[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and WaterBrook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Lyle Greene’s pharmacy serves Raysburg and the Amish community in their region. It’s not a typical community when it comes to medical care. But Lyle knows and understands the Amish and works hard to help them.
When Holly’s dad passed away when she was a teen, it might have been prevented if her father – and the Amish community – had a better understanding of medical care. That prompted Holly’s passion to educate her people and encourage them to show the same care to themselves that they do to their livestock. She gets permission from her bishop to go to school so she can work at the pharmacy. Sadly, her passion for her calling means she can’t ever marry an Amish man. She would have to give up her work and focus on a home and family instead. And she feels too strongly that God has given her this work to do to give it up.
Brandon Greene couldn’t wait to leave Raysburg as a young man. His relationship with his dad has been strained since his mom died, if not before. And while Brandon’s road to becoming a pharmacist has hit some detours and roadblocks, he knows when he’s licensed, he’ll have his own store and run it the way his father has always discounted.
When Lyle has a health emergency, the future of Greene’s Pharmacy is in jeopardy. And Holly and Brandon may not be able to save it.
Review
This was a great book! The story takes place from October to Christmas, so it’s not quite the Christmas story I was expecting from the cover and the title. But there are some nice Christmas-related moments, and that is when everything finally comes together. If you are looking for a Christmas story to read as the season approaches, now is a perfect time to start this one because this is the time of year when the story kicks off. But really, you could read this at any time of year.
Lyle, Holly, Brandon, and Joshua (Holly’s potential love interest in the book) are delightful! I enjoyed watching Lyle and Holly together in almost a father-daughter relationship – and then watching Brandon’s reaction to that in light of his strained relationship with Lyle. Holly’s passion for her calling was inspiring. And she is willing to give up a lot personally to fill this role for her community. Joshua is a good sport, really hearing and understanding Holly even if it means he can’t pursue the relationship with her he wants.
This is a little bit mystery, and a little bit romance with a lot of solid Amish fiction at the center. And it’s terrific. I don’t usually read a lot of Amish fiction, but there have been some great books released this year in the genre. I highly recommend all of the ones I’ve reviewed this year, including this one!
How the Finch Stole Christmas – The Christmas production of A Christmas Carol is headed off the rails thanks to a diva-level actor with a drinking problem. A dead body is not exactly what Meg and friends need on top of the production stress! This is book 22 in the Meg Langslow series, one of my favorite cozy series. I love that no matter how many books there are in the series, the stories and the characters stay strong and enjoyable. The mystery in this one was great. And Meg is one of my favorite protagonists of all time. Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Merry and Bright – The latest from Debbie Macomber focuses on a young woman whose family sets her up for an online dating service. Her best match turns out to the be last person she wanted it to be. I really enjoyed this one! The plot is pretty simple and You’ve Got Mail-esque, but the characters are fantastic and really made this a fun holiday read. This would make a darling Hallmark Christmas movie. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Holly and Ivy – A lonely widow meets a young girl with a great gift in this holiday story. For me, this story suffered from an unsympathetic character right from the beginning. I almost gave up on finishing this one. I pressed through the unpleasant character and things finally started to turn around about half-way through. The ending was great and made me glad I kept with it. Rating: ♥♥♥
Twelve Slays of Christmas – The first book in a Christmas Tree farm mystery series. A young woman heads home to Mistletoe, Maine after her Christmas Eve wedding is cancelled. Maybe some time at home, celebrating the holiday with family on the farm will be just what she needs. She certainly does NOT need a dead body or for her family and friends to be suspected murderers. This was a delight from start to finish! The setting was perfect – I loved the holiday activities the family does around the farm for Christmas. The characters were a lot of fun – the “voice” was great and there was humor and romance as well as a solid mystery. This is a series I will be following faithfully! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Sugar Pine Trail – A librarian finds herself taking care of two young boys at Christmas time. And her handsome neighbor pitches in. This is the 7th book in the Haven Point series, but I’m not sure the books are necessarily interconnected, except for the setting. This was so fantastic, though, I have added the rest of the series to my library wish list so I can check out all the rest of the books. The characters in this were spectacular. I loved the foster care angle, and the author did a great job of portraying that pretty realistically. The love story was terrific. Great romance to put you in the holiday spirit. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥