From bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four sweet stories about picnics and romance. Baskets of Sunshine by Amy Clipston Kevin Weaver has lived with his brother’s family since his parents passed away when he was young, but he craves a home and family to call his own. Freeman Kurtz owns a successful brick mason business, and Kevin takes the job as Freeman’s apprentice to pursue his own … pursue his own financial freedom.
Phoebe Kurtz is helping her sister with her booth at the marketplace when she notices Kevin, her father’s employee. Their friendship grows, but Kevin is convinced that the difference in their ages makes a relationship between them impossible. Amidst summer outings, Kevin and Phoebe must decide if taking a chance on love is worth the risk.
Candlelight Sweethearts by Kelly Irvin
Esther Marie Shrock loves her job at Valley Grocery Store where she’s worked for four years. Despite a stutter that has plagued her since childhood, she thrives filling orders from a steady stream of customers. Still, at 25, she and her family wonder if romance is in her future.
Jasper Cotter isn’t good with people, but he’s found himself obligated to take over day-to-day operations of the family owned grocery store–a store he doesn’t have the first clue how to run. Thrown together, Esther Marie and Jasper don’t exactly see eye to eye. One night, the store loses power, and the candles aren’t the only things shooting off sparks. Esther Marie and Jasper are suddenly forced to discover common ground when it matters most, and they might be surprised with love along the way.
Reeling in Love by Kathleen Fuller
Nina Stoll and Ira Yoder are just friends. Just friends and fishing buddies. Every Saturday afternoon, they have a picnic at their favorite fishing hole and see who can out fish the other. Until Nina starts to wonder if there’s more.
Her plans to share her feelings go awry, and circumstances seem destined to keep Nina and Ira apart. With both Nina and Ira confused and hurting, it’s going to take courage, some help from the community matchmakers, and a little bit of divine intervention for Nina and Ira to realize they’re each other’s perfect catch.
Picnics and Prospects by Vannetta Chapman
Faith Troyer is claustrophobic, and David Lapp builds tiny houses. They went on a date years ago with disastrous results. Now that they’re in their late twenties, their families and friends are beginning to wonder if either will ever find that special someone. When a picnic outing is diverted by the discovery of a package of letters dating back to the 1970s, they take it upon themselves to find answers to a mystery that causes them to rethink their past and consider their future.
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Amish authors Amy Clipson, Kelly Irvin, Kathleen Fuller, and Vannetta Chapman have written novellas for An Amish Picnic. This collection of four Christian Amish Romances is so sweet. Each novella is a stand-alone and does not build upon any of the others.
Baskets of Sunshine, written by award winning author Amy Clipson, is the opening story. It is fabulous and the perfect way to start this book. This is the story of Phoebe Kurtz, Amish daughter of Freeman. She assists her sister with her booth at the Amish Market and also helps at home. She is a sweet yet feisty pretty teenager. Kevin works for her father and is a couple of years older than Phoebe. This beautiful tale shows that age difference in a relationship does not always matter.
Candlelight Sweethearts by Author Kelly Irvin is a cute story. Esther Marie is a lovely Amish girl but has a stutter. She works at Jasper’s family store and really likes him. He notices her, too. Showing that a speech impediment impacts person’s life, this tale is filled with faith, encouragement, and hope.
Author Kathleen Fuller offers Reeling In Love. Nina Stoll realizes that she is in love with her best friend, Ira Yoder. They meet each week to go fishing. Things become complicated when his cousin comes to visit. Nina’s family coach her on what to do and the result is emotional and funny. It is a tale of friendship turning into love and miscommunication.
Closing the book is author Vannetta Chapman’s Picnics and Prospects. This is the tale of a Faith Troyer. She suffers from claustrophobia and panic attacks. David Lapp has a history with her. Now he builds tiny houses and cabinets. He wants to help Faith and make up for his past mistakes. This is a story if healing, trust, forgiveness and redemption.
Each story in this Amish collection is encouraging, inspirational, and inspiring. It gives a message of hope and healing. I really enjoyed it. Everyone will enjoy this sampling from four extremely talented authors. All four stories and the collective book receive a 5 star rating. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own honest words.
My Thoughts on An Amish Picnic:
I love these novels that have short novellas in them. They read fast and give you a taste for several different authors. In this book though, I have read several of the authors and knew that I was going to love it!
Vanetta Chapman happens to be one of my favorite Amish authors. I love that she can write just good romance but also suspense/mystery. I’ve yet to find a book she’s written that I don’t like.
I knew since she was in this book that the other authors had to be amazing as well! No disappointment here!
My favorite short story in the book had to be Picnics and Prospects. Just something about a claustrophobic girl and a man who builds tiny houses just made me laugh and I knew the whole story would be that way!
Highly recommend this compilation. You’re going to love them all. The central theme is picnics. And, if you’ve read books by Amy Clipston then you’ll love visiting these secondary characters from other books.
Again, I can’t recommend this compilation or the individual authors enough! Go read this now!
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
This is an impressive group of novellas that leave you feeling content. Each one is a stand alone but has the common thread of a picnic and blossoms of love. This book gave me that warm fuzzy feeling like spending the day with a good friend. Each author has there own style of bringing life to their characters and drawing you into their lives. Each story contains an obstacle that has to be dealt with. I would review each individually but it would be to easy to spoil them for other readers. Therefore I will just say pick it up and enjoy being swept away to summertime with volleyball, swimming, and picnics. I recommend this even if if you aren’t a fan of Amish fiction as it is a compilation of top notch authors.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
I wish I was a super speed reader but unfortunately I”m not. I”m one of the ones who has to take time to absorb each story in this book.
I like to enjoy each couple and see what happens and if they truly do become a couple.
In each story they have to overcome many obstacles whether they are good enough for the other person, learning about each other, and seeing if they’re compatible and just getting through life the best way they know how with the Lord’s help.
I really enjoyed these stories so much.
All of these are my favorite authors and I very much love their writing style. I love seeing them coming together and reading about each family and what they have to offer.
Each story has something special to offer in their messages of Grace, love, or whatever the case may be.
There’s a little something in here for everyone.
If you love these author’s then you’ll love their stories. I”m so glad for authors like these. To be able to write stories such as these and make them believable it is truly a gift from God! I”m so thankful for each of them.
I used to not like novellas combined into one book like this but as time went on well, they sort of stuck. Now, I can’t resist them.
I don’t really want to review each story in the book because I don’t want to give away too much but each one is about the outdoors.
I used to go fishing with my grandpa all the time. I did it because I enjoyed his company. I called it “our time.” I caught a snake one time. When I seen it I threw the fishing pole down and ran screaming to my grandpa. Of course he made me go back and pick it up. I made him go with me in case the snake was still there. It was. Luckily it wasn’t poisonous. After that, I didn’t go fishing much anymore.
Not really being fond of eating outdoors because of flies and every other insect that comes around the food isn’t my idea of fun.
But other than those obstacles, I enjoy the outdoors. I love to go hiking with my family. I enjoy being close to the Lord. We really have some great conversations.
Overall, I loved this book because it’s one of my favorite genres with some great stories.
My thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan.. NO compensations were received and all opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for clean romance involving a picnic, young Amish looking for love and romance but feel they won’t ever find it, then this book of four Amish novellas is perfect to read! All four authors are excellent and know how to how my attention. I enjoyed each journey.
The book is so enjoyable, I recommend reading it very soon!
Comprised of four love stories from four well-known authors, “An Amish Picnic” makes for a charming book perfect for spring, summer, or any time you want to pack a novel in your basket and escape for a while. Each story contains discussion questions for group or individual reflection, and there is a very helpful glossary at the beginning of the book, which is something I’ve often wished for when reading Amish fiction. I did not realize, as the note at the end of this reference states, that the Amish people’s German dialect is not a written language, and this piqued my curiosity. It’s something that I never thought about before, and as a lover of languages, I find this fascinating.
The four different romantic journeys featured in this collection are refreshingly distinct and un-formulaic. Despite being under 100 pages each, they manage to be satisfyingly complete, which is a rarity for short stories and is the reason I typically tend to avoid them. Of the four, I particularly enjoyed three because of each one’s premise, which held elements besides romance. Amy Clipston’s “Baskets of Sunshine” for instance, deals with pursuing one’s dreams and trusting God to help accomplish them even in the face of possibly losing one’s job or, more critically, one’s heart.
“Candlelight Sweethearts” by Kelly Irvin is one of the more unique Amish stories I’ve read, as it features two characters with limitations. Esther has a very noticeable speech impediment, which causes her to stand out when she would rather carry on her work without people’s pity and frustration. Jasper, the owner’s son, winds up running the store where he and Esther both work, and through challenging circumstances they learn teamwork and the value of coming together when it’s always been easier to be alone.
“Picnic and Prospects” is, I think, my favorite of the four stories. Vannetta Chapman writes a tale of light mystery in which one of the main characters suffers from claustrophobia. I loved the inclusion of the puppy, as well as the dated letters and how they played a role in the main couple’s rekindled relationship.
All-in-all, I enjoyed these four stories. “Reeling in Love” is, admittedly, my least favorite, not because of any deficiency on the part of author Kathleen Fuller but rather because the subject matter did not appeal to me. I have never been fishing, and the strained and problem-ridden romance trope does not interest me personally. Nevertheless, I did have fun reading each of these stories. They are ideal for springtime and each contain subtle lessons in trusting God and demonstrating our love for one another.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
This Amish collection from Zondervan is a collection of four novellas from authors who are each known for their wonderful Amish stories. Each novella is about 100 pages long so they are perfect for when reading time is limited. So did I read one and then put the book down? No, I kept on reading because the stories in An Amish Picnic are so good! All four of the stories center around picnics and the anticipation of eating good picnic food while being outside and enjoying nature. In these four stories, there are also some mysterious happenings, lots of misunderstandings, and best of all, romance and love.
All four of these novellas have the faith messages and Amish values that we have come to expect from these authors. I highly recommend An Amish Picnic to all who enjoy Amish fiction and Christian romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. A positive review was in no way required and these are my own thoughts.
Baskets of Sunshine was a sweet book about finding love right in front of you and having the courage to walk in faith. Both of the main characters were fun and relatable, I enjoyed seeing their perspectives on age difference in a relationship. They both overcome the obstacles set before them with minimal fuss and a good dose of forgiveness.
Candlelight Sweethearts had an interesting storyline. The characters had very vivid descriptions and were both very shy and sweet, which made it an obstacle for them to overcome. The characters in this book really grow into themselves by the end of the story.
Reeling in Love was my favorite book in this collection, probably because I can see myself doing several of the things that the main character does. The story was well written, the scenes believable and it made me smile. I can totally see the situations presented happening in real life. Both the characters have struggled to overcome things and hurt feelings to mend, in the end, though they rely on God to help them muddle through.
Picnics and Prospects was a fun mini mystery story! The characters played well off each other and I really enjoyed getting to know them (I do wish it could have been a longer story, just so I could have gotten to know the characters’ stories a little better). Overall, though this was a fun read. Both of the characters had to come to the realization that sometimes first impressions can be wrong and everyone deserves a second chance.
I give these stories 4 out of 5 stars for their creative picnic ideas, the interesting characters, and the themes of faith and forgiveness.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
If you enjoy Amish fiction then you’ll love this book! All four stories are wonderful, especially since I’m reading about summer picnics during a cold Michigan winter.
You’ll read about characters you’ve met before in Baskets of Sunshine. Someone with a speech challenge and a family emergency in Candlelight Sweethearts. In Reeling in Love you’ll go fishing…and watch hurts heal. And finally Picnics and Prospects will teach you about claustrophobia and it’s devastating results.
I seriously can’t choose one of the other. All of them have wonderful characters that I came to love, and all of them describe areas of the country I would love to visit. Heartwarming, charming, challenging, and picnic worthy, I thoroughly enjoy these novellas!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review. All thoughts are my own.
An Amish Picnic is a delightful novella collection by four beloved authors of Amish fiction – Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin, Kathleen Fuller, and Vannetta Chapman. The romances are sweet, characters realistic and appealing. Each shows God’s provision and perfect timing. Some stories are drawn from secondary characters in an author’s previous series, but each story stands alone.
The stories creatively use various picnic settings and themes – with swimming and volleyball activities in Clipston’s Baskets of Sunshine, best friends fishing in Fuller’s Reeling in Love, an indoor picnic during a thunderstorm in Irvin’s Candlelight Sweethearts, and the rescue of an injured dog in the midst of thick kudzu vines in Chapman’s Picnics and Prospects. I especially liked how the characters were so realistically drawn and human in their flaws. Doubts, lack of self-esteem, and misunderstandings play a part, as often happens in real life. Lead characters weren’t picture-perfect models. One character stuttered, another suffered with panic attacks. One sweet romance was based on best friends becoming something more, and I thought another romance was going to end before it got started.
These novellas are very enjoyable, heartwarming, and easy to read. Novella collections are perfect for busy times – or any time, for that matter – and I loved every minute spent with these characters. Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Baskets of Sunshine by Amy Clipston.
You’d have no option than to laugh when you read about how Kelvin and Pheebs as her best friend calls assumed a lot of things about their relationship or lack of it. I loved when they got to really talk about how they felt for each other and made a headway.
Candlelight Sweethearts by Kelly Irvin.
Grumpy Jasper and sweet Esther Marie.
What a funny combination.
I loved reading about her patience with him even though he was so unlikable. I loved that he stood up for her.
Their love story was beautiful.
Reeling in love by Kathleen Fuller.
Ira and Nina’s story will make you smile so much that your cheeks will hurt.
Love everywhere, beautiful and enduring.
Pinics and Prospects by Vannetta Chapman.
I totally enjoyed this beautiful story of second chance at love for the wonderful couples in this book. The author skillfully crafted a heartwarming story.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion
There are 4 novellas in this book. They are all in Amish communities and have a picnic in each. These are written by 4 of my favorite authors. Amy Clipston writes Basket of Sunshine. Kelly Irvin writes Candlelight Sweethearts. Kathleen Fuller writes Reeling in Love and Vannetta Chapman write Picnics and Prospects. Besides the picnic each of these stories has characters that think they are going to never find love and they each learn differently. I really enjoyed each story and always look forward to many more books by these authors.
A Lovely Collection!
What a wonderful collection of stories! Each one has the theme of picnics. Some of the picnics were sweet, some were romantic and some were a total disaster. The authors each put their own spin on the picnic theme as well as the characters and their relationships. They brought in characters that dealt with a variety of issues which generally aren’t brought up in books of this genre. Each story also had the theme of friends whose relationship blossoms into more, but not without misconceptions, misunderstandings, and lack of communication causing bumps in the road to true love. These themes flowed flawlessly throughout each story, and yet no two stories were the same, making each story special and unique.
I am always amazed at how a group of authors can come together to make a compilation of stories. I feel that it can at times be a challenging feat, but these authors have done a wonderful job collaborating, and it has resulted in an amazingly lovely collection that you will definitely enjoy.
****I received an advanced copy of this book. All comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.
An Amish Picnic is a nice collection of novellas that stand alone from each other. Each story has a picnic that occurs somewhere within its pages. The stories are connected with other novels written by the four authors, yet can easily be read as stand alone novellas even if you have not read any of the other books, making them a great way to try out a new to you author of Amish fiction. I enjoyed all four novellas.
In Baskets of Sunshine, I was happy to read Phoebe’s story. Phoebe was introduced as a secondary character in The Bake Shop. She certainly had a rocky start to her relationship with Kevin in this novella.
In Candlelight Sweethearts, the reader meets two characters who are not your typical hero and heroine in a story. Esther suffers from a bad stutter and Jasper is described as round, with hair that is beginning to bald. The author did a good job of connecting the reader to the emotions of these two characters, yet the mention of sweaty armpits a few times bothered me!
In Reeling in Love, the heroine struggles with her weight, being seen as a tomboy, and falling in love with her best friend. I thought the author captured the heartache that Nina experienced beautifully in the first picnic scene and built a sweet romance from there.
In Picnics and Prospects, I enjoyed the peek into the past that David and Faith took when they discovered a box of old letters. It was nice to see David begin to understand the emotions and fear that Faith experienced during panic attacks. He showed how kind he was as he worked to help her during these situations.
This was a nice collection that I recommend to fans of Amish fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Through an ARC giveaway by Vannetta Chapman, I was provided with the opportunity to read and write a review about An Amish Picnic.
I like Amish fiction and this book did not disappoint. Each of the four authors wrote a story with likable characters and a storyline that transports the reader from the busyness of our everyday world to the simplicity with which the Amish strive to live.
I have always been a mystery fan so I particularly enjoyed “Picnics and Prospects” by Vannetta Chapman. In this story, two picnics are the bookends for a sweet mystery- not a whodunit- that is unraveled through a series of letters.
I recommend this sampler of stories by these talented authors.
An Amish Picnic
By: Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin, Kathleen Fuller, & Vannetta Chapman
Baskets of Sunshine, by Amy Clipston
Candlelight Sweethearts, by Kelly Irvin
Reeling In Love, by Kathleen Fuller
Picnics and Prospects, by Vannetta Chapman
An Amish Picnic is made up of four different novellas by four wonderful authors in the Amish Genre. These novellas are all about picnics and romance. I love the way the authors ties the picnics and romance together. Each one of these novellas is about a couple who has some difficulties trying to get together. I really enjoyed this book.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and an author. All opinions are my own.
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of An Amish Picnic by Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin, Kathleen Fuller, and Ranetta Chapman and for the opportunity to read and review these delightful novellas. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.
An Amish Picnic is an enchanting collection of Amish stories with endearing characters and heartwarming plots. While I enjoyed each novella a great deal, Reeling in Love by Kathleen Fuller is by far my favorite. I fell in love with Nina and Ira. They are such an endearing couple. I’m a big fan of friends to lovers romances, and this one is an excellent example of that troupe.
If you enjoy Amish fiction with characters that will touch your heart, when you will love An Amish Picnic as much as I did. I have come to love this genre, and I’ve read quite a few books by each of these authors, and they are talented. Happy reading!
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
I always enjoy these books that have a collection of novellas. They are all around 100 pages and can easily be read in one setting, or one day. An Amish Picnic features four of my favorite Amish authors, so I knew this had to be an awesome book!
Each of these stories are written about various activites. In Amy Clipston’s Baskets of Sunshine. With Kevin and Phoebe, there was the age difference that bothered Kevin, but despite that, I enjoyed watching their relationship grow, and the picnic and the activities they enjoyed.
In Kelly Irvin’s Candlelight Sweethearts, Esther has a speech problem that causes her to be a little bit embarrassed. And Jasper has his own insecurities and is afraid to let Esther know how he feels about her. Ms. Irvin does a really nice job of weaving these two hearts together with their special picnic, and the sweet activities they enjoyed.
In Kathleen Fuller’s Reeling in Love, fishing buddies Nina and Ira were friends that just went fishing every Saturday just for fun. Just friends. That is all. But everyone around them could see that it was more. But their Saturday fishing date took on a new meaning with a ‘surprise, picnic. I enjoyed reading this story of two people who didn’t even know how they felt about each other.
Vannetta Chapman’s Picnics and Prospects gives us Faith and David’s story. With Faith being claustrophobic and David building tiny houses their is no way this duo would work. Or could it? Finding a package of letters dated back to the 1970’s, Ms. Chapman gives readers a bit of a mystery as Faith and David try to find who the letters belong to. I not only enjoyed the mystery but I really enjoyed getting know know more about tiny houses David builds. And I have to say, the doggie friend made this story even more sweeter!
I really can’t pic a favorite in this collection. Each story brings its own unique characters to make it stand on its own. And I love that each author has her own unique style of writing, and each giving us readers fun and enjoyable stories to read and love. I highly recommend An Amish Picnic for you. These stories you will cherish for a long time.
I want to thank the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
It is with great honor that I introduce a book filled with hope, forgiveness , trust and unconditional love. These amazing authors have gathered to bring four stories that weave emotions throughout the book as readers fill their hearts with encouragement and joy. I love reading books where author‘s collaborate to give readers a taste of different writing styles. I loved reading about the different places the characters had a picnic at and the delicious selections of food. Now it’s time to sit back, get comfy and enjoy your adventure to Amish country.
Baskets Of Sunshine by Amy Clipston
I loved following Phoebe and Kevin as they start to get to know each other. The author explores how two young people learn to trust a God as they make decisions about their relationship. It was interesting to see how Kevin struggled with the age difference even though I didn’t find it to be such a big problem. Kevin is guarded around Phoebe which cause a little friction as they develop a relationship. I loved the picnic they went on and all the fun activities they joined in as Kevin slowly starts to open his heart to love.
It’s funny how two people who like each other can have such bad communication between them . It is so easy for us to think someone doesn’t like us and allow thoughts to push us away from them. Kevin and Phoebe’s story is sweet and filled with hope.
“We’ll take everything step by step and in God’s time.”
Candlelight Sweethearts by Kelly Irvin
I fell in love with Esther Marie right away . Having a speech problem makes her shy and uncomfortable. Oh how I wanted her to find courage and strength to know she was loved by God. I couldn’t wait to see where the author would take us as the story unfolded.
Jasper finds himself helping out at the deli when his father becomes ill. He sure seemed a little on edge with customers and Esther Marie. This story made me chuckle because Jasper really likes Esther Marie but is a bit scared to say it. His pride and stubbornness is going to get in the way of happiness if he is not careful. I liked how the author emphasized that looks aren’t as important as a pure heart. The story is a wonderful look at trusting God and letting go of insecurity.
“God was made strong in His weakness.”
Reeling in Love by Kathleen Fuller
Oh how nice to realize that you are in love with the young man you always were friends with. Nina and Ira have a standing date to go fishing together every Saturday. They have been friends forever and enjoy each other’s company. Something changes one day and it hits Nina how much she cares for Ira. Nina is feeling a little uncomfortable as she realizes she is not like most Amish girls. She would rather be fishing than baking or cleaning like most her age like to do. Is that why Ira doesn’t want to court her?
Nina has big plans Saturday as a surprise picnic has been planned so she can tell Ira how she really feels about him. Well you know the saying, “the best laid plans.” Nina is in for a big shock as she goes to their favorite fishing spot. The author does a great job of sharing how a misunderstanding can lead to heartbreak. Nina’s heart is broken and her conversation with her Grandmother is very special as she shares that God will mend her broken heart. It is a great lesson in not giving up and realizing how important you are to God.
“What seems impossible can be possible with God.”
Picnics and Prospects by Vannetta Chapman
A good way to feel old is to be a chaperone to those younger than you. That is just what Faith and David find themselves doing in this fun story about picnics, mystery and romance. I couldn’t wait to find out what is the package they found as they rescued a puppy while on an outing. I loved the addition of the dog and how it fit so well into Faith’s life.
The author really piqued my interest in the letters that were found. What I really liked was how those mysterious letters find Faith and David spending time together as they try to figure out who the letters from 1970 belong to. Faith’s anxiety about closed in spaces has caused her to shy away from going places. Perhaps with a mystery to solve she will find confidence to let go of her fear and learn to trust others as well as God. The story is full of surprises and I loved learning about Tiny Houses. They play a big part in the story as well as the letters. It was wonderful to read about lost love and finding hope.
“God has designed us in His image.”
I really enjoyed the stories and learning new things about the Amish. I think I will plan a picnic with my husband and make memories to last forever.
I received a copy of this book from Kelly Irvin and Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.