25 Book Reviews

Saturday, September 25, 2021

A New Beth Wiseman Novel !! FANTASTIC!

 "A Season of Change"    

   By Beth Wiseman




Synopsis:

Finding peace means letting go of the past—and embracing the change that is to come. 

Sisters Esther and Lizzie have a new employee, Rose Petersheim, to help them tend to The Peony Inn. But their old matchmaking ways have stayed the same. The sisters focus their efforts on the lovely twenty-five-year-old Rose. Though Rose is witty and outspoken, her nervous chattering makes her the best match for someone calm and good at listening. Someone like Benjamin—the handsome handyman who recently moved to town. 

But when Esther receives an anonymous love letter and flowers, Rose’s love life is no longer the only one capturing the sisters’ attention. As they sleuth around searching for Esther’s secret admirer, they uncover that their grumpy renter, Gus, has a secret of his own that could bring about a difficult change in all their lives. And their continued meddling in Rose’s affairs reveals she, too, is hiding something—an old wound that could threaten her future happiness. 

As Rose, Lizzie, Esther, and Gus struggle to release the weight of their pasts, they discover that although people are complicated, love doesn’t need to be. 

This charming third installment of the Amish Inn series from bestselling author Beth Wiseman is a picture of loss and healing in which forgiveness will prove to be the greatest act of love.



My Thoughts:


This book is the third in Beth Wiseman's "The Amish Inn" series , reconnecting readers with the Peony Inn and its quirky, humorous owners, Lizzie and Esther as well as the cranky old man, Gus and Rose, the young woman who is never short of words! What a delightful read!! This novel is Amish fiction at its best! Beth's unique style of storytelling grabs the reader and immediately pulls one into the lives of these dear folks allowing us to experience their adventures alongside them.  The characters are so realistically and well described that one easily identifies with each of them. 


The plot is fast moving with unexpected surprises constantly cropping up. I could not put this book down once I started to read!! Humor  had me laughing out loud at times, while other situations had me near tears. The message of forgiveness and redemption comes through loud and clear throughout this story. It was certainly a roller coaster ride as I followed Rose and Benjamin's developing romance as well as that of two dear older individua


Definitely, a five star book!! This author has done it again, written another winning novel!!


I  received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.












Thursday, September 23, 2021

“Dead Set” , another fabulous read by Vannetta Chapman !!!


                                “  Dead Set” 

             By Vannetta Chapman

Synopsis: 

t was supposed to be a simple remodel.

She didn’t plan on finding buried treasure…or looking down the barrel of a gun.

Agatha Lapp is elated when Channel 4 News decides to run a feature story on Amish businesses. The extra publicity should guarantee even more success for her Plain and Simple B&B, especially after she’s finished with the remodel. The cameras are rolling live when Agatha raises the rubber mallet and punches the first hole in her living room wall. That’s when things get complicated…

Hidden inside the wall is a diamond-studded belt buckle stolen twenty years earlier. The police return the buckle to the owners and refuse to re-open the case. The public is convinced more stolen goods are hidden at Agatha’s. When overzealous treasure hunters break into the B&B and a dead body is found half a mile down the road, Agatha knows she needs to take this investigation into her own hands.

With the help of a retired detective and her best friend, Agatha sets out to solve the mystery of the Lost Texas Treasures and find a killer. Their chase leads them through the Texas Hill Country to the famed YO Ranch where Agatha finds herself looking down the barrel of a gun. Suddenly, she’s no longer worried about a remodel. She just wants to live through this showdown.






My Thoughts:

I have to admit when the release of a new book by a favourite author is announced, the excitement builds and builds. THEN ... I am given the opportunity to get an advance copy and review the book!!  What more can an avid reader want?  Vannetta Chapman is an author who never fails to excel in her unique storytelling style! Dead Set is no  exception!  If you want to read a novel that immediately pulls you into the lives of quirky, complicated characters, this is a read that you don't want to miss!! This is the third book of  the series, "Agatha's Amish B and B " cozy mysteries, although it can easily be read as a standalone. I did feel that after reading the first two, I was revisiting old friends. 

The characters are exceptionally well developed thus making them  quickly become your new friends.  Agatha was a favourite of mine. This woman might be Amish however she is certainly a unique member of the Plain People. Her adventures are one of a kind!! I was pulled right into her live and walked alongside her through her challenges, fears and joys. 

The plot moves quickly with unexpected surprises throughout!  Just when you think you have the mystery figured out, another complication arises that shocks the reader! 

I absolutely loved this novel. Definitely, a five star book!! Admittedly, I lost a night's sleep as once I started reading, I could NOT put this book down!!

This book was received from the author as a gift. The opinions expressed are honest and my own,. 

Another Fantastic Read by One of My Favorite Authors, Vannetta Chapman!

An Amish Proposal for Christmas  By Vannetta Chapman Synopsis: Her deepest Christmas wish will bring more than she imagined…in this novel by...