Straight from the Library: Charlotte Hubbard

Showing posts with label Charlotte Hubbard. Show all posts

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Straight Browsing from the Library: Hidden Away at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURB

Returning to the fan-favorite world of the closeknit Amish community of Promise Lodge, the small-town Missouri setting of her beloved Amish inspirational romance novels, Charlotte Hubbard continues to delight readers with uplifting tales of faith, family, and the blessings and happiness of true love and caring partnership.

There are no secrets among Missouri’s Amish community of Promise Lodge, as they share their joys, burdens, and blessings. But two visitors with a hidden agenda bring some surprising revelations—and unexpected saving graces…

When Karen Mercer and Andi Swann come to Promise Lodge for a week’s stay, the Kuhn sisters quickly detect the guests are not Plain folk, despite their kapps and homemade dresses. Entranced by the idyllic Amish lifestyle they’ve read about in romance novels, the visitors have gone undercover to revisit the place that was once the church camp where they spent happy summers. They mean no harm—but when the truth is uncovered, their deception has an intriguing impact on the faithful, hard-working community . . .

Meanwhile, amid bustling preparations for a spring wedding, a shy horse trainer is encouraged to share his colorful world with a newcomer awaiting a miracle . . . while the widowed baker of luscious Promise Lodge Pies sees a long-time friendship in a romantic new light. And in the wake of a destructive storm, Karen and Andi’s insider knowledge of the grounds may offer the safe passage they all need to renew and rebuild—stronger than ever . . .

READ AN EXCERPT

As Beulah placed the last of the hot fruit pies on cooling racks, her mind was abuzz with conflicting emotions. She waited until her sister had slid five more pies into the oven, however, before she voiced her concerns.

“Are you gals ticking off the little discrepancies about our guests, the way I am?” she asked quietly. She glanced up the back stairway to be sure their visitors weren’t coming down. “If you ask me, something’s fishy—”

“Oh, those two are so fishy, we could whip up tuna salad to last us for weeks!” Ruby put in with a mirthless laugh.

Sylvia nodded as she carefully cut slits in the top crusts of two more pies. “Every settlement sounds a bit different, far as how they say some of their words,” she said, “but even as far away as I was sitting, I didn’t think they sounded Deutch.”

“Jah, my first clue was while Karen was on the phone a couple weeks ago, and she called herself a may-del instead of a my-del,” Ruby put in. “And she pronounced Annie’s last name, Stoltzfus, ending with fuss instead of foos. Not to mention the zippers I saw in the backs of their dresses as we went upstairs just now.”

“It was their kapps that first struck me,” Beulah said as she rolled out dough for three more pies. “I’m not Amish, but I’ve been under the impression that those heart-shaped, filmy kapps were mostly found in Pennsylvania, and these gals have told us they live in Cherrydale, Missouri.”

“Jah, we wear those heart-shaped kapps out East,” Sylvia put in. She looked up with the hint of a smile lighting her emaciated face. “Nothing like a little mystery to keep us on our toes, eh? That’s what I like about Promise Lodge. You never know what each new day will bring.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Straight Browsing from the Library: Family Gathering at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard

In the year since he lost his wife in a tragic accident, Lester Lehman has found healing and purpose—helping construct Dale Kraybill’s new bulk store, enjoying the Kuhn sisters’ hearty meals, and settling in a tiny, built-for-one lakeside house. Falling in love again is surely not on Lester’s mind. Yet despite his firm “no,” two available ladies have set their kapps on the handsome widower—in a boisterous rivalry that weaves mayhem among Gloria’s wedding festivities.

A welcome escape comes from a fresh-faced newcomer. Marlene Fisher disarms Lester with her witty quips on his romantic predicament, while her sparkling eyes inspire surprising thoughts of a shared future. But the heartbreak that brought Marlene to Promise Lodge runs deep, and the pretty maidel believes she’s not meant to marry. In a season of vows to love and honor, scripture holds the key to building their happiness together: love is kind, and above all patient.

READ AN EXCERPT

Fully awake now, Lester swung his feet to the dock. When he could get a word in edgewise, he needed to deflate Agnes’s high-flying hopes in a hurry, because in her vivid imagination, she was already standing before the bishop with him, repeating her wedding vows. As he opened his mouth to speak, however, another urgent female voice hailed him.

“Lester! Lester Lehman, it’s me—your Elverta! I read about Gloria’s wedding in the paper, so it seemed like the perfect reason to come and see you!”

Lester moaned. His sense of freedom, peace, and unencumbered living had just hit another serious snag.

As the national newspaper for Plain communities, the Budget was a wonderful way to keep track of far-flung friends and kin, but he suddenly wished that Gloria—and Rosetta Wickey, their community’s original scribe—hadn’t been quite so descriptive in detailing the Lehman family’s relocation. The tiny town of Promise, Missouri was out in the middle of nowhere, yet Agnes and Elverta had apparently followed every line of the newspaper’s weekly reports right to his doorstep.

As Elverta Horst, dressed in deep green, strode toward his dock, her tall, skinny, ramrod-straight body reminded Lester of a string bean. He knew better than to express that opinion, of course, because the woman he’d broken up with to begin courting his Delores had never been known for her sense of humor.

“Wh-who’s this?” Agnes asked him under her breath.

Never one to beat around the bush, Elverta stopped a few yards from the dock. She glanced at Lester before focusing on the flustered woman beside him. “And who might you be?” she demanded with a raised eyebrow.

Lester answered as indirectly as possible, because he knew these women would soon find out every little thing about one another. “Elverta, this is Delores’s best friend, Agnes Plank. She lives down the road from our former home in Sugarcreek,” he explained hastily. “And Agnes, this is Elverta Horst—”

“And I was engaged to Lester before he took up with Delores,” Elverta put in purposefully. “First loves are often the strongest, ain’t so? The flame may flicker through the years, but it never really goes out.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

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Monday, September 26, 2022

Straight Browsing from the Library: An Amish Christmas Star by Charlotte Hubbard

The crisp fragrance of pine trees and the warm spice of fresh cookies aren’t the only blessings that Christmas brings, and no one knows more about happy homecomings than three couples who are celebrating the greatest gift of all . . .

STAR OF WONDER by Charlotte Hubbard

When Raymond Overholt comes to Promise Lodge, hoping to sell the barnboard signs he’s painted with stars and Christmas messages, spirited young Mennonite Lizzie Zehr is intrigued. But any courtship between them will face fierce opposition from the bishop of Raymond’s Old Order community—unless someone can convince him that at the heart of faith lies love . . .

READ AN EXCERPT

After a deadly dull Monday morning of filling small plastic containers with colored sugars and Christmas jimmies, Lizzie Zehr loaded them onto her wheeled cart and headed into the main room of Promise Lodge’s new bulk store. It was boring work, all that scooping and labeling—repetitive and downright lonely, being stuck back in the warehouse by herself.

But compared to slaving in her older sister Maria’s bakery or, for years before that, running the household for their eldest, crippled sister, Malinda, it was a piece of cake.

And because Dale Kraybill was paying her, it was freedom. This job was her ticket to independence, an escape from the two bossy sisters who’d been running her ragged for most of her eighteen years. Their parents had passed when she was very young, so Lizzie’s sisters had raised her as best they could—and they expected her to be grateful. She was, of course. But she was also really tired of being at their beck and call.

Lizzie’s thoughts shifted into a higher gear the moment she spotted the guy who was talking to Dale. The two fellows were hanging wooden signboards, which caught her eye because of their sparkly gold stars—but the shimmer of their glittery paint paled the moment the younger fellow turned around. In his green paisley shirt, red jeans, and backswept black hair, he looked anything but Plain, and when he met her gaze through his red-framed glasses, Lizzie immediately knew they were soul mates. Like her, this free spirit was gnashing at the bit and refusing to conform to the religious limitations he’d been raised with.

Like her, he wanted out.

“Hey there,” he said. His voice, barely audible from across the cavernous room, spoke volumes to Lizzie’s restless heart.

Afraid to say something stupid, she merely nodded and held his gaze. She heard the secretive whisper of soft, small objects hitting a hard surface—or maybe it was the feathery swishing of angels’ wings—

“Lizzie, watch what—you’re spilling jimmies all over the floor!” Dale cried out.

She blinked. She had no memory of picking up a container, just as she didn’t realize she’d been squeezing it so tightly that the lid had popped off. The sight of red and green jimmies bouncing off her bare feet—she wore flip-flops year-round to show off her painted toenails—was suddenly the funniest thing she’d ever seen. As Lizzie sprinted into the warehouse for a broom, her laughter filled the store.

Her life was finally taking a turn for the better. She just knew it.

MEET THE AUTHOR

In 1983, Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. She wrote around 70 of those confession stories, and she’s sold more than 60 books to traditional or online publishers. A longtime resident of Missouri, she’s currently writing Amish romances set in imaginary Missouri towns for Kensington. She now lives in Omaha, NE with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Vera.

http://www.charlottehubbard.com
http://www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Christmas-Star-Shelley-Shepard-ebook/dp/B09PJ348C8
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-amish-christmas-star-shelley-shepard-gray/1140825147
Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496734273/an-amish-christmas-star/
Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/An-Amish-Christmas-Star-Paperback-9781496734259/385381250
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/an-amish-christmas-star/id1602867197

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Thursday, July 28, 2022

Straight Browsing from the Library: Love Blooms in Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURB

As Jo Fussner keeps the Marketplace humming, her heart dances with a joyous secret. Jo and Michael Wengerd, a shy nursery owner from a nearby town, have fallen hopelessly in love. When Michael buys a courting buggy, Jo is sure a proposal will follow. But she’ll have to work hard to gain her mother’s approval—because the widowed Drusilla Fussner is convinced that marriage will bring her daughter nothing but heartache.

To win Jo’s hand, Michael enlists his father’s help in convincing Drusilla to give the marriage her blessing—and perhaps even open her heart to new happiness of her own. . . . But just as Jo and Michael’s hope for their future grows, an even bigger obstacle looms. The Amish elders vote to forbid any maidel from working once she marries. Now Jo must choose between the beloved store she’s put her heart into, and the man she can’t live without. Conflicted, Jo will have to trust that anything is possible when true faith guides the way.

READ AN EXCERPT

“What do you think of my new courting buggy, Jo?” he asked eagerly. “I ordered it from Saul Hartzler’s factory in December, and picked it up last night.”

Jo’s jaw dropped. A courting buggy! As they approached the open rig with a seat big enough for only two, her heart skipped like a happy schoolgirl’s. “It’s beautiful, Michael! Look at the way the wood shines. And what a wonderful shade of magenta you chose for your seat fabric.”

Michael smiled proudly. “I splurged on real leather, too,” he confided. “I figured this was the only time I’d be buying such a buggy, so I wanted it to be first-class for you, Jo. Wait here while I fetch my mare.”

Jo ran her finger along the buggy’s black wood, polished to such a shine that she could see her reflection in it. Deacon Saul was known for producing a quality product—and he hadn’t gotten wealthy by undercharging for his work, either. It wasn’t her place to ask Michael how many thousands of dollars he’d invested in his new rig. She and Mamm had considered ordering a new buggy a couple years ago, but when they’d heard what it would cost, they decided to make do with their old one.

“Gut girl—you’re doing fine,” Michael assured his horse as he approached Jo. “Josie, this is Starla, my new buggy mare.”

“Oh, aren’t you a pretty girl?” Jo said as she extended her hand. The mare looked young and angular, not yet in her prime. Her coat was a deep gray, with an irregular white star centered above her eyes. “You can keep her—and your new buggy—at our place!”

“Are you sure?” Michael handed Starla’s lead rope to Jo so he could hitch up his courting buggy. “I wouldn’t want your mamm to think we were overstepping her authority—”

“Starla can stay with us on my authority,” Jo interrupted. “If Mamm makes a fuss, I’ll take the blame. This is quite a surprise, Michael!” she added as she admired the way his black buggy and charcoal-colored mare looked together. Wasn’t it just like Michael to get all the details right?

He helped her up the steps and into his new rig. “I’m glad you see it that way, Josie-girl. I don’t intend to upset your mother, but I don’t plan on tiptoeing around her bad moods, either. We have a whole new life ahead of us—together. Shall we get on with it?”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Straight Browsing from the Library: First Light in Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard

Founded by five enterprising Amish maidels, the new Morning Star Marketplace is a joyous success. What’s even more remarkable is the gift the business bestows upon each of these unmarried women—the unexpected blessing of love . . .

Leaving Flaud’s Furniture to teach at the community’s new school is a joy for Lydianne Christner. Old Order Amish, but new to Morning Star, she’s grateful that the congregation trusts her with the position—but she panics when handsome Bishop Jeremiah Shetler asks about the life she left behind. If anyone discovers the secret she’s hiding, she would, quite rightly, be shunned.

A widower, Bishop Jeremiah admires young Lydianne’s youthful energy and skill with the children. He’s also curious about her past, and the burden he senses on her heart. When his request to court her is refused, he’s stung, and lonelier than ever. It isn’t until a crisis prompts a tearful Lydianne to confess to him that Jeremiah is faced with a choice that requires all of his faith—and teaches them both that love and forgiveness go hand in hand.

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“Miss Christner, we’re pleased to offer you this teaching position,” Bishop Jeremiah said as he grasped her hand, “and if you need time to consider your answer—”

“Oh, no, I’ll be happy to accept!” Lydianne interrupted gleefully. “Denki so much for considering my application. What I lack in experience, I’ll make up for with careful preparation and my love of learning. I won’t let you down.”

“That thought never entered our heads,” the bishop put in. “And with Lorena Flaud and Clarence’s Lucy being in their final year of school—and with their sisters right behind them—you’ll have plenty of eager assistance as you teach the youngest ones the basics of reading and arithmetic. I anticipate a productive—and fun—year for our scholars.”

“This is so exciting!” Lydianne said as she shook each man’s hand in turn. “Maybe this sounds silly, but I still love the smell of fresh packages of notebook paper and new bottles of glue, and the joy of opening a fresh box of crayons—thinking of all the drawings and reports and projects that lie ahead of us.”

As she left the schoolhouse and drove down the road, Lydianne floated on a cloud of euphoria. After she turned off the main county highway to head for home, she paused at the sight of a little blond girl chasing a butterfly on the front lawn of Tim and Julia Nissley’s place. With the sunshine shimmering on her golden hair and upturned face, six-year-old Ella Nissley looked for all the world like a little angel. Her laughter rang out as she ran and reached eagerly for the butterfly, followed closely by a little brown puppy that yipped and yapped.

Lydianne’s heart overflowed with a wave of emotions. Her dream had come true: she would now be Ella’s teacher. But she would have to be very, very careful. Ella was the apple of her adoptive parents’ eyes, and Lydianne had no intentions of interfering with their happy family.

No one else, including Tim and Julia, knew that Ella was the newborn baby Lydianne had given up when she’d been an unwed mother.

MEET THE AUTHOR

In 1983, Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. She wrote around 70 of those confession stories, and she’s sold more than 50 books to traditional or online publishers. A longtime resident of Missouri, she’s currently writing Amish romances set in imaginary Missouri towns for Kensington. She now lives in Omaha, NE with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Vera.

Website: http://www.charlottehubbard.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Order Ebook

Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZPKX5SQ/
Kindle UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZPKX5SQ/
Kindle Canada http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07ZPKX5SQ/
Kindle Australia http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07ZPKX5SQ/
Apple Books https://books.apple.com/us/book/morning-star/id1507818638
Apple Books UK https://books.apple.com/gb/book/morning-star/id1507818638
Apple Books Canada https://books.apple.com/ca/book/morning-star/id1507818638
Apple Books Australia https://books.apple.com/au/book/morning-star/id1507818638
Apple Books New Zealand https://books.apple.com/nz/book/morning-star/id1507818638
Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/morning-star-charlotte-hubbard/1134434813?ean=9781420145151
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/morning-star-60
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Charlotte_Hubbard_Morning_Star?id=goq5DwAAQBAJ

Order Print

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1420145126/
Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ISBN=1420145126
Amazon Canada http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ISBN=1420145126
Barnes and Noble http://barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9781420145120
Books-A-Million http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781420145120
Chapters Indigo http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/a/9781420145120-item.html
IndieBound http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781420145120
The Book Depository http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781420145120

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Thursday, April 9, 2020

Straight Browsing from the Library: Light Shines on Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURB

For abandoned wife Annabelle Beachey, Promise Lodge is a refuge where she’s gained confidence and self-sufficiency. But she and the others are dismayed when newly arrived Bishop Clayton King claims the community is too progressive and sets out to change its ways. Worse, her husband, Phineas, returns, expecting her to give up her faith as he has. And he won’t leave Promise Lodge without her…

But little by little, Annabelle’s determination and new forthrightness make Phineas realize his mistakes—and truly hear his wife for the first time. Meanwhile, Annabelle finds herself feeling compassion—and even renewed love—for her newly humble, more caring husband. And as Bishop Clayton’s attempt to control Promise Lodge threatens everything its residents have built, Phineas and Annabelle must work together with unshakeable courage to save their new home—and their opportunity for forever happiness.

READ AN EXCERPT

With a pitcher in each hand, Annabelle made her way into the crowded dining room. The tables were close together to accommodate the large crowd, so she walked along the tables’ ends and had someone pass her the pitchers that needed refilling. She was stepping toward the table nearest the archway that led to the lodge’s lobby when the sight of a solitary man in black froze her in place.

Phineas was watching her, as though he’d been following her progress along the outer edge of the dining room . . . waiting for her to notice him. He held her gaze with the pale, penetrating green eyes that had often made her heart thud in her chest as she anticipated his judgment—his criticism and correction.

The blood rushed from Annabelle’s head. She wasn’t aware that she’d dropped the two big pitchers until she heard the noisy clatter of plastic hitting the hardwood floor and felt ice water filling her shoes.

What’s Phineas doing here? How did he find me—and what does he want?

MEET THE AUTHOR

In 1983, Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. She wrote around 70 of those confession stories, and she’s sold more than 50 books to traditional or online publishers. A longtime resident of Missouri, she’s currently writing Amish romances set in imaginary Missouri towns for Kensington. She now lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Vera.

Website: https://charlottehubbard.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlotte.hubbard1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53342.Charlotte_Hubbard
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/charlotte-hubbard

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R8WYRZK/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07R8WYRZK/
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07R8WYRZK/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07R8WYRZK/
Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/light-shines-on-promise-lodge/id1461891071
Apple Books UK: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/light-shines-on-promise-lodge/id1461891071
Apple Books CA: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/light-shines-on-promise-lodge/id1461891071
Apple Books AU: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/light-shines-on-promise-lodge/id1461891071
Apple Books NZ: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/light-shines-on-promise-lodge/id1461891071
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-shines-on-promise-lodge-charlotte-hubbard/1131427032
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/light-shines-on-promise-lodge

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Thursday, October 18, 2018

Straight Browsing from the Library: A Simple Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

DID YOU KNOW...

READ THE BLURB

The rustic beauty of a country Christmas fills the Simple Gifts crafts shop, while the Amish residents of Willow Ridge pull together in uncertain times—and in the face of an unexpected homecoming.

Nora Hooley’s shop is abuzz with preparations for the holiday open house, and Rosalyn Riehl is handcrafting wreaths from evergreen boughs, pinecones, and other natural materials. The work is a welcome diversion for the only unmarried daughter of Cornelius Riehl: her gruff dat has been receiving envelopes marked Past Due, leaving dutiful Rosalyn to manage the household’s inexplicably shrinking budget. Then another distraction swaggers into Simple Gifts—blue-jeaned and leather-jacketed, with a reputation that precedes him.

Marcus Hooley hightailed it to Willow Ridge on a wing and a prayer—not that he’s the praying type. He rejected his Amish roots long ago. But behind the bad-boy attitude is a gifted horse trainer who’s counting on some bent-but-not-broken family ties to throw him a lifeline. He can’t erase his past, but a sparking attraction with strong, spirited Rosalyn holds the promise of a second chance . . . and of shedding light on shadowy secrets to build a bright tomorrow.

READ AN EXCERPT

The bell jangled raucously as the front door flew open and hit the wall. “Hey—does anybody work here?” a young man called out. “You can’t tell me this town doesn’t even have a gas station.”

Nora turned quickly toward him, her eyes widening in recognition as she handed Rosalyn the star-shaped wreath. “This could get interesting,” she murmured.

Rosalyn watched as Nora took her time passing between the displays of handmade table linens and racks of hanging jackets, toward the fellow who’d entered with a gust of wind that had apparently blown the door out of his hand.

Or did he throw it open? Rosalyn wondered as she took in the man’s black leather jacket and the rakish way his dark hair dipped over one side of his face. Most English are at least courteous and they don’t come in before the store opens. This fellow looks like walking, talking trouble—with a capital T.

Rosalyn started slowly toward the front door, in case their unexpected guest caused Nora problems. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if this brash young man behaved improperly, but she knew Nora would be coming to her assistance in this situation. She wasn’t sure what to think, however, when the redheaded storekeeper walked quickly around him to shut the door against the wind. Nora faced their visitor, confidently crossed her arms, and gazed directly at him, unfazed by the fact that he stood head and shoulders taller than she did.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Cousin Marcus from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania,” Nora said as she looked him up and down. “Did you finally show up to check out Wyatt McKenzie’s job offer? Or did another girlfriend get smart and kick you to the curb for using her credit cards on the sly?”

Rosalyn gasped. Was this Marcus Hooley, the horse trainer Wyatt had called in October, hoping to hire an Amish man to manage the draft horse farm he’d recently established? Everyone in Willow Ridge was wondering why the cousin Luke, Ira, and Ben had recommended hadn’t bothered to provide the references Wyatt had requested. As Rosalyn looked more closely, she saw the resemblance this young man bore to Luke—and she couldn’t miss the rebellious flare of his pale green eyes as he stared at Nora.

MEET THE AUTHOR

charlotte Hubbard is the acclaimed author of Amish romance and fiction that evokes simpler times and draws upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi. Faith and family, farming, and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle—and the foundation of all her novels. A deacon, dedicated church musician and choir member, she loves to travel, read, try new recipes, and crochet. A longtime Missourian, Charlotte now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and their border collie, Vera.

Please visit Charlotte online.

http://CharlotteHubbard.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Order Ebook

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Christmas-Gifts-ebook/dp/B078QTS92M
Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B078QTS92M/
Kindle Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B078QTS92M/
Kindle Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B078QTS92M/
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-simple-christmas/id1330331465?mt=11
iBooks UK: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/a-simple-christmas/id1330331465?mt=11
iBooks Canada: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/a-simple-christmas/id1330331465?mt=11
iBooks Australia: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/a-simple-christmas/id1330331465?mt=11
iBooks New Zealand: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/a-simple-christmas/id1330331465?mt=11
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-simple-christmas-charlotte-hubbard/1127750875?ean=9781420138740
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-simple-christmas-4
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Charlotte_Hubbard_A_Simple_Christmas?id=R19EDwAAQBAJ

Order Print

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1420138731/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ISBN=1420138731
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ISBN=1420138731
Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9781420138733
Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781420138733
Chapters Indigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/a/9781420138733-item.html
IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781420138733
The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781420138733

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Monday, April 9, 2018

Straight Chatting from the Library: Charlotte Hubbard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My High-Fashion Life

You might think novelists lead glamorous, high-fashion lives, but your assumptions might be all wrong when it comes to my life! For example:

**I don’t hang around all day in silk pajamas and kitten-heeled slippers, sipping wine. When you have a dog in Minnesota, spending all day in any sort of jammies doesn’t make sense—unless you enjoy being cold, or you want your neighbors to talk while you’re out for all those potty walks.

**I don’t have long, beautifully painted nails. A lifetime of playing the piano/organ, playing Frisbee with the dog, typing for hours at a time, gardening, and washing a lot of dishes make long, polished nails out of the question for me. Too high maintenance. My nails are always clipped short and out of my way. During sandal season, however, I love to get pedicures and show off my toes—because I don’t type with my toes.

**I don’t have pierced ears. Besides having a bit of a needle phobia, I’ve never understood the glory of having someone punch a hole in your earlobe and then warn you against infection. I do, however, enjoy wearing wire “cuff” earrings and vintage clip-on earrings I find in antique stores.

**I don’t have any tattoos. See the needle phobia thing, above—and again, the allure of having ink injected into your skin escapes me. Also, I tend to tire of things, and unless you want to remove several layers of skin to erase it, a tattoo is forever.

**I dislike the bare-legged look with skirts. I know, I know—modern women prefer to skip the panty hose. When we were in Paris last spring, I was really happy to see so many French women wearing hosiery of some sort, plain or patterned. Their legs looked so chic instead of, well—naked.

**I don’t wear high heels. Back in the day, I rocked some fairly tall wedges or stacked heels, but not anymore—and never stilettos. I can twist or break an ankle just looking at those things. I’m only 5’1”, and I’m good with staying close to the ground!

**I don’t dress entirely in black—unless concert black is required for a choral performance. Black drains the color from my already pale face, and I find it depressing. Sure, black pants are a wardrobe staple, but I wear them with bright colored tops, jackets, and accessories. Color makes me feel happier and more alert.

There you have it, the low-down on my high-fashion lifestyle!

READ THE BLURB

For Leah Otto, marrying Jude Shetler is a long-held dream come true. As a young girl, she was captivated by his good looks and talent as an auctioneer. When Jude, now a widower with three children, begins to court her, Leah doesn’t hesitate. Other men may not appreciate her tomboy ways, but Jude values Leah’s practical nature and her skill with the animals she tends, and both enter the marriage with joy and optimism.

Three months later, Leah feels as if her world is coming down around her. Her twin teenage step-daughters, Alice and Adeline, are pushing boundaries and taking far too many risks, while five-year-old Stevie deeply misses his mother. Leah, more at ease in a barn tending her goats and chickens than in a kitchen, struggles with her housekeeping duties.

Then a baby is abandoned on their doorstep, and Leah must search her soul. Caring for little Betsy fills her with renewed purpose and the strength to begin pulling her family together. With Jude’s steadfast support, Leah finds that what she once thought of as a happy ending may be something even better—the beginning of a life rich in love, faith, and unexpected blessings.

READ AN EXCERPT

Jeremiah Shetler leaned his elbows on his kitchen table, gazing earnestly at his younger brother—who, at thirty-three, was surely old enough to know better about what he was getting into. “Last chance to see reason, Jude,” he stated bluntly. “If you go through with this wedding tomorrow, you’ll be signing on for a lifetime of sorrow and regret.”

Jude’s dark eyes flashed with resentment. “Sounds more like my marriage to Frieda—God rest her soul,” he added quickly. “Why can’t you let me find my happiness with a woman who won’t keep secrets? A woman who adores me and makes me laugh?”

“Leah’s a nice girl, jah,” Jeremiah said with a shake of his head, “but she’s clueless about such basic activities as putting a gut meal on the table—”

“Why are you telling me this?” Jude demanded.

Jeremiah exhaled forcefully. He’d never understood what Jude saw in Leah. He could only assume that his widowed brother was so desperate for affection and companionship that he was willing to settle for a woman who’d never progressed beyond being the tomboy daughter Raymond and Lenore Otto hadn’t taught much about a wife’s responsibilities.

“Have you ever eaten a meal Leah cooked?” he challenged. “Vernon Gingerich has told me that any time he’s visited the Otto home, Lenore’s been bustling around in the kitchen and Leah’s been in the front room chatting with him and her dat. And at our family dinners these past months, Leah’s cleaned up the dishes, but I’ve not seen any signs that she knows how to operate a stove.”

“Lenore does the cooking when Vernon visits because he’s her bishop, and she enjoys cooking for a man now that Raymond’s gone,” Jude explained impatiently. He raked his hand through his disheveled dark waves, glancing downward with an anguished sigh. “Come on, man. You know how it is to lose a wife—and you don’t even have kids to look after. Doesn’t the loneliness—the need for adult conversation—eat you alive at times?”

Jeremiah looked away, his heart pierced by the blatant reminder of Priscilla’s absence. After three years of living without her, he did indeed know how the silence of nights alone clawed at a man’s heart like a relentless beast. But he needed to pursue his present purpose before Jude made the biggest mistake of his life.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Charlotte Hubbard is the acclaimed author of Amish romance and fiction that evokes simpler times and draws upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi. Faith and family, farming, and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle—and the foundation of all her novels. A deacon, dedicated church musician and choir member, she loves to travel, read, try new recipes, and crochet. A longtime Missourian, Charlotte now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and their border collie, Vera.

http://www.CharlotteHubbard.com
http://www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

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Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Straight Browsing from the Library: Christmas at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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Promise Lodge's first wedding is cause for celebration—but the bishop's narrow-minded wedding sermon doesn't sit well with the Bender sisters, especially widowed Mattie Schwartz. She believes marriage and family aren't the only important gifts God gives--even if she suspects her tender feelings for Preacher Amos Troyer run deeper than simple friendship. Amos hasn't given up hope that stubborn, spirited Mattie will change her mind about taking another husband, but when an accident threatens to change his life forever, he wonders if the Lord has sent him a message. He'll need faith, hope, and charity to find the right path—and a Christmas blessing to convince Mattie to walk it with him.

READ AN EXCERPT

“I was seventeen the first time you kissed me, and so crazy head-over-heels for you,” she recalled in a dreamlike voice.

“I remember that day like it was yesterday,” Amos murmured. “We were kids taking the long way home after a Singing when I finally worked up the nerve to kiss you. But we knew our hearts. We would’ve made it work.”

“I believe that, too,” Mattie whispered.

“I’ve always loved you, Mattie. I buried those feelings when your dat wanted you to marry Marvin and I hitched up with Anna,” Amos recalled softly, “but that doesn’t mean my heart forgot you. And now, at long last, you’re making my dreams come true.”

Mattie felt tears trickling down her cheeks as she buried her face against his sturdy chest. She felt the rumble of his chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her. For several moments she savored Amos’s warm strength as they stood in blissful silence. The beating of his heart calmed her, set her life into rhythm again like the steady, dependable ticking of the clock he’d given her as an engagement gift . . . the clock she’d stored away during her marriage and had taken out again after Marvin’s passing.

“I love you, too, Amos. Denki for your patience, your understanding—”

His kiss was more fervent this time, sweet and tender. Then he eased away to look at her. “I suppose we’d better behave ourselves, considering how so many folks could catch us spooning out here. But I’ll take up where we left off, next time we’re alone together.” He gently thumbed away the wet streaks on her cheeks. “Take a minute to pull yourself together, dear.”

Mattie chuckled, dabbing at her eyes with the hem of her apron. “I’m out of practice at feeling so happy—but I think I can get used to it.”

“I’ll be sure you do,” he murmured. “I intend to make up for a lot of lost time and make you glad you married me. Every single day. Ready to go in?”

Mattie nodded, straightening her kapp and smoothing her apron. “Ready—for whatever comes along.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while she was still a school librarian—Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. This launched her into writing around seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and she’s been a slave to her overactive imagination ever since. Over the course of her writing career, she has sold nearly 50 books—most recently, Amish romance series she’s written as Charlotte Hubbard or Naomi King.

Charlotte lived in Missouri for most of her life, so her Amish stories are set in imaginary Missouri towns. These days she lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband of 40 years and their Border collie, Ramona.

WEBSITE www.CharlotteHubbard.com
Facebook www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Buy the print book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, B-A-M , Chapters , IndieBound, Powell’s , or Kensington Books.
By the digital book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks, Google, or Kensington.

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Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Straight Browsing from the Library: A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard

Housed in a rustic red barn, the Simple Gifts crafts shop celebrates the talents of the Amish of Willow Ridge—and the faith that inspires them. For the acceptance of simplicity opens the path to love.

As far as Edith Riehl is concerned, the baby twins thrust suddenly into her arms are a heaven-sent gift. Unable to conceive, she longs to be a mother with a home of her own. She’s going to abide by her promise to handsome Asa Detweiler to take care of them while he looks for their real father. And even if her domineering dat Cornelius refuses to countenance Asa’s suit, she can only pray the bachelor’s honesty and persistence will uncover the truth—even as he’s kindled an impossible hope for a love of her own…

Asa can’t understand why anyone would think he would be so dishonorable as to father babies and then abandon them. He’s determined to clear his name—but Edith’s caring ways also inspire him to help heal her wounded spirit and earn her trust. In the face of heartbreaking deception, he and Edith must find the strength to understand, forgive…and claim their own hearts’ joy.

READ AN EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

“Wonder who it could be?” Luke asked as he and Andy loped down the highway toward the clinic at the next corner. “Most of the locals are still at the wedding dinner or visiting out back of the restaurant.”

“Naz didn’t seem to know him. Could be an out of town guest—or just somebody passing through on a pretty day,” Andy said. “Denki for coming along, Luke.”

Minutes after they reached the Leitner barn, they were rolling down the gravel road that ran past the Riehl place and the bishop’s pasture, where cud-chewing Holsteins gazed over the fence at them. Luke had always been in awe of Andy’s specialized wagon, which was a small clinic on wheels—allowed by Bishop Tom because it was a horse-drawn vehicle their local nurse could drive to medical emergencies or house calls. His pulse accelerated with the mare’s hoofbeats as he gazed up the road. Aunt Jerusalem’s white kapp caught the sunshine as she waved her arm above her head.

“Wow, that’s an impressive horse,” he murmured. “Percheron by the looks of it—although he seems to have a limp.”

“Might want to have Ben take a look at the horse after we see to its owner,” Andy murmured. “The guy’s sitting up now. Let’s keep him still until I figure out how badly he’s hurt.”

Andy stopped the wagon a couple of yards from where Luke’s Aunt Jerusalem stood, her face etched with concern. “Glad ya got here so quick, Andy,” the middle-aged woman remarked. “Now that he’s sittin’ up, he seems determined to be anywhere but here.”

The man had coal black hair and a grass-stained shirt that stuck out around his suspenders. One side of his face was badly bruised and he had an open wound in his forehead. He appeared dazed as he looked up at them, and he was placing his hands on the ground as though he intended to push himself up. “Where am I?” he asked hoarsely. “I have no idea how I came to be—”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while she was still a school librarian—Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. This launched her into writing around seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and she’s been a slave to her overactive imagination ever since. Over the course of her writing career, she has sold nearly 50 books—most recently, Amish romance series she’s written as Charlotte Hubbard or Naomi King.

Charlotte lived in Missouri for most of her life, so her Amish stories are set in imaginary Missouri towns. These days she lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Ramona.

Website: http://www.CharlotteHubbard.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Buy the print book at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, B-A-M, Chapters, IndieBound, Powell’s, or Kensington Books.

Buy the digital book for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, Google Play, or Kensington.

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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Straight Browsing from the Library: The Christmas Cradle by Charlotte Hubbard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURB

For the peaceful town of Willow Ridge, November presents an early holiday surprise. Stranded in the snow, 18-year-old Lena Esh and her boyfriend Josiah Witmer need more than a place to stay for the night. Lena defied her strict family and their judgmental beliefs to run away with Josiah and have his baby. But she’s starting to wonder if he can prove as responsible as he is passionate. And she isn’t sure how—or if—they can ever find a place to truly call home.

Expecting their own miracle baby, Miriam and Ben Hooley rally the town to help the young couple, and Lena draws strength from their unexpected support. Though trouble may come calling, in this season of joyous rebirth, a little child will lead them. And two couples will see their dreams of forever family come true…

READ AN EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

After Nora and Luke had cut their tiered wedding cake, Miriam, Lena, and a few other ladies began to plate cake for the guests. Nora had decided to serve the cake right after dinner rather than later in the day as newlyweds traditionally did. This suited Miriam, because she was feeling heavy and tired—maybe because she needed to speak with Naomi about her decision not to work at the Sweet Seasons anymore.

How should she break the news to her business partner, her cook, her best friend? As she sliced the large bottom layer of the beautiful white cake she’d made, Miriam searched for the right words and the right time. When all the guests were visiting and Lena had gone to sit with Josiah and Savilla, she smiled at Naomi. “How about us two stayin’ right here in this corner to chat?” she suggested. “I’ve got something to say, and it’s not for just anybody to hear.”

Naomi’s brown eyes widened. She picked up two plates of cake and handed one to Miriam before scooting her chair so they sat side by side. “I hope ya haven’t had a bad report from Andy about the baby,” she murmured.

“No, no, nothin’ like that.” Miriam pressed her fork through the layer of moist cake and frosting, but didn’t eat the bite she’d cut. “Ben and Tom are sayin’ I’ve overstepped by workin’ at the café, especially with a baby comin’. So Saturday’ll be my last day,” she murmured. “I hate springin’ it on ya this way, but—”

“Oh, dearie, I’ve been waitin’ for this shoe to drop ever since ya married Ben,” Naomi said with a chuckle. “When we closed up for a couple weeks between last Christmas and your New Year’s Day wedding, I figured ya wouldn’t come back to work after that.”

Miriam let out the breath she’d been holding. Why had she lain awake the past two nights, fearing Naomi would fuss or feel overwhelmed?

“I’m mighty glad ya did come back to work, though,” her partner added as she squeezed Miriam’s hand. “Won’t be the same without ya there, Miriam. It’ll be a challenge to find enough help with the bakin’ and servin’, because three people won’t be able to fill your shoes.”

“I’m relieved that you’re takin’ this so well.” Miriam laughed nervously. “Should’ve known you’d be prepared for this situation.”

Naomi blinked quickly, busying herself with a bite of cake before she spoke again. “Like everybody else, I knew ya should be stayin’ home, but I was hangin’ on to every day we could work together.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community in Missouri, longtime Missourian Charlotte Hubbard writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her Seasons of the Heart series. Like her heroine, Miriam Lantz Hooley, Charlotte considers it her personal mission to feed people. Faith and family, farming and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle. She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, she loves to try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Charlotte now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie.

Website: www.CharlotteHubbard.com
Facebook: facebook.com/charlotte.hubbard1
Buy the book at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

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