An Amish Christmas Star - by Shelley Shepard Gray & Charlotte Hubbard & Rosalind Lauer (Paperback)

I love books with several authors together writing in their unique style to give readers a wonderful collection for all to enjoy. I love that a star is the focal point in each story as they celebrate Christmas. BUGGIES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES by SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY I was so excited to be on the journey with John and Ellie. They meet under circumstances beyond their control. Each are trying to get home to someone who needs help. John is going to see his father who doesn’t have long to live. They haven’t spoken in years, which will be difficult for John. Ellie is going to take care of her grandmother. They look out for each other as they are removed from a van where a very unpleasant driver was. I loved their adventure on the train. I never thought about motion sickness on a train, but I can see how that would be a problem for some. As the train reaches the end for them, they still need to find other transportation to get to their final destination. The story is filled with meeting kind people as they travel and find that they both seem to get along with each other. The ending is sweet and I loved how the author illustrated forgiveness. I loved how two strangers trust God and learn that He had a plan for them to meet and change their lives. STAR OF WONDER BY CHARLOTTE HUBBARD This story gave me a better insight into the Mennonites. Raymond wants to sell his signs and finds the perfect place at a store. But his parents aren’t sure it is a good idea since the Mennonites don’t follow their beliefs. I have always thought about how difficult it would be to be shunned by family and the community. Mennonites allow their members to confess their sins and be forgiven. Raymond is ready to move out on his own and hopes he gets the chance to do so while selling his signs and working at the store. Lizzie sure was interested in Raymond right away. She almost seemed pushy at times but her heart is pure and I liked how she encouraged Raymond. I love that she gets a chance to bake cookies again after leaving the bakery she used to work at. She has a gift for being fast and making the cookies so tasty. The significance of the star in this story is very emotional. Lizzie is reminded that “like a star we shine in our own special way.” What a great reminder that we may be different but we all have something that makes us special in God’s eyes. As feelings growing stronger between the two, Raymond starts to feel pressure from his dad. He is not in agreement that Raymond should be seeing Lizzie and thinks Raymond could be shunned if he continues his relationship with her. The story is a beautiful illustration of following God and giving grace to those who are in need. I loved the transformation of one character and it filled me with hope. “You never can tell which little things we do and say will lead someone to follow God’s star.” STARLIGHT EVERLASTING BY ROSALIND LAUER Rachel and Luke are newlyweds and are finding it hard to be together. Luke’s job keeps him away from home during the week. Each time they are together you can feel the love between them. As Christmas draws near, Luke finds out that he has to work during the holidays. He is having a hard time working at the factory and pray that soon he will find a job closer to home. This story is a look at faith and how we need to trust God. He knows the desires of our heart and wants His children to turn to Him with our needs. Luke and Rachel are waiting for the right job to come along so Luke won’t have to be away from home. What a blessing they receive and are surprised by the outpouring of support from family and friends. The ending is a wonderful blessing that finds Luke and Rachel feeling happy and excited for the future.

Well, I just really enjoyed this sweet romance. It was so enjoyable to watch the characters change and grow in the their own respective ways. Becca had a goal to travel and needed to train a replacement for her job at the Amish Market. Gideon's father sent him from Texas to Indiana to fill Becca's shoes. He is missing Texas and his smaller community of Beeville. As the story continues, the love story starts to bloom. Going from friends to falling in love in a sweet way was fun to see. It was interesting to read about her plans to join the Mennonite Disaster Services and to find out about what they do to help others. I love Amish Markets and shops so it was a fun read. I received a copy of this book from the author and was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

An Amish Christmas Star by Shelley Shepard Gray, Charlotte Hubbard, and Rosalind Lauer contains three heartwarming novellas. I enjoyed each one of these charming holiday tales. They are well-written and engaging. They remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. I like stories where there are Christmas miracles. I enjoyed returning to Promise Lodge in Star of Wonder by Charlotte Hubbard. Lizzie was a delightful character. I loved her enthusiasm and her style of dress. Those who have read the Promise Lodge stories will want to see what happens in this novella. I love how the author brought about the Christmas miracle. Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles by Shelley Shepard Gray is a cute story. I laughed several times while reading this one. John and Ellie are trying to get home. Their journey was certainly unique. I like to think that they are truly good people out there who would help people in need. Starlight Everlasting by Rosalind Lauer is a touching story. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Christmas shop with the picket fence and manager. I like how the faith element was worked into each story. I enjoyed the star theme and how it was presented in each novella. These sweet stories are full of hope, determination, love, and the most important, faith. God will truly show us the right path to take if we let him. An Amish Christmas Star has three touching tales with raucous rock, candy bar repasts, curious clothing, a speedy scooter, a bad-mannered bishop, work woes, sparkling stars, and happily ever afters.

This three story collection seeks to celebrate the joys of Christmas and the traditions of the Amish heritage. Authors Shelley Shepard Gray, Charlotte Hubbard, and Rosalind Lauer have combined their efforts in crafting this celebration of coming home for the holidays and being with friends and family. *Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles by Shelley Shepard Gray tells the story of John and Ellie trying to make their way from Florida to Ohio, and along the way, they meet quite an interesting cast of characters. From a missed bus to train sickness, to finding themselves sheltering in a church for the evening, these two are in for an adventure. And perhaps find loving in their misadventures. *In Star of Wonder by Charlotte Hubbard, Raymond has set off to find his own way as an artist when he meets Mennonite Lizzie, an over enthusiastic store clerk. But when he faces opposition from his Old Order Amish bishop, will love and grace find a way to restore relationships? *Starlight Everlasting by Rosalind Lauer shares the story of Luke and Rachel, struggling to help her family after the devastating loss of Rachel's mother. Facing their first Christmas apart, the couple must wrestle with the challenge of moving and starting over. All three stories shared the common themes of family, God's will, and finding romance. And they were all connected with a star theme as well. My favorite of the three was certainly Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles as the storyline was fresh and original, and the characters of John and Ellie were well-written. Each novella was unique in its own right and made for a nice collection just before the holidays. Collections like this make for a refreshing read during the holiday season as they can be read in short snippets of time and refocus the reader on the joys of the season. Overall, I enjoyed this title and was delighted to be introduced to a couple of new authors. *Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this title from the publisher. All opinions are my own.