Cheryl's Book Nook

  Dawn Dixon can hardly believe she's on a groomless honeymoon on beautiful Cape Cod . . . with her mother. Sure, Marnie Dixon is good company, but Dawn was supposed to be here with Kevin, the love of her life (or so she thought). Marnie Dixon needs some time away from the absolute realness of life as much as her jilted daughter does, and she's not about to let her only child suffer alone--even if Marnie herself had been doing precisely that for the past month. Given the circumstances, maybe it was inevitable that Marnie would do something as rash as buy a run-down ice-cream shop in the town's tightly regulated historic district. After all, everything's better with ice cream. Her exasperated daughter knows that she's the one who will have to clean up this mess. Even when her mother's impulsive real estate purchase brings Kevin back into her life, Dawn doesn't get her hopes up. Everyone knows that broken romances stay broken . . . don't they? Welcome to a...

Back and broke in Stoney Ridge, Jimmy Fisher has coasted as long as he could through life on charm, good looks, and deep-set dimples. They always worked just fine for him—until they didn't. His smile has no effect on the violet-eyed beauty he met at the Bent N' Dent, the one with that stunning horse. She's offered him a job, but nothing else. The last thing Sylvie Schrock King needs around Rising Star Farm is a grown boy working for her, especially her neighbor Edith's son. The woman holds a serious grudge against Sylvie and her son, and hiring Jimmy Fisher will only fan the flames of Edith's rancor. But Sylvie is desperate for help on the farm, and Jimmy understands horses like no one else. While Jimmy's lazy smile and teasing ways steal Sylvie's heart, Edith is working on a way to claim her land. Has Sylvie made another terrible mistake? Or is it too late to outfox the fox? More importantly . . . just who is the fox? Writing with both wit and warm...

Phoebe Starbuck has always adjusted her sails and rudder to the whims of her father. Now, for the first time, she's doing what she wants to do: marrying Captain Phineas Foulger and sailing far away from Nantucket. As she leaves on her grand adventure, her father gives her two gifts, both of which Phoebe sees little need for. The first is an old sheepskin journal from Great Mary, her highly revered great-grandmother. The other is a "minder" on the whaling ship in the form of cooper Matthew Mitchell, a man whom she loathes. Soon Phoebe discovers that life at sea is no easier than life on land. Lonely, seasick, and disillusioned, she turns the pages of Great Mary's journal and finds herself drawn into the life of this noble woman. To Phoebe's shock, her great-grandmother has left a secret behind that carries repercussions for everyone aboard the ship, especially her husband the captain and her shadow the cooper. This story within a story catapults Phoebe into seein...

In 1737, Anna Konig and her fellow church members stagger off a small wooden ship after ten weeks at sea, eager to start a new life in the vibrant but raw Pennsylvania frontier. On the docks of Port Philadelphia waits bishop Jacob Bauer, founder of the settlement and father to ship carpenter Bairn. It's a time of new beginnings for the reunited Bauer family, and for Anna and Bairn's shipboard romance to blossom. But this perfect moment cannot last. As Bairn grasps the reality of what it means to be Amish in the New World--isolated, rigid with expectations, under the thumb of his domineering father--his enthusiasm evaporates. When a sea captain offers the chance to cross the ocean one more time, Bairn grabs it. Just one more crossing, he promises Anna. But will she wait for him? When Henrik Newman joins the church just as it makes its way to the frontier, Anna is torn. He seems to be everything Bairn is not--bold, devoted, and delighted to vie for her heart. And the most dra...

It was a well-laid plan--but it wasn't her plan . . . It's all her grandmother's fault. For the last few months, Abigail Stoltzfus has helped her father with his genealogical research, hoping that breaking through a client's brick wall would also break his melancholy. But now her intrusive grandmother has set her sights on marrying off Abigail and insists she come to Stoney Ridge, where there is a plethora of eligible bachelors. Except that Mammi is mistaken. There are no eligible bachelors in Stoney Ridge, barring one, and he's all wrong. Dane Glick has the wrong last name and the wrong relatives--including the bishop who is at odds over a church matter with Abigail's uncle, minister David Stoltzfus. As the conflict grows, setting family against family, it's becoming clear that the path to a solution may lead to a Quieting--a removal of a church leader. But for which one? And when Abigail stumbles onto a curious connection during her genealogical r...

Some endings are really beginnings . . . On a hot day in 1737 in Rotterdam, Anna König reluctantly sets foot on the Charming Nancy , a merchant ship that will carry her and her fellow Amish believers across the Atlantic to start a new life. As the only one in her community who can speak English, she feels compelled to go. But Anna is determined to complete this journey and return home--assuming she survives. She's heard horrific tales of ocean crossings and worse ones of what lay ahead in the New World. But fearfulness is something Anna has never known. Ship's carpenter Bairn resents the somber people--dubbed Peculiars by the deckhands--who fill the lower deck of the Charming Nancy . All Bairn wants to do is to put his lonely past behind him, but that irksome and lovely lass Anna and her people keep intruding on him. Delays, storms, illness, and diminishing provisions test the mettle and patience of everyone on board. When Anna is caught in a life-threatening situation, ...

Bess Riehl is preparing Rose Hill Farm for her Christmas wedding, but her groom isn't who she thought it would be. Billy Lapp is far away from his Amish roots working as a rose rustler for Penn State and wants nothing to do with Stoney Ridge, his family, or Bess. And that suits Bess just fine. Why should she think twice about a man who left without a word, without any explanation? It's time she moved on with her life, and that meant saying yes to Amos Lapp, Billy's cousin and best friend. But as Bess and Amos's wedding day draws near, her emotions tangle into a tight knot. She loves Amos. Yet she can't forget Billy. When a "lost" rose is discovered at Rose Hill Farm, Billy is sent to track down its origins. Get in, identify the rose, and get out. That's his plan. The only catch is that he's having a hard time narrowing down the identity of the lost rose, and he can't get those tropical blue eyes of Bess Riehl out of his mind. As the history o...

Review by Blanche Mancuso Suzanne Woods Fisher pens a story of Amish faith at Eagle Hill Inn, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Revealing is the third and final book in this series. Mrs. Fisher writes a good conclusion to this series. You can read these books separate or together. However I would recommend reading them all as you will enjoy them all. I loved all of the characters in this book. They all drew me in like I was part of the family. The truth shall set you free. In doing so you just might find love. Naomi may be soft spoken but she did have a lot to say. Also because of her loyalty, she won me over instantly. The romance was sweet and was just the right amount of balance for this story. The world that the author built for this series was nice. I love reading about the Amish and their life. I cannot wait to see what the author has next.

     Book Summary Twenty-year-old Bethany Schrock is restless. Her love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending the incredibly hot summer days wading through a lifetime’s accumulation of junk at the home of five ancient Amish sisters. About the only thing that holds her interest is the spirited and dangerously handsome Jimmy Fisher–and he seems bent on irritating ...more Twenty-year-old Bethany Schrock is restless. Her love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending the incredibly hot summer days wading through a lifetime’s accumulation of junk at the home of five ancient Amish sisters. About the only thing that holds her interest is the spirited and dangerously handsome Jimmy Fisher–and he seems bent on irritating her to no end. When the sly old sisters and a guest at the Inn get Bethany involved in running the local soup kitchen and starting a community garden, she suddenly finds herself wonderin...

These books are geared towards the younger readers but I still get a good laugh out of them. I guess you could say that I am still a kid at heart. Lily is like Punky Brewster. She is full of mischief and always finds herself in sticky situations that make for entertaining reading. Every adventure that Lily finds herself in puts a smile on my face. I enjoyed some adventures more than others. I have grown to love Lily and her family. It is like I am an adopted part of the family. Besides what I have already stated about why I like these books, another reason is all the different people that I meet reading these books. Mary Ann and Suzanne make a good writing team. They have really found their stride with these books. You can not tell where one left off and the next one picked up. This book although the fourth one can be read as a stand alone novel. “Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Book Summary ily Lapp's family has settled into their new home in Pennsylvania, but life still holds big changes and big steps for Lily. Good changes, like once again living close to her beloved cousin and best friend, Hannah. Bad changes, like a mean girl who plays tricks on her. And no change at all where Lily would most want one--Aaron Yoder sits near her in school and relentlessly teases her. Surprises are in store for Lily as she learns, with Mama and Papa's help, to manage the ups and downs of growing up Amish. The third of four charming novels that chronicle the gentle way of the Amish through the eyes of a young girl, "A Big Year for Lily" gives children ages 8-12 a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Amish--and lots of fun and laughter along the way. It combines Mary Ann Kinsinger's real-life stories of growing up Amish and the bestselling writing of Amish fiction and nonfiction author Suzanne Woods Fisher. With charming line drawings in ea...

Book 2 in The Adventures of Lily Lapp series. Change is all Lily faces when her family moves to an Amish community in Pennsylvania. She has to make new friends, settle into her new home—which she thinks is ugly—and adjust to another new baby brother. (Still no sisters!) Even worse, a boy at school, Aaron Yoder, enjoys tormenting poor Lily. There are some bright spots about Lily’s new home—she has a wonderful teacher, and her relatives have moved close by. But there are a few lessons Lily needs to learn about starting over. Review by Aspen, age 10 The book "A New Home for Lily" is about 7 year old Lily Lapp and her family moving to Pennsylvania from New York. Lily doesn't find it amusing, but some things are very interesting! Watching her papa work catches her attention but she still has to deal with Aaron Yoder who is very annoying, and Effie Kauffman who bosses people around. I really liked this book! It was funny and never boring. “Available February 2013 a...

I thought that this was a fun book. This book was more like a collection of short stories. Each chapter featured a different adventure that Lily had with her family and her life on the farm. Going from having a new baby brother, getting a cow and chickens, to running in the rain due to the buggy going into the ditch. Lily had such a simple way of looking at life. Aww to be a child again with such innocence. I had such an enjoyable time reading this book. Lily really was the star of this book. However her family did come in a close second. I thought about it and tried to figure out which story I liked the best and I could not pick one. This is because I liked them all. Each one put a smile on my face. I can not wait to read about more adventures that Lily has in book two. The Adventures of Lily Lapp: Life with Lily is a joyride of fun for the whole family. “Available October 2012  at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.” Purchase a c...

Jaime Fitzpatrick needs her prescription refilled. Mattie Riehl, her husband, Sol and their son, Danny are on their way to visit with the doctor. It is in the waiting room that Jamie meets the Riehl family. Mattie and her husband Sol are hoping that the news the doctor tells them will be good as Mattie could really use some. Unfortunately the news is not good. It has been four weeks since Mattie lost their second child. The doctor tells Mattie that she and Sol can hope for a miracle. As Jamie is leaving the doctor’s office, he asks Jamie to return a toy that Danny left. Jamie and her husband, C.J. are heading out of town to Jamie’s father’s house for Christmas. On the way out of town, Jamie makes a stop at the Riehl’s home to return Danny’s toy. Jamie and C.J.’s plans quickly change when Jamie forgets to put the car into park and it goes into revenge into a pong. Now Jamie and C.J. are forced to stay with the Riehl’s until they get their transportation issues fixed. A Lancaster County ...

Lainey O’Toole has a plan that she is ready to put into motion. She has saved every penny to attend the Culinary Institute of America. Things were looking promising for Lainey, until her car broke down. Luckily for Lainey, her car breaks down in front of a bakery called Sweet Tooth. The owner, Mrs. Stroot offers Lainey a job. Lainey accepts as she desperately needs the money and she has no where else to go until her car is fixed. Being back in Stoney Ridge brings back memories. What deep, dark secret is Lainey hiding? Bess Reihl has come to Rose Hill Farm to help out her grandmother, Bertha. Her grandmother is recovering. When Bess arrives she learns to Bertha lied just to get Bess to come down to the farm. Billy Lapp is a neighbor of Bertha’s and a hired hand. Billy and Bess share a spark. Will this spark between Bess and Billy turn into something? The Search is book three in the Lancaster County Secrets series. This book can be read as a stand alone novel. To admit, I was not in love...