In a small Amish town like picturesque Lancaster, Pennsylvania, one solution to an indiscretion is to make a good marriage. Or perhaps, fake a respectable engagement . . . Priscilla Ebersol has a fulfilling life teaching special needs children—until her boyfriend’s humiliating betrayal ruins her reputation and threatens her job. Ostracized for something she didn’t do, Priscilla throws herself … Priscilla throws herself into a project on the benefits of camel’s milk for autism. Her research leads her to a fledgling local camel farm, where she discovers far more than she bargained for . . .
When a pushy Englisch company shows interest in shy, handsome Gabriel Kauffman’s camel farm, he struggles to get out of a sticky negotiation. Lovely, well-spoken Priscilla appears at the perfect moment, and defends Gabe’s business so well that she is mistaken for his wife. It’s a ruse the two quietly continue, all the while secretly wishing it could be true. But though their bond deepens, Priscilla’s heart is still wounded, and Gabe battles with a troubling secret. And when a misunderstanding comes between them, it will take faith, honesty, and trust in the future to overcome the past—and allow their partnership to blossom into something more . . .
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This book had it all for me: a strong female character (most of the time), special needs children, and animals. A unique animal to the Pennsylvania Dutch country at that…Camels!
This was a quick read for me and maybe it was because I found it so interesting on the camel milk and autism spectrum.
A clean romance for teenagers and above to read. For those that enjoy Christian reads but not a lot of preaching and bible verses, this is for you.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
I really loved this story. It was very interesting to learn about how the use of camels milk can help so many people. I want to research more on the benefits for people with diabetes. I laughed and cried while reading this story. I loved the characters and how inspirational the story was. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
His Pretend Amish Bride by Rachel J. Good has Priscilla Ebersol preparing a picnic lunch to enjoy with her beau, Matthew King. She is surprised to find Bishop Troyer at the door, and he delivers some upsetting news that could cause Priscilla to lose a job she loves. Needing to get out of the house, Priscilla heads to the new camel farm. Gabe Kauffman has just moved to Bird-in-Hand with his camels. Priscilla has done research on the benefits of camel milk for autistic children, and she wants to purchase some her for brother, Asher. Priscilla finds that she can share with Gabe what has happened without worry that he will share with others. When a pushy Englischer tries to bully Gabe into selling his farm, Priscilla is there to assist Gabe. He finds it difficult to talk in front of large crowds and when faced by an angry, bullying individual. The man assumes Priscilla is Gabe’s wife with the way she defends Gabe and his business. This sets the tone for the rest of the story. I enjoyed reading His Pretend Amish Bride. It is a cute story with romance, secrets, betrayal, theft, bullying, and gossip. I liked the characters in this story. I thought they were developed and realistic. The book is well-written with a good flow and pacing. I was unaware of the benefits of camel milk until I read this story. It was interesting learning about camel farming. I enjoyed the side stories in His Pretend Amish Bride because they added depth and interest. There is also humor sprinkled throughout. The Amish characters had deep faith and were wonderful examples to others. Priscilla helps a woman find Jesus which I thought was inspiring. I appreciated the epilogue which nicely wrapped up the book. His Pretend Amish Bride was a delightful story, and I am eager to read the next Unexpected Amish Blessings novel. My favorite line from His Pretend Amish Bride is, “Mamm says worrying isn’t trusting God.” His Pretend Amish Bride is a charming Amish tale with an unethical Englischer, missing milk, rampant rumors, galling glossophobia, a major misunderstanding, and camel curiosity.
His Pretend Amish Bride is the second book in Rachel J. Good’s Unexpected Amish Blessings series, and can easily be read as a standalone. The story follows Priscilla Ebersol, a kindhearted and feisty special needs teacher who is looking forward to marrying her boyfriend – that is until his humiliating betrayal ruins her reputation and threatens her job, and Gabriel Kauffman, a shy camel farmer who has just moved into the community. Priscilla has done research on the benefits of camel milk for autistic children and decides to go to Gabe’s farm to purchase some for her autistic brother. There’s an immediate connection between the two and they become great friends. But what Priscilla doesn’t know is that Gabe’s past is haunting him, and as their friendship develops into something more, he starts pulling away from her. Will he find the courage to tell her about his past? And more importantly, can he overcome it and have a future with her?
This was a very sweet and uplifting read, with a wonderful love story and believable characters. The strong chemistry between Gabe and Priscilla combined with a touch of mystery will keep readers engaged until the last page. I liked the message of trusting God for the next step. We need to pray and be patient for things only happen in His timing, not ours. This story also shows us how damaging gossip can be, especially when we don’t have all the facts. I really liked Alyssa’s storyline as well and thought it was very inspiring. Overall, this was a lovely story of faith, forgiveness, and love. I highly recommend it and look forward to the third book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I just read a book called, His Pretend Amish Bride, by author, Rachel J. Good. In the book the main character is a teacher at a special needs Amish school. She has a young brother with autism. She’d did research and saw that camels milk was beneficial for autistic children. Priscilla heard that an Amish man named Gabriel had moved to the area and had a camel farm. By using the milk, her brother had significant positive changes. It did address that it doesn’t always work for all children with autism. I found an interesting article, as camels milk did indeed help other children. I’ll be doing more research on this.
In the book, Priscilla helps Gabriel with his farm by helping him stand up to unscrupulous business owners who were trying to buy his farm. Mistaken as his wife on several occasions, they slowly realize that they both wish for that very thing to come true.
It was an enlightening book on the subject of special needs, along with a little love and romance thrown in. Highly recommended book to read!
His Pretend Amish Bride (Unexpected Amish Blessings Book 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W6S6RHZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qCfrFbWHNN2E2
What I think you should know:
His Pretend Amish Bride is a contemporary Amish fiction by Rachel J. Good. It is the second book in the Unexpected Amish Blessing series. This book can be read as a standalone, but the first book in the series, His Unexpected Amish Twins is SOOO worth reading so I recommend that you read it first.
What I think about this book:
I was so very excited to read this book after reading the sneak peak in . I was pleasantly surprised to see the author went in a direction that was completely unexpected. Priscilla is a faithful Amish woman who loves her job as a teacher for special needs students, yet when her reputation is put at risk it seems that everyone turns their back on her. My heart ached for her as her own mother even questioned her and chose not to trust her daughter. Her strength and grace while under intense pressure was so encouraging to me, even if I wanted her to stand up for herself at times! Gabriel is new to the community and has a unique business. I enjoyed learning about the camel business more than I thought that I would. Without giving away the plot I really enjoyed how the twist and turns came together to make a story that would be enjoyable for Amish enthusiasts and contemporary fiction fans alike. I am so excited for the next book in the series!
I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
An Amish camel farm??? I have never heard about camel milk for therapeutic treatment, but author Rachel Good almost always teaches me something new in her books. I knew this story was going to be good and it certainly was.
I loved both main characters. Priscilla is feisty and stands up for herself and her friends. Gabriel is shy and quiet. Yet both are battling hurts from unjust accusations and situations. I enjoyed how their faith and trust in God and each other grew as they spent time together. And defended each other. Rachel’s mother, as a secondary character, was a piece of work. She made me laugh in an “I can’t believe this” kind of way but I still wanted to shake her.
If you enjoy Amish fiction that has spiritual truths as characters overcome, and of course a sweet clean romance, then you’ll enjoy this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Sometimes what we planned and hoped for in our future and lives can come to a crashing halt in an instance. And that is exactly what Priscilla finds out as she is accused of things she did not do and the one person she thought would stand up for her does not. I really felt for Priscilla and her circumstances, not only of a broken heart, but the deception that brought it all about. Not only was her reputation being tarnished but so was her livelihood.
Priscilla comes across the new owner of a new camel farm, Gabriel Kauffman. A camel farm that sells milk. Yep, that was interesting to me especially the hard core buyout an Englisher was trying to pressure him into and it was interesting reading about the benefits of the milk.
Priscilla and Gabe have a connection almost immediately but neither will act on it. Priscilla on the account of her broken heart and Gabe because of his secrets, that are revealed to the reader through the story. So they settle on just being friends and they both learn what a true friendship looks like.
I enjoyed this story and learning about new things like camel’s milk. I disagreed with Priscilla and how she handled her problem. I would not have done that and I guess in ways I thought her character was a little weak for it but I did understand her broken heart.
I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
If you’re like me, you may not have noticed the camel on the cover of His Pretend Amish Bride right away. In fact, I didn’t notice it until I was putting this post together, after I’d read the book. But let me assure you that you aren’t seeing things – that IS in a fact a camel on the cover, and camels do factor prominently in this sweet Amish romance set in Pennsylvania. I also had never really heard of camel farming or all the benefits of camel milk before I read Good’s latest novel, and now I’m fascinated!
I loved Priscilla and Gabe together! Their instant connection deepens into a tender friendship that just made my heart smile. And while the more overt focus is on Priscilla being the perfect helpmeet for Gabe, even before they address their growing affection for one another, I enjoyed watching Gabe fill that role for Priscilla too in slightly more subtle ways. The fact that each of them are facing a ruined reputation for separate reasons – caused by other people’s betrayals – drew some interesting parallels that I also thought Good did well. And oh how I fell in love with both of these characters along the way!
Bottom Line: His Pretend Amish Bride surprised me (pleasantly) in several different ways – from a camel farm in Amish country to a faith thread that came from an unexpected (but delightful!) source to a bit of a sucker-punch twist that I really did not see coming and even to the way the title factors into the story differently than I originally thought it would. This kept the reading experience fresh and intriguing for me and had me turning the pages, fully absorbed in the story, from start to finish. Great characters that avoid becoming stereotypes or one-dimensional, a quaint & somewhat unique setting, and engaging writing make this a must-read for fans of Amish fiction. Very much looking forward to the next book!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
I enjoyed the first book from Rachel J Good’s Unexpected Amish Blessings series, His Unexpected Amish Twins. So, I was excited to have the opportunity to read the second installment, His Pretend Amish Bride. Even though it is part of a series, I believe it can be read as a stand alone. This one is by far my favorite that I have read by Miss Good to date. I loved the unique storyline involving a camel farm. I learned so much about camels that I have never heard of before. I was really fascinated with their benefits. Priscilla and Gabriel were great characters and I enjoyed their chemistry.
I am giving His Pretend Amish Bride a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it. I cannot wait for the fall release of the third addition to the Unexpected Amish Blessings series, His Accidental Amish Family. I already have it added to my wish list.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
His Pretend Amish Bride examines the eagerness to spread rumors and the damage that occurs from that gossip. but it is also a story of believing in God and fully trusting in His plan for our life. Priscilla Ebersol is betrayed by her boyfriend, falsely accused of things that she didn’t do, and even judged by her own mother, but this sweet, compassionate young woman doesn’t react in a negative way. Instead, she chooses to forgive and to help others who are dealing with their own struggles.
“Sometimes what appears heartbreaking is only God’s way of moving us to a new and better place.”
Author Rachel J. Good has written a wonderful story of faith in God and trust in His plan and there is also the promise of a sweet love story between Priscilla and Gabriel Kaufmann. If you enjoy Amish fiction and Christian romance, you will certainly want to read His Pretend Amish Bride.
I received a copy of this book from the author via Celebrate Lit. There was no obligation to write a favorable review and these are my own thoughts.
Have you ever thought you were in love with someone only to find out he or she was not who you thought he or she was? Priscilla believed Matthew was the man she would marry. Only he betrays her in the worst possible way, and it leaves her life in shambles. However, sometimes when things look the darkest, God lets true light shine in on us.
Gabriel Kaufman has come to Priscilla’s community to open a camel milk farm. I love his nephew Timothy and the wonderful way Timothy helps his uncle. When an Englischer and his wife become determined to buy the farm, Gabriel finds himself in a fight for his very livelihood. I have known people who find it difficult to speak in public, so I could appreciate Gabriel’s difficulty and fear of speaking in front of large groups of people. I also appreciate how Priscila steps in to help Gabriel.
One thing I found very believable in this story was how some people in Priscilla’s community were quick to believe Priscilla’s innocence, while others were quick to offer judgment against her.
This book shows how the Amish can work together with Englischers to benefit everyone. Alyssa is a reporter who comes to do a story on the camel farm but winds up finding her faith in God restored as well as helping to save the farm. Her willingness to listen made me respect her.
So if you like Amish stories that illustrate forgiveness, faith, family, and love, check out this book for yourself. It truly shows how sometimes you can find the one God intended for you without even trying.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
Author Rachel J. Good has written a most unusual Amish Christian tale. It was a delight to read and taught me a lot about…….camels! Yes, this is an Amish book about a small camel farm. I was captivated by the story and wonderful characters.
This is the story of Priscilla Ebersol, Amish school teacher. She is preparing a picnic lunch to share with her beau, Matthew King, when she received upsetting news from the Bishop. This news could cause Priscilla to lose her job. She leaves her house and goes to the new camel farm owned by Gabe Kauffman.
Throughout the book the author has sprinkled in twists and turns to keep readers on their toes and turning pages. The characters are believable and realistic. It is easy to see that author Good has done intensive research of the Amish and camels. The conversations sounded authentic and the descriptions took me to Amish Country.
There are many spiritual and life lessons in this sweet book. I love books that teach lessons and remind us what we should do. This one certainly does both.
Expect a few mysteries to accompany the lessons and surprises. This was a fantastic Amish fictional tale. I highly recommend to everyone. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words. It gets a 5 out of 5 stars from me.
Although it’s been several years since I’ve been there, one of my favorite day-trips is visiting Sugarcreek and Berlin, Ohio, known where I live as simply Amish Country. Something that surprised me within the last decade or so was the growing market of Amish organic and specialty products, as I did not associate these with the Amish people. I suppose that I never gave much thought to them needing gluten-free, dairy-free, or other specialty items because their lifestyle and diet seems in my mind to be healthier and relatively free of chemical ingredients. This is part of the reason that I loved “His Pretend Amish Bride” so much. It made me think and opened my eyes to the similarities between their culture and ours.
Rachel Good always writes an absorbing story that I find difficult to put down and often end up reading in a few sittings. Whether intentional or not, I think that “His Pretend Amish Bride” releases at the perfect time because it highlights how much we actually have in common with the Amish, rather than how different we are, dispelling the large-scale “us vs. them” mentality that is currently tearing our nation apart. This was the first time I had heard of camel’s milk and it being used for those with specific health conditions, particularly autism. I find this information fascinating and exciting because it is a natural alternative. I also had no idea that the Amish might own camel farms, or that such places even existed in the US, for that matter! The issues that Gabriel Kauffman faces with his camel farm due to problems with Englishers demonstrate that the Amish are not immune to being taken advantage of either. Their approach, however, to such situations and to life in general, is often much different from ours, although it shouldn’t be. We should also seek to live at peace with others and to do what is right, whether we end up benefiting from it or not, and we should learn to trust God more instead of trying to take control ourselves.
This novel offers a heartfelt glimpse at romance and special needs, also. As Priscilla tells Alyssa, the Amish aren’t perfect either and need Jesus just as much as everyone else, including us. Good points this out to readers right from chapter one with Matthew’s betrayal, but goes on to show how one can still respond out of God’s love. I loved that Priscilla works at an Amish special needs school, which is something else that I did not realize existed, and the inclusion of the hippotherapy program (which is the focus of book one in this series) toward the end of the narrative tied in nicely. All of the elements that Good incorporates blend into a beautiful story about how God uses what seems to be our darkest moments to bring our greatest joys when we trust Him and live to honor Him.
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 was such a fun book to read. It read quickly and yet slowly at the same time. Meaning that I loved reading the book but I didn’t devour it all in one sitting. It’s actually a thicker book than you’d think.
I read the first chapter of this book as a preview in the back of the first book of the series and I couldn’t wait to read it. After all, who’s ever heard of an Amish camel farmer who sells the camel milk? And honestly, I’d never heard of drinking camel milk so I wanted to learn more.
Priscilla is a wonderful loyal Amish girl who has her heartbroken by her boyfriend who she thought she’d marry. He gets caught in a compromising position by the bishop. Only it wasn’t her he was with. Yet he lets everyone believe it was her. She’s humiliated and in danger of losing her job teaching special needs children. What can she do?
She won’t confess before the church because she did nothing wrong yet she also won’t tell everyone that she wasn’t the girl with him.
Add in Priscilla falling for the handsome camel farmer and things get going. But then also add in a power English couple stealing from him and trying to take over his business with any means necessary. Oh, and did I mention that Gabriel hates talking to people and often gets tongue-tied?
You’re going to love this book. It’s a great read I highly recommend and I can’t wait for the third book that I got to read a sneak peek preview of.
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 book was a page turner for sure for me! At first, I was simply shocked at the way Priscilla and her father decided to handle Matthew’s indiscretion. I felt so sorry for Priscilla and the way she was being treated.
Then, I was captivated by the story line involving Gabe. Once again, at first I was shocked at how much trouble Gabe had taking a stand for his business and I was frustrated with him. However, this opened up a great opportunity for Priscilla to help Gabe and his business. There was definitely an attraction that began to brew between these two, however, Gabe seemed determined to keep his distance emotionally.
So many interesting things happened in this novel including the threat to Gabe’s business, the situation with Matthew, and the hope of a romance between the two main characters. It kept me eagerly turning the pages. After reading the first couple of chapters for the next book, which were included at the end of this one, I am really looking forward to seeing what happens with that story, as well.
(4.5 stars)
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Priscilla finds herself and her reputation in trouble when her boyfriend betrays her. She pours herself into trying to help her brother with his autism by visiting the new local camel farmer to purchase his camel milk. But will she get more than camel’s milk in the end?
I don’t recall ever reading a book about camels milk, and I have to say this was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading Priscilla and Gabe’s knowledge on camels and camel’s milk. And I soon fell in love with these two. And as usual for one of Rachel Good’s stories, there are twists and turns that will keep you reading until the story ends. I didn’t want to put it down, but had to a few times! The characters, both the ones I like and don’t like so well came to life as they told their stories. I love when characters are so realistic they feel like friends. The news reporter was a really nice addition to this story, adding a different twist, and Ms. Good handled this with much respect for the Amish in general. And it was especially nice for some of the characters in the previous book to make an appearance in this book.
A special thanks to 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.
Beautiful book
Gabb and Priscilla! Sweet loving, caring and loyal people with hearts of God. I’ve never seen any two people fitted for each other like the both of them. I admired Priscilla’s work with special needs children and how she was so sold out to it and every worthy cause she came across. I loved her fiery spirit and how she always stood up for people. I loved how sacrificial she was. Quiet, loyal Gabb! I loved how he complimented Priscilla and how he stood up for her. This book weaves a story of love, hope and joy. It presents the Amish faith and people in all its glory. I recieved a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.
This is a book you don’t want to miss. It is well written and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. If you like inspirational Amish fiction you will love this book. Thank you Kensington Books-Zebra via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this wonderful book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is one story you don’t want to miss if you are a fan of Amish Fiction. The author has written a book that will stay with me forever. The characters are very well developed and made me want to be their friend. Priscilla has such a sweet spirit around her. She teaches children with special needs and you can tell right away how much compassion she has for them. Her brother is autistic and she is always looking for ways to help him.
Gabriel is a good nan who has a very unique farm. I knew little to nothing about camels until I read this book. I am in awe of the vast information the author has included in the story. It is interesting to know that camel’s milk can benefit those with autism. I will admit I didn’t know camels were able to produce milk that people wanted to buy. Their milk is not cheap and after reading the process of getting milk from them I can understand why.
Priscilla finds herself in the midst of a scandal with her now ex-boyfriend. It is admirable that she will not say anything against him even though his lie could ruin her reputation. The Amish are well know for forgiving others and this story is an illustration of how they apply that to their daily lives. Their faith is strong and I loved how the characters never faltered from their belief in God.
I liked the part of the story when someone threatens to destroy Gabriel and his farm if he doesn’t sell to them. I had to pause for a moment and let that sink in. Greed is out there and it slithers in with deceit, lies and jealousy to get what it wants. Gabriel will depend on Priscilla to help him through this storm. I liked how Priscilla never once strayed from believing in Gabriel and stood up for him when rumors started running through the community.
I have to take a moment to applaud the author for a very important part in the story. We never know when an opportunity will rise to share our faith. Priscilla without any hesitation shares her faith with someone that made me cry. This person will have a God moment that is so powerful it must be mentioned. If you get nothing else from this story, you will see how God gives us divine appointments to witness to others.
The story mainly focuses on the camel farm but there is a budding relationship that may blossom if Gabriel can share his past. Priscilla has been hurt once before . She will have to decide if she is willing to trust again and allow her heart to love. I have read several books from this author, but I have to say this one will always be my favorite.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.