WV Stitcher: The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman ~ Litfuse Blog Tour with review and giveaway

Series: Quilts of Love (Unnumbered) (Book 11)
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 15, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426752776
ISBN-13: 978-1426752773

This book is also available as an ebook.

Purchase a copy here.

Follow along on "The Christmas Quilt" blog tour with Litfuse here.

Annie's life is deliciously full as the Christmas season approaches. She helps her husband, Samuel, attend to the community's minor medical needs. She occasionally assists Belinda, the local midwife, and most days, she finds herself delivering the buggy to her brother Adam. Annie s sister-in-law Leah is due to deliver their first child before Christmas morning, and Annie is determined to finish a crib quilt before the "boppli" arrives. With six weeks to go, she should have no problem . . . but God may have a different plan. Leah is rushed to the English hospital when the infant arrives early, and Annie discovers the Christmas quilt may hold a far greater significance than she ever imagined.

My take on "The Christmas Quilt:"

What a wonderful opening to this story. We see Annie and Leah preparing to be married. Friends being married on the same day, Leah marrying Annie's brother Adam, and Annie marrying Samuel Yoder. Then the story fast forwards a few years and Annie and Leah are pregnant at the same time, thing is Leah is expecting twins, and is due in about two months. Annie has plans to make Leah's babies a quilt but her days are usually pretty busy what with helping her husband take care of medical needs in the community and also helping the midwife on occasion. When Leah goes into early labor and needs to go to the hospital, it it decided that Annie will stay with her. The quilt becomes something the two work on together while at the hospital. Each stitch reveals hopes and fears, but also reminds of the faith and love that binds.

The birth of babies makes for a warm wonderful Christmas story.With "The Christmas Quilt" I love that best friends Annie and Leah are so close. Married on the same day, and then pregnant at the same time, so many things in common, but also have one difference. Annie's husband Samuel is so attentive, but Leah feels like her husband Adam has pulled away from her since the pregnancy. Fears and worry come to the surface at the thought of being parents. Ms. Chapman realistically portrays the feelings many new parents feel, and really imparts an important piece of wisdom and that communication is a key ingredient in a successful marriage. Working on the quilt while they were at the hospital is also something that is very realistic, those idle hours while waiting in a hospital one needs something to keep their minds off their worries and working on the quilt made for a sense of calmness while the characters shared their stories. Overall I found "The Christmas Quilt" to be such a wonderfully touching story, that shows not only the importance of family but friends as well. Fans of Amish fiction will love this story but anyone looking for a good holiday read that blends faith, family and the joy of new life will want to read this story!

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.

Learn more at the Quilts of Love website.

{MORE ABOUT CHAPMAN & CARTER }

*Vannetta Chapman* has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Chapman lives in the Texas hill country with her husband. *Lisa Carter* has been published in “MomSense” and “Christian Parenting Today.” Lisa is currently teaching music at a preschool and enjoying the enthusiasm and joy for life for which preschoolers are famous. She and David have two beautiful daughters.

Find out more about Chapman & Carter athttp://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com.

Authors Vannetta Chapman and Lisa Carter are gearing up to ring in the Christmas season with a “Christmas Bee” Facebook Party on December 10th with fellow Quilts of Love author Lynette Sowell!

Abingdon Press is celebrating the release of the two latest Quilts of Love releases, The Christmas Quilt and Aloha Rose, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and the December 10th Facebook party.

One winner will receive:

A Kindle Fire HDX
The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman
Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 30th. Winner will be announced at the “Christmas Bee” Facebook Party on December 10th. Connect with the authors from the Quilts of Love series, Vannetta Chapman, Lisa Carter, and Lynette Sowell, for an evening of book chat, quilt trivia, Christmas traditions and gifts, PLUS get an exclusive look at January’s Quilts of Love book!

So grab your copies of The Christmas Quilt and Aloha Rose and join Vannetta, Lisa, and Lynette on the evening of December 10th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the books, don’t let that stop you from coming!)