Status
Available
Call number
Publication
HarperOne (2010), Edition: 1st Edition., 294 pages
Description
Fiction. Romance. Christian Fiction. HTML: As the coldest winter on record blows into Sugarcreek, will three hearts have the courage to discover the life that God wants for them? In the small Amish town of Sugarcreek, Ohio, Joshua knows what's expected of him: to work at the family store and to finally marry Gretta, whom he's courted for years. But when a new English family moves in next doorâ??and their teenage daughter catches his eyeâ??Joshua wonders if his future plans are set too firmly in stone. Gretta is shocked by the sudden change in Joshua. Their arguments, followed by tense silences, feel too much like the frosty atmosphere at home between her parents. When Roland begins to take an interest in her, she considers what her life might be like with Joshua out of the picture. With Roland, Gretta would have steady, kind companionship ... although she knows she could never love him. When Lilly moved to Sugarcreek, she never imagined she'd be enamored with the Amish way of lifeâ??and especially with her handsome new neighbor, Joshua. But she guards a secret that will surely drive him away, one that compelled her family to leave their old home and move to Sugarcreek in the first pl… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member wearylibrarian
Joshua knows where his life is heading. He will run his family's store and marry Gretta. He really doesn't want to NOT do these things, but when English neighbors move next door, he wanders if there is something else beyond the store and marriage. The confusion causes a split between Josh and
Will Gretta and Josh work out their differences? How does Lily, the English girl, fit into Josh's life?
This was a great book. I read it because I visit Holmes County, Ohio every year and Charm is, well...a Charming town. I was disappointed that there was no mention of the landmarks I associate with Charm-Guggisburg Cheese, Grandma's Homestead Restaurant, Keim’s Lumber, The Carpenter's Cafe....Still, it was a very good book!
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Gretta. The new English neighbor is hired as a waitress at the Sugarcreek Inn, the same place Gretta works.Will Gretta and Josh work out their differences? How does Lily, the English girl, fit into Josh's life?
This was a great book. I read it because I visit Holmes County, Ohio every year and Charm is, well...a Charming town. I was disappointed that there was no mention of the landmarks I associate with Charm-Guggisburg Cheese, Grandma's Homestead Restaurant, Keim’s Lumber, The Carpenter's Cafe....Still, it was a very good book!
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LibraryThing member the1stdaughter
"Winter's Awakening was a breathe of fresh air for me. It was refreshing to read a story about young love that didn't involve an overly immoral theme. Granted one of the main characters had committed an indiscretion and landed her family in Sugarcreek to escape the humiliation that would come in
"Every character in this story is wonderful and I loved being able to hear from each of the main characters. They all were at a stage in their lives where they needed to make some difficult decisions and become adults. Being what I consider a fairly spiritual person myself I really appreciated Gretta's character, her quiet thoughtful ways and her desire to listen to God. And though each of the characters eventually acknowledged their own need to rely on God I never felt I was being 'preached' to. I have to say, that was so nice!
"One of the other wonderful bits about this story that I loved is that it was in Ohio. It is in fact somewhere that holds a special place in my heart after spending a year and a half long mission for my church in the areas central and southern Ohio. It was wonderful being transported back to a time and place that I fell in love with. I still recall the buggy's riding down the road and the Amish store just within walking distance of one of my residences. Shelley did a magnificent job of describing the scenery and beauty that encompass that entire area, somewhere I long to visit again.
"All in all I would highly recommend this book. It was a quick, fun and meaningful read. And as I said before, refreshing in today's market that's saturated with immorality, it was nice to read a book that wasn't preachy, but still morally based. Another great thing is that it's the first in a series with the second book, Spring's Renewal, due out in May. I can't wait!"
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their hometown; it still focuses on more important things. Things like making the right choices, accepting others' faults, and growing up."Every character in this story is wonderful and I loved being able to hear from each of the main characters. They all were at a stage in their lives where they needed to make some difficult decisions and become adults. Being what I consider a fairly spiritual person myself I really appreciated Gretta's character, her quiet thoughtful ways and her desire to listen to God. And though each of the characters eventually acknowledged their own need to rely on God I never felt I was being 'preached' to. I have to say, that was so nice!
"One of the other wonderful bits about this story that I loved is that it was in Ohio. It is in fact somewhere that holds a special place in my heart after spending a year and a half long mission for my church in the areas central and southern Ohio. It was wonderful being transported back to a time and place that I fell in love with. I still recall the buggy's riding down the road and the Amish store just within walking distance of one of my residences. Shelley did a magnificent job of describing the scenery and beauty that encompass that entire area, somewhere I long to visit again.
"All in all I would highly recommend this book. It was a quick, fun and meaningful read. And as I said before, refreshing in today's market that's saturated with immorality, it was nice to read a book that wasn't preachy, but still morally based. Another great thing is that it's the first in a series with the second book, Spring's Renewal, due out in May. I can't wait!"
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LibraryThing member cherryblossommj
Honestly Shelley Shepard Gray is probably my favorite Amish Fiction author of the current Amish Fiction craze. Her reflections into the lives that interact and are affected by the Ohio Amish are fresh and refreshing. I enjoyed her previous Sisters of the Heart Series and I am fairly certain that I
Most romances these days are all about the new relationship that is budding. This book ...more Honestly Shelley Shepard Gray is probably my favorite Amish Fiction author of the current Amish Fiction craze. Her reflections into the lives that interact and are affected by the Ohio Amish are fresh and refreshing. I enjoyed her previous Sisters of the Heart Series and I am fairly certain that I will be even more impressed with her new Seasons of Sugarcreek Series if this book is any indication.
Most romances these days are all about the new relationship that is budding. This book however shows true romance from a different perspective, the future of a relationship that is already in existence. I have never read a book that touched on the relationship behind marriage quite like Shelley was able to in the pages of this novel.
Reading into the lives of Gretta and Joshua and hearing their thoughts and feeling their emotions while they try to understand whether they were meant for each other in God's divine plan is quite an adventure. Learning the neighbor Lilly's secrets and past relationships and decisions on new ones with throw you for a twist. Reading between the lines on other characters in the way they interact is all so amazing. This book is full of possible routes and choices and really allows a reader to imagine what might be.
I highly encourage you to jump in and read along into the lives of the Sugarcreek Amish and their Englischer neighbors. See if things are how you would imagine they might end up to be. What do you envision your marriage to be? Would you be willing to work on it if it was not quite right?
*Thanks to TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins Avon Inspire for providing a copy for review.*
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will be even more impressed with her new Seasons of Sugarcreek Series if this book is any indication.Most romances these days are all about the new relationship that is budding. This book ...more Honestly Shelley Shepard Gray is probably my favorite Amish Fiction author of the current Amish Fiction craze. Her reflections into the lives that interact and are affected by the Ohio Amish are fresh and refreshing. I enjoyed her previous Sisters of the Heart Series and I am fairly certain that I will be even more impressed with her new Seasons of Sugarcreek Series if this book is any indication.
Most romances these days are all about the new relationship that is budding. This book however shows true romance from a different perspective, the future of a relationship that is already in existence. I have never read a book that touched on the relationship behind marriage quite like Shelley was able to in the pages of this novel.
Reading into the lives of Gretta and Joshua and hearing their thoughts and feeling their emotions while they try to understand whether they were meant for each other in God's divine plan is quite an adventure. Learning the neighbor Lilly's secrets and past relationships and decisions on new ones with throw you for a twist. Reading between the lines on other characters in the way they interact is all so amazing. This book is full of possible routes and choices and really allows a reader to imagine what might be.
I highly encourage you to jump in and read along into the lives of the Sugarcreek Amish and their Englischer neighbors. See if things are how you would imagine they might end up to be. What do you envision your marriage to be? Would you be willing to work on it if it was not quite right?
*Thanks to TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins Avon Inspire for providing a copy for review.*
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LibraryThing member skstiles612
Winter's Awakening was a wonderful look at the prejudices on both sides. It was also a look at the temptations that both sides faced. I believe we tend to assume things when we don't have all of the information.
Joshua and Gretta live in Sugarcreek and it has always been expected that they will get
I really liked this one. It is well known that the Amish don’t associate on a personal, friendship level with the non-English because of a difference in beliefs. I thought this was a very accurate telling of that relationship. Because of their relationship with God they will bend over backwards to help those in need. Great recommended read.
Joshua and Gretta live in Sugarcreek and it has always been expected that they will get
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married. Then an English family moves in next door to Joshua and Lily catches his eye. This causes him to question his feelings for Gretta. Gretta’s family has moved here because Gretta is pregnant. People are talking on both sides about Joshua and Gretta. Gretta just wants a friend and finds it in Joshua. When a snow storm blows in can both sides put aside their differences and their beliefs to help each other?I really liked this one. It is well known that the Amish don’t associate on a personal, friendship level with the non-English because of a difference in beliefs. I thought this was a very accurate telling of that relationship. Because of their relationship with God they will bend over backwards to help those in need. Great recommended read.
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LibraryThing member mrsjason
I have been a big fan of Shelley Shepard Gray's Amish fiction. Her previous series, Sisters of the Heart, was really fun to read because I felt that they were comfort Amish reads. I never feel as if the Amish lifestyle is being pushed on me. Instead reading Gray's books are more of an introduction
The main characters in this book are all in their late teens and early 20s so this book has cross over appeal with a young adult audience as well. Even though Gretta is totally Amish, I felt like I could relate to her and I really liked her character. To be honest, I was not a fan of Joshua and how he treated Gretta. I was actually rooting for her to get over him, maybe not with Roland but anyone else. Still though I really pleased with how the story fleshed out. I found myself sympathizing with Lilly due to the way her parents were treating her. I understand why they acted the way they did but I think they might have taken it too far. Therefore it was an interesting contrast at how Joshua's family reacted when they found out about her situation.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Even if you don't normally read Amish fiction, if you enjoy a light contemporary read, this is a good one for you. It's not preachy or trying to push any agenda. The story just gives a good look into the Amish lifestyle while being able to embrace the outside world as well. One huge plus for me was the talk of food, which I always greatly enjoy when I read about the Amish. This is another wonderful comfort read from Shelley and I know I'll be looking forward to to spending more seasons with this community.
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to the Amish as opposed of making me feel bad for not living like them. In this new series, we are shown what happens when the Amish and English world come together. I was really happy with how that was handled in this book. No one in the book wants to leave the Amish, no one wants to join the Amish. In fact there weren't very many cliches that are found in other Amish books which made me very happy.The main characters in this book are all in their late teens and early 20s so this book has cross over appeal with a young adult audience as well. Even though Gretta is totally Amish, I felt like I could relate to her and I really liked her character. To be honest, I was not a fan of Joshua and how he treated Gretta. I was actually rooting for her to get over him, maybe not with Roland but anyone else. Still though I really pleased with how the story fleshed out. I found myself sympathizing with Lilly due to the way her parents were treating her. I understand why they acted the way they did but I think they might have taken it too far. Therefore it was an interesting contrast at how Joshua's family reacted when they found out about her situation.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Even if you don't normally read Amish fiction, if you enjoy a light contemporary read, this is a good one for you. It's not preachy or trying to push any agenda. The story just gives a good look into the Amish lifestyle while being able to embrace the outside world as well. One huge plus for me was the talk of food, which I always greatly enjoy when I read about the Amish. This is another wonderful comfort read from Shelley and I know I'll be looking forward to to spending more seasons with this community.
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LibraryThing member delphimo
Gray writes about 3-4 different series about Amish life, and I enjoy the Seasons in Sugarcreek the best. This series involves the Graber family of the parents and seven children. I enjoy the wisdom and understanding of the Graber parents. The story shows the hard life followed by the Amish
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community, but also shows the love, generosity, and devotion of this community. Lilly Allen is introduced in this book, and she will remain a character in the following books. Lilly is pregnant and unmarried, and needing friends. Joshua Graber befriends her, but his family worries that the friendship might be more passionate. Gretta is Joshua's intended wife, but Joshua goes through a period of unrest. One of my favorite characters is Judith Graber, the hard working, but levelheaded 17-year old daughter. Judith does not judge people and readily accepts Lilly. Show Less
LibraryThing member laws1967
I loved this book and enjoyed reading about the romance between Joshua and Greta, the Allens , the Enhlishcers, who moved next door to Joshua(whose famiy is Amish). All these characters interacted with each through out the story.
LibraryThing member cherryblossommj
Honestly Shelley Shepard Gray is probably my favorite Amish Fiction author of the current Amish Fiction craze. Her reflections into the lives that interact and are affected by the Ohio Amish are fresh and refreshing. I enjoyed her previous Sisters of the Heart Series and I am fairly certain that I
Most romances these days are all about the new relationship that is budding. This book however shows true romance from a different perspective, the future of a relationship that is already in existence. I have never read a book that touched on the relationship behind marriage quite like Shelley was able to in the pages of this novel.
Reading into the lives of Gretta and Joshua and hearing their thoughts and feeling their emotions while they try to understand whether they were meant for each other in God's divine plan is quite an adventure. Learning the neighbor Lilly's secrets and past relationships and decisions on new ones with throw you for a twist. Reading between the lines on other characters in the way they interact is all so amazing. This book is full of possible routes and choices and really allows a reader to imagine what might be.
I highly encourage you to jump in and read along into the lives of the Sugarcreek Amish and their Englischer neighbors. See if things are how you would imagine they might end up to be. What do you envision your marriage to be? Would you be willing to work on it if it was not quite right?
*Thanks to TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins Avon Inspire for providing a copy for review.*
Show More
will be even more impressed with her new Seasons of Sugarcreek Series if this book is any indication. Most romances these days are all about the new relationship that is budding. This book however shows true romance from a different perspective, the future of a relationship that is already in existence. I have never read a book that touched on the relationship behind marriage quite like Shelley was able to in the pages of this novel.
Reading into the lives of Gretta and Joshua and hearing their thoughts and feeling their emotions while they try to understand whether they were meant for each other in God's divine plan is quite an adventure. Learning the neighbor Lilly's secrets and past relationships and decisions on new ones with throw you for a twist. Reading between the lines on other characters in the way they interact is all so amazing. This book is full of possible routes and choices and really allows a reader to imagine what might be.
I highly encourage you to jump in and read along into the lives of the Sugarcreek Amish and their Englischer neighbors. See if things are how you would imagine they might end up to be. What do you envision your marriage to be? Would you be willing to work on it if it was not quite right?
*Thanks to TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins Avon Inspire for providing a copy for review.*
Show Less
LibraryThing member whybehave2002
This was a great story! New neighbors that are English move next door and cause the Amish family to question themselves. I love these books. They are clean and well written.
LibraryThing member Virginia51
This is the first book in an older series by this author that I missed reading before. I really enjoyed this quick Amish romance. I enjoyed reading about Gretta and Joshua and especially Anson. I love the troubles that Anson seems to get into. This is a sweet romance and very inspirational. I
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enjoyed reading about Lilly and seeing how she works through her predicament. I definitely recommend this story. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010-01-01
Physical description
294 p.
ISBN
9780061852220