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Ruth's Ginger Snap Surprise - (The Heart of the Amish) by Anne Blackburne (Paperback)
$13.69 sale price when purchased online
$14.99 list price
Target Online store #3991
About this item
Highlights
- Ruth Defies Authority to Hold on to her Family Farm Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.
- Author(s): Anne Blackburne
- 256 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Christian
- Series Name: The Heart of the Amish
Description
About the Book
Ruth defies authority to hold on to her family farm. Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country. Ruth Helmuth has never been rude in her life; trust her to choose the bishop of her Amish community for her first time! Ruth has worked hard to keep body and soul together since her husband, Levi's, death. She tends her herd of goats, making her living from the milk and fiber she gets from them, all while running a farm and household by herself--and very competently, thank you! How could she imagine the bishop suggesting she should give it all up to another family, who will "make better use of the space"? Enter widower Jonas Hershberger, owner of a pair of adorable dimples and father of a charming 4-year-old daughter. Jonas is in need of a larger place to house his growing business. Ruth's big red barn may be just the ticket. Little Abigail is in need of a new mother. Ruth might be just the ticket there, too! Can two independent souls learn to work together for their mutual good? And will they be willing to explore what grows between them? Or will Ruth's fear over her "big secret" and Jonas's caution about allowing someone new to get close to his young daughter, kill their love before it has a chance to grow? Luckily for both of them, God's plan involves the stubborn pair getting a little help in the form of a wise, elderly friend; a quirky orange kitten; and a smart little girl who takes one look at Ruth and decides she would make her the perfect new mother!Book Synopsis
Ruth Defies Authority to Hold on to her Family FarmFull of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country. Ruth Helmuth has never been rude in her life; trust her to choose the bishop of her Amish community for her first time! Ruth has worked hard to keep body and soul together since her husband, Levi's, death. She tends her herd of goats, making her living from the milk and fiber she gets from them, all while running a farm and household by herself--and very competently, thank you! How could she imagine the bishop suggesting she should give it all up to another family, who will "make better use of the space"? Enter widower Jonas Hershberger, owner of a pair of adorable dimples and father of a charming 4-year-old daughter. Jonas is in need of a larger place to house his growing business. Ruth's big red barn may be just the ticket. Little Abigail is in need of a new mother. Ruth might be just the ticket there, too! Can two independent souls learn to work together for their mutual good? And will they be willing to explore what grows between them? Or will Ruth's fear over her "big secret" and Jonas's caution about allowing someone new to get close to his young daughter, kill their love before it has a chance to grow? Luckily for both of them, God's plan involves the stubborn pair getting a little help in the form of a wise, elderly friend; a quirky orange kitten; and a smart little girl who takes one look at Ruth and decides she would make her the perfect new mother! The Heart of the Amish Series Also Includes:
The Flower Quilter by Mindy Steele
The Quilt Room Secret by Lisa Jones Baker
Courting the Amish Bishop by Mindy Steele
Mary's Calico Hope by Anne Blackburne
Review Quotes
"Fully original and inherently riveting read from start to finish, Ruth's Ginger Snap Surprise is impressively and memorably entertaining. . ."-- "Midwest Book Review" (1/1/2024 12:00:00 AM)
"Blackburne debuts with a stirring second-chance Amish romance. . ."-- "Publishers Weekly" (10/4/2023 12:00:00 AM)
Dimensions (Overall): 8.39 Inches (H) x 5.56 Inches (W) x .48 Inches (D)
Weight: .58 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 256
Series Title: The Heart of the Amish
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Christian
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Theme: Romance, General
Format: Paperback
Author: Anne Blackburne
Language: English
Street Date: December 1, 2023
TCIN: 88954622
UPC: 9781636096896
Item Number (DPCI): 247-06-6768
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 0.48 inches length x 5.56 inches width x 8.39 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.58 pounds
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4.7 out of 5 stars with 7 reviews
100% would recommend
7 recommendations
Love the Second Time Around!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Tickmenot - 1 year ago
Ruth, a thirty-three-year-old Amish widow, has kept her life running smoothly on her own. She raises goats, making cheese, soap, and fibers from them, and the profits support her. Jonas, a widower with an adorable four-year-old daughter, has a basket business near Ruth. Since these two have circumstances that bring them together, a relationship between the two should naturally flow. But outside forces constantly work against them. Her bishop thinks Ruth should give up her family farm. He wants her to sell it to a man who would make better use of it than a woman! He will not take no for an answer, and continues to bring buyers to her home to see if they want to purchase it. He also has just the person he thinks Ruth should marry. The bishop’s conniving granddaughter, Evelyn, also won't take no for an answer. She wants Jonas for herself. Evelyn creates a trap for him, that if successful, will force him to marry her. To make things worse, Jonas botches it when he speaks to Ruth, leaving her thinking he is only interested in her because of the work she can do. This causes Ruth to believe Jonas does not have feelings for her. There are some funny parts to the story, especially concerning cats, and the normal Amish practice of not keeping one indoors. Also, Ruth and Jonas are devoted to their faith, and five delicious Amish recipes are included. This five-star book will keep you cheering for these two, but wondering if they will ever get together. Often the course of true love does not run smoothly. It certainly does not in this case, making this bumpy road of romance a great clean tale. This will be enjoyed by fans of Amish books, and well-written stories. Thank you, Barbour Publishing, for providing Tickmenot with a book to review. Opinions are my own.
Sweet - I loved it
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Vera - 1 year ago
Guaranteed delightful! A sweet, gentle read. Faith based lives lived out in the gentle, caring Amish community. A sweet, slow blossoming romance between two who have lost their previous spouses to death. A precocious four-year-old sweetie that captures your heart. A wise grandmotherly lady who bestows love and kindness. And some sweet kitties to warm your hearts. I highly recommend this sweet read. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.
Moving On
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Target Shopper - 1 year ago
Ruth Helmuth had been married to her husband, Levi for fifteen years when he died. Since they had no children she was left alone to care for the farm the goats she raised and the sops she made to support herself. Although lonely she never thought of finding another husband although she was only thirty-three years old. Jonas Herberger has a daughter Abigail and is raising her with the help of his sister along with someone who watches her while he is working since her mother died at birth. He is a good father and tries to spend as much time as he can with her. Abraham Troyer, the Bishop of the district thinks Ruth should sell the farm and move back home and let a family with children have the house. He feels it is too big for her to handle and no need to keep it. Ruth is respectful to the Bishop but refuses to move. When an opportunity comes along for her to rent the top of her barn to Jonas to run his basket business Ruth jumps at the opportunity. Jonas and Ruth suddenly start seeing more of each other and possibly realize it is time for both of them to move on. Very enjoyable and first time I read this author.
Good Amish story
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Sunnie Reviews - 1 year ago
I thought this was such a sweet and pleasant book to read. After a hectic month, I needed a relaxing and enjoyable read and this book was just that for me. I loved the kitten factor. I loved the pushy bishop and all the characters were very likeable in their own ways, including even obnoxious Evelyn. The story is nice in every way and I hope to read more from this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
All the “feels”
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Gail Hollingsworth - 1 year ago
A sweet, heartwarming Amish story by a new to me author. I was very impressed with Ruth and how she, a thirty something widow, was very self sufficient. She had several money making chores with new ideas coming to her all along. Although I believe he had good intentions, I did not like the way her bishop was trying to force her to do things she had no mind to do. Jonas, who had lost his wife in childbirth, finds himself being pulled into Ruth’s “gravitational field”. His young daughter becomes friends with Ruth and is attracted to her new kitten Ginger Snap. She was so adorable, especially when she was trying to get her dad to let her get a kitten too. This novel had all the “feels” and was hard to put down once I finished the last page. I would love to see more books from this author written about the people in this community. Maybe the bishop would finally find his own bride closer to his age? I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.
Impressive Debut
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Lucy Reynolds - 1 year ago
A very impressive debut novel. I love when a fresh voice in a genre knocks it out of the ballpark on the first swing. It was sweet, inspirational, great characters with flaws and facing the difficulties life throws at them. Ruth and Jonas are each learning to navigate life without their spouses but it looks different for each of them. Jonas has a spirited daughter that you just want to squeeze and a thriving basket making business while Ruth is alone except for her goats, dogs, and a cat. Throw in a bishop that is trying to complicate her life and a dear friend that gives her advice and you have an interesting, complicated story that makes you keep turning pages to find out the outcome. I was impressed with this new author and look forward to reading more. I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
A sweet story!
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
- 1 year ago
Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise by Anne Blackburne is a sweet story. I thought the book was well-written with realistic, developed characters. I enjoyed getting to know Ruth Helmuth, Jonas Hershberger, and little Abigail Hershberger. I could not believe that Ruth’s bishop, Abram Troyer suggested that she sell her family farm, which held many memories for her, because she lived alone. The bishop felt a family could make better use of the large house and property. Ruth is a good businesswoman. She has her herd of wily goats. Ruth uses their milk and fiber. She comes up with other ways to utilize the property and earn money. I liked learning about Jonas and his sister’s basket business. Their baskets sounded lovely, especially the Christmas baskets. You can feel that faith is a part of the character’s daily lives. They pray to God for guidance and assistance. They know that He will provide in His own time. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled through the story. The kitten that Ruth receives from her dear friend, Lydia Coblentz, provides many lighthearted moments. Lydia knew what she was doing when she gifted the ginger kitten to Ruth. A couple of Ruth’s friends also received kittens. Lydia is an insightful woman. Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise may be the second book in The Heart of the Amish series, but it can be read as a standalone. I especially enjoyed the heartwarming ending. I finished Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise with a smile on my face.