Past relationships and close quarters stir up old emotions, making Christmas the perfect time for a magical connection in this heartwarming second chance Amish romance.
Elsie Miller has witnessed — and experienced — Levi Wyse’s forgetfulness too many times to count. But even after they broke things off, Elsie never forgot the handsome Amish toymaker or her love for him. So when Levi’s sister … her love for him. So when Levi’s sister asks her to help keep him organized for the busy Christmas season, Elsie agrees. But she didn’t expect working alongside Levi to reignite those old feelings.
Secretly, Levi’s heart will always belong to Elsie. But she deserves a better man, one who isn’t so absentminded . . . or responsible for a terrible tragedy. Now, she’s at his workshop every day and as Christmas draws near, his reasons for staying away become harder and harder to remember. Will the spirit of Christmas heal past hurts and give Elsie and Levi the greatest gift of all: a future together?
Sweet story. Christmas, secrets, forgetfulness and maybe love are all included in this heartwarming story. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.
The author gives us a Christmas gift with this read, and once you start you will be page turning for answers!
We are given a sweet young woman full of compassion, but she is having trouble holding a job, some only last one day.
Now her former fiancée sister needs help and wants her brother to hire her, awkward, maybe, but this is an Amish community. You see Elsie’s true heart when she helps Abigail, Levi’s sister, but these two hurting individuals are avoiding one another, they are in love, but a chasm has opened up in their relationship, one that may be too far to cross.
We have a little bit of everything here, and you will love George, but be careful he wields a wild stick!
These two need to accept God’s grace, and forgiveness, will they be able to get there?
I loved the second romance that appears to be happening here, but you will have to enjoy that for yourself!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Forever, and was not required to give a positive review.
This is a fun second chance romance, with Elsie and Levi both still in love with each other after their impetuous breakup a year and a half earlier. Their flaws keep them apart- Elsie doesn’t let Levi explain, and Levi just gives up. They are both kind of a hot mess as they keep getting thrown together, but they begin to learn from their mistakes and realize they are stronger together. They share an intense physical attraction as well, which makes it difficult to keep their hands off each other, to the chagrin of their elderly chaperone George. Humor, drama, chemistry, and angst kept me turning the pages to see how these two stubborn young adults would finally get back together.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
The Amish Christmas Gift by Laura V Hilton is a charming light-hearted contemporary Amish novel that will put a smile on your face. It is the second book in the Hidden Springs series but can be read as a stand-alone.
In spite of the light-hearted tone, there are the serious themes of guilt and forgiveness. Sometimes we pick up burdens that were never meant for us. We, wrongly, believe that what we have done is unforgiveable. This is a lie from the enemy. God asks us to come to Him and to lay our burdens and our guilt down. He asks us to live in His love and His forgiveness.
The leading lady is very accident prone. This creates some highly amusing moments. There are also some delightful and funny verbal volleys.
Love and friendship are important qualities. It is wonderful to see them bud and blossom.
We make our plans for our lives but there is One who knows us far better than we know ourselves. We would be wise to follow His plans.
Prayer is important. Prayer helps us to build a relationship with God. It is always good to know that we are not alone. “It was nice to imagine Someone out there heard and cared.”
The Amish Christmas Gift was a perfect read for a dark and gloomy December day as it will inject some light, life and humour into our lives.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
A Heartfelt Story
I love happy endings. So just about every book I read is predictable in the sense that there will be a happy ending. Quite frankly, if I didn’t think that would be the end result, I wouldn’t bother reading it. Even though I know the story I’m reading will have a happy ending, I look forward to the journey in getting to that happy ending. That’s what makes a story, and that is something that Laura Hilton is a master of in her writing.
The journey that Elsie and Levy take is inspiring, romantic, fun, surprising, and moving. I love how the author entwines a spiritual message in her stories. In this case, the faith based messages involved Levy’s struggle for forgiveness and Elsie’s struggle to trust God’s will. Between the funny moments, the romantic moments, and the surprising moments that were snuck into the story every so often, there were reflective moments where I was able to identify with Elsie and Levy’s feelings and struggles of what God wanted for them.
The story also includes a variety of interesting supporting characters. They were integral to the story and added much to the fun and romance. Although they enhanced the story, they did so without overshadowing the main characters.
Ms. Hilton has again written an entertaining and inspirational story where entertainment and inspiration are well balanced. There isn’t too much of one or too much of the other. The combination is just right making The Amish Christmas Gift a wonderful heartfelt story that will entertain you, bless you and inspire you to try out some new recipes that are included in the story. Enjoy!
I really struggled with this story. Some stories and characters are just a miss for some readers and I think that is what happened in this novel for me. I usually adore books written by this author, yet this one fell short for me.
Levi’s extreme absent-mindedness bothered me a lot. It made me feel that others weren’t important enough to him to pay attention to what they were saying. Admittedly, I felt that he got better about this in the second half of the book and I ended up liking him more during the blizzard portions of the story.
I liked Elsie better than Levi and felt sorry for her because it seemed like things were constantly out of her control. She seemed to be blamed for everything, such as the ice cream delivery debacle! I also felt like she let herself be manipulated by her brother, Sam, and his desire to leave the community. He talked down to her a lot in order to get her to do what he wanted her to do.
I will definitely keep reading this author. This particular story was just not the right one for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
THE AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT by Laura V. Hilton is the second book in the Hidden Springs series. It’s the wonderfully written story of Elsie Miller and Levi Wyse. They were once a steady couple with thoughts of marriage in their future. A set of misunderstandings and failure to communicate had them going in different directions, but the feeling for the other always seemed to simmer in the background even though avoidance seems to be the game they play.
Elsie’s had her fair share of disappointments. The life she had always envisioned seemed to dissolve before her eyes starting when Levi, who has always been forgetful, left her at his cousin’s wedding forgetting he even brought her with him leaving her with the embarrassment of explaining why she had been abandoned while having to find her own way home. She’s a hard worker with great organization skills making her a great employee at the dentist office where she use to work before the tornado left her unemployed. She hasn’t been able to find her niche since. She’s been able to find many jobs, but they don’t seem to last long. She needs an income to help her family with expense and so far she’s not been able to contribute much. The latest blow came when she got hired and fired on the same day for accepting a delivery of dill pickle ice cream. With her record on not being able to keep a job has spreading like wildfire through the gossip lines, making her possible job prospects few. No man wants a woman that can’t work and hold their own, which makes her prospects of marriage even less likely.
Levi has had more than his share of heartaches and disappointments. He feels responsible for the death of his entire family in a gas explosion except for his one sister – Abigail. She was left badly injured in the accident leaving her in a wheelchair and requiring a lot of medical attention. Because of his guilt, he fears being charged with their murder and then who would care for his sister? He also feels unworthy of happiness after what he’s done which in his mind it means that he can never marry. Turning away from the church or help from anyone, he’s working many jobs and all the hours he possible can to help provide for his sister and to pay her medical expenses. One of his jobs is making hand carved toys and selling them through the Englisch store. They are a hit here at Christmas time leaving him with many orders to fill. Organizational skills, remembering things and being able to express his feelings have never been his strong suits. When Abigail suggests that Levi needs an “elf” for his Santa projects and assistance for her, she just knows that Elsie would be the perfect one to fit the bill. Can she convince Levi and can they get Elsie to agree to work for them?
Can Elsie and Levi work together considering their past? Will they finally talk about past events and the real reason why Levi forgot her at that wedding? Will organizing Levi’s business side also help straighten out his personal side? Will Elsie help build Abigail’s confidences and help Levi to understand that Abigail’s not as helpless or young as he thinks she is? Can Levi make peace with the past? Can they get past their misunderstandings of the past and realize they still may have a second chance of a future together?
Laura V Hilton managed to magnificently wrap a second chance romance within an Amish story wrapping it all up in a wonderful Christmas story like a pretty present with a big bow on it just waiting for you to unwrap it! THE AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT is an awesome way to get you in the Christmas frame of mind (during any time of year) reassuring you that true love can conquer all, that forgiveness is the best gift you can give someone (including yourself) and that Christmas IS the time when wishes do come true.
Although part of the series, THE AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT can most definitely be read as a standalone. After reading it though, you will want to check out the first book in the series as well as be excited to read more books by this amazing author. My only regret is that I can’t give it more than FIVE STARS!
Second Chances and Forgiveness
My rating is 3.5 stars
Elsie’s inability to keep a job was quite humorous. She was, apparently, a bit of a klutz. And too nice to not be taken advantage of. And didn’t know much about things you aren’t supposed to put in a microwave… Despite her seeming lack of marketable talent, Elsie’s heart was big and she was an organizational whiz. She was the type of woman who enjoyed bringing order out of chaos.
Enter Levi. His broken heart and the guilt he carried escalated his forgetfulness to extreme levels. This poor, broken man had a heart full of kindness and yet his burdens were far too heavy for him to carry. Because God never intended us to carry our own sin!
I loved Levi’s kindness to his disabled sister, Abigail. He had a very hard time saying no to her about anything – especially because he blamed himself for her confinement to a wheelchair.
When circumstances bring Elise and Levi back together so she can be an assistant to Levi and his sister, sparks fly as they both attempt to deal with feelings of resentment, insufficiency, and repressed love.
The Amish Christmas Gift is full of surprises and quirky characters who make an appearance as well. “Amish George” is quite the riot! I especially liked him and Elsie’s younger brother, Noah.
I have read many stories by Laura V. Hilton and always enjoy the plot and the way she integrates the Gospel message with serious heart issues and fun romance. The faith message Levi learned is all about forgiveness. Elsie had to learn to trust God – that He knows best and has good plans for His children.
While the story was clean, I was surprised at the level of passion it contained. Levi spent quite a bit of time dreaming about kissing Elsie and had to restrain himself from thinking about her in ways that are more intimate as well. Their kisses were much more passionate and touchy than I’m comfortable with. I would have appreciated the longing and the kisses to be toned down a bit.
Read my review of The Amish Christmas Gift by Laura V. Hilton at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
The Amish Christmas Gift by Laura V. Hilton is the 2nd novel in the Hidden Springs series. It can be read as a standalone if you have not had a chance to read The Amish Wedding Promise. The Amish Christmas Gift is a heartfelt story. I thought the story contained good writing and the story moved along at a steady pace. There are some charming characters in this story with quirky traits. Elsie Miller is a whiz at organization, but she has trouble at other occupations. Elsie is getting quite the reputation in town. She can usually be seen with a candy cane in her hand. Levi Wyse is in his mid-twenties and responsible for the care of his seventeen year old sister, Abigail who is in a wheelchair. Levi has been working to pay off their extensive medical bills with the construction business that was started by his father plus the toys he makes in his spare time. He would prefer to make toys fulltime, but he is not sure that would support them. Levi makes beautiful handcrafted wood toys, but he would forget his head if it was not attached. Absentminded does not begin to describe Levi. Let us not forget George who is hard of hearing and makes up for it by talking at a high volume. I laughed often while reading this humorous Amish tale. Miscommunication and misunderstanding abound for Levi and Elsie. I did feel there was a little too much internal dialogue and repetition of the same details. Faith, family, love, guilt, and miscommunication are the themes in this cute story. There are some good life lessons and I like how the author included the scripture verses that went with each one. It was presented in an easy to understand manner that really made the point hit home for me. The Amish Christmas Gift is a sweet and amusing Amish Christmas story with proliferation of peppermint, a toy train time limit, an absentminded Amishman, icky ice cream, a familial matchmaker, and an executive elf.
Oh my goodness I just can not stop laughing at some of these characters and their antics. George was hands down my favorite character he was a pistol and I can totally picture him and could not help but laugh at everything he was doing. Elsie was a hot mess just trying to keep it together and I so can relate to her in so many ways. Levi he has secrets that could make or break someone and sometimes I just wanted to shake him but he too was just a broken soul looking to find his place in this world. I will say I hope that Abigail and Noah’s story is next because I so want to know what happens with those two it was easy to fall in love with them and this journey as you read Elsie and Levi’s story. If you find kissing or even passionate kissing bothersome in Christian books then this is not the book for you, other than that I would say this book is a good clean read and totally worth the read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I loved the characters in this delightful Amish romance. Elsie Miller has been fired from more jobs than most Amish women because, somehow, unusual things just seem to happen to Elsie. However, she’s very gifted at organization, but those types of jobs are hard to find.
Levi Wyse is a compassionate young man who is raising his younger sister after the tragic death of their other family members. He’s extremely unorganized and forgetful. (He’s still in love with Elsie, but they broke up because he forgot that he had taken her to a family wedding; left Elsie behind; and she had to take a bus back home.)
Levi’s wooden toy making business is rapidly increasing, but he desperately needs help with the organization side of his business. Elsie needs a job; Levi needs help: they both still have feelings for each other—-sounds like the perfect solution. But for Elsie and Levi, the course of true love is anything but smooth.
There’s some very funny moments in this story, especially the ones that involve Amish George and his role as their chaperone. But there’s also themes about faith in this story as to how God works through tragedy and the availability of His unfailing love and mercy. All of this combines to make a beautiful story of faith, family, and finding God’s perfect peace.
One more note: There are some kissing scenes in this story that are completely appropriate, but a little bit more ardent than what’s usually in an Amish novel. It’s still a sweet, clean story. Just mentioning this in case that’s not something you look for in an Amish novel.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I really enjoyed it! It was very interesting to get a peek at what life is like in Amish culture. Levi and Elsie were great characters, and I quickly became very invested in what happened to them. This was a wonderful uplifting read, just the kind of book I need right now. This is my honest review of a book I received from netgalley.
Trying to put the memory of her old love behind her Elsie Miller thinks she has moved on, that is until her sister announces her engagement to his brother at the dinner table one evening. More than her dinner was ruined that evening and to think her father even knew about it.
Levi Wyse’s persistent forgetfulness is one of the reasons she broke it off with him but what happens when he sister chooses her to keep this handsome Amish toy maker organized.
Being forced to spend time with Levi, Elsie figures she’ll just make the best of it and then go back to her normal life. What she doesn’t count on is his feelings for her to be as strong as ever and to find herself once again falling for this handsome man.
Levi confesses he feels he is the one responsible for a tragedy, but is he really?
Can the spirit of the holiday season bring these two hurting souls to an understanding that will once again have love blooming?
I very much enjoyed this book and recommend it.
Published October 27th 2020 by Forever
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
The Amish Christmas Gift by Laura V. Hilton
(Hidden Springs, 2)
Past relationships and close quarters stir up old emotions, making Christmas the perfect time for a magical connection in this heartwarming second chance Amish romance.
Elsie Miller has witnessed and experienced Levi Wyse’s forgetfulness too many times to count. But even after they broke things off, Elsie never forgot the handsome Amish toymaker or her love for him. So when Levi’s sister asks her to help keep him organized for the busy Christmas season, Elsie agrees. But she didn’t expect working alongside Levi to reignite those old feelings.
Secretly, Levi’s heart will always belong to Elsie. But she deserves a better man, one who isn’t so absentminded or responsible for a terrible tragedy. Now, she’s at his workshop every day and as Christmas draws near, his reasons for staying away become harder and harder to remember. Will the spirit of Christmas heal past hurts and give Elsie and Levi the greatest gift of all: a future together?
This is Elsie Miller and Levi Wyse’s story.
She shooed the thought away. No point going there. Water under the bridge and all that.
He leaned over the counter saying something to the Englisch man on the other side. The Englisch man laughed as a sudden burst of wind caught a paper on the counter. The paper blew off. Neither man appeared to notice, but she gave chase, stalling its progress with her foot.
It was the size and shape of a folded check. Definitely important. Levi would be looking for it, upset that he lost it.
Levi now scrabbling for something on the floor in front of the register. Why was Levi in town on
a Monday anyway? He hadn’t made a purchase, not that she knew of anyway, but had carried in a huge cardboard box full of something that rattled and had the Englisch clerk oohing and aahing and gushing nonsense about how “this year Santa Claus will be bringing lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” Then, all in a dither, the clerk had called for the store owner, who came out of his office, talked quietly for a bit, then handed Levi a piece of paper. The one that he’d already lost. Though to be fair, it had been caught by a gust of wind that blew in with a customer, so it wasn’t entirely his fault.
Levi Wyse was nothing but trouble. Too bad he was so handsome. And too bad her heart had major problems remembering that he was trouble. Which was why she resorted to spying to avoid getting her feelings hurt when he would inevitably reject her and walk away…But she just couldn’t help but stare, long, wish, dream, and regret the way things had ended.
I highly recommend reading.
The Amish Christmas Gift by Laura V. Hilton is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Laura V. Hilton.
I received a complimentary e-book from Net Galley.
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of The Amish Christmas Gift by Linda V. Hilton for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced.
The Amish Christmas Gift is a charming Amish romance with characters that will touch your heart and make you sigh with joy. Ms. Hilton give the reader an authentic view of Amish life and community.
Elsie Miller’s character is sweet natured and has the qualities I most admire in Amish fiction. She hard working and loves her family. When she gives her word, she doesn’t go back on it, even if it is no longer the best decision for her.
Levi Wyse is a great hero, if a forgetful one who struggles expressing himself. Many times what he says doesn’t match what he means. I liked him from the start. His dedication to his sister is admirable.
The romance between Elsie and Levi is a second chance at love, getting it right this time. Both of them made mistakes in their previous courtship and both still love each other, but are held apart by guilt and regret. I truly wanted them to find a way to make it work this time.
If you enjoy Amish fiction with endearing character and a plot that will touch your heart, then you will love The Amish Christmas Gift as much as I did. While this is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Hilton, it will not be the last. Happy reading!
Riddled with guilt and sorrow, Levi leaves his fiancée, Elsie, and becomes determined that he can never marry. Elsie is heartbroken after he leaves her.
She has a very hard time keeping jobs and perhaps that is because God had other plans for her. When Levi’s sister asks her to be the Christmas elf for Levi, a disorganized toy maker, she finally agrees, knowing full well that they would be seeing each other on a regular basis because of this job.
This was a sweet, heartwarming Christmas book with clear lessons to be learned but all involved. Levi continues to blame himself for his situation. It’s a nice story of forgiveness of one self, which is probably the hardest act of forgiveness.
I enjoyed the story and it continued to get more interesting as the book continued.
I received a copy from Forever and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.