 About the book:
A Sister's Wish (Avon Inspire, September 2016) In Shelley Shepard Gray's third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks. Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman---at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she's also harboring a secret: She's been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he's about as far from "perfect" as an Amish man could get . . . but that's exactly why she's so drawn to him. Life hasn't been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he's determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past . . . unless it pertains to Amelia. He's loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas---who just happens to be Simon's best friend---has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he's the only one who can truly make her happy. But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together---and face their past mistakes. There's a chance for love . . . but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.
 About the book:
An Amish Family Christmas (Avon Inspire, October 2016)
In Shelley Shepard Gray's fourth book in her Charmed Amish Life series, an unlikely Amish romance reveals that Christmas is a time for family, miracles---and love.
Ever since his father died in a tragic fire, Levi Kinsinger has felt adrift. Newly returned to Charm, Ohio, Levi is trying to fit into his old life, only to discover he seems to have outgrown it.
But when Julia, his young widowed neighbor, asks for his help with a Christmas project, Levi finds a sense of purpose for the first time in months. She and her daughter are new to Charm and could use a friend, a job Levi takes personally. Soon enough, friendship grows into attraction, but Levi can't help having doubts. There's something about Julia that doesn't ring quite true . . .
Like Levi, Julia Kemps has survived her fair share of hardships---but only by hiding the truth of her past. Being an unmarried mother in an Amish community was unthinkable. Feeling hopeless, Julia did the only thing she could do: she moved to a new town and pretended to be a widow. But meeting Levi, she's hopeful for the first time. Little by little, she begins to imagine telling him her darkest secret, and eventually . . . perhaps even sharing her life with him.
Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together . . . in order to find the healing, support and love they so desperately desire.
About the author:
Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.
My Review:
Shelley Shepard Gray is back with two new Amish novels, one being a Christmas one! These are books #3  in her Charmed Amish LIfe series.
In "A Sister's Wish" Simon returns home following a stint serving time in prison and he is determined to make better choices and a better life than the horrible childhood he had. Amelia appears to be the perfect Amish woman and she has been in love with Simon; but of course no one would think of them being together. This is such a touching and emotional story of secrets, hurts, love and forgiveness as well as trying to forge new life and move on.
"An Amish Family Christmas" is a sweet story that is filled with hope and love and will put the reader in a Christmas spirit. Levit has been feeling lost and that he doesn't really fit back into life in Charm. This changes when Julia seeks his help and he finds himself suddenly filled with purpose and actually at home; but it seems too good to be true. As secrets and pasts are shared, this may end up being the happiest Christmas for all.
I love Shelley's writing and really enjoyed this return to Charm and the people in this Amish community. This two stories are not to be missed by fans of Amish fiction and also fans of Christmas stories.
To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here!
*Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copies of these books in exchange for a honest review.*
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