Tag Archives: amish romance

My little balcony garden

21 Thursday May 2020

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I planted my little balcony garden this year, and I love it already! We don’t have a lot of space, but I do like to watch things grow over the summer, and it’s soothing to stand out there on a summer morning, plucking dried blooms off the flowers, or watering the pots.

This year, I have a tomato plant, a strawberry plant, some geraniums and some peas. We’ll see how the peas go! I’ve tried them before on the balcony, and they weren’t successful, so maybe I’m crazy to try again, but I’d really love some fresh peas!

strawberries

 

garden 1

Plus, my little balcony garden is a great place to take pictures of my Amish books–don’t you think? 🙂

This book is on the shelves now! So I do hope you’ll pick up a copy!

nanny B

 

***

On the shelves now! 

3.295427.512.9781335488183They need her help. She needs them…

An Amish bachelor. A motherless child.

Can she turn them into a real family?

Schoolteacher Patience Flaud longs for a family of her own—but knows it can never happen. At least she can help Amish bachelor Thomas Wiebe with his small Englisher daughter. As she settles the child into Amish life, Patience begins falling for the bewildered new father and his heartbroken little girl. But is love enough to make them a permanent family?

Harlequin

Barnes and Noble

 

 

 

 

 

Suspenders

14 Thursday May 2020

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My husband works a physical job, and he does a lot of standing and bending as he works. For the longest time, he wore a belt (normal, right?) but he found that it just didn’t do the job as well as it could! When you’re climbing ladders and reaching into narrow spaces… there’s a lot of… wiggle.

Anyway, after complaining for a long time about this, Mr. Johns’s Amish romance writing wife suggested some good, old-fashioned suspenders. There were a couple of guys at work who used them, too, and so after THEY suggested it, he bought a pair. 🙂

suspenders 2

 

He wears a belt still, because he needs to secure his keys to it, but the suspenders just hold his pants up so much better! He wears them under a second work shirt so they aren’t so obvious, but they’re there!

suspenders 1

One of the things I like about the Amish is their practicality. Yes, they live a simpler life without electricity or cars, but the things they do include in their lives are all incredibly useful! Nothing is wasted. And it was neat to discover that their use of suspenders is probably for good reason! You get men working hard outside, and a belt just doesn’t always cut it…

So there you have it. Suspenders. Maybe they’ll make a comeback. 😉

***

Coming June 2020!
PRE-ORDER NOW!

3.295427.512.9781335488183They need her help. She needs them…

An Amish bachelor. A motherless child.

Can she turn them into a real family?

Schoolteacher Patience Flaud longs for a family of her own—but knows it can never happen. At least she can help Amish bachelor Thomas Wiebe with his small Englisher daughter. As she settles the child into Amish life, Patience begins falling for the bewildered new father and his heartbroken little girl. But is love enough to make them a permanent family?

Harlequin

Barnes and Noble

 

 

 

 

Homemade Pickles!

07 Thursday May 2020

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Because why not? It’s a great quarantine activity, only takes 24 hours, and at the end, you have the most delicious pickles you have tasted in your life.

Seriously! They’re that good–and very simple!

pickles 1

First of all, these are the ingredients I used:

  • Small cucumbers, quartered
  • Pickling salt–2 heaping tablespoons
  • Pickling spices (I just bought a package of them already mixed. Easier than trying to recreate it.)–2 heaping tablespoons
  • Hot pepper flakes–just a pinch
  • White sugar–1 teaspoon
  • 5 or 6 garlic cloves smashed
  • Lemon juice–1 cup
  • Water–1 cup

 

So first of all, I put everything into a small pot, stirred it up, and put it on the heat. Once it started to boil, I took it off the heat and let it cool down. This is the brine.

brine

 

Then I put the brine over the quartered cucumbers, sealed it in a Tupperware container and stuck it in the fridge for 24 hours.

And here they are finished! DELICIOUS! Tasty, garlicky, and just so good.

pickles 3

So this is what I’m up to, getting back to some simpler cooking, and writing the books you love. 🙂

Don’t forget my new Amish release!

***

Coming to physical stores May 19, 2020, and to e-shops June 2020!
PRE-ORDER NOW!

3.295427.512.9781335488183They need her help. She needs them…

An Amish bachelor. A motherless child.

Can she turn them into a real family?

Schoolteacher Patience Flaud longs for a family of her own—but knows it can never happen. At least she can help Amish bachelor Thomas Wiebe with his small Englisher daughter. As she settles the child into Amish life, Patience begins falling for the bewildered new father and his heartbroken little girl. But is love enough to make them a permanent family?

Harlequin

Barnes and Noble

Masters of the slow burn

27 Monday Apr 2020

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I’m often asked what the draw is for Amish romance. Why do people love it? What pulls them in? Is it the calm life, the peaceful community… What tugs at so many people when it comes to Amish romance?

And I have a theory! It’s the same draw that historical romance has for readers–it’s a slower paced society with fewer modern worries, and the heightened temptation after being told no!

Blog post idea

In historical romance, the hero and heroine have to follow a certain set of social rules that keeps them physically separate. A touch on the hand, a walk in the park, all become so much more heightened when holding hands is taboo and a stolen kiss is enough to ruin a woman!

Those narrow, confining rules do the exact same thing in Amish romance. The Amish world is one where men and women stay separate, and women keep to the home. So how do you get a hero and heroine together? How do you get them past all those restrictions to fall into each other’s arms for that long awaited kiss?

That’s the fun part!

Amish people are human, too, and love and passion are just as much a part of their lives as anyone else. They just get there a little more patiently… They’re masters of the slow burn.

In fact, some Amish communities use a tradition called “bundling” where they put a young man and a young woman in the same bed overnight, separated by bundles of blankets and pillows, and they are permitted to get to know each other… Weird? Not really, if you consider that the Amish are also pragmatic. They know exactly what makes for a happy marriage besides strength of character and faith in God. Passion, attraction and longing are just as important in a marriage. That bed where the young couple is “bundled” is going to be a big part of that marriage relationship…

But not before marriage. For that, you need to wait. 😉 And that is the appeal of Amish romance, where passion is just as important, and the waiting is delightful agony.

***

In stores now!

(All the buy links can be found here on Kensington Books page.)

Thursday's Bride MM

 

For a proper young Amish widow struggling to begin again, encountering her reckless first love will test her forgiveness, resolve—and heart . . .

Overwhelmed by grief and tending twin baby daughters, Rosmanda Lapp is without options. She still blames her brother-in-law, Levi, for her husband’s accidental death—but she and her aging in-laws need him to keep their farm going. Yet as Levi takes on his responsibilities with a new determination and steadiness, she can’t help but regret that she chose his serious-minded brother over him. For Levi is still very much the passionate man she loved—and Rosmanda now has even more reasons to keep him at arm’s length . . .

Levi can’t blame Rosmanda for staying clear of him. He has mistakes to make up for and must finally do right by his parents. Still, he never got over his brother stealing Rosmanda away. And he can’t  deny the feelings that even now tempt them back to each other. And when a mistake from her past threatens her reputation, Levi will do whatever it takes to help her—and trust that faith and courage will at last help them claim a future together . . .

Amazon

Kensington –links to all other retailers

 

 

 

 

CBC Interview!

23 Thursday Apr 2020

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I wrote earlier about a CBC (Canadian news) interview that was done, and a print story of the experience came out, as well as on TV!

patricia-johns

Buggies and barn scenes: Alberta writer explains allure of Amish romance novels

So, if you’d like to check out the story, it’s there!

If you want to watch the 2 minute video, it’s right here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VrKz9Z8eII

And speaking of Amish romance, have you picked up my newest release?

***

In stores now!

(All the buy links can be found here on Kensington Books page.)

Thursday's Bride MM

 

For a proper young Amish widow struggling to begin again, encountering her reckless first love will test her forgiveness, resolve—and heart . . .

Overwhelmed by grief and tending twin baby daughters, Rosmanda Lapp is without options. She still blames her brother-in-law, Levi, for her husband’s accidental death—but she and her aging in-laws need him to keep their farm going. Yet as Levi takes on his responsibilities with a new determination and steadiness, she can’t help but regret that she chose his serious-minded brother over him. For Levi is still very much the passionate man she loved—and Rosmanda now has even more reasons to keep him at arm’s length . . .

Levi can’t blame Rosmanda for staying clear of him. He has mistakes to make up for and must finally do right by his parents. Still, he never got over his brother stealing Rosmanda away. And he can’t  deny the feelings that even now tempt them back to each other. And when a mistake from her past threatens her reputation, Levi will do whatever it takes to help her—and trust that faith and courage will at last help them claim a future together . . .

Amazon

Kensington –links to all other retailers

 

 

Reviewers Wanted!

16 Thursday Apr 2020

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UPDATE: I have enough reviewers for this title now. Thanks!

It’s that time again! I am looking for a few good reviewers for my June 2020 release, THE NANNY’S AMISH FAMILY that is being published through Harlequin’s Love Inspired line.  I’m looking for readers who can commit to leaving honest reviews in time for June 1 release.

3.295427.512.9781335488183

They need her help. She needs them…

An Amish bachelor. A motherless child.

Can she turn them into a real family?

Schoolteacher Patience Flaud longs for a family of her own—but knows it can never happen. At least she can help Amish bachelor Thomas Wiebe with his small Englisher daughter. As she settles the child into Amish life, Patience begins falling for the bewildered new father and his heartbroken little girl. But is love enough to make them a permanent family?

 

If you love Amish romance and you’d like to be considered to review this book and post reviews on various online locations, all you have to do is fill out the form below and let me know:

1. A little bit about yourself

2. Where you would be willing to post reviews, such as:

Goodreads
BookBub
Amazon
Facebook
Barnes and Noble
Indigo/Chapters (Canada)
Books-A-Million
Your review site
Any retailer you where you buy your books!

*The review copy is EPUB. Sorry, no exceptions.

 

 

Don’t Miss Out on All That Amish!

13 Monday Apr 2020

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Patricia Davids and I have something in common–we both write Amish romance for more than one publisher/publishing line! If you’re an Amish fan though Love Inspired, I’m sure you’ve heard of Patricia Davids–she’s forty books deep, and an absolute legend.

This spring/summer, we both have Amish books coming out in two different publishing lines, and you don’t want to miss out. Our books are sweet, inspirational, and filled with all that deep Amish character that you’ve been longing for.

headshot-to-use

 

Pat Davids's coverComing May 26,2020
Published by HQN

Sarah Yoder has always dreamed of having a family of her own. But with no eligible prospects, she’s beginning to worry—until the Raber brothers return to Cedar Grove. Sarah and Isaac Raber walked out together the summer they were sixteen, so perhaps he’s the one. If only she had a little help catching his eye…

Levi Raber has no interest in marriage. When his mother reveals her plans to deed the family farm to the first son who marries, Levi has a plan to ensure that it isn’t him: a pretend courtship with Sarah to nudge his competitive brother in her direction. Then Levi can leave town to train racehorses—just as he wanted. So why does Sarah—with her vision of a peaceful, happy life on the land—make his heart gallop? Perhaps the answer lies in the promise of how sweetly surprising love can be.

 

amish teacherReleased March 2020
Published by Love Inspired

The teacher next door could be the mother they need…

Will she return to her old life…or risk everything to build a new one?

Taking a schoolteacher position in another district is just the change Amish spinster Eva Coblentz needs. And with her new neighbor, blacksmith Willis Gingrich, struggling to raise his three orphaned siblings, Eva is determined to help them heal. But when her relatives insist she come home, Eva must choose between the life she left…and the one she’s growing to love.

 

And I have two Amish books through two different publishers!

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Thursday's Bride MM

Released April 2020
Published by Kensington Books

For a proper young Amish widow struggling to begin again, encountering her reckless first love will test her forgiveness, resolve—and heart . . .

Overwhelmed by grief and tending twin baby daughters, Rosmanda Lapp is without options. She still blames her brother-in-law, Levi, for her husband’s accidental death—but she and her aging in-laws need him to keep their farm going. Yet as Levi takes on his responsibilities with a new determination and steadiness, she can’t help but regret that she chose his serious-minded brother over him. For Levi is still very much the passionate man she loved—and Rosmanda now has even more reasons to keep him at arm’s length . . .

Levi can’t blame Rosmanda for staying clear of him. He has mistakes to make up for and must finally do right by his parents. Still, he never got over his brother stealing Rosmanda away. And he can’t deny the feelings that even now tempt them back to each other. And when a mistake from her past threatens her reputation, Levi will do whatever it takes to help her—and trust that faith and courage will at last help them claim a future together . . .

 

3.295427.512.9781335488183

Coming June 2020
Published by Love Inspired

They need her help. She needs them…

An Amish bachelor. A motherless child.

Can she turn them into a real family?

Schoolteacher Patience Flaud longs for a family of her own—but knows it can never happen. At least she can help Amish bachelor Thomas Wiebe with his small Englisher daughter. As she settles the child into Amish life, Patience begins falling for the bewildered new father and his heartbroken little girl. But is love enough to make them a permanent family?

 

If you love Amish romance, you can find both Patricia Davids and I published by more than one publishing line. Patricia Davids writes for Love Inspired, HQN and Kensington Books, and I write Amish romance for Love Inspired and Kensington Books (as well as contemporary romance through Harlequin Heartwarming).

So, if you already love our books from one publisher, why not try our other books, too? You won’t be disappointed!

 

 

Just… thankful

06 Monday Apr 2020

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A lot of things are out of control for us these days. I don’t have to get into details, do I? We’re all in the same boat! And it can feel overwhelming, and scary, and like it’s just going to last so long…

But there is a strange blessing that comes with uncertain times–our perspectives change! The things that topped our priorities a couple of months ago are off the radar. We’re all being forced to slow down–no choice there. And I don’t know about you, but I’ve started being thankful for more elemental things.

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I’m thankful for sunny days, and for groceries that stretch, for that extra bottle of cleaner I didn’t know was under the counter. I’m thankful for a husband I’m happy to be locked up with all weekend, and for that extra inch our son seemed to grow over night… I’m thankful for a good book that gives me a break, for video chat that lets me see my friends’ faces, and for the little gestures that show my husband still loves me heart and soul. I’m thankful for this home–that might not be fancy, but it’s ours, and it’s clean, and it’s safe.

We’re slowing down… and in the enforced simplicity, I’m seeing the blessings all around. We still have so much!

***

In stores now!

(All the buy links can be found here on Kensington Books page.)

Thursday's Bride MM

 

For a proper young Amish widow struggling to begin again, encountering her reckless first love will test her forgiveness, resolve—and heart . . .

Overwhelmed by grief and tending twin baby daughters, Rosmanda Lapp is without options. She still blames her brother-in-law, Levi, for her husband’s accidental death—but she and her aging in-laws need him to keep their farm going. Yet as Levi takes on his responsibilities with a new determination and steadiness, she can’t help but regret that she chose his serious-minded brother over him. For Levi is still very much the passionate man she loved—and Rosmanda now has even more reasons to keep him at arm’s length . . .

Levi can’t blame Rosmanda for staying clear of him. He has mistakes to make up for and must finally do right by his parents. Still, he never got over his brother stealing Rosmanda away. And he can’t  deny the feelings that even now tempt them back to each other. And when a mistake from her past threatens her reputation, Levi will do whatever it takes to help her—and trust that faith and courage will at last help them claim a future together . . .

Amazon

Kensington –links to all other retailers

 

 

It’s Here!

02 Thursday Apr 2020

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book birthday
March 31 was the official release of THURSDAY’S BRIDE, and I’m so thrilled to have this book out in the world!

THURSDAY’S BRIDE is the sequel to THE BISHOP’S DAUGHTER, and it’s the story of Rosmanda, a woman with a secret that just won’t stay hidden. Levi is her late husband’s brother, and he’s the reason she’s a widow. Rosmanda’s the reason Levi is outcast… but there’s still a farm to run, and the attraction that always sparked between them is still there.

I do hope you’ll pick up a copy, either online, or on your next trip to Walmart or Target!

Thursday's Bride MM

For a proper young Amish widow struggling to begin again, encountering her reckless first love will test her forgiveness, resolve—and heart.

Overwhelmed by grief and tending twin baby daughters, Rosmanda Lapp is without options. She still blames her brother-in-law, Levi, for her husband’s accidental death—but she and her aging in-laws need him to keep their farm going. Yet as Levi takes on his responsibilities with a new determination and steadiness, she can’t help but regret that she chose his serious-minded brother over him. For Levi is still very much the passionate man she loved—and Rosmanda now has even more reasons to keep him at arm’s length.

Levi can’t blame Rosmanda for staying clear of him. He has mistakes to make up for and must finally do right by his parents. Still, he never got over his brother stealing Rosmanda away. And he can’t deny the feelings that even now tempt them back to each other. And when a mistake from her past threatens her reputation, Levi will do whatever it takes to help her—and trust that faith and courage will at last help them claim a future together.

****

Kensington Books has a page of links to every retailer, including e-versions, and you can find that HERE.

Barnes and Noble

Walmart

Target

Amazon

Hudson Booksellers

BAM

Indiebound

I do hope you’ll pick up a copy! ❤

Your Favorite Author Might Have More Books For You!

25 Wednesday Mar 2020

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These days, an author often writes books for two or even three different publishers, and all too often, her readers don’t even know! And that, my dear readers, is heartbreaking, because you never know what you’re missing!

For example…

headshot-to-use

 

Patricia Davids is Harlequin royalty. She writes Amish romance, and she has over 40 books out. She’s a USA Today bestselling author who writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired line as well as for HQN, one of Harlequin’s trade lines. 81vmf8zuznl_orig

Patricia Davids’s most recent book, The Amish Teacher’s Dilemma, hit the shelves in February 2020 to rave reviews.

But did you know she’s also published with Kensington Books?

9781496717634She is! She contributed a novella to The Amish Christmas Letters which released September 2019. So if you’re a Patricia Davids fan, don’t miss out on that little gem! You’ll also get novellas by Sarah Price and Jennifer Beckstrand, both of whom have extensive Amish backlists.

Patricia Davids isn’t the only Harlequin author to write for Kensington Books. But it can be difficult to get the word out to readers that their favourite authors publish for different presses. Some readers are incredibly loyal to a particular publishing line because they love what they read there. And I understand that kind of loyalty. When you find what you like, why would you change?  But you might be missing out on more great writing from the same great author. For example, for those of you who snap up the Patricia Davids Love Inspired books, have you picked up her HQNs recently? Or the Kensington collection that features her novella? Because if not, you are seriously missing out!

So I feel like I’m in excellent company in my own crossover writing! I write for two Harlequin lines, Love Inspired and Heartwarming, but I also write for Kensington Books! All together, I have over 25 books out.  If you love Amish romance, my first Amish releases have come out through Kensington Books to very strong reviews!

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Thursday's Bride MM

But I also have my first Amish with Love Inspired coming out this June. So if you discovered me through Kensington Books, surprise! There’s more from me at Harlequin!

3.295427.512.9781335488183

And I want my readers to know about all of my books, not just the publisher they tend to buy from. If you enjoy my writing at Harlequin, why not try my Kensington Books? And if you discovered me at Kensington, I have a hefty backlist at Harlequin!

Take a look at all of my books. I really think you’ll love them!