"His Bundle of Love" by Patricia Davids

About the Book  

HEAVENLY FATHER,

I would love to be a dad, to hold a sticky hand while we watch a ball game. But is Caitlin Williams's daughter coming into my arms at birth part of Your plan? Caitlin named me as the dad so her preemie could receive urgent medical care. That's why I brought the Williams women home with me until Caitlin gets back on her feet. I sense she's hiding something about her past—I wish she'd realize secrets can tear you apart.

Now I can't imagine my life without them. I've even proposed to Caitlin—for the baby's sake, of course. But convincing Caitlin to make the three of us a family will be no easy task.

Please visit Patricia Davids' website

Buy "His Bundle of Love" from Amazon

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This book was released in January 2006

This is a book from my personal collection that was reviewed

My Review

“His Bundle of Love” by Patricia Davids, according her Dear Reader in the back, is her first published novel. In the last two days, I have read her first published and her latest published and frankly without the Dear Reader, I wouldn't have realized it.  It is rare when a first published book is written so well that it is hard to tell the first from the last like this book.  The whole book was so well written that there was nothing missing for the characters were exceptionally well developed, the plot wasn't lacking any details, and the scenes were so well written without an overload or lacking of details.

Here is a story full of secrets, and some of the most heart wrenching moments I have read in a while. Life for Caitlin has not been easy and frankly it doesn't seem as if it getting any easier for her either from the very start of the story, yet sometimes she was the one making things harder for herself than they had to be. Caitlin's pride is bigger than most of the Rockies, but her heart is even bigger than that. She is hiding a secret though and it is a whooper of one too boot.

Then there is Mike who is put in a very interesting position and what he does shows his character. Oh this man is holding his own secret as well. Almost everything Mike does shows his faith and how Jesus loves everyone. Oh there is faults that come out as well, so that he is not some perfect and impossible man.

It seems from the start things just seem impossible for things to work out, with all the hurdles that must be crossed. Some of those hurdles are major, yet frankly at the same one knew things couldn't possibly end up the way that Ms. Davids made it seem like it was going. I say that they couldn't possibly end up the way it appears to be leaning is because frankly it wouldn't be for a good ending unless something really twisted happens. Well nothing twisted happened so things are all working good.

As Caitlin learned that there are some secrets that are not worth keeping for there can be some pretty big consequences. This is a great reminder that there are some things more important than a person's pride.

Regardless of all the secrets Caitlin is a woman who is strong and determined to do everything she has to in order to take care of her little baby. She overcomes so many issues yet at the same time there is God's hand is how some of those issues are overcome. It is how things are working out like they do that makes everything so beautiful but heartbreaking. Heartbreaking because of what was going on with Mike.

It might seem at times as if things are not moving forward but it is in the little things that shows how the story is indeed moving forward. At times it seems as if there is some steps backwards but they are important to the story and the wonderful ending.

This is a book that is you are able to get your hands on then it is well worth the reading. I totally enjoyed this book and hope all who do read the book will enjoy it as much.

"Amish Redemption" by Patricia Davids

About the Book  

 

An Amish Homecoming

Joshua Bowman is ready to go home. After spending time in prison for a crime he didn't commit, he's putting everything behind him and reconciling with his fractured family. When a devastating tornado throws him unexpectedly into the path of Mary Kaufman and her daughter, Hannah, he feels the first spark of life after months. But Mary's adoptive dad is the Englisch sheriff—and he'd never trust her care to a man with Joshua's past. Plus the lovely single mom has a secret of her own, one that she's spent years running from. Together they survived the storm, but are they strong enough to shed the shadows of their past?

Brides of Amish Country: Finding true love in the land of the
Plain People.

Please visit Patricia Davids' website

Buy "Amish Redemption" from Amazon

Buy "Amish Redemption" from Barnes&Noble

This book was released in April 2015

This was a well loved library book that was reviewed

My Review

“Amish Redemption” by Patricia Davids is her last book in her 'Brides of Amish Country' and the start of a new series around the Bowman brothers, according to her Dear Reader letter in the back of the book. Though this is the end of a series, it is a wonderful stand alone book. To be honest, yes reading prior books will help one remember more of some of the events that were mentioned in this book, but any mention to events in prior books is gone over again so no one is truly lost.  I was a bit saddened to read that this is the last book set in Hope Springs for the characters have become like friends, but hopefully we will see them now and again in the new series.

Here is a story of how secrets can hurt, even when there is a very valid reason as to why they are kept. Some secrets kept here are understandable, and have a true reason behind them being kept, while the other secret is being kept more out of fear and pride. These secrets have a way of coming out though as they always do, and it is how they come out that really helps keep the reader interested especially when things start to spiral out of control.

It is amazing how these two character's, Mary and Joshua, meet and formed a bond. Truly this was a author's imagination, or how I think about it, God's way of showing His power is mighty. Sure Ms. Davids wrote this amazing first meeting but God gave her the idea and it was superb. Truly there are not many first time meeting of stranger main character's that stick out, but I know that this one will for some time. I think that it wasn't so much the circumstances of the first meeting but the description that just descriptive enough to give the reader a good idea of what was going on but not so much that overloads the reader.

Mary and Joshua, ironically have some things in common with their pasts, which gives them a great sense of empathy for others. They both were determined to help those who needs the help, almost regardless of what it might cost them individually. There are a lot of things that can go wrong, and almost does that is for sure. Trust is also learned to be extended even when one isn't sure who to trust when it counts. Both Mary and Joshua also have fears that the other character discovers through interaction but they don't call each other out on those fears. Both of these character's have warm, open hearts regardless what happened to them in their past, which at times seems to be pretty amazing.

Though this was the end of a series it is a wonderful start to another series for I really am looking forward to seeing what is going to be happening with the Bowman brothers that is for sure. I was glad that there was some ending to a couple of characters in the 'Brides of Amish Country' so that I won't be left wondering, but there are the twins I would love to see find a happy ending even with all their pranks.

I hope all who read this book enjoys it as much as I did..

 Other "Brides of Amish Country" Series

Katie's Redemption

The Doctor's Blessing

An Amish Christmas

The Farmer Next Door

The Christmas Quilt

A Home for Hannah

A Hope Springs Christmas

Plain Admirer

Amish Christmas Joy

The Shepherd's Bride

The Amish Nanny

An Amish Christmas Journey

Amish Redemption

"An Amish Family Christmas" by Marta Perry & Patricia Davids

About the Book

Celebrate the holidays in Amish Country  

Heart of Christmas by Marta Perry 
Amish teacher Susannah Miller suddenly has two new students: the children of her former love. Widowed father Toby Unger broke Susannah's heart ten years ago, but now the handsome Amish man desperately needs help with his troubled little ones. Can the joy of the season reunite two lonely hearts in time for Christmas?

A Plain Holiday by Patricia Davids 
Outspoken nanny Sally Yoder left her Amish community for her rumspringa. Though her heart is back home, the Amish man she loves, Ben Lapp, will never love a bold woman like her. But when a snowstorm strands her, her young charges and Ben on a remote farm at Christmastime, they both might discover that love is the true holiday spirit.

Visit Marta Perry's website
Visit Patricia Davids' website

Buy "An Amish Family Christmas"from Amazon

Buy "An Amish Family Christmas" from Barnes&Noble
Buy "An Amish Family Christmas" from Harlequin

This book was released in November 2014
This was a well loved library book that was reviewed.

My Review

“An Amish Family Christmas” by Marta Perry and Patricia Davids is one book with two novella's which both have some pretty special Christmas messages.

The “Heart of Christmas” by Marta Perry is a lovely story of forgiveness and patience. Oh things get interesting right before Christmas when Toby comes back to town and enrolls his two little ones into Susannah's school, for this is the time where things get turn upside down for Susannah.  Things are turned upside down between Toby, his children and other issues popping up in a matter of days and there is not a whole lot that Susannah can do about it.

Things in this novella do move very quickly, however, with all the history that is explained throughout this novella between Toby and Susannah but it doesn't seem that completely unrealistic in all that happens in just a few short weeks if that long.  One of things that I always find frustrating with novellas that take place over a short time is that things seem to happen so unbelievably fast, but not with the novella for the set up was just perfect, and everything is explained to where it all makes it believable.  What helps with this is the history that is explained between Susannah and Toby.

Forgiveness is something that is not always easy to give even when one thinks they have given it, then once it is freely given things change for the better.  This novella is a great example how sometimes we think we have forgiven someone who hurt us without any warning or explanation , yet in reality we haven't, and how when we do finally forgive how much better things become then.

“A Plain Holiday” by Patricia Davids is another wonderful installment of her 'Brides of Amish Country' though it is a completely stand alone story. Sally's story has been told in another one of her books, though I can't remember exactly which one, but we learn so much more in this short story and really if anyone is reading this for the first time they don't feel as if they are missing something.

Sally is struggling and so for now she is working as a nanny for an English family. She has a lot of things to figure out before she makes any final decisions and then things get a bit out of her control. Sally has learned a few things over the course of her time as a nanny, though her Amish roots are still a big part of her.  The things she learned though are things that frankly she has to finally make up her mind as to what she is going to do for the rest of her life.

During the Christmas holidays, things go from bad to worse but even more lessons are learned as well.  The truth also comes out during this story over a few different things from the past, and that truth is freeing in some cases that is for sure. Ben even has some things to learn as well. It was amazing to see how everything happened in this short time period but at the same time it doesn't seem like it was all that unbelievable or all that short.

These short novellas are perfect for those who only a little bit of time to read if they don't want to get involved in a too deep of a book in that limited time frame they might have. I found that these novella's were the perfect length to read when it was too late to read any other book before bed, and yet I didn't feel as if I was missing something. There was just enough detail to make the stories to make them feel as if they were full of detail without feeling as if anything was being left out.

I so enjoyed how both of the stories stayed true to Christmas and the values that are so important to Christmas. That this is indeed a very important holiday where it is the birth of Christ, the light of the world and Prince of Peace. Things that so many times those meanings get lost in the world of toy commercials, latest electronic device and so on, which is one of the reason's I love reading Christmas stories set either in the past or with the Amish for those values are important to the stories.

I wish all who read this book find the Christmas spirit with the reading of these novellas and enjoy the book as I did.

“The Amish Nanny” by Patricia Davids

 About the Book

A Family In Need

A reclusive Amish logger, Ethan Gingerich is more comfortable around his draft horses than the orphaned niece and nephews he's taken in. Yet he's determined to provide the children with a good, loving home. The little ones, including a defiant eight-year-old, need a proper nanny. But when Ethan hires shy Amishwoman Clara Barkman, he never expects her temporary position to have such a lasting hold on all of them. Now this man of few words must convince Clara she's found her forever home and family.

Brides of Amish Country: Finding true love in the land of the Plain People.

 Visit Patricia Davids website here

Buy "The Amish Nanny" on Amazon

Buy "The Amish Nanny" on Barnes&Noble

"The Amish Nanny" was released in August, 2014

This is a well love library book that was reviewed

My Review of "The Amish Nanny"

“The Amish Nanny” by Patricia Davids is another wonderful book in her 'Brides of Amish Country' series, and yet this is a stand alone book. There are mentions of prior books in this book, but everything that is needed is covered again within this book. If anyone really wanted more background information, the only book they would need would be “The Shepard's Bride” which the story of Clara and her sisters, is explained in deeper depth. Really though that is not necessary for really all the important details are in this book so that one doesn't feel lost.

Here is a story of two people who have suffered painful experiences in the past and need to learn how to change the way they look at the world again. Then add three hurting children into the mix, things are going to change one way or the other regardless what any of the adults want or think they desire.

Clara is a woman who has reason to distrust like she does, has her own secrets that come out in this story and yet still is honest even when she tries to hide things. Above all else her heart is still gold, and she is always thinking of others. Though she has some horrible experiences in her past, she is trying her best to move forward, and still has a strange sense of humor. To me that strange sense of humor was brilliant for it made her not so shy and timid.

Ethan is a man who is trying his best to do the best for his family. He is determined to keep his young niece and nephews regardless what others think due to his own past experiences. Ethan is also needing a bit of help to make his family a true family. There are trials with dealing with the young children that he doesn't know quite how to handle, and when he needs help he finally reaches out. There are reasons why he is the way he is and his story comes out fully to explain so much about him.

The children of the story are so precious and so individual that it is easy to tell who is doing what. My heart ached for each of them as they struggled with all the new things going on in their lives.

There is a message of learning to trust when trust seems to be about the last thing a person would want to do and how rewarding it can be. To watch the characters that need to learn to trust again to come to the point of trusting was so special and touching that at times I found myself crying from the pain that the characters went through. This then leads to second chances and how precious they are, whether it be with love of a mate or the love of family, second chances are something to hold onto when they come around, so long as people don't waste them.

I truly hope that we get to see more of the Barkman sisters for they all have touched a part of me with their resilience that they have shown. I hope all who read this book enjoys it as much as I did.

 Please feel free to contact me if you have a Christian or Inspirational book to review or that I should review on my blog.  Please contact me by using the contact form on the left hand side.  Thank You.