Category Archives: Kathleen Fuller

January 27, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: Much Ado About a Latte by Kathleen Fuller

Title: Much Ado About a Latte by Kathleen Fuller
Maple Falls Series Book Two
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A coffee war is brewing in Maple Falls, where Anita and Tanner are serving up plenty of sparks to keep the town buzzing.

Anita Bedford needs to face reality. It’s time to decaffeinate the dream that she and Tanner will ever be more than friends. Growing up in small-town Maple Falls, she’s had a crush on Tanner for years. But he’ll only ever see her as good, old, dependable Anita. Now she’s finally ready to make her own goals a reality. In fact, that deserted building next door to Sunshine Diner looks like a promising location to open her own café . . .

Tanner Castillo may know how to operate a diner, but he doesn’t know beans about love. After pouring his life savings into buying the Sunshine Diner, he needs to keep his mind on making a success of it and supporting his widowed mother, not on kissing Anita Bedford. First order of business: improve his customers’ coffee experience. Next, he should probably find out who bought the building next door . . .

It’s a bitter cup to swallow when ambition turns longtime friends and coworkers Anita and Tanner into rivals. Now that they own competing businesses, how could they ever compete for each other’s hearts? Or will the two of them come to see what’s obvious to the whole, quirky town of Maple Falls: potential for a full-roast romance, with an extra splash of dream?

Welcome to Maple Falls, where everyone knows your name, your coffee order, and your relationship status.

Review:

Much Ado About a Latte by Kathleen Fuller is a lovely, light-hearted friends to lover romance. Although this latest release is the second book in the Maple Falls series, it can be read as a standalone.

Twenty-six-year-old Anita Bedford is a waitress at the Sunshine Diner. She is very sweet which makes it easy for the customers to adore her. Anita’s relationship with her parents is a little strained because she feels like a disappointment to them. She is also insecure because of her learning disabilities but when she grows tired of her unrequited love for her co-worker Tanner Castillo, she decided to open her own business, a coffee shop next door to the diner.

Tanner has long hoped to purchase the diner so he jumps on the opportunity when the owner decides to sell. He has big plans in mind after the sale goes through, but he holds off revealing his recent acquisition. Tanner works long hours and continues to honor the promise he made to his father before his death. He enjoys spending time with Anita but he has no room for romance due to his business aspirations.

Much Ado About a Latte is a wonderful romance with a delightful small-town atmosphere. Anita and Tanner are charming characters whose biggest problem is their inability to communicate. Anita lacks confidence in her ability to get her business off the ground and she stubbornly refuses to accept help. Tanner’s reaction to Anita’s purchase is unfair and he is extremely slow to clear the air between them. Their romance is very understated but believable. Although the ending is a little abrupt, Kathleen Fuller’s epilogue is very heartwarming and sigh-worthy. I am a huge fan of the  Maple Falls series so I am very much looking forward to Harper’s book!

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Filed under Contemporary, Kathleen Fuller, Maple Falls Series, Much Ado About a Latte, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Thomas Nelson Publishing

October 3, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Matched and Married by Kathleen Fuller

Title: Matched and Married by Kathleen Fuller
An Amish Mail-Order Bride Series Book Two
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary, Amish, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Neither Margaret nor Owen has any interest in getting married. But in the small Amish town of Birch Creek, where marriage is on everyone’s mind, their plans don’t stand a chance.

Margaret Yoder can’t seem to catch a break. Even though she’s dedicated to her Amish faith, her wild rumspringa won’t stay in the past, and her mother keeps pressuring her to get married. To placate her mother and get away from former “friends”, she decides to return to Birch Creek to visit family—and pretend to find a husband.

Like Margaret, Owen Bontrager isn’t looking for a spouse, something that’s hard to avoid in Birch Creek, where an ad for brides in the local paper has brought a swarm of single women to the thriving town. When he meets Margaret in an unexpected way, they discover they have more in common than they ever expected. In some ways, they are a perfect match.

Margaret struggles to keep her goal of avoiding romance in order to focus on being a faithful member of the Amish church, and it doesn’t help that she finds Owen intriguing. Knowing they don’t have a future together; she returns home and gives in to her mother’s insistence that she get married.

Can Margaret betray her feelings for Owen and become a dutiful daughter and wife to the man of her mother’s choosing? Or will Owen find a way to free Margaret of her past by giving her the future they both are surprised to find they desire?

Review:

Matched and Married by Kathleen Fuller is a sweet Amish romance with charming characters. Although this newest release is the second book in the Amish Mail-Order Bride series, it can be read as a standalone.

Margaret Yoder continues to be tempted by the Englisch friends she made during her Rumspringa. She also continues to be at loggerheads with her mother who thinks her youngest daughter can do nothing right. Margaret is spirited and unable to conform to her mother’s rigid need to control everything. She has no desire to marry but when ordered to begin looking for a husband, Margaret returns to Birch Creek, OH to stay with her beloved Aenti Mary and Onkle Freemont and help them with their harvest. She is a hard worker but she also has plenty of free time. Margaret spends time exploring the nearby woods where she searches for flowers. She has renewed interest in herbal treatments after crossing paths with Owen Bontrager who is on a forced vacation. The two become good friends after agreeing neither is planning to marry but will love find them when they’re not looking?

After her Rumspringa, Margaret decided to fully commit to being Amish. But she discovered that leaving behind parts of Englisch life is easier said than done. She is determined to live up to her decision, but the strife between her and her mother is hurtful and troubling. Margaret is nothing like her mother or her sisters so she always feels like a failure. The opportunity to visit her Aenti Mary is just what she needs to escape from her mother’s disappointment.

Owen works on his family’s farm and he puts in long hours ensuring they are successful. He works longer than anyone and he has exacting standards for how things are to be done. Owen is very frustrated by his father’s edict to take a week off from work. When boredom sets in, he begins reading his grandfather’s books.

Owen and Margaret’s friendship is based on their mutual interests but it does not take long for their feelings for each other to deepen. However, neither of them wants to break their agreement to be friends only. What will they do when Margaret acquiesces to her mother’s unexpected demand?

Matched and Married is a heartwarming romance with a delightful cast of characters. Owen and Margaret have strong personalities and they a perfect match, but will they give in to their growing feelings for each other? In addition to their romance, another member of their community is trying to move on from her husband’s desertion but not knowing if he will ever return complicates her life. With an engaging storyline, relatable characters and realistic issues to overcome, Kathleen Fuller’s latest addition to the Amish Mail-Order Bride series is sure to be a hit with readers.

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Filed under Amish, Amish Mail-Order Bride Series, Contemporary, Kathleen Fuller, Matched and Married, Rated B, Review, Romance, Zondervan

May 14, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Hooked on You by Kathleen Fuller

Title: Hooked on You by Kathleen Fuller
Maple Falls Series Book One
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

She never wanted to come back. He never wants to leave. The town of Maple Falls has plans for them both.

Riley McAllister is living the dream in New York City . . . if the dream means being a struggling mixed-media artist, part-time food delivery driver, and having a carefully curated social media to hide all of the above. She refuses to admit defeat and move back to small-town Maple Falls, but when her grandmother breaks her leg sliding into third base during a softball game (she was safe, by the way), Riley reluctantly agrees to go home and help the woman who raised her—while secretly hoping she can convince Mimi to sell her house and yarn shop and move in with a good friend. Then Riley can return to her new life in NYC, on her own and for good.

But Mimi has her own plans, which include setting Riley up with local baseball star Hayden Price, who returned to Maple Falls after an injury ended his major league career. Now he works at his father’s hardware store, coaches the church softball team, and worries about the declining town. It’s not the life he dreamed of having.

With a little meddling and a lot of kindness from the town, Hayden and Riley find themselves unexpectedly falling for each other as they discover the true meaning of home.

Welcome to Maple Falls, where everyone knows your name and your business.

Review:

Hooked on You by Kathleen Fuller is a wonderful novel about family, healing and love.

After high school, Riley McAllister left Maple Falls, AR to move to New York with high hopes of taking the art world by storm.  Ten years later, she has not had her big break but she is not giving up on her dream. But when her feisty, beloved Mimi breaks her leg and needs her help, Riley hops on the next plane back to her small home town. The last person she expects to pick her from the airport is her teenage crush Hayden Price. He also left town but after an injury put an end to his major baseball career, Hayden returned to Maple Falls. He is working in his family’s hardware business and coaching the church softball team. Riley is still drawn to Hayden, but will she overcome her fears and explore the possibility of a relationship? And will she give up the Big Apple for small town life?

Riley’s life as a child with her mother was incredibly chaotic. Even after moving in with Mimi as a teenager, Riley found it difficult to let herself make friends. She is close to Mimi and she loves her grandmother’s friends, but she struggles with accepting offers of friendship with women her age.  Riley is also extremely guarded and finds it hard to allow Hayden into her life. But as they agree to just be friends, Riley is surprised when she relaxes enough to allow their feelings blossom into a tentative romance. But how will she react when she must face her past?

Hayden was also interested in Riley when they were teenagers. But he did not have the time for a romance since he was single-mindedly focused on pursuing his baseball dream. His years of hard work paid off only to be dashed by a career ending injury. Putting his disappointment behind him, Hayden is rebuilding his life in Maple Falls. Hayden still feels a spark between him and Riley and he knows he will have to tread very carefully with her. He does not know much about her life before moving with his grandmother, but he has no trouble reading Riley’s “keep away”. Hayden is willing to take as much time and patience as he needs to nurture his fledgling romance with Riley. But will his own baggage get in the way of their burgeoning romance?

Hooked on You is a very enjoyable novel with a charming cast of characters. Despite the passage of time, Riley’s dysfunctional past prevents her from getting close to anyone. Hayden recognizes how wounded she is but he does have a few issues of his own. Their relationship unfolds gradually over time, but Riley pulls away whenever she feels emotionally threatened. Maple Falls residents are absolutely delightful but the town itself is in need of some TLC. This first installment is a sweet introduction to Kathleen Fuller’s Maple Falls series that readers are going to absolutely love.

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Filed under Contemporary, Hooked on You, Kathleen Fuller, Maple Falls Series, Rated B, Review, Romance, Thomas Nelson Publishing

December 30, 2020 · 11:57 pm

Review: A Double Dose of Love by Kathleen Fuller

Title: A Double Dose of Love by Kathleen Fuller
Amish Mail-Order Bride Series Book One
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary, Amish, Romance
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Prepare for a double dose of romance and fun when two sets of Amish twins find love.

Identical brothers Zeb and Zeke Bontrager aren’t looking for love. They have their hands full with a new horse farm, a half-finished ranch house, and a wild colt, thanks to Zeke’s hasty business dealings. Now Zeb must contend with Zeke’s bad decisions, hidden debts, and tendency to avoid responsibility, which threaten their good standing in the Birch Creek Amish community.

When a newspaper ad prompts Darla King to travel to Birch Creek in search of a husband, her identical twin, Amanda, promises their parents she’ll convince Darla to come home. After all, Amanda is the responsible and reliable one. She has always protected Darla, who acts on impulse and trusts people too easily. The sisters’ close relationship is strained as Darla asserts her independence and Amanda grapples with regrets of her past and the longings of her own heart.

When Zeb and Amanda join forces to protect Darla and Zeke from each other, none of them can possibly predict the outcome as all four come face-to-face with their highest hopes and deepest insecurities in the first installment of the Amish Mail-Order Bride series.

Review:

A Double Dose of Love by Kathleen Fuller is a sweet Amish romance featuring two love stories.

Twenty-one year old Darla King loves her family but she is ready to marry and settle down. She is little bit flighty so her parents and twin sister Amanda are very over-protective. They also have doubts about whether she makes the right decisions. Her parents have kept her from courting due to their concerns for her well-being. When Darla finds an ad for mail-order brides in a nearby town, she sets things in motion to relocate. But when their parents learn of her plans, they insist Amanda accompany her. Will her twin sister thwart Darla’s intentions to find a husband?

Amanda is much more serious and not as outgoing as Darla. She is not at all happy going with her twin, but she hopes they will only be gone for a few days. Much to her dismay, Darla not only gets a job right away, but she believes Zeke Bontrager is the man of her dreams.  Amanda turns to Zeke’s twin brother Zeb for assistance in keeping Zeke away from Darla. She is surprised by how much she likes spending time with Zeb, but she is afraid of risking her heart.

Zeke is great at coming up with ideas, but he tends to run away when things do not go as planned. He is also impulsive which just adds to his problems.  He roped Zeb into purchasing a rundown farm but Zeke’s ill-thought decisions have landed him in financial trouble.  He does not want Zeb to find out but his avoidance tactics are causing a great deal of friction between them. Zeke is not looking for love but he is finding Darla hard to resist.

Zeb loves his brother but he is running out of patience with his frequent absences from the farm. He is a hard worker but he is irritated that he is doing all of the work.  Zeb is taken off guard when Amanda asks him for his help, but he has no problem agreeing to assist her.  He finds Amanda’s company very calming and he looks forward to seeing her. But he does not have time for love… does he?

A Double Dose of Love is an enjoyable Amish romance. The characters are likable and their various issues are realistic. There is a bit of an insta-love vibe to the romances so the couples’ relationships feel a bit under developed. The characters grow and evolve over the course of the story. All in all, a charming first installment in Kathleen Fuller’s Amish Mail-Order Bride series.

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Filed under A Double Dose of Love, Amish, Amish Mail-Order Bride Series, Contemporary, Kathleen Fuller, Rated C+, Romance, Zondervan

January 8, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Innkeeper’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller

Title: The Innkeeper’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller
Amish Brides of Birch Creek Series Book Three
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary, Amish, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

With two matchmakers on the loose in the Amish community of Birch Creek, the new innkeeper doesn’t stand a chance in this sweet Amish romance.

When Selah Ropp returns to Birch Creek, she is a different person than when she left. I know I haven’t done much listening in the past, Lord, she prays. But I’m listening now. Her new friend, Cevilla Schlabach, urges her to let go of regrets and allow this to be a fresh start. Cevilla herself, though, hides a secret longing behind her weathered face.

Levi Stoll and his family spent a year transforming a large English house into a small inn. Now that they are open for business, Levi is pleased to have Selah join them as an employee—as long as his grandmother doesn’t try any matchmaking schemes on the two of them. After all, Selah seems as guarded as he feels, and the last thing he wants is for anyone to remind him of his history.

With Kathleen Fuller’s trademark humor and memorable characters, The Innkeeper’s Bride reminds us that God’s grace in the present and our hope for the future is stronger than any pain of the past. 

Review:

The Innkeeper’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller is a heartfelt and engaging Amish romance. Although this newest release is the third installment in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series, it can be read as a standalone.

As much as she loves her brother and sister-in-law, Selah Ropp  is ready to move on to the next phase in her life plan.  But in order to accomplish her goal, she needs to find a job. Luckily, Levi Stoll and his family are looking for someone to work in their newly opened inn.  Selah enjoys her new job and her employers but she is troubled by her feelings for Levi. She is cautious about revealing much about her past but Levi is patient and understanding when her issues arise. Will Selah open her heart to an unexpected chance for love?

Just as the family’s inn is about to open, Levi must take on a bigger role than anticipated when his father is injured.  He grows concerned about the family’s finances but he knows that he must trust God’s plan for them. Levi is not looking for love and certainly not with an employee, but he is quite smitten with Selah.   Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, Levi retreats when their relationship ventures into romantic territory. But will a little help from a pair of crafty matchmakers change his mind?

Octogenarians Cevilla Schlabach and Richard Johnson are still deciding the future of their relationship. Cevilla tries to give Richard the time and space he needs to plan his next step, but she is becoming impatient with his lack of communication with her.  A decision made in haste threatens their happiness but will a little well-meaning interference from her friend Delilah Stoll help the couple work through their problems?

The Innkeeper’s Bride is a delightful romance with a wonderful undercurrent of faith. Selah’s battle with depression is realistically depicted and her fears about a relationship with Levi are understandable. Levi is an outgoing young man with an optimistic outlook on life. The Stoll family is close-knit and supportive with a strong faith that guides and sustains them as they launch their Inn.

Old and new fans  are sure to love this heartwarming addition to Kathleen Fuller’s marvelous Amish Brides of Birch Creek series.

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Filed under Amish, Amish Brides of Birch Creek Series, Contemporary, Kathleen Fuller, Rated B+, Review, Romance, The Innkeeper's Bride, Zondervan

June 3, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Farmer’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller

Title: The Farmer’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller
Amish Brides of Birch Creek Series Book Two
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary, Amish, Romance
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From bestselling author, Kathleen Fuller, comes another heartwarming romantic comedy set in the beloved Amish community of Birch Creek. 

“Once you open the book, you won’t put it down until you’ve reached the end.”—Amy Clipston, bestselling author of A Seat by the Hearth, for The Teacher’s Bride

They promised to keep each other’s secrets . . . not realizing they were about to make some of their own.

Martha Detweiler has a problem many Amish women her age would envy: she’s the only single woman in a community of young men, and they’re all competing for her favor. Overwhelmed by the unwanted attention, Martha finds herself constantly fleeing from her would-be suitors, dismayed at what her life has come to.

Birch Creek’s resident matchmaker, Cevilla Schlabach, suggests a solution: Martha and the bishop’s son, Seth Yoder, should pretend they are dating. What better way to keep the other young men away?

But Seth is the only man around not interested in Martha. He has a secret hobby that keeps him away from social gatherings: woodcarving. Having grown up in poverty, he’s determined to keep his father’s farm successful, even if it means he has no time for dating. Then Delilah Stoll, a new resident of Birch Creek, eyes Seth as the perfect man for her granddaughter. Suddenly Cevilla’s proposition doesn’t seem all that ludicrous. Can Seth and Martha convince their family and friends to leave them alone?

The second book in bestselling author Kathleen Fuller’s Amish Brides of Birch Creek series, The Farmer’s Bride celebrates the unexpected power of love and the joy of discovering God’s calling.

Review:

The Farmer’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller is a delightfully heartwarming Amish romance. Although this latest release is the second installment in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek, it can be  read as a standalone.

Martha Detweiler has zero interest in a romance. Her last relationship ended badly and she has yet to recover from the emotional scars. As the only single woman in Birch Creek, she is actively pursued by the single men in the community. Fearing hurting their feelings, Martha instead runs from conflict.  A discussion with local matchmaker Cevilla Schlabach leads to a bit of an unusual remedy for Martha’s situation. But will Seth Yoder agree to a pretend romance to help Martha escape the unwanted attention?

Seth works hard on his family’s farm but he would rather be woodworking than planting crops. But he is an obedient young man who remembers all too well the family’s financial struggles before their farm became so prosperous. Seth reluctantly agrees to help Martha, but he soon feels guilty participating in such a duplicitous scheme. He is unexpectedly drawn to Martha but is Seth willing to turn their pretend romance into a real relationship?

Martha is surprised by how much she enjoys Seth’s company but she too feels a great deal of remorse for deceiving everyone.  Just as they are about to reveal the truth, their situation soon becomes even more complicated when newcomer Delilah Stoll decides Martha would be the perfect match for her grandson, Levi.  She is also certain that Seth is the perfect man for her granddaughter, Nina. Further difficulties ensue when Delilah and Cevilla clash right from their first introduction.

Martha and Seth’s paths have crossed several times in the past, but it is not until their pretend romance they begin to see another in a different light. Despite their unanticipated interest in each other, they know they cannot continue to deceive their loved ones. But will revealing the truth mean the end of their chance for a future together?

The Farmer’s Bride is an endearing Amish romance with a wonderful cast of charming characters. Martha and Seth are wonderfully developed characters who are perfect for one another. The romantic aspect of the storyline is understated but Seth and Martha’s feelings for one another ring true.  With valuable lessons about trust and forgiveness, Kathleen Fuller brings this marvelous novel to a heartfelt conclusion. This newest addition to the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series is an engaging  romance that is sure to delight readers of Amish fiction.

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Filed under Amish, Amish Brides of Birch Creek Series, Contemporary, Kathleen Fuller, Rated B, Review, Romance, The Farmer's Bride, Zondervan