She thought she knew what she wanted… Her heart is searching for the perfect husband this Christmas. Ginger Stutzman has her sights set on the new Amish bachelor in town, but becoming a nanny for widower Eli Kutz’s children puts her romance plans on hold. Though it’s not the Christmas connection she expected, Ginger can’t deny the pull she feels toward Eli. But is it only the shine of the … it only the shine of the holiday season–or is a family with Eli a gift built to last?
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An Amish Holiday Courtship by Emma Miller is a charming Amish novel. I thought it was well-written with realistic, endearing characters. Eli was a kindly man with a big heart while Ginger was full of life with a loving heart. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Hickory Grove, Delaware. Kent County sounds like a beautiful area. The story moves along at a steady pace which is helped by the humor. I found myself laughing often while reading An Amish Holiday Courtship. Eli has some mischievous boys and it was funny that Eli somehow ended up with holey socks when it mattered most (at his sister’s house where a guest would see his toe sticking see through the hole). There are good life lessons in this story. I like the advice and help that Mrs. Stutzman provided Ginger. Just like in real life, the path to true love is not a smooth one. Ginger learns some valuable lessons along the way and so does Eli. It will make them both stronger and better able to handle situations in the future. There was just the right amount of Christmas in the story. We get to learn about Amish traditions and how families keep to them while adding new ones. I enjoyed reading this sweet Amish tale. It is a story that took my mind off what is happening in our world. An Amish Holiday Courtship is a heartwarming story with busy boys, a cornucopia of cookies, unstitched socks, a meddlesome mama, and an arrogant lothario.
Joe was new in town and had eyes for the beautiful Ginger Stutzman. She also had eyes for him and soon they were courting and stepping out together. Ginger had high hopes that their courtship would lead to marriage but there were things she didn’t know about her new Amish suitor. Like what he was doing when he wasn’t with her.
Eli Kutz was an Amish widower with four young kids. He desperately needed a nanny to watch his Kinner while he worked. Ginger came to his aid and the children grew to love her. But the Children weren’t the only ones who grew to love Ginger.
I listened to the Audio of this book and was very impressed with the narrator Christina Moore. She was very good with changing her voice for each character . I thought the story was entertaining and well written. I loved the happily-ever- after ending.
I recommend to readers of Amish Fiction and Love Inspired books.
Who are Ginger and Eli? How do they know one another? Where are they from? Who is Tara? Who is Joe and where does he work? Where does Ginger go with Rosemary and why? Who are Martha and Eunice? Who is doing something scandalous and what is it? Who are Edna and Ader? I like Claudia! Good woman. What do we learn about Simon, Andrew, and Phillip? What are the major differences between Eli an Joe? I prefer Eli myself! I was pleasantly surprised, yet angry on some level at what happened at the Bishop’s surprise party! Oh boy, I wanted to wring Eli’s neck at one poinnt. Read and see what he does and how things end!
RECEIVED THIS BOOK from Harlequin through Netgalley AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin’ With M. Brennan.
A sweet holiday romance, filled with amazing characters, adorable children, faith and family.
Ginger takes a job as a nanny to her neighbor Eli, who is widowed with four young children. Ginger has her heart set on catching the eye of Joe, an eligible bachelor who has all the girls’ heads turning. Ginger is a great cook, well-organized and is fantastic with Eli’s children, I love how she takes the time to spend time with Eli’s daughter and teach her new things. She is confident and friendly, and well-liked among her peers.
This is a fun and engaging read, with well developed characters, and great interaction. A very enjoyable read, a quick read because I didn’t want to put it down. I loved Ginger’s large family, and how her mother is looking out for her.
Overall, an entertaining holiday romance, with a great plot, heartwarming and sweet. Definitely makes for a great Christmastime read on a cold night, worth the read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
An Amish Holiday Courtship by Emma Miller
She thought she knew what she wanted…
Her heart is searching for the perfect husband this Christmas.
Ginger Stutzman has her sights set on the new Amish bachelor in town, but becoming a nanny for widower Eli Kutz’s children puts her romance plans on hold. Though it’s not the Christmas connection she expected, Ginger can’t deny the pull she feels toward Eli. But is it only the shine of the holiday season—or is a family with Eli a gift built to last?
This is Ginger Stutzman and Eli Kutz and children’s story.
Ginger Stutzman followed her mother down the baking aisle of Byler’s store pushing a grocery cart. They’d come midday because her sister wanted to make rosina kuchen. Tara made the best raisin pie in Kent County, hands down. She’d been halfway through the recipe when she realized she was short a full cup of raisins, and their mother had offered to run to Byler’s as she already had a list of items to pick up. Ginger had volunteered to accompany their mother because she genuinely enjoyed grocery shopping, but also because she knew the young man she was sweet on, Joe Verkler, frequented Byler’s at that time of day. Not only did the store sell groceries and kitchen goods, and even woodstoves, but they also had a deli where sandwiches were made. Amish work crews often stopped there for lunch, and Joe had mentioned after church the previous Sunday that he was overseeing a work crew nearby. She hoped that she might accidentally bump into him.
“Let’s see, dark brown sugar and white whole wheat flour,” Ginger’s mother, Rosemary, read off a list from the back of an envelope. “Anything else you can think of that we need baking-wise?” She glanced up, her new reading glasses perched on the end of her nose. She’d resisted buying the eyeglasses, hating to admit that she was at an age that she needed them, but she was finding they made her life easier.
“Ne, nothing that I can think of,” Ginger replied, searching for Joe, but trying hard not to appear to be looking for anyone. To her delight, as she reached the end of the aisle, sure enough, she spotted him.
Just then, their neighbor Eli Kutz came walking their way carrying a handbasket. Ginger couldn’t help but notice that it was filled with individual servings of premade pudding and Jell-O, as well as store-bought cookies and snack cakes. Two red packages of iced ginger cookies teetered on the top.
“Rosemary, Ginger,” he exclaimed, his face lighting up with genuine pleasure.
Eli was a widower and older than Ginger, maybe in his midthirties. He wasn’t an ugly man, but he wasn’t what a girl would call handsome, either. Not like Joe. But she liked Eli, as did everyone in her family.
I highly recommend reading.
An Amish Holiday Courtship by Emma Miller is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Emma Miller.
An Amish Holiday Courtship by Emma Miller was a quick and sweet story about second chances and family. Ginger believes she is ready to settle down and marry and her eyes are set on the new handsome Joe. But is Joe really what he seems? Eli lost his wife years ago and he is determined to be a good father to his children but is lonely and would like to remarry. When he finds himself in need of help, Ginger offers to help care for his children.
Ginger was sweet and caring. She put all her dreams on Joe and might be missing what is right in front of her. Eli is older and a widower with small children but is a good and caring man. As they begin to spend together, they find an unexpected connection. But can he offer Ginger what she wants? I enjoyed reading An Amish Holiday Courtship by Emma Miller. The story was charming and emotional.
Happy reading!
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of An Amish Holiday Courtship by Emma Miller. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this delightful novel prior to publication. My opinions are mine alone, and no one has influenced them.
An Amish Holiday Courtship is a lovely Amish fiction romance with endearing characters and a satisfying plot. Ms. Miller brings her amazing understanding of Amish life to this highly enjoyable Christmas tale. The pacing of this book pulled me in from the start and kept my attention until the end.
Ginger Stutzman is a loveable heroine with the traditional values of an Amish young girl, ready to become a wife and mother. She sets her sights on a handsome and charming Amish man, but while he is dating her, it’s less than satisfactory because he still flirts with other girls, but she clings to her dream. She agrees to help out a widower, Eli Kutz, with his little children. As she watches his tender care toward his kinder, she longs to have that with her Amish young man.
While at times I wanted to shake sense into the heroine, I could understand why Ginger fancies herself in love with boyfriend and her confused feelings toward Eli. I love how she opens her heart to Eli’s young children and her determination to do a “gut” job. I truly wanted her to find her heart’s desire, something she doesn’t understand at the start of this tale.
Eli is a wonderful hero. As a widower, he’s determined to raise his children and honor his late wife’s memory. When Ginger becomes his nanny, he meets the first woman he wants since he lost his wife. I ached for him when he believes he is too old for Ginger. This kind Amish man is perfect for her.
The romance between them grows from their mutual respect and their love for his children. Their strong faith pulls them together and gives the couple a much stronger bond than either of them had ever imagined.
If you enjoy Amish novels with plenty of engaging characters and a wonderful Christian message, then you will love An Amish Holiday Courtship as much as I did. Amish fiction has become my recent fascination and has me searching for new novels in this genre, whether in eBook form or audio. Happy reading!
A fun, flirty, warm, and heartening tale of falling in love and learning what your heart truly wants.
Not everything that sparkles is gold, that is a hard lesson Ginger Stutzman has to learn while searching for a mate and her destiny. Ginger is a free-spirited Amish woman, I liked how she was unabashedly herself despite everyone trying to put her in her place. She might come off as flirty and too joyful for some, but she is a good-hearted young woman, and her work with Eli Kutz’s children proves it.
The characters in the story are drawn with vivid details, their growth and development is a natural part of the tale that flows and blooms effortlessly. Ginger has valuable life-lessons to learn, nothing is given, and eventually, she needs some motherly guidance to open up her eyes if not her heart.
This story has a bit different kind of tune than most of the Amish books I have read, yet I enjoyed it. It has a perfect amount of Christmas spirit, Amish traditions, and troubles of the heart to build up an entertaining Christmas tale. It a sweet and clean story, with strong family ties and traditions, and as such can be comforting read during troubled times.
A well written, joyful, heartfelt, and cheery tale of everything that makes Christmas a special time of the year.
~ Four Spoons
I loved this story, and it kept my attention right to the end, so much like real life, and we all make assumptions!
Yes, assumptions, not always right, first impressions, that really are not correct. We meet a “pretty boy”. or a rather handsome Amish man, and the girls are lining up for his attention, and he, or it looks like, likes Ginger.
Listen to your parents! Not always right, but they do have life experience, will Ginger heed their advice?
Enter a widower, older, with young children, and you will love these little ones, and we wonder if he will have a chance with the prettiest girl around?
Will Eli come to his senses? Will Joe wake up and see the treasure of Ginger?
You will have to read this book to see how it all works out!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review.