by Charlotte Hubbard
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GENRE: Inspirational Romance (Amish)
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BLURB:
The rustic
beauty of a country Christmas fills the Simple Gifts crafts shop, while the
Amish residents of Willow Ridge pull together in uncertain times—and in the
face of an unexpected homecoming.
Nora Hooley’s shop is abuzz with
preparations for the holiday open house, and Rosalyn Riehl is handcrafting
wreaths from evergreen boughs, pinecones, and other natural materials. The work
is a welcome diversion for the only unmarried daughter of Cornelius Riehl: her
gruff dat has been receiving envelopes marked Past Due, leaving dutiful Rosalyn
to manage the household’s inexplicably shrinking budget. Then another
distraction swaggers into Simple Gifts—blue-jeaned and leather-jacketed, with a
reputation that precedes him.
Marcus Hooley hightailed it to
Willow Ridge on a wing and a prayer—not that he’s the praying type. He rejected
his Amish roots long ago. But behind the bad-boy attitude is a gifted horse
trainer who’s counting on some bent-but-not-broken family ties to throw him a
lifeline. He can’t erase his past, but a sparking attraction with strong,
spirited Rosalyn holds the promise of a second chance . . . and of shedding
light on shadowy secrets to build a bright tomorrow.
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EXCERPT
When
Rosalyn opened the door to enter Nora Hooley’s shop, however, the merry tinkle
of the bell above the door and the rich scents of bayberry and vanilla candles
drove away her gloomy thoughts. It was impossible to feel grumpy as she
carefully pulled her wagon between the beautiful displays of glossy walnut
furniture, sets of pottery dishes, unique three-dimensional quilts, and the
other lovely merchandise that had been handcrafted by Plain folks from around
central Missouri.
Nora
called out to her from the loft, where she was arranging an evergreen garland
along the railing. “Gut morning, Rosalyn! I can’t wait to see your wreaths and
hang them around the store—not that we’ll have them for long!”
Rosalyn
couldn’t help smiling. What a joy it was to work for Nora, whose encouraging
words and freckle-faced smile lifted her spirits. “I’ve got eight of them
here,” she replied as she stopped beside the office door. “We sisters had a
work frolic on Monday, so Loretta will have another rug or two and Edith will
have some baskets ready to sell in time for the open house on Saturday.”
“You
girls are amazing,” Nora remarked happily. She fastened the end of the greenery
garland to the railing and then started downstairs, her feet tapping a happy
rhythm on the wide wooden stairway. Her deep orange corduroy dress was set off
with a paisley apron of earth tones, perfect for autumn and Thanksgiving. “And
how’s Cornelius? Is he accepting the way you and Loretta are trading off days
that you work for me?”
Rosalyn
sighed. What good would it do to spoil Nora’s cheerful mood by repeating the
lecture Dat had delivered at the breakfast table . . . or to mention that
yesterday’s mail had brought them two more mysterious envelopes marked Past
Due?
“He’s
still cranky about us working for you, and I suspect that’ll never change,” she
hedged. “Dat’s a man who hangs onto the past and the Old Order ways, after
all.”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Charlotte Hubbard is the
acclaimed author of Amish romance and fiction that evokes simpler times and
draws upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community
west of the Mississippi. Faith and family, farming, and food preservation are
hallmarks of her lifestyle—and the foundation of all her novels. A deacon,
dedicated church musician and choir member, she loves to travel, read, try new recipes,
and crochet. A longtime Missourian, Charlotte now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota,
with her husband and their border collie, Vera.
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