The first installment of Amy Clipston’s bestselling Amish Marketplace series! Cakes, pies, and a tender romance await you in The Bake Shop.
Christiana Kurtz loves to bake, but when her bake stand becomes too busy, her mother encourages her to move her business to the local market. Her new bake shop is an instant success, but it becomes so inundated with customers that the line blocks the leather and woodcraft shop next door. The shop’s owner, Jeff Stoltzfus, catches Christiana’s attention at first glance with his dark brown eyes and sad expression, and she longs to know more about him.
After a series of mishaps and Jeff’s complaints that her stand is driving away his business due to the lines, their relationship begins rockily. Drawn to each other despite themselves, Jeff and Christiana forge a friendship that begins to deepen, and Jeff slowly begins to trust her with the painful secrets of his past.
When Christiana’s father makes a surprise visit to the market, he is upset to find that Jeff uses the building’s electricity to personalize his items. He tells Christiana that Jeff is too modern for her, and she’s forbidden from dating him. Christiana is crushed, but she knows she must obey her father.
When Jeff’s shop catches fire one day, he puts the entire market in jeopardy—including Christiana’s bake shop, but she can’t deny how she feels about him despite his mistakes. Though the odds are against them, can the two young people find a way to rebuild both their businesses and their relationship?
Sweet, inspirational Amish romance
Full-length novel (85,000 words)
First book in Amy Clipston’s Amish Marketplace series
This sweet Amish story was entertaining to read. I loved the setting of the story being in the Amish marketplace, and just reading about those delicious desserts from the “Bake Shop” was enough to make me want to visit a real Amish community again to sample some of those pies. But I also liked the two main characters, Jeff and Christiana. Jeff has to overcome his deep hurt and disappointment and learn to trust others again. I admired Christiana’s determination to honor her father, even though it meant possible heartbreak for her. This was another wonderful story from Amy Clipston. Her stories are always heart-warming and that certainly describes this book, too.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The Bake Shop ( An Amish Marketplace #1 )
By: Amy Clipston
The Bake Shop is book one in An Amish Marketplace Series. Amy Clipston’s friends and fans will love her latest, The Bake Shop.This is Christiana and Jeff’s Story. I really enjoyed watches these two get to know each other. I felt so sorry for them at times. I was drawn in at the start and did not want to put it down. The story is well written and the characters are well developed. These two struggle with the rules of the Amish. Christiana loves to bake , but when things get overrun for her she is convinced to move to the local marketplace. Jeff runs a leather and woodcraft shop. Are the odds against these two from the start ? What will they do? Can they find a way to work together for their friendship and everyone be happy?
I was given a complimentary copy . All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this sweet story! When Christiana’s father gives her permission to move the point of sale for her baking business to a local farm market, away from the stand in the front yard at home, his main concern is that exposure to the English ways will draw Christiana away from the Plain life. As the lone baker at this multi-vendor market, Christiana’s business booms. She enjoys working near her cousins who also run stands in the same market. Christiana also makes the acquaintance of Jeff, who sells leather and wood gifts at the stand right next to Christiana’s. After a rocky start, they strike up a friendship.
The story is an easy, gentle read. There is an element of conflict and eventually old family secrets come to light. I loved the family/community/church connections that are true to the Amish that I have known. I appreciated the Glossary the author gives; it was helpful for the Deutsch words that I wasn’t so familiar with. This is my first Amy Clipston book and I hope it won’t be my last.
I requested and voluntarily read a review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.
I really enjoyed reading The Bake Shop, Amy Clipston’s first book in her new Amish market series. It is a great setting for introducing new characters and situations.
Christina is tired of trying to run a bake shop from a home road stand outside of the family home. When customers begin to bother the family at home during meals, Christina presents the idea of having her own bakery shop at the local farmers’ market where her cousins have their own shops. Christina’s father, who is very conservative, is not 100 percent convinced, but allows Christina to have a shop. Before she meets with the market owner she is faced with talking to Jeffrey, whom she accidently bumped into a previous day spilling coffee all over him. That started things out on the wrong foot.
When Christina starts to have a great following at the market and her friendship with Jeffrey is blossoming, things start to go downhill with some monumental problems to overcome. Christina and Jeffrey must trust in their faith to allow them to move beyond all the issues they face.
A great book and a wonderful start to a new series.
This is a fantastic start to a new series. I love that Christiana moves her small roadside stand into a centralized marketplace that is open Thursday-Saturday. Her sales nearly triple and she meets an Amish man that has the booth next to her. She doesn’t think that anyone wants to date her and Jeff had his heart broken and is not ready for another girlfriend. I love how these two people learn to become friends and then slowly begin to take this to another level. I loved the story. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I really loved this book! I immediately liked all of the characters. I was cheering on the budding relationship between Christiana and Jeff. I really can’t wait for the next book in the series!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I have read Amy’s book in the past so I was excited to get a chance to read this one. I liked Christiana and the relationship she had with her sister and her cousins they were fun to read about and the close relationship was more like a bunch of sisters instead of cousins. I also enjoyed the relationship with Jeff and Nick, Nick was that annoying little brother you just have to love no matter what. When the information comes out about Christiana’s dat it broke my heart and made everything makes sense. I did feel like it was pretty predictable but over all a really fun read. This book is suitable for all ages and is a good clean read if you love amish reads or a good love story this book is totally worth the read. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
I have read many books by this author, and she never disappoints me, and you are in for another treat with this book.
The author gives us a young woman who goes about her life living her faith, and works hard to help support them.
Then we are given a young Amish man who has been deeply hurt by his fiancée and sure doesn’t want that pain again, but does God have other plans for him?
Enter a man who is deep man of faith, to the point that he won’t bend any rules that might lead anyone in is family from being Amish.
You are about to embark on a journey that is not smooth, and has a lot of up and downs, to maybe bring a couple together.
The pages flew as I picked this one up!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review.
The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston is the first An Amish Marketplace Novel. I know when I pick up a book written by Amy Clipston, that I will enjoy it. The Bake Shop did not disappoint with the lovely setting of Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania and the developed as well as realistic characters. I picked up The Bake Shop and was quickly drawn into the story thanks to Amy Clipston’s engaging writing style. You cannot help but root for the young couple whose relationship got off to a rocky start. I like how the characters developed over the course of the story especially Christiana’s father, Freeman. Faith is woven into the story beautifully. We see the importance of having faith, the power of prayer, and how forgiveness is good for not only the person receiving it but also for the person giving it. I like the messages or life lessons I got from reading this book. The Bake Shop allows us to see how the past can influence our present behavior. We need to work through our issues if we are to have a fulfilling life. I was happy that there was an epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. The Bake Shop is a sweet Amish novel that will leave you with a smile on your face.
Truly an enjoyable read! Christiana Kurtz is famous in Lancaster County for her baked goods being the best around and when her bake shop in front of the family home gets to be inconvenient she is offered to open her own shop in the local market. She is thrilled to be near her cousins who have businesses in the market place also and her strict father gave his permission to try it out. Since it is only open Thursday through Saturday, she had time to do her baking the first of the week as well as help with the chores.
On the first day of her new work at her booth, she ran into a handsome young man at the coffee booth and spilled coffee all over his clothes. He was unhappy with her and Christiana found Jeff to be grouchy. He also frequently looked sad. In time, they became friends by having conversations and eating lunch often.
One day her father stopped by her booth and Jeff’s booth and he asked Jeff a number of questions, including why was he using electricity to help make his leather goods. Jeff’s reply didn’t please her father and Christiana was forbidden to visit with Jeff any longer. They were both heart-broken.
By the time all this happened, they cared for each other a lot. While reading this book, I thought how in the world will they be able to endure this forbidden love? It’s such a good story!
This is book one of a new series, Amish Marketplace, and I highly recommend it. It captured my attention right away and never let go.
A wonderful story woven with themes of forgiveness, faith and family.
Treating people with grace and giving them the benefit of doubt instead of writing them off.
Christiana with a loving family and her business from home.
Jeff was going through a season in his life where he doubted himself and was so distrustful of people. His meeting with the Christy challenged the both of them to let go of their less desirable characters and embrace the truth of who God made them to be. Jeff learn to let go of the past and his insecurities with people and embrace the feature. He had a way of getting under Christy’s skin which made her learn to treat people with grace.
I received a copy of the book and this is my honest opinion.
I requested and received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book about Christiana moving her roadside bake stand to a shop stall in a local market where she meets Jeff. I enjoyed all of the Amish details added to the story, but Christiana’s dad, Freeman, ruined my reading mood! I wanted to yell at the characters and stand up for Christiana – to encourage her that she was old enough to make her own decisions and to stop allowing her father to dictate what she did.
I was bored and only speed read to the end because I don’t like not finishing a book. Maybe she is aiming for a teenaged audience.
I can see this book as a true life story. It is one which has shown that I have seen in my life in which I judged people to quickly. Give them a chance before you pass judgment, they have problems also. Great book! Realistic.
The Bake Shop is a delightful beginning to the Amish Marketplace series by author Amy Clipston. Set in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania Amish community, readers are introduced to sweet, likable characters who face obstacles with courage and grace. Christiana sets up a new bake shop at the marketplace right near Jeff’s leatherwork shop and a romance blossoms despite the past and disapproval. There are some unanticipated twists to the plot and the author gives her readers an enchanting story of mending hearts and true love. I listened to a library copy of the audiobook and was not required to write a review. The narrator, Lauren Berst, did a great job telling Christy and Jeff’s story which made for an enjoyable listening experience. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series as well as other books by this author.
When Christiana Kurtz moves her popular baked goods business from her family’s home to the local market, she gets to know Jeffrey Stoltzfus, a leatherworker. The Amish young people hit it off but also tend to aggravate each other at times. Will their budding friendship grow into more or will past heartache and a strict father keep them apart? The story with these compelling characters moves along at a leisurely pace until the latter part of the book, when tension revs up and the stakes become higher. Lessons are learned along the way too. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.