Friday, September 26, 2014

Book Review - Christmas at Rose Hill Farm


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Bess Riehl is preparing Rose Hill Farm for her Christmas wedding, but her groom isn't who she thought it would be. Billy Lapp is far away from his Amish roots working as a rose rustler for Penn State and wants nothing to do with Stoney Ridge, his family, or Bess. And that suits Bess just fine. Why should she think twice about a man who left without a word, without any explanation? It's time she moved on with her life, and that meant saying yes to Amos Lapp, Billy's cousin and best friend. But as Bess and Amos's wedding day draws near, her emotions tangle into a tight knot. She loves Amos. Yet she can't forget Billy.

When a "lost" rose is discovered at Rose Hill Farm, Billy is sent to track down its origins. Get in, identify the rose, and get out. That's his plan. The only catch is that he's having a hard time narrowing down the identity of the lost rose, and he can't get those tropical blue eyes of Bess Riehl out of his mind.

As the history of the lost rose is pieced together, it reminds Bess and Billy---and Amos, too---that Christmas truly is the season of miracles.

"Filled with heart-twisting moments amid the sweet anticipation of love, this story will charm readers into the holiday spirit."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.


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MY REVIEW:
Christmas at Rose Hill Farm is a delightful story. I was transformed to a lovely, Amish farm in the 1970's where I met some wonderful characters that truly touched my heart. I have always loved Suzanne Woods Fisher's books and this one does not disappoint either.

Billy Lapp has been gone from home for years when he gets the message of a rose that needs to be identified. He is now a "rose rustler" - someone who seeks out and identifies the rare roses from yesteryear. Bess is a rose lover and grows many rare and heirloom roses as well as making soaps, jellies, and other things from roses. It's her rose that Billy Has come to identify. The thing is, they have a history and were once I. Love with each other. It was also Bess' grandmother who taught them both to love the rose.

Bess is engaged to Amos, Billy's cousin. He's a very steady man in contrast to Billy who is more adventurous. This creates a love triangle and it's not clear until the end who will end up with who. 

I really enjoyed the information about heirloom roses and how much Billy and Bess love them. Roses are my favorite, too, so I could really relate to their interest. I liked how we were taken into Billy and Bess' past through flashbacks and how their family dynamics shaped them. 

This is definitely a book about forgiveness and realizing we all have strengths. I also loved the dwelling into how God has a guardian angel for each of us and that they are watching over us. This was a really beautiful part of the book. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

*This book was provided to me for my honest review by LitFuse Publicity Group


Blessings - Julie

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