Winter of Wishes by Charlotte Hubbard - Review

Title: Winter of Wishes (Seasons of the Heart #1)

Author: Charlotte Hubbard
Genre: Amish Romance, Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Source: Self-Purchased
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

As another year draws to a close in Willow Ridge, life seems to be changing for everyone but Rhoda Lantz. Her widowed mother is about to remarry, her sister is a busy newlywed, and soon Rhoda will be alone in her cozy apartment above the blacksmith's shop. An ad posted by an Englischer looking for someone to help with his mother and children may offer just the companionship she's looking for, but if she falls for the caring single father, she may risk being shunned by her community. Certain she can only wish for things she cannot have, Rhoda must remember that all things are possible with God, and nothing is stronger than the power of love.

 This was a really different Amish romance and nothing like what I expected. Rhoda is discontent with her life. She feels like the odd one out as both her sister and mother are getting married and moving on with a new life with new families. She feels a change in the air and jumps into a new job without looking back. I have to say, I admire her bravery for taking that leap.

That leap leads to more than just a great job that she loves. It leads to a family that deparately needs her - and even if she doesn't realize it just yet - that she desparately needs as well. But there's one really big problem. This family isn't Amish - so they are strictly off limits in the romantic sort of way.

Rhoda tackles this problem by trusting God, her Englischer friend tackles the problem in a way that I thought was postively brilliant. If I hadn't loved him already - I definitely would have fallen right then and there. The romance was amazing, the people in the story were amazing. I loved this part soooo much.

Again, and I've mentioned this before in other books by Charolotte Hubbard, the accent was just a bit too much for me. It was toned down in this one since a good portion of the book takes place outside of the Amish community. I understand the concept of drawing the reader in with accents and realistic language, but it just doesn't do it for me in this case.

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An Amish County Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard and Naomi King - Review

Title: An Amish County Christmas

Author: Charlotte Hubbard and Naomi King
Genre: Inspirational Romance, Amish
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Source: Contest Win
Rating: 2
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

In Willow Ridge, Missouri, the Christmas season is a time when faith brings peace, family brings warmth and new romance brings sparkling joy. . .Twins For Christmas

For spirited Martha Coblentz and her twin Mary, the snow has delivered the perfect holiday and birthday present to their door--handsome brothers Nate and Bram Kanagy. But when unforeseen trouble interrupts their season's good cheer, it will take unexpected intervention--and sudden understanding--to give all four the blessing of a lifetime. . .

Kissing The Bishop

As the year's first snow settles, Nazareth Hooley and her sister are given a heaven-sent chance to help newly widowed Tom Hostetler tend his home. But when her hope that she and Tom can build on the caring between them seems a dream forever out of reach, Nazareth discovers that faith and love can make any miracle possible. . .

I normally enjoy inspirational and Amish romances. They are a step away from what I generally read, and the sweet aspect of it all is just a lot of fun. These two however, fell very flat. They were so sweet that it gave me a stomachache and much of the time I felt like I was reading a parody of their behavior and way of speaking. It was just way too over the top for me.

In Twins for Christmas two brothers fall in love (at first sight) with twin sisters. This seemed a bit fast and a little ridiculous. The antics the girls pull while trying to figure out which brother they want were childish and I can't imagine grown women doing them, or grown men still wanting to "date" the girls that did it.

Kissing the Bishop took a step in the right direction though. Again we have two romances, but they have a bit more time to develop. I also liked the fact that our couples were older than what you traditionally see in romance novels. It added a very different conflict aspect to the story that was a lot of fun. This was by far the better of the two stories.

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