Monday, September 10, 2012

Autumn Winds by Charlotte Hubbard ~ Book Spotlight and mini review


autumnwinds

  • Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Zebra (September 4, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1420121707

This book is also available as an e-book.



The leaves are falling and there’s a chill in the air in Willow Ridge, Missouri, the quaint, quiet Amish town where love, loyalty, and faith in the Old Ways are about to be put to the test …
AUTUMN WINDS
Winds of change are blowing through Willow Ridge, and they’re bringing a stranger to the Sweet Seasons Bakery. At first, widowed Miriam Lantz has misgivings about Ben Hooley, a handsome but rootless traveling blacksmith. But as she gets to know the kind-hearted newcomer, she wonders if his arrival was providential. Perhaps she could find love again—if only there weren’t so many obstacles in the way. With Bishop Knepp relentlessly pursuing her hand in marriage and the fate of her beloved café at stake, Miriam must listen to God and her heart to find the happiness she longs for and the love she deserves.


My take on this book:
Unfortunately I didn't receive a copy of this book for review until Sept. 10th, but decided to review the portion of the book that I have read so far, and let me say, that I started reading it after work, and found myself at one hundred pages before even blinking! I read the first  book in this series titled "Summer Of Secrets" so picking this book up was like connecting with old friends, and while the first book was great, the author does give enough background information that this book could easily be read as a stand alone work, although I would recommend the first book in the series as well,because it was such a fantastic read. You can actually read my review here.
If Miriam Lantz's personal life was as easy as her business life she wouldn't have any problems, she runs a very successful business in her little Amish community called the Sweet Seasons Bakery Cafe. Thing is she finds herself in a bit of a conundrum where her personal life is concerned though. Her husband Jesse was killed in a freak accident that left her a widow, and now a few years have passed, and she is out of mourning, and the person who is interested in courting her is Bishop Hiram Knepp, and what he is looking for is a mamm for his children. She really isn't interested, but knows she must tread easily because the Bishop could cause a lot of trouble. Meanwhile Ben Hooley, a traveling blacksmith comes to town, capturing Miriam's attention, but she really wonders if anything could develop between them, after all he is younger than she is. Ben Hooley feels drawn to Miriam as well, and wonders if perhaps it might be time to put down roots and stay in one place. 
This is just the tip of the iceberg as to what takes place in the first one hundred pages of this book. There are also the secondary stories of Miriam's daughters. One is planning a wedding and another feels like she is stuck in a rut. The Bishop finds himself in a sticky situation that just might be his undoing. Will Miriam find love again, and with whom, will Ben settle down, or continue to wander? Well you better bet I certainly intend to finish reading this book and find out!

Please drop back by on Friday and read my full review of "Autumn Winds" by Charlotte Hubbard. If your like me and enjoy Amish fiction with a down home feel, where the characters come to life, and the setting is a place that you would love to visit, then this book and series is certainly for you. 

ABOUT CHARLOTTE HUBBARD:


Charlotte-HubbardI’ve called Missouri home for most of my life, and most folks don’t realize that several Old Older Amish and Mennonite communities make their home here, as well. The rolling pastureland, woods, and small towns along county highways make a wonderful setting for Plain populations—and for stories about them, too! While Jamesport, Missouri is the largest Old Order Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River, other communities have also found the affordable farm land ideal for raising crops, livestock, and running the small family-owned businesses that support their families.
Like my heroine, Miriam Lantz, of my new Seasons of the Heart series, I love to feed people—to share my hearth and home. I bake bread and goodies and I love to try new recipes. I put up jars and jars of green beans, tomatoes, beets and other veggies every summer. All my adult life, I’ve been a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and we hosted a potluck group in our home for more than twenty years.
Like Abby Lambright, heroine of my new Home at Cedar Creek series, I consider it a personal mission to be a listener and a peacemaker—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Faith and family, farming and frugality matter to me: like Abby, I sew and enjoy fabric arts—I made my wedding dress and the one Mom wore, too, when I married into an Iowa farm family more than thirty-five years ago! When I’m not writing, I crochet and sew, and I love to travel.
I recently moved to Minnesota when my husband got a wonderful new job, so now he and I and our border collie, Ramona, are exploring our new state and making new friends.
To find out more about Charlotte, please visit her at www.CharlotteHubbard.com.

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3 comments:

  1. Really want to buy and read this book! :D

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    Replies
    1. It certainly is a great read, I am flying thru the pages.

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  2. Brenda, thank you so much for your review! Sorry the copies of my book were so late getting out--a publisher snafu--and I really appreciate you jumping in to post a review in a timely manner!

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