Great New Amish Fiction in the Hope Chest of Dreams Series!

             "Annie's Recipe"
           By Lisa Jones Baker

About the Book:

Three young Amish women, each gifted with a hand-carved hope chest, find that one by one, with patience and faith, their most blessed dreams for the future can come true…

Annie Mast and Levi Miller were best friends until his father was shunned by the church. Now, ten years later, Levi has returned to Arthur, Illinois, for a brief visit, and he and Annie discover their bond is as strong as ever. Spending as much time together as possible, Annie finds herself dreaming of a future with Levi. And Levi is soon dreaming of building a home on a beautiful local hillside—to live in with Annie. Yet their longings are unlikely to become reality…

Levi is part of the English world, and while Annie cannot see herself there, she knows she must reveal her heart’s truth to him. And Levi, strongly reminded of his Amish roots, knows he must heal the bitterness of the past. And together, with love on their side, they just may find their way to an answered pray. 

My Thoughts:

As the Amish fiction genre just happens to be a favorite of mine, I was honored to be able to review this new book.  The cover grabbed my attention right away, making me wonder what this young Amish woman was going to create in her kitchen, with the handsome man, who obviously is NOT Amish,  watching her closely.

The characters are realistically and well developed in such a way that make them very easy with whom to identify. Annie is such a precious girl who struggles to make sense of the challenges that life throws at her. She stumbles along to  attempt to solve her dilemma while keeping her faith and beliefs intact. Levi also encounters many problems that cause him to question his beliefs. 

The plot seems to start out slowly  but after a couple of chapters I was caught up in this adventure. A sweet romance develops within the confines of an Amish community , where mixed relationships are frowned upon. The underlying theme of keeping true to one's faith is apparent throughout the story. How can one possibly trust a God who causes us to question our beliefs??? But, isn't that what our Lord wants us to do?  He wants us to give him our absolute trust to follow Him and not question His plans.

 Annie's recipe for sponge cake is an unexpected bonus included at the conclusion of the tale. I can honestly say that it is delicious!!!

I will definitely be watching for the next book in this series!



About the Author:  

I write heart-warming stories with Amish characters; I grew up near an Amish town and began interacting with the Plain Faith when they custom made our kitchen cabinets. Since childhood, I've been fascinated.
I dream up stories that I love and hope that my readers will love them, too.
My HOPE CHEST OF DREAMS series features wonderful female characters, and my debut
book, REBECCA'S BOUQUET, got a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
I've been blessed to have been raised by Christian parents, have been on five out of seven
continents, was once a high school teacher, and love horse and buggy rides almost as much as I love tomatoes from my dad's garden!
You can message me on facebook or on lisajonesbaker.com. I may be a little
slow to respond, but I will get back to you. Thanks for reading my page, and enjoy REBECCA'S BOUQUET, ANNIE'S RECIPE, and RACHEL'S DREAM!
Blessings,
Lisa Jones Baker

Excerpt From Book:  

Annie Mast tossed a rock into Pebble Creek and giggled.  She clapped her hands as the small stone hit the water.  Beside her, Levi Miller nodded his approval.  Their contest was always who could make the bigger splash.  Of course, Levi usually won.  But she guessed when her efforts trumped his, it was because he allowed it.  After all, at eight years of age, it wasn’t easy competing with a twelve-year-old boy.  Especially a boy much taller and stronger than she was.

Levi joined in the applause. “If you keep throwing like that, I’ll have to practice.”

Annie grinned. Automatically, they stepped side-by-side up the incline leading to their sitting spot. Hills were unusual in predominantly flat Illinois, but she was sure God had planned this particular elevation especially for her and Levi.

Without talking, she claimed her stone at the same time he declared his. Not wasting a moment, Annie reached into the wicker basket between them for a sponge cake. Levi accepted the napkin-covered, sweet-smelling dessert with an appreciative grin. As he did so, she automatically took in the curve of his high cheekbones and determined jaw. Brightness lightened his autumn-brown hair a shade. As always, he waited to bite into the treat until she held hers between her fingers. Together, they ate while the late August sun caressed them. In her long Amish dress and apron, Annie quickly forgot the unusually hot temperature when Levi pointed to old Sam Beachy’s barn.

“You want to know a secret?”

She lifted an inquisitive brow while anxiously awaiting the response.

 “One day you’ll be as good a cook as Esther.”

Annie’s heart smiled. Everyone knew Sam’s wife made the best dishes around.

Excitement edged Annie’s voice. “You really think so?”

He took another bite before offering a quick, definitive nod and lowered his pitch to a whisper. She wondered why. There wasn’t anyone within hearing distance.

“There’s no doubt in my mind.”

Annie’s heart jumped with happiness. Even more than matching Esther’s baking skills, what really mattered was that she and her best friend were together. And as long as she was with Levi, how could life get better?

Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Annies-Recipe-Hope-Chest-Dreams-ebook/dp/B01GBAG58S

This book was received as a gift. The opinions and thoughts expressed are honest and my own.

Lisa will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. See Link on Sidebar.

Follow the book tour at the following link! Enter to win a terrific prize!! The more visits you make , the more chances you have to win!!

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