I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
An Amish Christmas Kitchen by Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, Kate Lloyd Published by Bethany House Publishers on September 3, 2019
Genres: Amish Fiction, Christmas & Advent, Fiction / Amish & Mennonite
Pages: 298
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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As the weather grows cold and the nights grow long, the cheer and warmth of the Christmas season is one thing all readers can find comfort in. This collection from bestselling Amish fiction novelists Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd finds the beating heart at the center of the holiday and offers three novellas that celebrate family, faith, and especially the sights and smells of a bustling holiday kitchen.
Leslie Gould tells the story of how, in the wake of a heartbreaking loss, a young Amish woman finds unexpected comfort and hope in a yearly baking tradition surrounding the local Lancaster Christmas market. Jan Drexler offers a sweet tale of a shy Amish woman who decides to use her gift for sweets to woo a local Amish boy with her beloved Christmas cookies. And Kate Lloyd offers a heartwarming tale of a woman's unexpected discovery about the truth of her past, and the warm and welcoming Amish family table she finds herself invited to on Christmas.
As I wrap up my brief flashback to cold weather in a heat wave, I’m digging back in with some Amish Christmas Fiction. This used to be a huge genre for me, though I’ve not dipped my toe in much this year. Jan Drexler was a new author for me as well, though I’ve loved Kate Lloyd in the before time, and I’ve read a bit of Leslie Gould. While the heat promises to stick around for another month or more, Christmas in July ends here. Three families struggling with loss, finding, and, of course, Christmas romance threaded throughout.
An Amish Family Christmas by Leslie Gould. It didn’t take but a moment to decide that Salome is an absolute toad, well, that’s the nicest name I can think of for her. She is so negative, gossipy, and dismissive of everyone but her own thoughts and opinions. I don’t like her, and she didn’t become more likable throughout the story; actually, I liked her less. But, without Salome, there would be no story. She’s the reason Jesse never came home; she’s the reason that Noelle has to step out of her comfort zone to handle the Christmas Market, and honestly, I think she’s the reason that Noelle and Moriah are no longer close. This novella does not feel like a novella; it feels like a fully fleshed story, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything at all and got everything I needed. There’s a lot going on, but it weaves seamlessly. There were a few distractions I won’t spoiler, that I felt like were glossed over and could have been explored, even in a novella. But alas, as much as I still can’t stand Salome, she’s the reason this story exists, even though it’s not about her, so I’ll take her . . . I guess 😀 5 *
An Amish Christmas Recipe Box by Jan Drexler. Ada and Matthias, I feel sorry for them, truly. While they are actual legal adults, their Mamm’s infantilize them. Treat them as children and refuse to acknowledge that they deserve to pursue a life of their own, a future of their own, potentially families of their own. Matthias, after the loss of his father, moving back home, and being the youngest and only one at home. Grief holds his mom hostage in a way that doesn’t allow her to acknowledge her son is a man. Ada, the youngest of her family that her mom is convinced is forever going to be home and there for the family, as she’s not courting or even dating currently, though that ill-fated crush. And that Amos – the crush – he can go kick rocks. There’s a lot here, so much so that it doesn’t feel like a novella, and I feel a wholeness to the story that I miss in most novellas, though at times it does feel rushed. It’s a sweet story of ill-fated crushes, a loose history that one side remembers more than the other, and figuring out who you are and not who your family tells you that you are. 4.5*
An Unexpected Christmas Gift by Kate Lloyd. This story was different, unexpected, if you will. An English gal finds herself with an Amish family, who is somehow her family, at Christmas. Oh, and just for giggles, a token Mennonite man to round out the cast. I struggled a bit more with this one, mostly the novella vibes. It was too easy, too fast, and I didn’t get enough depth and detail. I think I would have loved this story more if it had been more full-length to really explore the depth of what everyone was going through and feeling. It felt too simple for what was going on. It was a satisfying read and was an interesting take on telling the Amish story from an English perspective, but I’m sorry the insta-love really turned me off. My cold black heart, ya know. 4*
About Jan Drexler
Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband, where she enjoys hiking and spending time with her expanding family. She is the author of several historical romance novels, including the award-winning Mattie’s Pledge, and is pleased to be starting a new adventure with a cozy mystery series, The Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries.
About Kate Lloyd
Kate Lloyd is a bestselling novelist, a mother of two sons, and a passionate observer of human relationships. A native of Baltimore, Kate spends time with family and friends in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the inspiration for The Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy, (CBA bestseller Leaving Lancaster, its sequel CBA bestseller Pennsylvania Patchwork, and Forever Amish.) Her most recent novel is A Letter from Lancaster County, released July 1t, 2017, soon to be followed by Starting from Scratch in March 2018. She is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society.
Kate and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest, the setting for Kate’s first novel, A Portrait of Marguerite. Kate studied painting, photography, and Italian in college. She has worked a variety of jobs, including car salesman and restauranteur.
About Leslie Gould
Leslie Gould is the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of fifty novels, including the Amish Memories series and the Letters from Lancaster County series. She’s sold 800,000 books over the last two decades. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and communications and an MFA in creative writing. Leslie enjoys research trips, church history, and hiking, especially in the beautiful state of Oregon where she lives. She and her husband, Peter, have four adult children and two grandchildren.
One of Leslie’s stand-alone novels, Beyond the Blue, won of the Romantic Times Book Club Magazine’s Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Inspirational Novel in 2006.
Leslie received her master of fine arts in creative writing from Portland State University in 2009 and has taught fiction as an adjunct professor at Multnomah University. She also teaches workshops at public and private schools and at writers’ conferences.
A varied work history, from curating a historical museum to editing a bridal magazine, preceded her fiction-writing career. She is also an Army Reserve wife who has supported her husband, Peter, through many years of service, including a deployment to Afghanistan as the commander of a field hospital. Leslie and her husband live in Oregon with their four children.
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