The Second Christmas by Marta Perry

 

The warmth of the Christmas season and a woman’s return home to the charming Amish community of Promise Glen opens the door to a second chance at love.

When Leah Beiler pictured returning to Promise Glen, she imagined taking everything she learned from her aunt’s business in Upstate New York and starting up a quaint herbal tea shop of her own. What she didn’t expect was for Josiah Burkhalter to insist on helping her. Josiah might have been her childhood sweetheart but they’ve both changed a lot since then and Leah’s not sure she can trust the man who once broke her heart.
 
Josiah is determined to make the most of this unexpected second chance. When he hears of Leah’s plans to open her own shop, he resolves to help in any way he can—beginning his gentle campaign to win her back by renovating the small cottage on her family’s farm.
 
During her time away, Leah looked forward to once again spending the holiday season with her family, especially Second Christmas, December 26th, a time of celebrating with extended family and close neighbors like the Burkhalters. But as Christmas nears, her feelings for Josiah grow more confused, strengthened by their time of working together. Now it will take all the magic of the season for Leah to confront her fears and reach for the love she deserves.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 

I realized I wanted to be a writer at age eight, when I read my first Nancy Drew novel, The Secret of the Old Clock. Most little girl reach the end of that book wanting to be Nancy. I wanted to be the person who created the story!

The dream lay hidden for years while I became a teacher, married, had children...all the usual things. But eventually it re-surfaced, and I began to write, beginning with short children's stories for Sunday school take-home papers. It seemed a long time until that first acceptance, but eventually I began to sell. After some three hundred published short stories, I finally found the courage to work on the novel I'd always wanted to write.

Sixty-some published novels later, I still feel the same excitement every time I begin a new book--a mix of not believing I can do it combined with an overwhelming urge to see the story on the page.

A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania and my own Pennsylvania Dutch roots eventually led me to the books I'm writing now about the Amish. The Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley Books are longer, more complex emotional stories with Amish main characters, while my forthcoming HQN suspense novels are more adventure-filled books set in Pennsylvania Dutch country. I'm also writing a Love Inspired series about the Amish, The Brides of Lost Creek.

When I'm not writing, I'm busy with church activities, traveling, and spending time with my three children and six beautiful grandchildren.

Website 

 

My Review

 Forgiveness is so prevalent in this read, and one of the cornerstones of Amish faith. Leah Beiler left her family with her heart in pieces and hoping to begin a new life and hopes of taking over her aunts herbal tea business, but as this book opens Leah is back home and now her Dad has recruited her old friend and former boyfriend to help repair and build her own shop.

The journey to forgiveness is not easy, but sometimes it is so very hard that it takes awhile to come to terms in your own mind.

I loved how the author dealt with this tough topic, and we get to see, or read, how this all works out! Will it be as you hoped?

Now I'm looking for more reads by Marta Perry!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Berkley, and was not required to give a positive review.