A Christmas Haven: An Amish Christmas Romance

A Christmas Haven by Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall picks up shortly after The Christmas Remedy ends. While A Christmas Haven can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading The Christmas Remedy first. There is a cast of characters at the beginning of the book. I found the book to be well-written with developed characters and thoughtful pacing. Ivy Zook finds the rules of her community restrictive and she believes going Englisch will allow her to be free to pursue her dream of having a party planning business. Arlan Keim gives up everything to help his sister, Magda get the medical treatment she needs and save her from the future her parents have planned for her. I liked how Arlan saw Ivy’s way of life in a totally different light. Someone from the outside can give you a different perspective as Arlan did for Ivy. The story is filled with hope which I found uplifting. I like that we get to catch up with Holly and Joshua from The Christmas Remedy as well as Red Zook. There is a sweet epilogue that gives a look at Ivy, Josh, Magda, Red, Arlan, and Holly’s lives a year later. A Christmas Haven has hope, love, heartache, joy, and forgiveness. We see that you never know what God will have in store for you. You just need to be patient, pray and follow His lead. I like how Arlan and Ivy bonded over books. I was shocked to learn the Swartzentruber Amish do not read fiction. My favorite phrase from A Christmas Haven is “Who I am can’t be defined by breaking bonds with my family. It can only be defined by blooming right where He planted me.” A Christmas Haven is a fulfilling novel with party planning, an auto accident, a benevolent bishop, restrictive rules and a wonderful wedding.

A Christmas Haven An Amish Christmas Romance By Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall Ivy Zook wants to leave the confinement of her Old Order Amish upbringing behind - she wants the freedom to be herself. But to do this she'll have to hurt her family and walk away from the family farm. Not wanting to leave her mother with the daily labor of the farm she pushes her mother to sell the farm. But with her sister Holly's wedding soon to be upon them Ivy temporarily postpones her plans. Arlan Keim is desperate to get his sister Magda the medical help she needs. His family is an ultraconservative sect that shuns everything modern and any perceived sin is met with the strictest measures by their father. But when their trip for medicine ends with a crash into Greene's Pharmacy their plans are suddenly upset. The Zooks open their home to the Keim siblings as Magda recovers and Arlan offers to help around the farm - milking the cows, making repairs, and helping out with the crops. Can the kinder freer attitude of the Zook's community offer something that will appeal to Arlan and Magda? Christmas is a time for miracles and grace and A Christmas Haven has both as Ivy, Holly, Arlan, and Magda all find something worth having. At approximately 200 pages this book is a surprisingly quick read. The story is well-paced and enjoyable. One can relate to the characters as they navigate life and try to find where they fit in it. I really like Ivy and like how her character just comes alive and she makes the scenes something more with her very presence. I was provided a complimentary of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.