Encouraged by her husband Lyle, Heidi returns to holding her cooking classes after a heartbreaking decision changes the course of their life.  Taking on six students seems to give her hope again and a new chance to share her love of cooking. Each student has different reasons for taking the class, and soon form friendships that bond them in many ways. 

Since I really enjoyed the first book, I was happy the opportunity came up for me to read this one as well. Each character has their own unique personalities to add to the story. Heidi again shares scriptures on the back of the recipe cards she sends home with them, and I love how they touched each person. She shares her gentle faith and encouragement and you can see how they blossom under her tutelage. There's even a bit of romance at play!  Made me smile throughout the book. Well-developed characters, yummy recipes in the back of the book to try, friendships formed, and gentle faith shared changes the lives of all in this delightful story. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series! 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing/NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review. *

The Blessing is 2nd in the Amish Cooking Class series, and I like it even better than the first. It is so well written that I can almost see Heidi’s neat, efficient kitchen with scents of coffee, tea, and spices. The characters are likable, and their lives begin to intertwine in exciting ways.

Heidi Troyer and her husband Lyle have been married for several years but have not had a child. She held her first cooking class series in “The Seekers”; it shared her knowledge and prayers while giving her something to focus on. The first class was very successful. The students were better, more confident cooks and grew closer to the Lord. A stellar outcome is that one of the students, pregnant and alone, came to live with Heidi until her baby would be born. Kendra was confident the Troyers would provide an excellent home and chose them to adopt her baby.

The Troyers prepared for a newborn in their home. Before the birth, Kendra’s father calls and gave permission for her to return home, have her child and get on her feet again. Thus, she returns home and decides that since she can live with her family, she will also keep her baby. Heidi is heartbroken, but understands.

Heidi starts another cooking class series with six new students with a diversity of ages and backgrounds. She continues to teach how to make various Amish dishes, giving each student a recipe card with the recipe of the day, with a scripture verse on the back of the card. She has not asked if anyone has a faith background; she simply shares a scripture meaningful to her and leaves the results to the Lord.

The members of this class have shared little about themselves. One young woman, a caterer, is happy to have new ideas to offer her clients. A single man plans to make some of the foods when he and his buddies go deer hunting. One woman, the wife of a police detective, unknowingly shares a potential treasure to Heidi: there is a need for good, qualified foster homes.

Most people we meet in the novel are Heidi’s students and their families. Heidi is well defined, and we learn quite a bit about each student as we see an overview of their most challenging moments between classes. Dialog is the primary means of defining each character. I would love to have Heidi for a neighbor; she has so much to offer students of all ages.

This novel drew me in from the first page with realistic characters and situations, and didn’t let go until turning the last page. Each character has at least one, some several, conflicts. Seeing how each handles their pain or frustration shows the reader that no matter how great a life looks from the outside, there is always something painful from the inside. Whether Heidi learns about it or not, the scripture verses get into the heart of each student. This is a delightful novel, showing real challenges people face, some life and death. As in the first in series, I like how the author shows the prayers of those who have relationships with the Lord, and how Heidi tries to work through her grief upon. This author is a wonderful storyteller, with believable characters facing challenges that many of us do. She demonstrates how a person of faith walks and prays through challenges and the resulting miracles that can occur. I highly recommend The Blessing to everyone who appreciates contemporary Amish novels that share faith, friendship, and yummy recipes. 

From a grateful heart: I received this eBook from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

I enjoy Ms Brunstetter's books, August 1, 2017
By Maggie

This review is from: Amish Cooking Class - The Blessing (Kindle Edition)
I very much enjoy Wanda E. Brunstetter's books, this one is no exception. Visiting the Troyer's farm again, with Heidi's new cooking class, is almost voyeuristic, wondering what she will cook next, and what problems will emerge and be solved. This is a thoughtful and soothing read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for loaning me a time-constrained e-ARC, with no obligations.

So enjoyed catching up with Heidi and her cooking classes, and with the start of this book she is about to start her second series of classes.
We meet the new students, and yes I had instant dislike to some of them, but keep reading. We go in-depth into their lives, and find out why they are like they are; will Heidi be able to influence them like she did the previous?
I loved that we are updated on the people we meet in the first book, but Kendra has devastating news for Heidi, so sad, but there are the lives of the others we met and find out how things are going for them.
Will this new group be as affected by Heidi and her sweet ministering, or will the first impressions be what happens?
We finish with some yummy recipes, and they will soon be making it to my table, especially the chicken crumb basket!
I loved some of the compassion some of these people showed to their fellow students, and the main lesson here is Forgiveness, so very hard to do, and how Heidi is able to lead them.
Another page turning read that you won’t be able to put down once that first page is turned.
I received this book through Net Galley and Barbour Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

I felt like I was visiting old friends and meeting new ones as I was reading The Blessing and one of the things that stands out to me is the way we get to know the main characters is through the conversations they have with secondary characters.
Heidi is preparing for her second cooking class after a heartbreaking situation and her students are taking the class for a variety of reasons.  Just as in the first book, Heidi shares not only her recipes, but she shares a Bible verse with each dish they cook.  She opens not only her home, but her heart, too.
While reading this book, there were times that I wish that I could join Heidi’s class and experience her style of cooking, her cozy home  and more her importantly  her genuine concern for others that have challenges of their own.
Readers of Amish and Christian fiction will definitely want to read this one and in addition to a great story, Wanda has included recipes from Heidi’s cooking class.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a review.

After reading and liking the first book in this series I was excited to see a 2nd book! I was given the opportunity to read the book (given for free from the publisher) in exchange for my honest review. I love the simplicity of the story and the focus on cooking. I've tried a recipe from the back of the book and it was pretty good. I'm excited to try the others. Loved the scripture included and the parts of the story relating to life change through the Lord. That was the best part of the story! Wanda has a great way of including scripture and the work of the Lord in people's lives in her stories. Love that. Also love how real issues are addressed. My high hopes were a little dashed from the first few pages. I had a hard time falling in love with the book. I felt like I was having a hard time reading each sentence. It was like there was too much detail jammed into one sentence and it was distracting. I had to read and reread sentences just to connect the dots. This was a huge distraction for me. I did like how the story started with Heidi and Lyle. But then it jumped into short bios/introductions of each of the people who would eventually be in the next cooking class. This was fine at first. The info was applicable. But then the amount of time spent on each of the class attendees started to be more plentiful than the main storyline about Heidi and Lyle. I wanted more info about Heidi and instead I got a whole bunch of detail about the side characters. I found myself skipping over these sections because I had a hard time seeing how they were necessary. There didn't seem to be any kind of real through story line. There were all these little story lines and the main story line was so thin and not developed. I was disappointed. I wanted to know more about Heidi and her husband and their family. I thought at a few points in the book that all Heidi's fatigue was going to lead to her being pregnant by surprise... but that was not the case. I think something like that would have really added to the story. I am just feeling kinda meh about this story...

I have been a fan of Wanda’s since I first read her books. I am glad that she hasn’t changed the way she writes and has stayed true to what makes Amish fiction so interesting to many. Her characters are well-developed and genuine and the stories she writes are interesting. I always feel like I’m getting a real glimpse into the lives of the Amish when I read one of her books. The Blessing fits the Wanda E. Brunstetter recipe for success and is a delightful read.

The characters we meet in this book are a diverse group of people. There’s a teenager, a single woman, and a married woman with children. Plus there are three men, a single man, a widower, and a man who is divorced and living the life of a bachelor. Each of these characters has their own reason for taking the cooking classes and we discover that reason as we get to know the characters. More and more of the characters’ personalities are revealed throughout the book. We also get to know more about Heidi throughout this book and catch up with the students from the first class.

I liked the pace of this book and the fact that the story jumps from character to character throughout each chapter. It’s as if we get to stop in and visit with each one for a bit. To me this made the story move along at a quick pace and kept the story fresh.

I have to say that I just love the cover of this book. It captures Heidi’s character perfectly. The colors are calm and soothing while being eye-catching. The cover is simple yet balanced and is one of the best Amish fiction covers I have seen.

Fans of Wanda’s books are guaranteed to love The Blessing and readers new to her work are sure to fall in love with her work after reading this book. Although this is the second book in the series and I would recommend reading book one first it isn’t necessary. This book could be read as a standalone as there is enough backstory provided to catch up with Heidi’s life and not seem lost.

I was provided a free copy of this book and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

This is the perfect read for anyone who is a devout Christian or is thinking of becoming Christian. It is a clean read and a heartfelt on.

This is very typical of Ms Brunstetter's writing and will be beloved by her fans.

On the other hand I had a little trouble following the many secondary character's for a while (at least for 50% of the book) and some of the secondary character's life problems/solutions should have taken up entire books to fix, not just what was given to them in this book. 

This book was more like reading a series of short stories.

ARC supplied by publisher

I have come to really love this series. I love how the author brings strangers together for a cooking class. They all meet in an Amish home where Heidi and Lyle live. Heidi is such a sweet and compassionate person. Her heart is full of love and kindness. After a devastating loss, Lyle thinks it is time for Heidi to teach another cooking class. The description of the Amish lifestyle is very well written and shows how much the author knows about the Amish culture. 

As each student was introduced, we get a little background on their life. Each one comes from different places, but they each  were seeking, acceptance, love, friendship and for some , forgiveness. I loved how each character blended well into the story. I have to say that I wanted to be in the kitchen as one of the students. I could feel how much Heidi loved to share her cooking skills . She made everyone feel welcome and had that tender touch of listening and guiding her students to overcome their obstacles. It was nice to have a few previous students visit in the story. The author has a wonderful style of writing which brings readers right into the story. After each class, Heidi gives the students a recipe card with a scripture on the back. I loved how those scriptures impacted their lives.

I don't have a favorite character because I felt they each played a key role in the overall story. Each character has something they are dealing with that centers around forgiveness and disappointment. At the end of the book the author has included discussion questions. I loved reading them and thinking about my answers to them. As an added bonus recipes are included at the end also. I know there are several I am going to try. Overall the book was very touching and I loved how the characters were able to open up and trust each other. I am looking forward to the next book in this wonderful series. 

I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion.

The Blessing by much-loved author Wanda Brunstetter, continues her new series, Amish Cooking Class. There is no disappoint here with this second story of Heidi Troyer and her cooking class! As a young, childless Amish wife dealing with disquieting circumstances decides to have another class, She wonders what would she learn from this group of students. Individuals from all walks of life have opted to gather for six classes on Amish cooking. A teen burdened with the cooking at home, a hunter who gets teased by his buddies for his cooking skills or lack thereof, a policeman's wife, the head maintenance man at a high school, along with a caterer with a budding career, and a food critic with a somewhat negative attitude make up this eclectic group. The author keeps the reader's interest as these six individuals interact with and begin to share their lives with Heidi and each other. Some situations are a little predictable and yet there are some twists and turns that keep the pages turning. Although a sweet story, the author expertly touches on some very tough and heartbreaking subjects as she writes of childlessness, single parenting, and alcoholism and its disruptive and alienating effect on families. There is a little romance, a little angst about a possibly troubled marriage and a little anxiety as a black bear decides to visit one of the attendees. The Blessing is a charming story of people from different cultures and circumstances finding friendship, forgiveness, and faith in a fun setting. Included at the end of the book are the recipes made by the class each week.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed are my own.

If you read my review of The Seekers, book 1 in Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Cooking Class series, then you know I wasn’t exactly excited about this series when I first heard about it. You will also know that I totally changed my mind while reading The Seekers.

Well, after being excited for the next book in the series, The Blessing, to release, I am so glad I gave this series a chance! I actually think I may have liked this book slightly more than the first one!

In The Blessing we get to return to the Troyer farm where Heidi is going to teach another Amish cooking class. I’m really enjoying this theme of Amish cooking classes. I think it has something to do with my interest in the simpler life, as well as the great food many Amish are known for. I also enjoy how the class brings a group of strangers together.

One of the people I most enjoyed reading about was a food critic. This individual didn’t share their reason for taking the class, which caused some issues. I think I liked the uniqueness of the character in this type of setting the most.

I also enjoyed how Wanda carried the story over from The Seekers with Kendra’s baby. There is a surprising spin near the beginning of this book that I didn’t see coming, but made for a touching and thought provoking storyline.

As you can tell, I really enjoyed this installment of the Amish Cooking Class series. I’m hoping there are more books to come about Joel and Heidi.

The Blessing is that Mrs. Brunstetter continues to write such delightful stories that I love.  It is so easy to like her characters.  How could you not love Heidi?  She suffers such heartbreak but continues to be faithful and trusts that GOD does have a plan for her.

Each character blesses others in some way (big or small).  They each might have an obstacle to conquer in their own lives but by giving to others they are blessed in return.

I read this very quickly.  I loved it.  I don't read Wanda Brunstetter's books.  I devour them until she released a new one.  Thank you for blessing my life with your talents.

Brunstetter once again didn't fail to bring a story of people from different walks of life and bringing them together to heal and find answers for their problems they face in their lives. Even the teacher of the cooking class, Heidi Troyer, finds healing as she mourns the loss of what could have been a child she and her husband longed for.

This is a follow up to the first book you catch up with some of the characters from the first book but also get introduced to another group of characters. In this book Heidi and Lyle are faced with some disappointment but also take it in stride and now have a few huge choices to make. Heidi decides to take on a other group of people for this book with teaching cooking. There are six people not including Heidi, however that being said it was not hard to keep up with what was going on. Each person faced something that impacted there life and there story was told. The author did an amazing job making it all flow and not make it seem like to much going on with that many characters. It was also nice to catch up with some of the people from the first book as well. Fair warning though you will feel hungry with the amount of food that is being made through out this book. I liked how Lyle is there and he seems like the silent type but he loves Heidi with such an amazing love that just jumps off the pages. This book has a strong healing and forgiveness message through out and no matter what your being faced with it reminds you to love one another no matter what anyone is going through. This book does not disappoint at all and is well worth the read.

The Blessing is book two from Wanda Brunstetter's The Amish Cooking Class series. In this installment, we meet 6 new students in Heidi's class. These students include:
Nicole - a young teen girl, who is trying to learn to cook for her divorced dad and family. She's, also, dealing with her mother's abandonment.
Lisa - a caterer, who is trying to find new ways to improve her business.
Todd - a food critic, who wants to write an article about the class but does not tell anyone of his intentions.
Bill - a hunter, who wants to impress his hunting buddies by cooking something new (and good) at their cabin during the season.
Allie - a lonely housewife and mother, who is taking the class because it was a gift by her husband.
Lance - a widowed mailman, who wants to find a new way to spend his time.
Though not a student of the class, unwed and pregnant Kendra plays a part of the story right from the start. 
I cannot tell how much I love this series and The Blessing is a wonderful addition to it. There is so much a reader can learn from reading this book. Forgiveness, redemption, faith, compassion, and trust. There are scenes of heartache and tears, while others with laughter and smiles, and even some romance when least expected. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series and see what happens next for Heidi and her students.
Highly highly recommended.
100 stars.

The second book in the Amish Cooking Classes series as we continue to follow Heidi as she gives a series of six cooking classes to those interested in learning to cook traditional Amish dishes. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and really looked forward to the second. Honestly the first book was better but this one was still very enjoyable. I really liked the little drop ins of past students that fit seamlessly into the story.
The students this time around were just as eclectic as the first book. I love how the author takes you along in the lives of the all the cast without it feeling jumbled. Seeing the students where they live so to speak and not just when they attend the cooking class really helps you journey with and understand them which in turn makes this book the great read it is.
One thing I was really looking forward to reading about was the little cliffhanger if you will from book one, Heidi and her husband Lyle adopting the baby of one of her former students. I won't give it away but I love how it was handled and written.
The students although so different eventually grow to be invested in each others lives. This was not overnight which was realistically written. The students themselves experience growth in their own lives and personal relationships.
I love Wanda E Brunstetter and as usual she did not disappoint.

I love sequels! I love finding out what happened to characters from the first story. It's not like they just disappear is it? Wanda Brunstetter has included many of the characters from the first book The Seekers. She tied up a lot of loose ends and gave us hope for some sad characters from that first story. The Blessing continues with Heidi giving cooking lessons out of her kitchen. Gosh I wish I could sign up for those classes! If you are a Brunstetter fan you'll love these books. If you aren't here is a great place to start reading her books. The books give you a warm feeling and,most of all, gives you hope. In the Amish cooking series Brunstetter takes one Bible verse and seems to weave stories around that verse. It shows how simple words from the Bible can have an effect on everyone's lives. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these books and can't wait for the next one!

In this sweet, heart warming story, a cooking class brings unique individuals together in unexpected ways. The author brings to life each character and their situation. Amazing how something as simple as getting together to learn to cook can create long lasting friendships and more. I enjoyed this story very much. I received a copy of this story from the author and Net Galley and this is my personal honest opinion.

THE BLESSING by Wanda Brunsetter  Amish Cooking Class book 2
Heidi dreams of having a baby, and then she would quit teaching cooking class to raise the baby. Kendra moves back home and with help of parents she is keeping. Heidi did love teaching, has 5 that signed up. Interesting mixture , of who they are, and why they are taking the class. This was a rich description  of them in the story, and the support of how the Amish gives to other so freely. These people got so much more then just cooking. Given  ARC copy from Net Galley for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

The story continues with Heidi and Lyle along with some new characters and a delightful story line. Kendra a character from the first book is given an opportunity that eventually affects both Heidi and Lyle. Can't give details it will ruin the story.
In this book we meet Bill whom is razzed by his friends about his cooking during their annual camping trip.
Nicole, a high school student who is struggling since her mother left and was an alcoholic.
Allie, a mother of 2 and husband who is a cop.
Lisa, a caterer who wants to learn some new dishes to serve in her catering business.
Todd, a food critic who decides to write an article about the cooking class
Lance, a postman decided to learn something new after his wife past away.
Each person has there own problems and with the Bible verses Heidi places on each card they all soon realize something valuable to change them or their outlook on life.
I feel like I knew each of the characters and want to hug some, shake some and encourage others.
I hope there is a 3rd book because it left the ending to open. Love this story and so will you. By the way there is something interesting coming for Heidi and Lyle. and Eli and Loretta make an appearance in the book along with Kendra.