Chrissy’s Review: A Plain and Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston

A Plain and Simple Christmas
written by Amy Clipston
published by Zondervan, 2010

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Apple Books, Walmart, Kobo, Book Depository, Goodreads

Did I enjoy this book? I did, but it wasn’t as good as I had hoped. It was very predictable.

The characters were likable. I thoroughly enjoyed that Anna Mae’s husband wasn’t anti-Amish. So often in these books when an Englischer marries an Amish girl, that man wants the woman to disconnect completely from her upbringing. Kellan was not like that at all. And he stood up to Anna Mae’s father, the bishop. (I enjoyed that scene.)

Would I recommend it? If you like this author, then go ahead and read it. But this should not be your first book by this author. You may not want to read anymore by her.
 

 
About the book – from Goodreads: In the tradition of her widely popular Kauffman Amish Bakery series, author Amy Clipston tells the tale of Anna Mae McDonough who was shunned by her family four years ago when she left her Amish community in Lancaster County, PA, to marry an ‘Englisher’ (non Amish) man and move with him to Baltimore. Now, eight months pregnant when her first child, she longs to return home for Christmas to reconcile with her family, especially her stern father, who is the religious leader for her former Amish church district.

So Anne Mae writes a letter to Kathryn Beiler, her brother’s wife, to enlist her help. Kathryn asks her husband, David, if she should arrange Anna Mae’s visit. David cautions her that a visit would cause too much stress in the family and instead suggests they visit Anna Mae and her husband in the spring. However, Kathryn arranges the visit anyway, believing in her heart that it’s God’s will for the family to heal.

When Anna Mae arrives in Lancaster for Christmas, the welcome she receives is nothing like what she had hoped for.
A book filled with love, the pain of being separated from one’s family, and the determination to follow God’s will regardless of the outcome, A Plain and Simple Christmas is an inspiring page-turner that will keep you guessing what happens next … right to the very last page.

 

 

 

* This post contains affiliate links.
** This post first appeared on Every Free Chance Books (everyfreechance.com) on December 7, 2011. Book cover, graphics, and links updated on January 17, 2020.