Publisher Description
For the Amish of Pontotoc, Mississippi, all roads lead to faith, family, and tradition, even when the path is unconventional—especially at Christmas . . .
Tillie Gingerich is so in love with Melvin Yoder that she agrees to leave her conservative Amish home to live with him in the English world. But when the struggle to make ends meet leads to conflict, and reveals troubling weaknesses in their relationship, Tillie returns to Pontotoc—pregnant and unmarried. Her loving family accepts her, but to convince the rest of the community, they must turn to the bishop. Distraught, Tillie runs away on Christmas Eve—only to get as far as an isolated house on the edge of town.
Levi Yoder, Melvin’s upright distant cousin, is grieving the loss of his wife and wants to be alone. He is hardly pleased to open his door and find a pregnant woman––a painful reminder of all he’s lost. But with an ice storm approaching, he can’t turn Tillie away. Yet as morning nears, the miracle of Christmas brings unexpected challenges, opportunities—and promises for the future . . .
Praise for Amy Lillard and her Wells Landing novels “An inspirational story of romance, faith, and trust . . . will appeal to fans of Wanda Brunstetter and Beverly Lewis.” —Library Journal on Caroline’s Secret
“Fans of inspirational romance will appreciate Lillard’s vivid characters and positive message.” —Publishers Weekly
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My Review:
Tillie is a young Amish woman who has been the “prodigal daughter” and is now expecting a baby. She has long regretted her impulsive action to leave their Amish community to follow her boyfriend into an English lifestyle, and she’s returned home to her family to seek forgiveness and help. Levi Yoder is grieving the loss of his wife and unborn child. He’s wants to be left alone to grieve, but an unexpected meeting with Tillie forces him to reach out to provide aid to someone else. Tillie’s future depends on the decision of the bishop as to whether she’s allowed to rejoin the community, but her hope hope is to spend Christmas with her family. With so much happening in the lives of Tillie and Levi, this will be a Christmas like neither have experienced.
I had great sympathy for both Tillie and Levi. The author did a beautiful job of making these characters come to life, and I could enter into all the conflicting emotions they were experiencing. I loved how God’s grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness was an integral part of their story. It’s not often that I’m completely surprised by not one, but two, twists in a storyline, but this added another layer of interest and made me keep reading to see how everything would come together for Tillie and Levi. This story is inspiring and encouraging reading.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Sweet as Apple Pie romance
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy Lillard is a 2013 Carol award-winning author who loves reading romance novels from contemporary to Amish. She was born and raised in Mississippi, but now lives in Oklahoma with her husband and their teenage son.