Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good story about two people who have very definite and very different dreams for their futures. Annie has her booming wedding business in the town where she grew up, close to friends and family. She loves helping others achieve their happily-ever-afters even if she has given up on one of her own. Levi is a visitor to their community. He wants to start an Amish community in Texas, fulfilling a dream he's had since he was a child. Being a romance, you know how the story will end, but the journey on this one was full of ups and downs.
I liked both Annie and Levi, though there were times that both of them irritated me. Annie is kind, giving, loves her family, and is more than a little bit stubborn. Her roots go deep in her family's land, its branches extending to her nearby brothers and sisters and their families, as well as the people she's known all her life. I loved her friendship with her Englisch business partner and the unexpected side of Annie that Priscilla reveals later in the book. Annie is not at all pleased with the arrival of Levi Lapp, in his ridiculous boots and silly cowboy hat, with his plans to recruit members of her community to start a new settlement in Texas. She's furious when he turns his sights on her father and brother. Levi is a hard worker, cheerful and charming, and focused on the future. He dreamed of returning to Texas since he was fourteen and his family moved from there to Indiana then to Pennsylvania. When his relative Old Simon in Indiana agrees to be a minister for the new community, Levi knows the time is right. He arrives in Goshen full of confidence and big plans, only to run into a brick wall named Annie.
There were sparks between Annie and Levi from the beginning. Annie made no secret of her disapproval of his plan to tempt people away from Goshen to Texas; she was nearly rude about it. I was impressed by Levi's patience with her attitude. Though it visibly amused him most of the time, there were a few times that it didn't, such as the meeting with the local bishop. Levi doesn't let it get him down for long, which leads Annie to more desperate measures. She talks him into going out with a friend of hers, hoping that he'll fall in love and give up on going to Texas. It backfires a bit when everyone around them sees the sparks and assumes that Levi and Annie are interested in each other. They decide to go on a few fake dates to show everyone how wrong they are for each other, but even that doesn't go as planned. Except for their visions for the future, Annie and Levi find that they like each other quite a lot. I enjoyed their lively banter and seeing them eventually stop fighting. It's easy to see the feelings grow between them, but the main obstacle is still there. It takes a near tragedy to make them look at what is possible if they both want to make it happen. The scene in the hospital room was incredibly emotional as they realize any problem can be overcome if they do it together. The three-years-later epilogue was great.
My only real complaint in the story was that there were several mentions of troubles between Levi and his family, but no details. I got the feeling that those problems were a big part of what drove Levi's dreams, and some details would have helped in understanding his determination.
I liked both Annie and Levi, though there were times that both of them irritated me. Annie is kind, giving, loves her family, and is more than a little bit stubborn. Her roots go deep in her family's land, its branches extending to her nearby brothers and sisters and their families, as well as the people she's known all her life. I loved her friendship with her Englisch business partner and the unexpected side of Annie that Priscilla reveals later in the book. Annie is not at all pleased with the arrival of Levi Lapp, in his ridiculous boots and silly cowboy hat, with his plans to recruit members of her community to start a new settlement in Texas. She's furious when he turns his sights on her father and brother. Levi is a hard worker, cheerful and charming, and focused on the future. He dreamed of returning to Texas since he was fourteen and his family moved from there to Indiana then to Pennsylvania. When his relative Old Simon in Indiana agrees to be a minister for the new community, Levi knows the time is right. He arrives in Goshen full of confidence and big plans, only to run into a brick wall named Annie.
There were sparks between Annie and Levi from the beginning. Annie made no secret of her disapproval of his plan to tempt people away from Goshen to Texas; she was nearly rude about it. I was impressed by Levi's patience with her attitude. Though it visibly amused him most of the time, there were a few times that it didn't, such as the meeting with the local bishop. Levi doesn't let it get him down for long, which leads Annie to more desperate measures. She talks him into going out with a friend of hers, hoping that he'll fall in love and give up on going to Texas. It backfires a bit when everyone around them sees the sparks and assumes that Levi and Annie are interested in each other. They decide to go on a few fake dates to show everyone how wrong they are for each other, but even that doesn't go as planned. Except for their visions for the future, Annie and Levi find that they like each other quite a lot. I enjoyed their lively banter and seeing them eventually stop fighting. It's easy to see the feelings grow between them, but the main obstacle is still there. It takes a near tragedy to make them look at what is possible if they both want to make it happen. The scene in the hospital room was incredibly emotional as they realize any problem can be overcome if they do it together. The three-years-later epilogue was great.
My only real complaint in the story was that there were several mentions of troubles between Levi and his family, but no details. I got the feeling that those problems were a big part of what drove Levi's dreams, and some details would have helped in understanding his determination.
Carole J. (PianoLady357) reviewed The Amish Christmas Matchmaker (Indiana Amish Brides, Bk 4) (Love Inspired, No 1237) on + 157 more book reviews
From the cover, it may seem like The Amish Christmas Matchmaker is simply another Love Inspired series romance, but there's nothing âsimpleâ about the writing of Vannetta Chapman and this story is one of my favorites. The characters may be Amish, but the message knows no spiritual boundaries. The writing is smooth, flows at a steady pace, and there's never a dull moment.
The Amish Christmas Matchmaker takes place in Goshen, Indiana, with Texas literally becoming the elephant in the room that no one talks about â except that it was talked about in this story, and often. Through Chapman's intimate knowledge and love for her state, Texas landscapes are so vividly conveyed that I could see them in my mind. It was also fun to learn an interesting nugget or two, such that the name Texas comes from the Native American word for friend or ally.
The lead characters of Annie and Levi are well drawn and my connection with them was instant. Annie, who runs a thriving wedding-catering business with her English partner and friend, is seemingly content with making other people's happily-ever-after unfold. Levi, with his Stetson and cowboy boots, is not your typical Amish guy as he comes into the Goshen community hoping to convince families to move to Texas. Levi yearns for Texas because it symbolizes a time in his young years when life was good and people could be trusted ⦠âIt wasn't that he wanted more. It was only that he wanted something different than what he had.â
That Annie and Levi would clash is inevitable and I loved some of the early scenes with their lively banter. Anyone who has had a passionate dream in their heart can identify with Levi, but the problem was that his dream was so strong that he viewed every situation and every person through the lens of what he hoped would happen. Annie didn't like change, and neither do I! But there comes a point where you have to humbly seek God's will and trust, laying your dreams at His feet â and that what's this story so gently conveys. I've never given much thought to the Amish practice of silent prayer, but loved how Annie discovered that this forced her to speak to God honestly rather than listening to her father's voice.
Levi might come across as full of himself in the beginning, but their attraction and growing friendship is beautiful to behold. I understood why Levi was so passionate about moving to Texas and why Annie was so determined to stay. While I felt sure things would work out well between them, getting there was so much fun! One of the things I love most about Chapman's writing is how she effortlessly draws me into the emotions of the characters, making me sense what they feel. This description of Annie is a perfect example: âShe clutched her hands in front of her, not because she was afraid, but because she had the sudden urge to reach out and touch him before he disappeared like a mirage that she couldn't prove had ever been there.â
I loved how Chapman brought things together with an ending that was very satisfying. Levi is one of my favorite leading men and the scene where their love is acknowledged â sigh worthy. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The Amish Christmas Matchmaker takes place in Goshen, Indiana, with Texas literally becoming the elephant in the room that no one talks about â except that it was talked about in this story, and often. Through Chapman's intimate knowledge and love for her state, Texas landscapes are so vividly conveyed that I could see them in my mind. It was also fun to learn an interesting nugget or two, such that the name Texas comes from the Native American word for friend or ally.
The lead characters of Annie and Levi are well drawn and my connection with them was instant. Annie, who runs a thriving wedding-catering business with her English partner and friend, is seemingly content with making other people's happily-ever-after unfold. Levi, with his Stetson and cowboy boots, is not your typical Amish guy as he comes into the Goshen community hoping to convince families to move to Texas. Levi yearns for Texas because it symbolizes a time in his young years when life was good and people could be trusted ⦠âIt wasn't that he wanted more. It was only that he wanted something different than what he had.â
That Annie and Levi would clash is inevitable and I loved some of the early scenes with their lively banter. Anyone who has had a passionate dream in their heart can identify with Levi, but the problem was that his dream was so strong that he viewed every situation and every person through the lens of what he hoped would happen. Annie didn't like change, and neither do I! But there comes a point where you have to humbly seek God's will and trust, laying your dreams at His feet â and that what's this story so gently conveys. I've never given much thought to the Amish practice of silent prayer, but loved how Annie discovered that this forced her to speak to God honestly rather than listening to her father's voice.
Levi might come across as full of himself in the beginning, but their attraction and growing friendship is beautiful to behold. I understood why Levi was so passionate about moving to Texas and why Annie was so determined to stay. While I felt sure things would work out well between them, getting there was so much fun! One of the things I love most about Chapman's writing is how she effortlessly draws me into the emotions of the characters, making me sense what they feel. This description of Annie is a perfect example: âShe clutched her hands in front of her, not because she was afraid, but because she had the sudden urge to reach out and touch him before he disappeared like a mirage that she couldn't prove had ever been there.â
I loved how Chapman brought things together with an ending that was very satisfying. Levi is one of my favorite leading men and the scene where their love is acknowledged â sigh worthy. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Kristina A. reviewed The Amish Christmas Matchmaker (Indiana Amish Brides, Bk 4) (Love Inspired, No 1237) on + 1528 more book reviews
The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman is the fourth novel in Indiana Amish Brides series. Each book in this series can be read on its own, but I have found each one a pleasure to read. I thought The Amish Christmas Matchmaker was a unique and creative story. Annie Kauffmann co-owns Plain & Simple Weddings with Englischer, Priscilla. They provide the wedding meal for Amish weddings with their portable kitchen and are quite successful. Then Levi Lapp wearing his cowboy boots and hat comes to town and starts touting Texas to recruit Amish families for a new settlement. When Annie sees that gleam in her father's eye, she knows he is considering the move. Annie sets out to derail Levi by convincing him to go out on dates with some of her friends. Annie hopes he will fall in love and forget about faraway Texas. I had to laugh at Levi with his cowboy hat and boots spouting numerous facts about Texas. Thanks to Vannetta Chapman's word imagery, I could picture him in my head. This is such a cute story featuring two very different people, but they do say that opposites attract. We see the importance of praying for guidance and listening to God. Sometimes we get so caught up in an idea, that we forget to see if it is what God wants for us. The Amish Christmas Matchmaker is an engaging story that will hold your attention until you turn the very last page. I appreciated the epilogue which nicely wrapped up this cute story. The only thing I felt was lacking from this charming tale was the feeling of Christmas. The Amish Christmas Matchmaker is an amusing Amish romance with Texas trivia, wondrous weddings, fabulous food along with one willful woman and a fanciful fellow.
