My Thoughts
Author Jennifer Beckstrand has written Book Two in The Petersheim Brothers series. Abraham is Christian Amish fiction with romance, humor, faith and even recipes. It is a wonderful escape from everyday life to visit Amish friends.
I loved this book for so many reasons. Faith is never hidden. It is seamlessly woven throughout the story teaching lessons as it goes. I find that beautiful in any novel.
Emma Wengerd is an Amish girl living at home that loves exotic chickens. Abraham is the shy Petersheim brother. He is tall, considerate, tender, quiet, but lacks confidence. Alfie and Benji are the rambunctious eight year old twins determined to see their older brothers married. When that is accomplished, the twins will be able to have a bedroom of their own instead of sleeping in the cellar.
All of the characters shine and come alive through the delightful writing of author Beckstrand. Her style is captivating and grabs my attention immediately. I was unable to put down this book until the end, which included recipes from the tale. This is a well planned, organized, researched, and wonderfully written book.
When I read a novel, I love learning from it. This book did not disappoint. I learned some tidbits about the Amish. There were details about the youth gatherings that I did not know. Exotic chickens were new to me. It was very interesting reading about the different types of chickens and their characteristics.
This book has everything to keep a reader’s attention and put a smile on a face. There is humor from the boys’ antics and animals to enjoy with cats, a dog, cows, and chicken Many life lessons on family relations, manners, faith, gossip, forgiveness, truth, and obeying parents make this a book that encourages and inspires. The recipes finishing this book sound yummy and easy to make.
I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren’t a fan of Amish, you will be able to enjoy this. There is so much to learn in it. It would make a perfect reading group choice. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own, honest words.
About the Book
Book: Abraham
Author: Jennifer Beckstrand
Genre: Inspirational Amish Romance
Release Date: November 26, 2019
Things at the Petersheim house are getting too crowded for eight-year-old twins Alfie and Benji. As if things weren’t bad enough with three older brothers hogging all the bacon at breakfast and using more than their fair share of toilet paper, Mammi and Dawdi Petersheim have to move in because of Dawdi’s stroke. If Alfie and Benji have any hope of getting their own bedrooms, they have to get rid of their annoying brothers, and the only way to convince their brothers to move out is to make each of them fall in love. What could be so hard about that?
Abraham Petersheim is known as a man of few words. He’s painfully shy and doesn’t see the need to prattle on like other boys in the community do. That’s why he can’t understand his unexpected attraction to Emma Wengerd. For sure and certain she’s pretty, but she also has five or six boys buzzing around her all the time, and she seems to be constantly annoyed with Abraham and his little brothers. Emma would never be interested in someone as boring as Abraham, and he could never set his sights on someone as wunderbarr as Emma.
Click here to get your copy.
About the Author
Jennifer Beckstrand is the two-time RITA-nominated, #1 Amazon bestselling Amish romance author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series, The Honeybee Sisters series, and The Petersheim Brothers series for Kensington Books. Huckleberry Summer and Home on Huckleberry Hill were both nominated for the coveted RITA® Award from Romance Writers of America. Jennifer has written twenty-one Amish romances, a historical Western, and the nonfiction book, Big Ideas. She and her husband have been married for thirty-five years, and she has six children and eight adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.
More from Jennifer
Alfie and Benji Petersheim will do just about anything to get their brother Abraham to fall in love with Emma Wengerd, even adopt a stray dog. But to catch that dog, they’re going to need Aunt Bitsy’ help. Alfie and Benji are about to get in a lot of trouble.
I hope you enjoy this excerpt from Abraham.
Benji pushed his coffee cake around his plate with his finger. “Maybe we could keep that stray dog.”
Maybe they could keep the dog. Alfie’s heart started pounding. A dog could find them if they ever got lost in the woods. A dog could fetch sticks and bring Dat his slippers. A dog would eat crumbs off the floor. Mamm would never have to mop again.
Bitsy shrugged. “That’s up to your mamm.”
Alfie’s heart sank to his toes. “Mamm would never let us have a dog. She won’t even let me have a goldfish.”
“I have a pet spider,” Benji said.
Alfie popped a small bite of coffee cake into his mouth. “He’s not your pet. He just lives in the corner of the cellar and kills other spiders.”
“You tried to spray him,” Benji said, “and I saved his life. He’s my pet now.”
Bitsy nodded. “Spiders are gute pets. They feed themselves and don’t poop on the carpet.”
Benji sat very still before wrinkling his forehead like he did when he was upset. “We need to help that dog.”
Alfie wanted a dog as much as anybody, but they had to be sensible. They’d been asking Mamm for a dog ever since they could talk. “Mamm won’t let us.”
Benji started crying. “But he’s going to get gassed.”
Bitsy reached over and patted Benji’s arm. “He might not get gassed. The pound might find a nice family that wants to adopt him. People like chocolate labs. I’m told they’re cute.”
Benji caught his breath and suddenly stopped crying, as if someone had turned off a faucet. “Do girls like chocolate lamps?”
“Chocolate labs?” Bitsy folded her arms. “Well, I’m a girl and I don’t think he’s cute, but most girls love dogs. Do you remember Vernon Schmucker? Poor fellow had a face like a potato, and the girls ignored him. One night he brought a puppy to the gathering, and he was surrounded by girls all night. That’s how he met his wife.”
Benji jumped from his chair and threw his arms around Alfie, making Alfie spill milk down his new shirt. “Hey. Watch it.”
“Alfie, girls like dogs!”
Benji was a good partner, but sometimes he made no sense. “So?”
“If Emma Wengerd saw us walking our chocolate lamp down the street, she’d run out of her house to pet him.”
Alfie’s heart started pounding. Benji was the best bruder in the world. “We could bring Abraham with us.”
Benji got more and more excited with each word. “And they could talk about dogs and chickens and maybe start kissing.”
Alfie set his milk on the table. “We’ve got to catch that dog.”
Blog Stops
Texas Book-aholic, December 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 28
She Lives to Read, December 29
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 29
Older & Smarter?, December 30
Through the Fire Blogs, December 30
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 31
Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 31
For the Love of Literature, January 1
SPLASHES of Joy, January 1
Book of Ruth Ann, January 2
Mary Hake, January 2
janicesbookreviews, January 3
Vicky Sluiter, January 3
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 4
Pause for Tales, January 4
Quiet Quilter, January 5
Southern Gal Loves to Read, January 5
The Avid Reader, January 6
Christian Bookaholic, January 6
Inklings and notions, January 7
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 7
Blossoms and Blessings, January 8
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 8
Reading Is My SuperPower, January 9
For Him and My Family, January 9
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 10
Batya’s Bits, January 10
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving a $10 Amazon gift card to three winners!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/f383/abraham-celebration-tour-giveaway
Can the invisible walls that separate people ever come down?
Camille writes poignant, inspirational love stories some call “more than a romance.” She lives in Oregon with her husband and is a mom, grandma, office admin, lead foot, cinnamon roll baker, and a bass guitarist. She’s a fan of muscle cars, tender romance, and Peanut M&Ms.

December covers quaint Heart’s Bend, Tennessee with a blanket of white and the glitter of Christmas lights.
Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
Whether you’re in the honeymoon stage or celebrating your fiftieth anniversary, you have never before been in this season of your marriage. Your family dynamics, finances, health, emotional state, location, ministry, employment status—all the factors of your life—are in a perpetual state of transition. As a married woman, you are continually wife-changing. The Scriptures never change, but they can always be freshly applied to every season of marriage.
Nancy Kaser is a passionate pastor’s wife and veteran missionary. For over twenty-five years, she has taught women’s Bible studies, provided biblical counseling, and been a dynamic women’s conference speaker. Based in Southern California, Nancy teaches literature and history classes at The Writtenburg Door. She and her visionary husband also lead short-term mission trips with the Calvary Chapel movement and run a child-sponsorship organization.
Darling Hedgehog learns about the animal nature of things in high humor and carefree, cute, and winning episodes. This childhood story reads a bit like Aesop’s Fables or a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, for children 4-8 or preschool and kindergarten, as a read-to-me picture book, and first grade and second grade as a chapter book.
Auralee Arkinsly writes in good humor about serious subjects because kids of all ages can learn a lot from laughing. She is a strong believer in right and wrong but knows that getting onto the right path can mean falling down a slippery slope. She reckons if she can save some from the bumps and bruises, then she has done her job
From bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four delicious novellas perfect for celebrating love, joy, and the holiday season.
The final book in the series, Breath of Joy, Winter Whispers speaks of the deep quiet earth movements that echo human proving grounds and transitions during rest. Photo Art and Prose. Three everyday celebrations on every page spread are not commercially Christmas but rather interrelational and spiritually poised. This is simply, because in Winter when the earth’s axis is the farthest away from the sun, people warm themselves and grow in the wonder of darkness, where God still sees us, breathing life.
Kathy Joy enjoyed being a popular Christian radio D.J. in Colorado for many years. When her husband wanted to move to Pennsylvania to take over the family farm, Kathy Joy accompanied him with their two young daughters. Four years later, Kathy Joy found herself a widow raising two teenagers. To stave off despair, she began writing three every day celebrations in a journal. Friends on Facebook began prompting her to write a book, and so the beginning of the Breath of Joy series began. Kathy Joy now works in human services, speaking wonder on the weekends to grief therapy groups, motivational corporate meetings, and women’s retreats. Some of her topics include Vision Board workshops, Being a Harbor Pilot, Mirroring the Savior, The Fifth Season, and A Christmas Tea.
Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner. But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?
Aussie author, Hannah Currie, loves God, family, people (in small numbers, let’s not go crazy here!) and writing. She and her husband live with their three adorable kids in sunny Queensland, where it really is beautiful one day and perfect the next. Except, maybe, during heatwaves. They’re not so fun. She loves to connect with readers at
“A devotional workbook on Galatians that gives enough substance for the interactive part of the workbook. It is worthwhile for small groups or individuals.” Dr. Dennis Beatty
As a Pastor’s kid, Mary has been involved in the church most of her life. She has led many Bible study groups in homes, in the church environment, and in jails; Mary has worked in various women’s ministries, and is a writer, speaker and Bible Teacher.
This sequel is set in the late 1920s Appalachia, where granny witches and spiritualism often show the path for wanderers to take, especially in matters of the heart.
More about Tonya Jewel Blessing: Growing up Tonya spent numerous vacations and holidays in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. Most of her adult life has been spent in full time ministry with a focus on helping women. She has traveled nationally and internationally as a conference speaker. For a number of years, Tonya and her husband operated a retreat facility in Colorado for pastors and missionaries. She and her husband currently live in South Africa. They are the founders and directors of Strong Cross Ministries, a non-profit organization that assists local churches, pastors, cross-cultural workers, and others in Christian leadership in providing spiritual reconciliation and humanitarian relief to the poorest in the world. Tonya writes monthly devotionals for women in ministry. She is the award-winning novelist of The Whispering of the Willows, which is Book 1 of the Big Creek Series. She is the co-author of Soothing Rain, a discussion starter handbook/devotional that provides women with important tools for sharing biblical truth.