Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Zondervan (2010), Edition: 28659th, 192 pages
Description
Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams ... and secrets. You'll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the "English" way of life--and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. In the tradition of her widely popular Kauffman Amish Bakery series, author Amy Clipston tells the tale of Anna Mae McDonough who was shunned by her family four years ago when she left her Amish community in Lancaster County, PA, to marry an "Englisher" (non Amish) man and move with him to Baltimore. Now, eight months pregnant when her first child, she longs to return home for Christmas to reconcile with her family, especially her stern father, who is the religious leader for her former Amish church district.So Anne Mae writes a letter to Kathryn Beiler, her brother's wife, to enlist her help. Kathryn asks her husband, David, if she should arrange Anna Mae's visit. David cautions her that a visit would cause too much stress in the family and instead suggests they visit Anna Mae and her husband in the spring. However, Kathryn arranges the visit anyway, believing in her heart that it's God's will for the family to heal.When Anna Mae arrives in Lancaster for Christmas, the welcome she receives is nothing like what she had hoped for.A book filled with love, the pain of being separated from one's family, and the determination to follow God's will regardless of the outcome, A Plain and Simple Christmas is an inspiring page-turner that will keep you guessing what happens next ... right to the very last page.… (more)
Media reviews
Library
I read this about an Amish Christmas and once again Amy Clipston brings the way of the Amish to life and the struggles they face if they go against the Amish belief. This story if of hope and renewal and brings the Christmas Spirit to us in a much simpler time, when the Saviour and family are more
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important than all the commercialize we have in this day and age! The simple birth of Baby and the reminder that He is our coming King! Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member EdnaT
This is another Amish book with a different twist. I have read Amy's first book "A Gift of Grace" and loved the author and the way it was written, well here is another one. Amy takes the Amish Faith and writes in a more modern way than some of the other writers.
Anna Mae McDonough was born and
Kellan is a Christian man just not Amish so they moved to Baltimore where he owned and operated a car dealership. It had been three long years since Anna Mae had saw her people and she missed them so and she wanted to share with them that she was expecting a bobbli in January. She wanted to see them for Christmas so she wrote to her sister-in-law and see if she thought it would be alright to come to Lancaster, Pa. They both felt that it was in God's plan to get together and try to reconcile their family.
Will her dat accept this, he was the Bishop or will he still shun her. I started reading this book the day I received it and could not put it down, I read the complete book. It is so good, also such a beautiful book, would make a great Christmas gift for anyone on your list that reads.
This book was sent to me by Zondervan for my complete honest review, I give it 5 stars.*****
Anna Mae McDonough was born and
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raised by Amish parents and in the Amish community, but when she met Kellan, "who was not Amish" and fell in love with him, he was not accepted by her community. Anna Mae had already joined the church so if she married him that meant she would be shunned, but she choose Kellan.Kellan is a Christian man just not Amish so they moved to Baltimore where he owned and operated a car dealership. It had been three long years since Anna Mae had saw her people and she missed them so and she wanted to share with them that she was expecting a bobbli in January. She wanted to see them for Christmas so she wrote to her sister-in-law and see if she thought it would be alright to come to Lancaster, Pa. They both felt that it was in God's plan to get together and try to reconcile their family.
Will her dat accept this, he was the Bishop or will he still shun her. I started reading this book the day I received it and could not put it down, I read the complete book. It is so good, also such a beautiful book, would make a great Christmas gift for anyone on your list that reads.
This book was sent to me by Zondervan for my complete honest review, I give it 5 stars.*****
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LibraryThing member novelnympho
A very sweet Christmas Story about an amish woman who chooses to marry an outsider and then is shunned by the family. It is a redemptive heartwarming look into family and the humility. I enjoyed this book and gave it only three stars because the Amish "language" was distracting to me.
LibraryThing member OodsAteMyDingo
I think for a novella, A Plain and Simple Christmas, was an excellent read. It really made you feel for Anna, who wants to get back into speaking terms with her Amish family. A family that turned her out after she chose to marry and live with an ‘Englisher’.
You can really tell that Kellan
Very good read!
You can really tell that Kellan
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really loves her, and would do anything for her. When she goes back to her family, it really makes you believe the story is true with their conflicting emotions and reactions to Anna.Very good read!
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LibraryThing member busyreadin
A very enjoyable Christmas book. Just right for an afternoon at home by the fireplace!
I think the best books are ones that can be shared by many ages. I opened this book to read it and found the following note from my 13 year old granddaughter.
"Grandma, Thank you for letting me borrow this book.
I think the best books are ones that can be shared by many ages. I opened this book to read it and found the following note from my 13 year old granddaughter.
"Grandma, Thank you for letting me borrow this book.
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It was very good. ILY. Love Danielle" Show Less
LibraryThing member MissReadsTooMuch
A Plain and Simple Christmas, by Amy Clipson, is a very sweet book and highly recommended. It is a story of a family trying to come back together after a serious rift. They do with kindness and through a faith that is written very purely. There aren't 'bad guys' - just good people with normal human
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flaws - it's through each individual character's courage, the family's love for each other and their strong faith that they find their way back to each other. Actually I am surprised really at how much I really liked this book. I often find "Christian" literature to be heavy handed and not always well written. Even though each character's faith is central in almost every interaction and thought, somehow Amy Clipston does this without it seeming false. It reads as just a part of the characters, rather than as robotically inserted Bible bits to make sure the the reader knows this is Christian lit. The author doesn't need to put in the sage older character to show everyone else the way to God, but writes God in each character, young and old, male or female. I don't know that I would have titled it as the publisher did though, it strikes me more as a lovely family story that happens to be set at Christmas time. It is appropriate for any time of year, as I'm sure we can always find times where humility and kindness would help us out with our families. Show Less
LibraryThing member tarenn
A PLAIN & SIMPLE CHRISTMAS by Amy Clipston is a heartwarming, sweet inspirational fiction/general. it is well written with strong characters,details and depth. It has Amish,faith,love,forgiveness,birth of a babe,separation of a family member,family,shunning,an Amish marrying a Englisher, following
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God's will no matter the consequences, and the miracle of Christmas.This is a sweet heartwarming story of faith and family differences and the coming together of a family. Anna Mae is shunned by her family after marrying Kellan, an Englisher by her family. Her father, the bishop of their Amish community refuses to welcome her home for a visit. Anna is with her first child and determined to make amends with her family. She wants her child to her family. Her husband only has a sister. She enlists the help of her sister-in-law. Although, all does not go has planned. We have a near delivery of their baby in a barn, a disastrous dinner at Anna's brother's house, and the forgiveness of her father after her husband shows him the Christian way. This is a quick read, fast paced, page turning story of family, forgiveness,the bond between mother,daughter,family and the miracle of Christmas.I would highly recommend this book for it is a great read for Christmas and will lift your spirits. This book was received for review from Library Thing and details can be found at Zondervan and My Book Addiction and More. Show Less
LibraryThing member GamecockGirl
A Plain and Simple Christmas tells the story of Anna Mae, a young Amish woman who left the faith to marry an outsider. Although her husband is a good, Christian man; Anna still desires to reconcile with her family at Christmas, in time for the birth of her first child. With the help of a
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sister-in-law, Anna and her husband return to Lancaster to visit with her family, and while some members are welcoming, several, including her father, remain distant (following the practice of "shunning" those who leave the faith) This book has the textbook "happy, Christmas-y" ending, but it is still a light, entertaining read that will occupy the reader for a night or two. Show Less
LibraryThing member bodaquilts
A very sweet and cozy Christmas story. The story is very predictable and the writing is adequate. A good Christmas read.
LibraryThing member gkmiller4
This was a nice, quick Christmas read. It did get a bit religious during certain places in the story. But the story and its characters were well developed. The story made me reflect and think about my family and how I would feel in the situation. It also was a great chance to understand how other
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feel and think about their situation. It was a great story of love, committment and strength. Show Less
LibraryThing member ljoplin
This is one of those books that is hard to put down. I really enjoyed the story. Anna Mae McDonough is ready to reconcile with her family, especially her parents; after marrying an "Englisher" three years prior. This is a story of reconciliation. I enjoyed her sister-in-law Kathryn, and her
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determination to bring the family together again. I would highly recommend this book! Show Less
LibraryThing member kitchenwitch04
Amy Clipston has once again created a beautiful story full of faith, healing, forgiveness and love, which is so perfect during this holiday season.
Having previously read two of her books already, I was very pleased to learn that I had won this book thru the Early Reviewers Program. The author is
A Plain and Simple Christmas is a sweet story of a former Amish woman's desire to reconnect with her family after being shunned for marrying an English man. She has been away from her family for three years, and with the approaching holiday season, sets up a surprise visit with the help of her sister-in-law, even though she knows that the outcome may not be favorable.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a heartwarming, feel-good book that is so perfect for this time of year. I love reading about the Amish and their traditions, and the author makes you feel like you are right there experiencing all the emotion that the characters are going through.
I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is what Christmas is all about. I thank the publishers for sending this book my way, and also the author for another wonderful story.
Having previously read two of her books already, I was very pleased to learn that I had won this book thru the Early Reviewers Program. The author is
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fast-becoming one of my favorite authors with her heartwarming tales of the Amish, and this book is no exception.A Plain and Simple Christmas is a sweet story of a former Amish woman's desire to reconnect with her family after being shunned for marrying an English man. She has been away from her family for three years, and with the approaching holiday season, sets up a surprise visit with the help of her sister-in-law, even though she knows that the outcome may not be favorable.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a heartwarming, feel-good book that is so perfect for this time of year. I love reading about the Amish and their traditions, and the author makes you feel like you are right there experiencing all the emotion that the characters are going through.
I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is what Christmas is all about. I thank the publishers for sending this book my way, and also the author for another wonderful story.
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LibraryThing member scoutmomskf
A very good book. I love Amish stories, and this one was an excellent addition to the ones I have read. It is the story of an Amish woman who left the community to marry an Englisch man, and her desire to mend fences with her family. It shows the closeness of the Amish people, while also showing
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how difficult it is for the people who leave. I liked the way that Kathryn stood up for herself and her desire to heal the rift between the two families. There was a lot of faith, some tears, and a happy ending -- my favorite kind of story! Show Less
LibraryThing member TammyPhillips
A lovely holiday tale that explores the complexities that families of mixed religious practices face. This story reveals the common ground that is found when an Amish family reconnects with a family member that has left the Amish lifestyle. The "Plain and Simple" message is that love and
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forgiveness is the true meaning of Christmas. Show Less
LibraryThing member PhDinHorribleness
This is a wonderfully heartwarming tale about family, forgiveness, and the true meaning of Christmas. Anna Mae is a former Amish woman who was shunned by her community after she chose to marry a non-Amish man. Three years later and pregnant with her first child, she feels the loss of her family and
This is one of my favorite genres and it did not disappoint. Amy Clipston has a wonderful gift for storytelling and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
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wants to reconnect. When she arrives in her hometown, things don't go as she had hoped and she fears that she may have lost some of her family members forever.This is one of my favorite genres and it did not disappoint. Amy Clipston has a wonderful gift for storytelling and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
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LibraryThing member BooksCooksLooks
A short and sweet tale of family redemption at Christmas. I generally like Amish stories having grown up not far from Lancaster, Pa., but this one was not my favorite. The addition of Pennsylvania Dutch language within the conversations was annoying rather than interesting.
I just couldn't find
I just couldn't find
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myself interested in the lives of the characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member hope3957
This was a very enjoyable story. It revolves around the Amish Faith and traditions. It is a perfect read to get ready for the holidays. The story length was great for a relaxing time. I loved the message of forgiveness and pride while still explaining the Amish traditions. This story really fits in
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well with the season. Really worth my reading time!! Show Less
LibraryThing member ReviewsbyMolly
Okay. Can I just say that I REALLY, REALLY want to spend Christmas in Lancaster?! Amy Clipston is a fantastic author of Amish novels and never disappoints with her ability to use wonderful detail and description, leaving her readers thirsty for more of her novels! When I FINALLY (yes, FINALLY...I
When you open A Plain and Simple Christmas, you're instantly transported to Maryland, where we meet Anna Mae, a young, shunned Amish mother-to-be, and her English husband, Kellan. As I started reading Anna Mae's story, I could feel her emotional struggles of missing her Amish family at a time of year that's meant to be celebrated and shared with family. She really worked her way into my heart! So, what's to happen when she enlists the help of her Amish sister-in-law, Kathryn with making a way for her and Kellan to visit for Christmas? And will another Christmas birth bring peace and forgiveness???
I absolutely LOVED this little book. I felt so much a part of this story....helping Kathryn bring Anna Mae and Kellan home for Christmas and right beside Anna Mae, feeling her emotions and thoughts as if they were my own. I was in praying mode all through this book!
Amy did a wonderful job with this little book! She kept us right in line with her Kauffman Amish Bakery series by using sweet Kathryn and her family in this book,too. That being said, though, you wouldn't HAVE to read this with the series (though I always think it's best to read the entire series with the branch offs). It would make the PERFECT Christmas gift for any book lover or Amish lover in your life. The message in this 5 star little book, of family,forgiveness and God's tender love is phenomenal and gripping. This is definitely a keeper and high on my Christmas book recommendation list!
*This book was provided for review by Zondervan Publishing Company*
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waited what felt like YEARS for this amazing little book ;-)!) received this book, I couldn't WAIT to read it! The is just adorable....plain and simple-PERFECT for the story! When you open A Plain and Simple Christmas, you're instantly transported to Maryland, where we meet Anna Mae, a young, shunned Amish mother-to-be, and her English husband, Kellan. As I started reading Anna Mae's story, I could feel her emotional struggles of missing her Amish family at a time of year that's meant to be celebrated and shared with family. She really worked her way into my heart! So, what's to happen when she enlists the help of her Amish sister-in-law, Kathryn with making a way for her and Kellan to visit for Christmas? And will another Christmas birth bring peace and forgiveness???
I absolutely LOVED this little book. I felt so much a part of this story....helping Kathryn bring Anna Mae and Kellan home for Christmas and right beside Anna Mae, feeling her emotions and thoughts as if they were my own. I was in praying mode all through this book!
Amy did a wonderful job with this little book! She kept us right in line with her Kauffman Amish Bakery series by using sweet Kathryn and her family in this book,too. That being said, though, you wouldn't HAVE to read this with the series (though I always think it's best to read the entire series with the branch offs). It would make the PERFECT Christmas gift for any book lover or Amish lover in your life. The message in this 5 star little book, of family,forgiveness and God's tender love is phenomenal and gripping. This is definitely a keeper and high on my Christmas book recommendation list!
*This book was provided for review by Zondervan Publishing Company*
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LibraryThing member Dene2
The basic premise of the book, What happens when an elder is given the opportunity to live his faith in the not so simple act of forgiveness. The act of faith that Anna Mae shows when she risks shunning by marrying the man that she believes God has put in her life is so corageous. To then seek
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reconciliation with her family after 3 years and risk being shunned again is heart wrenching.The lessons of love, forgiveness and acceptance that others may serve God in different ways is very powerful. A very apt example of 1 Corinthians 12 (now there are difference of administrations [operations] but it is the same God who works all in all...). I really enjoyed this book,and recommend it to others. Just an organizational aside, the glossary should have been in the back. Show Less
LibraryThing member miamismartgirl09
A heartwarming tale of an Amish Christmas and family.
Anna Mae wishes to come back to her family after leaving to live in the "English" world. She is expecting her first child and wishes that her baby will know about her family. She believes that Christmas is the perfect time to start rebuilding a
One point to note: the text of the book often has Amish words (in italics) put in place of the "English" translation. There is a dictionary at the beginnning and most of the time it can be inferred through context. However, towards the end, it did get quite annoying to have to flip back to the beginning to figure out those words they didn't use quite as much.
Anna Mae wishes to come back to her family after leaving to live in the "English" world. She is expecting her first child and wishes that her baby will know about her family. She believes that Christmas is the perfect time to start rebuilding a
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relationship. But will her Amish family agree?One point to note: the text of the book often has Amish words (in italics) put in place of the "English" translation. There is a dictionary at the beginnning and most of the time it can be inferred through context. However, towards the end, it did get quite annoying to have to flip back to the beginning to figure out those words they didn't use quite as much.
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LibraryThing member Maydacat
It’s been four years since Anna Mae left her Amish community to become English and marry Kellan. Now expecting their first child, she longs to return home for Christmas. However, being shunned, she knows she may not be welcome, especially by her father, a strict bishop. How author Amy Clipston
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handles this difficult situation in which two different lifestyles clash makes for some interesting reading. Anna Mae’s sister-in-law has much compassion and love for Anna, and commits herself to healing the rift in the family, even if it means going against the wishes of her husband and his father. Well-developed characters round out this enjoyable Christmas tale. Show Less
LibraryThing member Virginia51
Amy Clipston never disappoints me when she writes an Amish Christmas story. This is a great story that shows that no matter what the problem is it can be solved. This family needed a miracle to become one again. I really enjoyed this book of healing. The characters are fantastic.
LibraryThing member rrnicovich
I received an Early Reviewer copy of this book. It is a sweet, feel-good read about an Amish family. The main character falls in love with a young man outside the Amish faith and is shunned by her family when they marry. She is happy with her husband, but misses her family. She returns to her
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family at Christmastime and things turn out well. It is an inspiring story of love and forgiveness. Show Less
LibraryThing member drebbles
Annie Mae knew when she married Kellan McDonough, a non-Amish, that she would be shunned by her Amish family. She loves Kellan and has built a happy life with him, but it has been three years and she misses her family, especially now that she is pregnant and wants her baby to know his grandparents.
"A Plain and Simple Christmas" is a heartwarming story set in the Amish community. Despite the title, there is nothing simple about the story. People who marry outside the Amish faith are shunned by the family and Anna's struggle to reunite with her family is heartbreaking at times. Author Amy Clipston does an excellent job of showing how hard shunning can be on families, both for those shunned and those doing the shunning. Clipston treats the subject sensitively neither condemning nor condoning it - it is simply part of the Amish faith, which is how she treats it. All of the characters are strong, and it is interesting to watch the clash of wills among these characters who love each other despite what has happened. Besides the shunning, Clipston does a nice job of showing Amish life and explaining how they celebrate Christmas. I love Christmas and reading books set at Christmas time and while this book does fall back on the well-worn plot of a very pregnant woman who may or may not give birth at Christmas time, I still enjoyed reading it.
"A Plain and Simple Christmas" is a nicely done novella set in the Amish community.
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Christmas is coming, and she longs to spend the holiday with her family. Christmas can be a time of miracles - will there be a miracle for Anna Mae and her family?"A Plain and Simple Christmas" is a heartwarming story set in the Amish community. Despite the title, there is nothing simple about the story. People who marry outside the Amish faith are shunned by the family and Anna's struggle to reunite with her family is heartbreaking at times. Author Amy Clipston does an excellent job of showing how hard shunning can be on families, both for those shunned and those doing the shunning. Clipston treats the subject sensitively neither condemning nor condoning it - it is simply part of the Amish faith, which is how she treats it. All of the characters are strong, and it is interesting to watch the clash of wills among these characters who love each other despite what has happened. Besides the shunning, Clipston does a nice job of showing Amish life and explaining how they celebrate Christmas. I love Christmas and reading books set at Christmas time and while this book does fall back on the well-worn plot of a very pregnant woman who may or may not give birth at Christmas time, I still enjoyed reading it.
"A Plain and Simple Christmas" is a nicely done novella set in the Amish community.
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LibraryThing member Lindz2012
Anna Mae McDonough is shunned by her family and the Amish community. She left her community to marry Kellen McDonough who is an Englisher and moved to Baltimore. She is know expecting her first child and is now long to reconnect with her family and with the approaching of the holidays.
Anna Mae
Anna Mae
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reach out to her sister in law to make arrengments to come and visit her family for the holidays. Her sister in law talks to her husband David. Her husband tell her not to do this and agrees to take her and the children to visit Anna Mae and Kellen in the spring. Katherine goes against her husband wishes and plans this visit for Anna Mae. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrsjason
I will admit before I started reading this book, I was very wary about it. I had read Clipston's first Amish book last year and I did not like it at all. In fact, I had major problems with it and swore that I would never read another of her books again. Then I saw that she had written a Christmas
The story deals with a couple with the wife being ex-Amish. Anna Mae left her Amish community and family after she fell in love with Kellan. Because of this, she had been shunned by her family. Two years later, she's pregnant with their first child and missing her family dreadfully. Plans are made to go back and visit them but there's a lot of trepidation and tension. Anna Mae's family could completely reject her and her husband. This whole scenario is very interesting to me. Anna Mae has no intention of returning to the Amish faith yet she still wants to reconnect with her family. Kellan brings up a very good point of asking why they are shunning her when she's not only a faithful Christian but she's married to a Christian as well. While the whole thing deals with tradition and custom, it's a very legit question because as true Christians they really shouldn't be doing it at all.
The only over dramatic part was that I knew with Anna Mae being so pregnant at the time of the visit that her having the baby not in a hospital was bound to happen. She just kept ignoring all the signs that she was about to go into labor and of course there would be a snowstorm during the climax scene. Nothing wrong with it but I could see this coming miles away. A bit predictable but nothing completely out of the ordinary.
Overall, I will have to say that I did enjoy this story. Beliefs are challenged but also allowing for both sides to come to a truce with each other. I really liked all the characters especially Kellan (especially because he never gave in to become Amish which I was dreadfully afraid he was going to by the end of the book just to be with Anna Me). The best part of this for me was that even though Anna Mae respects her parents and their beliefs, she has chosen a life for herself and chooses to stay with her husband and make a family together instead of going back to her childhood home. This was a really nice Christmas story as well. In short, it has made me think twice before banishing an author from my library again. At the least, I'll give the author a second try because like Amy Clipston, they might surprise me on the second go round.
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novella and I'm a sucker for Christmas books. So I picked up this books with very low expectations and was thinking that I would find myself being very disgruntled again. Therefore it was a complete shock to find that not only was the story done very well but that I found myself enjoying the book very much.The story deals with a couple with the wife being ex-Amish. Anna Mae left her Amish community and family after she fell in love with Kellan. Because of this, she had been shunned by her family. Two years later, she's pregnant with their first child and missing her family dreadfully. Plans are made to go back and visit them but there's a lot of trepidation and tension. Anna Mae's family could completely reject her and her husband. This whole scenario is very interesting to me. Anna Mae has no intention of returning to the Amish faith yet she still wants to reconnect with her family. Kellan brings up a very good point of asking why they are shunning her when she's not only a faithful Christian but she's married to a Christian as well. While the whole thing deals with tradition and custom, it's a very legit question because as true Christians they really shouldn't be doing it at all.
The only over dramatic part was that I knew with Anna Mae being so pregnant at the time of the visit that her having the baby not in a hospital was bound to happen. She just kept ignoring all the signs that she was about to go into labor and of course there would be a snowstorm during the climax scene. Nothing wrong with it but I could see this coming miles away. A bit predictable but nothing completely out of the ordinary.
Overall, I will have to say that I did enjoy this story. Beliefs are challenged but also allowing for both sides to come to a truce with each other. I really liked all the characters especially Kellan (especially because he never gave in to become Amish which I was dreadfully afraid he was going to by the end of the book just to be with Anna Me). The best part of this for me was that even though Anna Mae respects her parents and their beliefs, she has chosen a life for herself and chooses to stay with her husband and make a family together instead of going back to her childhood home. This was a really nice Christmas story as well. In short, it has made me think twice before banishing an author from my library again. At the least, I'll give the author a second try because like Amy Clipston, they might surprise me on the second go round.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010
Physical description
192 p.; 7.36 inches
ISBN
0310327369 / 9780310327363
UPC
025986327361