Today I'm turning my blog over to
Shelley Shepard Gray, with a review of her recent release "
A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn," which happens to be the THIRD BOOK in her
Amish Brides of Pinecraft Series!!
ALSO --
Be sure to sign up for this tour's GIVEAWAY(s) (listed below)!!
[Blog Tour will run from September 15 - 30, 2015 | Giveaway ends on September 30, 2015]
- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Paperback - Pages: 288; Library Binding - Pages: 500; Kindle Edition - File Size: 1576 KB; Audio CD - Unabridged | Expected Release Date: September 15, 2015 | Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers : Avon Books : Inspire | Obtained: Litfuse Publicity Group / edelweiss
"A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn" [Amish Brides of Pinecraft Series, Book 3] by Shelley Shepard Gray (aka Shelley Gray)
Author's Book Description : Beloved bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray returns with the third book in her Amish Brides of Pinecraft series—a story of second chances for two young single parents…and the wedding that brings them together.
Emma Keim was heartbroken when her husband Sanford passed away, leaving her to raise three young daughters alone. In the years since, her relatives have made it no secret that they expect Emma to remain a widow, mourning Sanford indefinitely. But when she meets Jay Hilty—a widower with three young sons of his own—Emma is delighted to have a new friend who understands her struggles. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s also handsome and kind. Still, Emma is dismayed that her family is so opposed to their friendship—and the idea of it ever becoming anything more. She honors her husband’s memory every day, but is she destined to be alone forever?
Jay knows that few people his age understand what it’s like to lose a spouse, and Emma’s gentleness with his boys stirs something in his heart that’s been quiet for far too long. But when Jay’s oldest son becomes engaged to a local woman, suddenly Jay, Emma, and their children are swept up in wedding preparations. Witnessing his son’s joy, Jay wonders if it’s time for him to move forward, too, and find happiness again.
Jay wants to court Emma in earnest, but Emma’s relatives remain troubled by the prospect of her moving on. Once again, love has come to Pinecraft. But can these two parties of four become a happy, healthy family of eight?
My Book Review : 4.5 out of 5 stars! Over a year ago, Jay’s wife passed away, so now he and his sons move to Pinecraft, Florida to make a new life for themselves. While waiting for their new home to be ready Jay meets Emma, an Amish mother of three little girls who is a widower too, who is chasing after her naughty beagle. Has fate/God set them on a path to meet and become something more? Or will moving forward be too hard for them and those around them?
It started and ended with a mischievous dog, named Frankie. He gets into EVERYTHING when it comes to getting the food he wants, and because he’s adorable he gets away with it more than he should. However, if it wasn’t for Frankie’s antics it’s doubtful that Jay and Emma would have gotten as close as they did. Their relationship grows quickly in this novel but I love how it was all handled and the calming effect they have for one another. I could definitely read more about these two if I had the chance. The love that they show for one another and their unique situation kept reminding me of the 1968 version of “
Yours, Mine, and Ours,” even though there is a lot more children in the movie.
The other major relationship that comes together in this novel is between Ben, Jay’s eldest son, and Tricia, Beverly’s—the manager of the Orange Blossom Inn—niece. They have a bit of a whirlwind romance but it’s very sweet. Also, I thought it was cute how their relationship grew from a sort of friendship into romance.
Lastly, this novel is the first out of the series to truly update you on all previous main characters! It was fun to see how everyone was up too.
I HIGHLY recommend this novel and series to those looking for an entertainingly sweet contemporary Amish romance!
Purchase This Book and/or The Other Books From It's Series Here : IndieBound (Paperback) : The Promise of Palm Grove (Book 1) |
IndieBound (Paperback) : The Proposal At Siesta Key (Book 2) |
IndieBound (Paperback) : A Wish on Gardenia Street (Novella 1) |
IndieBound (Paperback) : A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft (Book 4) |
IndieBound (MP3 CD) : The Promise of Palm Grove (Book 1) |
IndieBound (MP3 CD) : The Proposal At Siesta Key (Book 2) |
IndieBound (MP3 CD) : A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft (Book 4) |
IndieBound (Library Binding, Large Print) : The Promise of Palm Grove (Book 1) |
IndieBound (Library Binding, Large Print) : The Proposal At Siesta Key (Book 2) |
IndieBound (Library Binding, Large Print) : A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft (Book 4) |
Kobo (e-Book) : The Promise of Palm Grove (Book 1) |
Kobo (e-Book) : The Proposal At Siesta Key (Book 2) |
Kobo (e-Book) : A Wish on Gardenia Street (Novella 1) |
Kobo (e-Book) : A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft (Book 4) |
Alibris (Paperback) : The Promise of Palm Grove (Book 1) |
Amazon.com (e-Book) : The Promise of Palm Grove (Book 1) |
Amazon.com (e-Book) : The Proposal At Siesta Key (Book 2) |
Amazon.com (e-Book) : A Wish on Gardenia Street (Novella 1) |
Amazon.com (e-Book) : A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft (Book 4)
My Previous Review(s) for this Series : Book 1 |
Book 2
My Previous Review(s) for this Author : Hidden |
Joyful
My Previous Mention(s) of this Author's Books/Characters : Best Book Couples -- Happy Valentine's Day 2015 |
Second Sentence Saturday: The Proposal At Siesta Key
Author's Novel Extras : Pinterest: A WEDDING AT THE ORANGE BLOSSOM INN |
A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn - Overview
Author's Series Extras : Pinterest: THE PROMISE OF PALM GROVE |
The Promise of Palm Grove - Overview |
Pinterest: THE PROPOSAL AT SIESTA KEY |
The Proposal At Siesta Key - Overview |
Pinterest: A Wish on Gardenia Street |
A Wish on Gardenia Street - Overview |
Introducing the Bride Blog |
Bride Blog: Perfect Proposals |
A Visit to NYC |
Bride Blog: Engagements |
A Glimpse Behind the Scenes: Cover Art by Gail Dubov
Book Teaser(s) :
Book Preview :
For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Shelley, then please check out her
website.
About the Author :
Since 2000, Shelley has sold over forty 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.
Shelley also writes historical, western inspirational romances for Abingdon Press as Shelley Gray. Her first novel with Abingdon, "A Texan’s Promise," was released in October 2011 and has earned glowing reviews.
In addition to her writing as Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley has written a dozen novels for Harlequin American Romance under the pseudonym Shelley Galloway. Her first novel with Harlequin, "Cinderella Christmas," reached number six on the Waldenbooks Bestseller list, and her second book for the American Romance line, Simple Gifts, won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Harlequin American Romance of 2006.
Her written essays have appeared on CNN.com
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.
Shelley is a member of RWA’s Published Author chapter, ACFW, and the Faith Hope and Love Chapter of RWA. Please visit www.shelleyshepardgray.com to learn more about Shelley and her books.
Giveaway(s)!! :
When widow Emma’s family opposes her new friendship with widower Jay, she begins to wonder if she’ll be alone forever. Don't miss Shelley Shepard Gray's third book, "A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn," in the Amish Brides of Pinecraft series! A wedding brings together two young widowed parents, and once again, love has come to Pinecraft. But can these two parties of four become a happy, healthy family of eight?
Enter to win a copy of A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn—five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced October 1 on Shelley’s blog!
ALSO -- Be sure to check out Litfuse's other Blog Tour Reviews for this novel!!
Find Shelley Shepard Gray :
