes; Miss Helen, the local historian and a host of others add to the fun and excitement.

 A visit to little Adairsville, Georgia will surely be a memorable event for anyone who chooses to drop-in. In AS A SHIELD, Davis, through his encounters with two strange villains, comes to experience for himself the truth of Psalm 5:12, “For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”

---

About the Authors: Danny and Wanda Pelfrey are a husband/wife team who in the past were active writers of non-fiction material, having, between them, cranked out several books. They are both graduates of Point University and Danny has a Masters from Kentucky Christian University. Danny has spent most of his adult life as a pastor and Wanda as a teacher.Their interest at present lies in the creation of mysteries with a message.

Danny and Wanda are the proud parents of two daughters and five grandchildren. They reside in a little Cape Cod style cottage in the small town in North Georgia that is the setting for their mysteries.

About the Book: Davis Morgan, having left the ministry after the death of his wife, returns to Adairsville, Georgia, his hometown. There he operates a used and rare bookstore while being appointed chaplain of the police department. He and Charley, a young policeman, after discovering the body of a tattooed man find themselves in a serious battle to bring justice to two strange villains who are threating the safety of Davis's daughter. While all this is going on, Davis is struggling with interpreting his relationship with a young history teacher who happens to be his daughter's roommate. 

Esther: Finding Yourself in Times of Trouble (Drawn In Bible Study) by Eugene H. Peterson (Author)

Book Description:  Deepen your friendships as you gather around Scripture for coloring and conversation. Drawn In offers simple four-week Bible studies—perfect for groups or personal devotions. Coloring quiets your heart and mind so you can enter fully into Scripture’s stories. The Bible’s passion and personality come through in The Message, surprising new and old Bible readers alike. Discover the delight of being Drawn In.

My Thoughts:  This is a smallish book.  A nice size to carry.  

It's a wonderful devotional, especially for a group of tween girls.

There is a page of Bible study about Esther and then on the left side there is a color page.  Turn the tight page over and there is a page or half page of questions.  These questions can be answered in a group setting or as a personal study.

I liked the devotional because it has many facets.  Not only can one have a personal devotional but one can color and ponder the Bible story.

Personally, we are going to use these devotional in a group setting.  It's a short just four weeks or a month of Wednesday nights.  

When the girls have completed the Bible study they will have a sweet little book as a keepsake with their coloring in it too.

We had them write their name, date and what they hoped to gain from this Bible study in the front of the book/first page before when began the study.  

*This book was provided for review by Tyndale*

• Series: Drawn In Bible Study
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: NavPress (June 20, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1631467875
• ISBN-13: 978-1631467875

{Handlebar Blog Tour} Hello Stars (Faithgirlz / Lena in the Spotlight) by Alena Pitts (Author), Wynter Pitts (Contributor)

Book Description:  Lena Daniels never thought she’d get the chance star in a movie. Headstrong and determined, she has her life planned out to the minute. But when her best friends, Savannah and Emma, tell her about an audition, she knows there’s nothing else in the world she’d rather do. And now that she’s gotten her wish, Lena finds that being in the spotlight is harder than it sounds. She got everything she never wanted! Her face turns up everywhere she goes, and everything in her life is flipped upside down. Lena wonders if this is a dream come true or a horrible nightmare. Even a visit from her best friends during filming turns into a disaster.

My Thoughts:  I've always liked Faithgirlz.  Young teens/tweens, girls between the ages of 8-12 need something good to read too.  And Faithgirlz delivers a great message to this tween group.

In Hello Stars Lena Daniels finally gets a chance to star in a movie.  Every young girl's dream.  

I like the way the author of this story brings out the trials of being a star.  It's not all that it seems to be popular and have all that one wants.

As the story progresses Lena learns that having her sisters with her is an added plus.  But she also comes to realize that she is an example to them.  

This is a great story for tween girls.  Learning that being a star and being in the spot light is not all glitz and glamour.

Just an added note this Faithgirlz series entitled Lena in the Spotlight, written by Alena Pitts, star of War Room and tween blogger of For Girls Like You, and co-written with her mother, editor and author, Wynter Pitts, is a reflection of Alena’s own life experiences as she reaches for the stars and keeps her faith in balance.

*This book was provided for review by Handlebar Marketing*

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Series: Faithgirlz / Lena in the Spotlight
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Zonderkidz (April 25, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310760593
• ISBN-13: 978-0310760597

Weaver's Needle by Robin Caroll

Book Description:  Former Army MP Landry Parker fell into the recovery specialist role quite by accident—to help her ailing father. Now that she’s on her own, she is determined to prove herself and honor her family legacy.

After being shot in the line of duty, former police officer Nickolai Baptiste became a recovery specialist, and he’s good at his job—maybe even the best.

A potential client pits Landry and Nickolai against one another to find the Dutchman’s Lost Gold Mine map that was stolen from her murdered husband, and the potential payday is too enticing to pass up. The trail takes them from New Orleans to Weaver’s Needle in Arizona where legend claims the mine is hidden. Landry and Nickolai are no strangers to adventure, but the unlikely partners quickly discover there’s someone after the treasure and there are those who want to ensure the lost mine in Arizona’s Superstition Mountain stays lost forever.

Can Landry and Nickolai work together despite their distrust of each other to save the legend before more innocent lives are lost? Will they find the real treasure isn’t the gold, but something more valuable. . .true love and understanding?

My Thoughts:  I have not read a novel by Robin Caroll in years even though I've always enjoyed her stories.  So, I was excited to see that she has authored a brand new book.  

This story takes place just east of Phoenix, AZ in the Superstition Mountains.  And that makes the story so real for me since I grew up not too far from this area.  

Landry Parker is a feisty lady and a determined one.  So when she push comes to shove against Nickolai Baptiste to find the hidden treasure, Landry is quite determined.  However, as Landry and Nickolai follow the treasure trail from New Orleans to Arizona they must decide if they are to work together or against each other.  They both have trust issues and both are determined to "prove something."

I loved this wonderful story that is so full of action and adventure.  

And the beautiful Superstition Mountains:  Just a little FYI: The Superstitions are the largest of the mountain ranges surrounding Phoenix, visible from many miles away along the straight roads through the suburbs east of Mesa. They rise steeply above the flat desert to a high point of 5,024 feet, and are characterized by sheer-sided, jagged, volcanic peaks and ridges separated by boulder-filled canyons, all covered by saguaro at low elevations, with other cacti and bushes higher up. Trees are found only at scattered locations, at springs or beside streamways. Early settlers named the hills on account of the many myths and stories told by the local Pima/Apache Indians about the mountains, and tales such as the fabled Lost Dutchman gold mine.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and as under no obligation to post a review.*

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Shiloh Run Press; Gld edition (June 1, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 163409994X
• ISBN-13: 978-1634099943

A Hopeful Heart by Amy Clipston

Book Description: In A Hopeful Heart, the first novel of the new Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series from best-selling author Amy Clipston, Hannah finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Her community offers her love and support after the untimely death of her husband, but an Englisher offers her the chance of a new life after her unexpected tragedy. Wealthy businessman Trey Peterson is surprised by his attraction to the gentle Amish woman who works as a housekeeper in the Lancaster Grand Hotel. They share a common bond of loss and are able to offer each other comfort and support as they journey through their grief. Joshua Glick wants nothing more than to offer his friendship and love to Hannah and her family. Not only is he her late husband's brother and business partner, he has always been in love with Hannah. A Hopeful Heart is filled with surprising twists as Hannah tries to balance her life in the Amish community and her growing love for an outsider.

My Thoughts:  Amy Clipston is one of my favorite authors.  She writes with a crisp, clean smoothness that makes reading a pleasure.  

In A Hopeful Heart the first book in the Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series we meet sweet,kind Hannah.

Hannah is a widow from the Amish community who works in the Lancaster Grand Hotel.

The reader can identify with Hannah has she tries to come grips with the loss of her husband.  As always the Amish community surrounds and takes care of their own when tragedy strikes.  But Hannah wants to be independent  and takes a housekeeping job at the Lancaster Grand Hotel Now, she must make a living for herself.  

While working at the Grand Hotel Hannah meets the wealthy businessman, Trey Peterson, and an unlikely thread is woven between an Amish woman and an English businessman, as they both deal with grief and loss in their lives.  But Hannah's brother-in-law, Joshua, is/has always been in love with her.  

This read has a surprising number of twists and turns as Hannah, Trey and Joshua make decisions and share in their lives.

Hannah must make decisions with a hopeful heart . . . the hope that life does, indeed, go on.

A wonderful summer read!

Paperback: 304 pages

• Publisher: Zondervan (June 7, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310319986
• ISBN-13: 978-0310319986

The Farmers' Market Mishap by Wanda E. Brunstetter, Jean Brunstetter

Book Description:  Living alone for the first time in her life is lonely for Elma Hochstetler, whose twin sister Thelma recently married. Though they share the running of a general store, more and more of Thelma’s time is taken up by her growing family. Elma has dated some, but she wonders if she is just too picky to find love.

Through a mishap at the farmers’ market, Elma meets Ben Wagler and instantly likes him. But there is a problem. He lives in Grabill—50 miles away! But Elma has tried long-distance dating before, and it won’t work for her.  Besides the store needs her. Her sister needs her. Elma feels love will forever remain beyond her grasp.

Elma has a habit of putting others before her own needs. Can she learn to take a risk at following the desires of her heart?

My Thoughts:  First of all this is a sequel to The Lopsided Christmas Cake so I would suggest that you read The Lopsided Christmas Cake first to understand the dynamics of the family.

Sometimes family life is complicated especially when one of the family members marries before the other.  The "other" one may feel lonely and left out.  This is somewhat the case with Elma Hochstetler.   When her twin sister, Thelma, marries and is busy and is expecting a new little bundle of joy.

Elma and Thelma run a general store together but Elma just feels the need for her own "exciting" life.

Well as life would have it Elma finds love but not quite the way she wants it to happen.

This is the fun, light heated story of Elma's romance.  

*This book was provided by Barbour Publishing and I did not have to write a review; but I chose to do so.*

• Series: Lopsided Christmas Cake
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (June 1, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 163409932X
• ISBN-13: 978-1634099325