Charlotte will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.
The Christmas Cradle
by Charlotte Hubbard
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Amish/Inspirational Romance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
While Miriam
watched the young couple at her table devour scrambled eggs and fried potatoes
as though they hadn’t eaten for days, her heart went out to them. They looked
painfully young to be roaming the roads on a snowy November night. The set of
Josiah’s jaw and Lena’s pink-rimmed eyes suggested that their journey had been
bumpier than Mother Nature alone was making it, and that the path ahead of them
wouldn’t smooth out any time soon.
“So you’re on
your way to Higher Ground?” Miriam asked carefully. She broke a few more eggs
into the cast iron skillet.
“Jah, I saw an
ad in The Budget inviting new residents, so I called the phone number. Now a
fellow there wants me to cook in his supper club,” the young man answered. His
hat had flattened his dark, wavy hair, and his brown eyes met hers with a sense
of confidence that bordered on cockiness. “When he heard about my catering
business—roasting whole hogs and grilling ribs and briskets for parties—he told
me I’d be in charge of the kitchen at his new place.”
Miriam’s
eyebrows rose. It was unusual for a Plain man to do so much cooking—but it was
the mention of a supper club in Higher Ground that piqued her curiosity. She
noticed how Ben’s expression was tightening, so she proceeded cautiously. “Who
would this fella be? I’ve not heard anyone speak of a supper club—but then,
I’ve not been to Higher Ground, either.”
Lena’s eyes
widened. “Are we that far off course?” She glanced fearfully at Josiah. “I—I
thought you knew where we were headed—”
“And I do!” he
blurted testily. He inhaled deeply to quell his impatience when Ben flashed him
a warning glance. “His name’s Hiram Knepp. He’s offered me a nice salary and a
place to stay while I get his restaurant going.”
Miriam noticed
immediately that Josiah’s reply seemed to be only about himself, which might
explain the way Lena’s china blue eyes widened in her pale face. She didn’t
appear to be out of her teens, a mere child about to have a baby in what seemed
like an iffy situation. And if Hiram Knepp, the excommunicated bishop of Willow
Ridge, had made such glowing promises to lure Josiah to the new settlement he’d
started under dubious circumstances . . .
“Hiram must’ve
heard gut things about your way with food,” Ben spoke up from his seat at the
end of the table. “But have ya met him yet? Have ya seen this supper club he
told ya about?”
Josiah’s eyes
flashed. “I talked to him on the phone. His offer would put me way ahead of
where I’d be in Bloomfield, working out of my house.”
Miriam shared
Ben’s concerned gaze, stirring the eggs in the skillet. Surely if Hiram had
hired Josiah, there really was a supper club—whatever that was—for the young
man to cook in. But she had an uneasy feeling about this whole situation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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 Link:
B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-christmas-cradle-charlotte-hubbard/1120552927?ean=9781420133110
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Charlotte will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a
randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or B/N
GC to a randomly drawn host.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f1263
Welcome to the Angel's blog. I hope you have a great tour. Allana Angel
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for featuring my book on your blog today!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the excerpt, sounds like a really good book, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteInteresting excerpt; brings up many interesting questions. Hope your tour is successful!
ReplyDelete--Amber Angel
This sounds like a very good read. Enjoyed the excerpt. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt, sounds like a book I will enjoy. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteWhere is one place you want to visit that you haven't been before?
ReplyDeleteI loved the excerpt. Thank you!
ReplyDelete