This was a good story. I started listening to the audiobook and didn't stop until I finished it.
Brianna was a piece of work, let me tell you. That said, I am glad her story ended as it did.
Note on the audiobook: There were many editing errors with sentences being repeated twice in a row. One more listen-through before release could have improved it greatly.

4 Stars

Content: domestic violence, gunshot wounds, stalking, kissing (fyi, Brianna tries her best to seduce Jake) ( )

A fantastic book! It's got a bit of suspense mixed with a romance! I love the setting and the story! The characters are all fantastic! Abraham is my favorite! He's an all around great guy! A definite must read! ( )

This novel continues the story begun in the Amish bookstore series, book one. Some of the same characters appear, but the book can be read as a standalone; enough background information is provided. Although this is not a Christmas story, the action takes place at Christmas time in a small town in Indiana.

In this story, Yvonne leaves her home in Texas and moves to Montgomery, Indiana to take over managing a bookstore for her Amish friends Eva and Jake, who are expecting a baby and also working the family farm. Yvonne reconnects with Abraham, whom she met on a previous visit to Montgomery. Abraham has left the Amish community and now serves his community as a police officer. Unfortunately for Yvonne, Abraham also has a girlfriend, Brianna. As their feelings for each other become clear, and Yvonne settles into the community, Abraham must make a decision about his relationship with Brianna. Both Yvonne and Abraham must also make decisions about their futures.

This is a clean, sweet read, lacking in overt intimacy, descriptive violence, or strong language. The Christian message is clear and overt. Readers of Amish fiction will most likely enjoy this next installment in the Amish bookstore series, although the action seems to slow down and become repetitive at times. At the end of the book, the author provides a set up for the next novel. The author also educates readers about life in Amish communities and culture, and includes a glossary of Deutsch terms.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )

Excellent book with complicated characters and situations. I have yet to read the first book in this series, but enough of the backstory was provided that I did not feel lost. It does make me want to go back and read the first one. Three main characters - Yvonne, Abraham, and Brianna - are involved in a love triangle. In the previous book, Yvonne met Abraham when she visited the town and attended her friends, Jake and Eva's wedding. Yvonne and Abraham connected there, with Abraham developing feelings for her. He wrote to her after she returned to Texas, but still grieving the death of her fiancé, Yvonne never answered his letters.

Months later, Yvonne moves to Montgomery for a new start. Jake and Eva hired her to manage the bookstore while Eva is on bedrest and Jake works the family farm. She looks forward to a quieter and simpler life and the possibility of seeing Abraham again.

Abraham is a former Amish man who left the community to become a police officer. He likes his work but occasionally wonders if he made the right choice. In other decisions, after not hearing from Yvonne for three months, Abraham starts dating newcomer Brianna. Brianna is a modern city woman, making me wonder why she latched onto a former Amish and still very conservative Abraham. Brianna is very intense, possessive, and controlling. When she hears about Yvonne's arrival in town, she quickly stakes her claim on Abraham.

I loved seeing the relationship develop between Abraham and Yvonne. She is conscious of his relationship with Brianna and unwilling to break them up, puts him firmly in the "friend zone." Abraham is happy to renew his friendship with Yvonne but quickly realizes that he is much more attracted to Yvonne than Brianna. He finds frequent reasons to help Yvonne, from helping her with her house to providing her with a Christmas tree. It was easy to see that Abraham and Yvonne have much in common and are very suited to each other.

Brianna is intense and tries to push Abraham faster in their relationship than he is willing to go. The Amish values he was raised with are still integral to who Abraham is, and he has made his position very clear to Brianna. When he is injured in the line of duty, Brianna moves in to help him, putting her own spin on the situation. Her methods of getting her way are dishonest and manipulative. It doesn't take long for Abraham to realize that it is time for them to part ways, but his soft heart worries about hurting her. There were some scary moments with Brianna, but I ended up feeling sorry for her.

With his relationship with Brianna sorted out, Abraham was free to spend time with Yvonne. I loved watching their connection grow and strengthen as they shared their beliefs and dreams. The incident that ended with Abraham's injury has caused him to question his future as a police officer and his decision to leave his Amish faith. But returning to the Amish would mean leaving Yvonne behind. Both need to look deep within their hearts to find the right answers. I loved their honest communication about the pros and cons. The ending was terrific, with a sweet twist.

There were a couple of mysteries running through the book. One was creepy and scary. Not long after Yvonne moved into her house, she began having problems with an apparent stalker. Someone tried to break into her home, and there were nights when Yvonne's dog would bark an alert that someone was lurking. The resolution of this issue was intense and heartbreaking. The second mystery was simply intriguing. Jake told Yvonne of an old story involving the bookstore and a rumored cache of valuable coins. With the number of renovations the building has gone through over the years, with no one finding them, Jake and Yvonne suspect that it's all talk and no substance. Then an unexpected discovery lends credence to the rumors. I hope that there will be more about this in the next book.

I can't end this review without talking about the dog. One night when she came home, Yvonne found a dog curled up on her porch. She is terrified of dogs after an incident when she was a child. The dog is a pitiful specimen - very thin and dirty but not aggressive. Over the next few days, Yvonne's kind heart overcomes her fears, and the dog wriggles his way into her life. I loved watching the tentative bond grow between them. Yvonne won my heart when she brought the dog inside on a snowy night. Her decision to keep him was not unexpected, and I loved the comfort and companionship he gave her. He was also protective, which gave Abraham a few worrisome moments but was a good thing in the end.

#netgalley ( )

I was so excited to receive the latest book in this series because I absolutely adore Yvonne. She captured my heart with her love of books and how she tracked down very rare books for clients. That would be such an exciting job and what wonderful treasures you would find. Yvonne has decided to move from Texas when she is offered a job running a bookstore. She finds herself in Montgomery, Alabama where her new friends Jake and Eva live. She is so excited to start this new job and is thankful that Jake and Eva have hired her. I would love to be in a bookstore all day surrounded by stories waiting to be read. Yvonne is hoping that she can heal her broken heart after losing her fiancé.

Abraham has grown up Amish but decided to not be baptized so at times it may be hard for him living near the community. He is still welcomed but his job as a police officer keeps him pretty busy. He also has a girlfriend who I’m not sure is suited for him. He still enjoys the simple life but his girlfriend loves to dress up and drives a fancy car. I thought it was funny when Abraham finds out that Yvonne has moved to his town because he still has a major crush on her. I can see trouble heading his way once his girlfriend finds out he still has feelings for Yvonne.

I did enjoy Yvonne describing why she is happy that she has moved. She loves the simple life and slow pace the Amish live. One thing she points out is that there is no competition between women. They all dress the same so that takes away women being jealous of how others dress. But be careful about that thought Yvonne. Women can become jealous of others if they think you are showing their boyfriend or husband attention.

When a dog adopts Yvonne I found it be comforting. They both seem lonely and I think they will be good for each other. I’m a big animal lover and anytime I read a story with a dog in it it melts my heart. I couldn’t wait to see if this relationship would turn out to be a happy ending. I did find myself wrapped up in a thick blanket as I read the book after the author describes the dog shivering on the porch. Weather in the winter can be harsh and Yvonne can’t let that poor dog stay outside. It is a nice scene when the dig finds comfort in her home.

The story does have a frightening moment when Abraham is shot in the line of duty. He never thought in the quiet area he patrols that something like this would happen to him. But what is more alarming to me is his girlfriend Brianna at the hospital and Yvonne shows up. Talk about awkward. Why does Yvonne mention that Abraham got her a Christmas tree in front of Brianna? Let’s just say I think a line was drawn in the sand as Brianna explains that Abraham will be staying with her as he recovers. Oh my have the claws come out or what.

The author has written a story that explores relationships, forgiveness and most of all standing together in faith. I was very surprised at who had been stalking Yvonne and it saddened me to learn this person did it. I loved how the author handled the relationship between Yvonne and Abraham. They both have decisions to make about continuing and a bigger decision will be about their faith. I loved how these two asked God for direction in their lives and waited on Him for direction. The ending leaves readers hanging a little and I’m excited to see if the author will continue the series.

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The review is my own opinion. ( )