Sunday, November 20, 2011

Review/Giveaway: Christmas in Sugarcreek

A WINNING READINGS GIVEAWAY!

Title: Christmas in Sugarcreek
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Genre: Amish Christmas fiction
How to enter: Leave a comment on THIS post right here! If you're a subscriber or a follower, leave a second comment for a second entry.
Entry deadline: December 10, 2011
Restrictions: Open internationally!

That's right, enter right here for this giveaway.  This is my review copy, so it has been gently read.

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This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Christmas In Sugarcreek
Avon Inspire (October 25, 2011)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Abingdon Press. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page


ABOUT THE BOOK


Judith Graber has always been the obedient daughter. When her older brother Josh struggled with his love life, she offered wise counsel. When her younger brother Caleb flirted with the idea of leaving their order, she firmly told him he was wrong. Over the years, she’s watched her younger siblings, helped around the house, and worked in her family’s store during her spare time. Judith feels overworked, overlooked, and underappreciated this holiday season.

But everything changes when her father hires Ben Knox.

Ben Knox is the “bad boy” of Sugarcreek. Though he’s never considered jumping the fence, he’s certainly never tried to be anything close to dutiful. Two years ago he left Sugarcreek under a cloud of shame. Rumors circulated that his rumspringa had been filled with more than the usual harmless explorations.

Now he’s back and working side by side with Judith.

As the chaos of the holiday season threatens to sap all joy, sparks fly between Ben and Judith. But Judith steels herself to ignore her infatuation. The last thing she wants to be is just one more girl who falls under Ben’s spell. Ben, on the other hand, wants Judith to realize there’s more to him than his bad reputation. When he fled Sugarcreek, he was running from a disruptive home life. Now that he’s back, he wants a fresh beginning.

Could this Christmas season bring love and a new life for the unlikeliest pair in Sugarcreek?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Christmas In Sugarcreek, go HERE.
What I Liked: 

It's been a while since I've read Amish fiction, and this was a sweet segue back into the genre as it incorporates the meeting of English and Amish worlds.  Romance is the heart of the story, though it also emphasizes family values, Christ as the meaning of Christmas, and God as the bestower of blessings.

There are several storylines woven throughout the book, each having its own feel-good, lesson-learned finale.  Though not the main romance, my favorite storyline had to be a variation on the Gift of the Magi story, a classic that never fails to move me. 

What I Didn't Like: 


This book is part of a series, and while I was able to follow the storyline easily enough, I did find myself wishing I had read the previous books of the series to better understand the backgrounds.

58 comments:

sweetheart8181 said...

I would love to win this book!

My email is sweetheart8181@yahoo.com

Christina Gould said...

I love reading stories about the Amish. Thanks for the giveaway!

Christina Gould said...

I'm a follower.

Merry said...

I'd love to be entered, this sounds like a sweet story. Thanks!
worthy2bpraised at gmail dot com

Merry said...

I'm a follower.
worthy2bpraised at gmail dot com

blue65829 said...

I would love to win this novel, thanks for the chance!
blue65829 at aol dot com

Pat said...

I love Amish fiction and would love to win!

pbabcock2004(at)yahoo(dot)com

Pat said...

GFC Follower

pbabcock2004(at)yahoo(dot)com

Cathy W said...

Thanks for the giveaway! This sounds like s good read.
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com

Cathy W said...

I'm an email subscriber and follow on GFC
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I would love to win a copy of this book.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

daysease said...

So happy about Christmas giveaways!! Looks like a sweet read. Thanks for the chance.

celita

daysease said...

I am a follower, too... Yay!!

Marta G. (A Bilingual Baby) said...

Hi! I’d love to read this book. Thank you! Best regards from Spain, Marta martaplayita at gmail dot com

Marta G. (A Bilingual Baby) said...

Hi again! I follow your blog via email subscription. Thank you! Marta martaplayita at gmail dot com

karenk said...

thanks for the chance to read this crhistmas story :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

karenk said...

i'm a follower :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

karenk said...

i'm an email subscriber, too ;)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

apple blossom said...

love Amish and Christmas books

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

Renee G said...

Would love to read this.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(dot)com

Julie W said...

I love Amish books :) Thank you for the great giveaway!

farmermomwife at yahoo dot com

Julie W said...

GFC follower jwal90

farmermomwife at yahoo dot com

Nicole C. said...

I would love to read this book.

choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

Nicole C. said...

I follow on gfc.

choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I love Amish fiction! This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Anonymous said...

email subscriber

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Kathy said...

These are the kind of books I really like. Thank you for the chance to win.

Desmond said...

Count me in, please!

dwarzel at hotmail.com

crystletellerday said...

i like to read crystletellerday@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

My mom has been reading a series of Amish books lately & really enjoying them. I would love to give her this one for Christmas.

drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com

Unknown said...

GFC: Kathy Merkel

tracey said...

thanks for a great giveaway
traceyj40@sbcglobal.net

tracey said...

GFC follower traceyj40
traceyj40@sbcglobal.net

kim miller said...

This sounds like a good book.

embracelove@care2.com

Valerie Taylor Mabrey said...

GFC follow
Valerie Taylor Mabrey
vmkids3 at msn dot com

Anonymous said...

i love a good book

jim.coyne2@verizon.net

Anonymous said...

i follow via GFC James

jim.coyne2@verizon.net

mom2girls said...

This looks great, I would love to read this book :)
tracyschultz@yahoo.com

Melanie Montgomery said...

what a great read for the holidays.


clarkmurdock@yahoo.com

Candie L said...

I am following your blog. Thank you

candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com

Candie L said...

Please enter me in your contest. Thank you

candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com

ABCD Diaries said...

I would love to win! christinbanda at yahoo dot com

ABCD Diaries said...

gfc follower:)
christinbanda at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the Christmas reads!

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

Rhonda said...

I would like to see how the conflict resolves
rhondastruthersatyahoo.ca

Rhonda said...

Follower
rhondastruthersatyahoo.ca

Anonymous said...

I sure this would be a great read for those long winter evenings. Thanks.
lorenalke@tyahoo.com

daveshir2005 said...

I would love to win a copy.

daveshir2005@yahoo.com

daveshir2005 said...

gfc follower daveshir2005

daveshir2005@yahoo.com

Lisa P. said...

Thanks for the giveaway!
lafittelady at gmail dot com

Lisa P. said...

GFC follower ~ Lisa Blogs

Unknown said...

Christian fiction is great reading. I think most crave a simpler way to life!!


lknott@partnercom.net

Unknown said...

I am a GFC Follower!!


lknott@partnercom.net

Sand said...

This sounds like a great book.
ATREAU at GMAIL dotcom.

Bakersdozen said...

I would love to read this. vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I would love to read this book. Thanks for the giveaway. garrettsambo@aol.com

Donna said...

It sounds very nice.
donna444444@yahoo.com