An Amish Cookie Club Christmas

Sarah Price could write a phone book and I would read it. Listening to her Amish stories are always a joy. Edna's holiday season is jam packed - she makes and serves meals to tourists in her house and she is overbooked. She needs helps desperately. When she voices her concerns to her friends at her cookie club they come up with a plan to help her; what they don't realize is that their solution may have other unintended affects. Bethany is a shy and painfully quiet girl who doesn't even like to leave the house. When her mother forces her to go into town to get supplies after breaking her ankle, Bethany quite literally runs into a charming young man. The young man happens to be Edna's son and before you know it - the cookie club is up to their scheming ways. Can they match these two young couples? Great narration on the audiobook - that's for sure and certain. 

The Amish Cookie Club

A multi-layered story but the main thread woven throughout is that you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Four Amish mothers get together every Friday to make cookies for the Sunday services and to lean on each other for support and friendship. When Verna tells her friends about her strong willed daughter getting fired from yet another job the friends offer not only their support but come up with a job opportunity for hard headed Myrna. In a neighboring church district there is a young widower with three children and a baby; struggling and in need of help. Myrna is dispatched to help out, but she is convinced that she is being set up and groomed to be a replacement wife. She is pleasantly surprised when she finds herself falling for the kids and is pleased that for once her hard work is appreciated. But when a rumor starts floating around about the reasons behind his wife's death (refusing treatment for breast cancer) the four friends in the Amish cookie club start to have doubts about this widower's character and their judgements start to rub off on Myrna. A story of second chances and a reminder that gossip does more harm than good. Sweet and wonderful. I can't wait to read the rest in this series!

An Empty Cup

Another great Amish novel from Sarah Price! A mother who is constantly beset with requests (or demands) of help feels herself being worn down. She keeps giving but everything is starting to lose its luster. She keeps praying to God to give her back her zeal and positivity but each day is a challenge. After her emotionally abusive and alcoholic husband died in accident she spent a few lonely years with her two children until she was approached by a widower and re-married. Things have been mostly good - but he's not use to children or living on a farm. Sometimes he's harsher on his new wife then intended - and to top it off there is a new Amish woman working at his leather shop who is causing all sorts of problems. A quick and satisfying read that obviously has a happy ending.

Plain Fame

I liked this a lot - but I liked this the least out of all the Sarah Price Amish books I've read. It seemed so implausible. An Amish woman who is only in New York City on a "layover" gets hit by a limo as she jaywalks to buy a pair of sunglasses. The man in the limo? One of the most famous musicians in the world, Viper. He's a bad boy - but when he looks into Amanda Beiler's eyes as she lays hurt in the street he finds himself wanting to protect her. He becomes enamored with her - staying by her side in the hospital and giving her gifts. He even makes sure her family (who has no phone) is notified. Amanda finds herself getting a little ferhoodled with this strange Englischer but she knows that will do her no good, he's not Amish. Wanting to take a little break from the spotlight he accompanies Amanda back to Pennsylvania and spends a week on her parent's farm helping her father and getting to know the Amish lifestyle. What could possibly go wrong?! Good but... unbelievable. I may continue the series.

An Amish Buggy Ride

This was a quick, satisfying read. Kate Zook's life is turned upside down when her brother is involved in a tragic accident and she feels responsible for her "role" in it. She was already a pious and religious girl but in the months afterward she really doubles down on her faith and her guilt. She lets her now crippled brother boss her around and berate her thinking she deserves it. Her home life is somber and strained. When Samuel Esch starts to take an interest in her she is flabbergasted, why would anyone take an interest in her? Samuel gets Kate to start open up and living life - determined to ease some of the burden she carries. Thoughtful, poignant, and romantic - Amish romance at its finest!

Mount Hope

So good and I'm so sad this series is over. I mean I get it, there are only so many Jane Austen novels you can adapt, but I really enjoyed this. I like Sarah Price's writing style and these books are just nice fluffy reads that you know will wrap up nicely. Per usual I won't summarize this one because I assume that anyone reading this adaptation will have read the original, Mansfield Park. Remarkably similar, I like the few tweaks they made to make it finish in a modern day Amish community. Instead of getting caught by their father putting on plays, they get caught singing hymns in English! The scandal!! Fantastic as always!

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility has always been my favorite Jane Austen story and I was so happy that this modern day adaptation did it justice! Set in a modern day Amish community - many things are still similar. Modesty, patriarchal societies, gossip, etc. Some minor differences include youth singings instead of balls, shunning instead indecency, and a spotlight on religion. A fantastic adaptation of my favorite and one that I will definitely read again!

Second Chances

Perfect!! Honestly - this series is money in the bank! Hands down my favorite Jane Austen adaptations. They just go so perfectly together! A very faithful adaptation of Persuasion set in modern Pennsylvania in an Amish community. I won't summarize it because I will assume if you're reading this, you've already read Persuasion. What more could you want? The writing is good and everything. This is a series I will definitely read again!

The Matchmker

These are all so stupidly good. Why has no one ever thought of putting an Amish spin on Jane Austen before?!? This spin off of Emma is wonderfully done and so faithful to the book. I really enjoyed this and I can't wait to get the rest in this series. It's a light fluffy read and is such a uniquely satisfying spin on a classic that is truly closer and more faithful than any other adaptation I've read! The summary is Emma. It's just like Emma. There is still bonnets, matchmaking, picnics, weekly visits, and handsome men. All the essentials!

First Impressions

I've read a lot of adaptations in my day and I thought this was one of the most unique. The Amish lifestyle is very well suited to Jane Austen's classic novels of love and society; instead of balls there are singings, but both still have horse drawn carriages (or rather buggies), modesty, manners, and grace. Lots of good clean fun. I look forward to reading the rest of the adaptations in this series.

Sadie

While this one wasn't the strongest of the three books in the Amish Fairy Tale trilogy, it was still an enjoyable read. Sadie is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty with an Amish twist. Sadie tries hard to be the perfect daughter and a trustworthy friend. It can be very trying though with her stepmother, whose vanity, desperate attempts to get pregnant, and moodiness are constantly trying Sadie's patience. Everything appears to be looking up though when a charming young man stumbles across Sadie singing in the woods, he starts to drive her home after youth gatherings and Sadie thinks their might be more than a friendship developing. All her hopes are dashed though when her stepmother keeps making her cook and clean for a widow with nine children. Is there something more dastardly afoot? Is she trying to marry Sadie off so she can selfishly have her father all to her self? The ending was a bit much, even for me. But I still enjoyed it. I hope there are more Amish fairy tale retellings coming!!

Ella

I just can't hate this series. Try as I might to despise Amish fiction, this adorable, quirky, and wholesome little Amish fairy tale series has warmed my cold black heart. I just love it! Ella is the second in the series and is loosely based on the Cinderella fairy tale. Complete with the cruel stepmother, rude stepsisters, and playful mice it has a few interesting takes as well, instead of a glass slipper there is a pie contest, there is "magic," the fairy godmother is a kind lady in the congregation, etc. It's disgustingly wholesome and clean and I still loved it. I can't wait to read Sadie, the Amish take on Snow White and I hope there are more in this series!

Belle

I give inspirational romance a lot of crap, especially the Amish ones because they so often tend to be formulaic, boring, and preachy, but I will admit... I kinda dug this one! Honestly! When my friend told me there were Amish fairy tale spin offs I laughed. It sounded so dumb, bizarre even! So I went into this book expecting it to be awful, and admittedly I didn't fall in love with it right away, but once I got into the story, I was hooked. Belle lives with her father and two useless sisters. When they find out that they are going to lose the farm because their father hasn't been paying the mortgage all hope seems gone; they will be destitute and homeless. The town recluse, Adam, a man disfigured from a fire, buys up the farm and Belle tries to plead with him to save their home. He tells her the only way he'll let her family have the farm back is if she agrees to marry him and bear him a child. Against her better judgement she does, because she loves her family and wants the best for them. She knows nothing about this man, other than what her little Amish community has gossiped about him and his beast-like looks. Can they make this marriage work? Can she tame the beast and save her family? Cheesy, but super readable. I'll be reading the next in the series!