Tag Archives: Suzanne Woods Fisher

#BookReview: Mending Fences by Suzanne Woods Fisher

20 Feb

Mending Fences is a heartwarming tale! Suzanne Woods Fisher never fails to delight me with her endearing characters and unique storylines, and this latest story is no exception. Luke’s and Izzy’s journeys are complex and emotional, and I reveled in the wisdom they shared and the lessons they learned. I thoroughly enjoyed this first Deacon’s Family novel and look forward to continuing the series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Luke Schrock is a new and improved man after a stint in rehab, though everyone in Stoney Ridge only remembers the old Luke. They might have forgiven him, but nobody trusts him.

Amos and Fern Lapp allow Luke to live at Windmill Farm under two conditions. First, Luke must make a sincere apology to each person he’s hurt–a four-page, single-spaced list. Second, he must ask each victim of mischief to describe the damage he caused.

Simple, Luke thinks. Offering apologies is easy. But discovering the lasting effects his careless actions have caused . . . that isn’t so simple. It’s gut-wrenching.

And his list keeps growing. Izzy Miller, beautiful and frustratingly aloof, also boards at Windmill Farm. Luke’s clumsy efforts to befriend Izzy only insult and annoy her. Eager to impress, Luke sets out to prove himself to her by locating her mother. When he does, her identity sends shock waves through Stoney Ridge.

Learn more about the book and the author.

#BookReview: Minding the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

30 Jul

Minding the Light is a compelling continuation of the Nantucket Legacy series! I was delighted by the Nantucket Island setting and pleased to learn more about the history of its Quaker community. Engaging characters and historical details, both real and imagined, add richness and depth to this dual timeframe tale. I especially enjoyed Great Mary’s journal entries intertwined throughout the novel. Suzanne Woods Fisher is a gifted storyteller, and I look forward to continuing this fascinating series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book: 

Six long years ago, Captain Reynolds Macy sailed away from his bride, looking forward to the day when he would return to Nantucket Island with a ship’s hold full of whale oil. But when that momentous day finally arrives, Ren soon discovers that everything has changed in his absence. Everything. “Is nothing on this island as it appears to be?” he whispers in despair.

Unlike most islanders, bold and spirited Daphne Coffin doesn’t defer to Ren as an authoritative whalemaster, but sees through his aloofness to the aching heart beneath. She encourages him to return to his Quaker roots and “mind the Light,” finding solace in God and community. As Ren becomes the man she believes him to be–honorable, wise, faithful–she finds herself falling in love with him.

But how can she, when her heart is spoken for? Tristram Macy is Ren’s business partner, cousin, and best friend–and Daphne’s fiance. Love always comes at a cost, but when is the price too high?

Learn more about the book and the author

#BookReview: Phoebe’s Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

5 Mar

Phoebe’s Light is an intriguing tale! Suzanne Woods Fisher shares a rich and vivid story as she regales readers with the history of Nantucket, whaling, and the Quaker faith. Phoebe Starbuck is an engaging heroine, and I enjoyed the intertwining of her story with that of her great-grandmother Mary Coffin. Mary Coffin Starbuck was an admirable historical figure, and I delighted in the imagined journal entries and personality Fisher created to bring her character to life. I enjoyed Phoebe’s Light and look forward to discovering more about Great Mary and her heritage as the Nantucket Legacy series continues.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Phoebe Starbuck has always adjusted her sails and rudder to the whims of her father. Now, for the first time, she’s doing what she wants to do: marrying Captain Phineas Foulger and sailing far away from Nantucket. As she leaves on her grand adventure, her father gives her two gifts, both of which Phoebe sees little need for. The first is an old sheepskin journal from Great Mary, her highly revered great-grandmother. The other is a “minder” on the whaling ship in the form of cooper Matthew Mitchell, a man whom she loathes.

Soon Phoebe discovers that life at sea is no easier than life on land. Lonely, seasick, and disillusioned, she turns the pages of Great Mary’s journal and finds herself drawn into the life of this noble woman. To Phoebe’s shock, her great-grandmother has left a secret behind that carries repercussions for everyone aboard the ship, especially her husband the captain and her shadow the cooper. This story within a story catapults Phoebe into seeing her life in an entirely new way–just in time.

Learn more about the book and the author

#BookReview: The Return by Suzanne Woods Fisher

20 Aug

Fisher’s wonderful storytelling brings history to life in The Return! Betsy Zook and Tessa Bauer are two young women who experience tumultuous journeys. Inspired by true events, the details of their stories are affecting and emotional. I was fascinated by this glimpse into the past and enjoyed the intertwining of historical and Amish fiction in this compelling tale. Although The Return revisits characters found throughout the Amish Beginnings series, this novel takes place many years later and can also be read as a stand-alone story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Beautiful and winsome, Betsy Zook never questioned her family’s rigid expectations, nor those of devoted Hans, but then she never had to. Not until the night when she’s taken captive in a surprise Indian raid. During her captivity, Betsy faces brutality and hardship, but also unexpected kindness. She draws strength from native Caleb, who encourages her to find God in all circumstances. She finds herself torn between her pious upbringing and the intense new feelings this compelling man awakens within her.

Handsome and complex, Hans is greatly anguished by Betsy’s captivity and turns to Tessa Bauer for comfort. Eagerly, Tessa responds, overlooking troubling signs of Hans’s hunger for revenge. When Betsy is finally restored to the Amish, have things gone too far between Hans and Tessa?

Learn more about the book and the author.

Friday Freebie

5 May

Kindle | Nook

Join Suzanne Woods Fisher for a Book Club Discussion!

22 Feb

Suzanne Woods Fisher is excited about the release of book two in her Amish Beginning series, The Newcomer. To celebrate, on Tuesday, February 28th 7 PM – 8:30 PM EST, she’ll be on Facebook Live talking about the book and answering all your questions! 

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 Click here to join the fun!

#BookReview: The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher

20 Feb

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The Newcomer is the second installment in the Amish Beginnings series. Although I have not read Book 1, Anna’s Crossing, I was able to follow the story line and enjoy this book as a stand-alone story. As Anna Konig and the other Amish settlers enter the New World, unexpected happenings abound. I enjoyed the wealth of history woven through their story, as well as the threads of mystery and romance. Anna and Bairn share a dramatic journey, one I look forward to following as this series continues.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

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About the book:

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In 1737, Anna Konig and her fellow church members stagger off a small wooden ship after ten weeks at sea, eager to start a new life in the vibrant but raw Pennsylvania frontier. On the docks of Port Philadelphia waits bishop Jacob Bauer, founder of the settlement and father to ship carpenter Bairn. It’s a time of new beginnings for the reunited Bauer family, and for Anna and Bairn’s shipboard romance to blossom.

But this perfect moment cannot last. As Bairn grasps the reality of what it means to be Amish in the New World–isolated, rigid with expectations, under the thumb of his domineering father–his enthusiasm evaporates. When a sea captain offers the chance to cross the ocean one more time, Bairn grabs it. Just one more crossing, he promises Anna. But will she wait for him?

When Henrik Newman joins the church just as it makes its way to the frontier, Anna is torn. He seems to be everything Bairn is not–bold, devoted, and delighted to vie for her heart. And the most dramatic difference? He is here; Bairn is not.

Far from the frontier, an unexpected turn of events weaves together the lives of Bairn, Anna, and Henrik. When a secret is revealed, which true love will emerge?

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2kQUTRa

Visit the author: http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/

Friday Freebies

6 Jan

Freebie Graphic- BuzzingAboutBooks.com

 

at-your-request

At Your Request by Jen Turano

Kindle

After her father lost the family fortune, Wilhelmina was cast out of the fashionable set and banished to the wallflower section. She is mortified when her friend Edgar returns to society for the first time since she rejected his proposal. Ashamed of her fall from grace, she tries to avoid him, but is there still hope for their friendship–or something more?

 

on-the-ropes

On the Ropes by Hallee Bridgeman

Kindle

Doctor Ruth Burnette has everything she has ever dreamed possible: the perfect job, a twin sister who is her best friend, and a fiancé who is retiring from professional boxing as the middleweight champion of the world.

Then came that fateful night when she witnessed a mafia execution. When her sister is murdered she knows she’ll battle to the last round and never, ever throw in the towel. Now she’s down for the count, in witness protection, anxious, alone except for the faithful company of her German Shepherd at her side.

As the time draws near to when she has to leave her safe little corner she stays on her toes. She has to testify against one of the darkest criminals in New York, she shores up the courage to face the accused from the witness stand. Unexpectedly, he’s not the one who worries her. She wonders what coming face-to-face with his son, Victor Kovalev…her former fiancé …will bring.

Will Ruth have a fighting chance against the Kovalev family, or will Victor keep her pinned On the Ropes?

 

things-we-once-held-dear

Things We Once Held Dear by Ann Tatlock

Kindle

New Yorker Neil Sadler returns to his hometown of Mason, Ohio, where his small-town life had been rocked by the suspicious death of Helen Syfert, the mother of Neil’s friend Mary. He reconnects with Mary. Their once-close relationship hadn’t been strong enough to survive the tragedy that overtook Mary’s family, yet what drove them apart years ago now seems to be drawing them back together. But Neil is struggling to recover from a more recent loss. Yet the mystery of Helen’s death remains unsolved, and to bring closure will mean facing old truths—hard truths—and discovering some new ones.

 

valley-of-dreams

Valley of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling

Kindle

Cassie Lockwood’s mother died when she was little, so Cassie traveled with her father’s Wild West Show and became an amazingly skillful trick rider, likened by some to the famous Annie Oakley. When her father died, she continued to work with the show, having nowhere else to go.

Now Cassie has discovered that “Uncle” Jason, the show’s manager, has driven the show into debt, and he’s absconded with what little money was left. Devastated, Cassie decides to try to find the hidden valley where her father had dreamed of putting down roots. She has only one clue. She needs to find three huge stones that look like fingers raised in a giant hand. With Chief, a Sioux Indian who’s been with the show for twenty years, and Micah, the head wrangler, she leaves both the show and a bundle of heartache behind and begins a wild and daring adventure.

 

the-letters

The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Kindle

Rose Schrock is a plain woman with a simple plan. Determined to find a way to support her family and pay off her late husband’s debts, she sets to work to convert the basement of her Amish farmhouse into an inn. While her family, especially her cranky mother-in-law, is unhappy with Rose’s big idea, her friend and neighbor, Galen King, supports the decision and he helps with the conversion. As Rose finalizes preparations for visitors, she prays. She asks God to bless each guest who stays at the Inn at Eagle Hill. As the first guest arrives and settles in, Rose is surprised to discover that her entire family is the one who receives the blessings, in the most unexpected ways. And she’s even more surprised when that guest decides to play matchmaker for Galen King.

With her signature plot twists combined with gentle Amish romance, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites readers back to Stoney Ridge for fresh stories of simple pleasures despite the complexity of life. Fisher’s tale of God’s providence and provision will delight her fans and create many new ones. Welcome to the Inn at Eagle Hill.

#BookReview: The Devoted | iPad Mini #Giveaway

27 Oct

the-devoted

The Devoted by Suzanne Woods Fisher 

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2eVPOpw

Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She’s done all she can to prepare to go–passed the GED, saved her money–but she can’t quite set her journey into motion.

Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He’s come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to “everything Plain.” Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.

Ruthie’s next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back–“anything”–and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.

 

My thoughts:

The Devoted is a wonderful story! In this third and final installment of The Bishop’s Family series, Suzanne Woods Fisher welcomes readers back to the quaint community of Stoney Ridge with Ruthie Stoltzfus contemplating her life and her love interests. Revisiting beloved characters, as well as introducing new ones, this heartwarming tale is rife with drama and emotion and brimming with words of wisdom.  One of my favorite quotes- “Every single spoke is needed to keep the buggy balanced.  Each one matters.”

Although The Devoted continues story lines that began in earlier books, it can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. However, fans of Amish fiction won’t want to miss a single story!

 

the-devoted-ipad-mini-giveaway

Suzanne is celebrating the release of The Devoted with a special giveaway!

One winner will receive:

  • A copy of The Devoted
  • An iPad Mini 2 16GB

Enter today, but hurry! The giveaway ends on November 2. The winner will be announced November 3 on Suzanne’s blog.  Enter to win by filling out the form when you click here, or click the graphic above to enter to win.

 

the-devoted

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

The Devoted iPad Mini Giveaway

13 Oct
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You’re invited back to Stoney Ridge for a story of dreams deferred and hopes fulfilled in The Devoted!

Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She’s done all she can to prepare to go–passed the GED, saved her money–but she can’t quite set her journey into motion.

Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He’s come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to “everything Plain.” Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.

Ruthie’s next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back–anything–and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.

Suzanne is celebrating the release of The Devoted with a special giveaway!

One winner will receive:

  • A copy of The Devoted
  • An iPad Mini 2 16GB

Enter today, but hurry! The giveaway ends on November 2. The winner will be announced November 3 on Suzanne’s blog.  Enter to win by filling out the form when you click here, or click the graphic above to enter to win.