This book was so sweet! My mom is a quilter so I love the idea of a quilt being passed down to three generations.

The Beloved Christmas Quilt is co-authored by Wanda Brunstetter, her daughter in law and her granddaughter. I’ve read several books with Wanda and Jean but this is the first time I’ve read anything by Richelle Brunstetter. I have to say that Richelle seems to write a lot like her grandmother! The similarities in their writing was evident to me and I found that fact to be endearing.

Three generations of women find strength in comfort in a beloved Christmas quilt.

Luella’s Promise:

Luella’s Promise is authored by Wanda Brunstetter. It is the first story in the collection. While this story is a bit predictable, I still enjoyed it. Sometimes you just need a feel-good story, especially around the holidays.

Karen’s Gift:

Karen’s gift is authored by Jean Brunstetter. Karen is Luella’s daughter and the current owner of the beloved quilt. I loved Karen’s story because I could relate to her fears for her child. I think out of all three women in this book, I related to Karen the most. I appreciated the flow of this story and how seamlessly Jean delivered a new generation.

Roseanna’s Groom:

Roseanna’s Groom was very reminicent of Wanda’s writing. Richelle seems inclined to rely heavily on spiritual and scriptural content to help deliver her story and I appreciate that. I felt this story was slightly rushed but I often feel that way with novellas.

Overall, this book is a 5-star (coffee cup!) rating for me. While some may knock off for predicitablity, the stories were just such a feel-good, quick read for me that I have to go with a five. I can see myself picking this one back up again next Christmas for a reread.

The book reads at a nice, steady pace and I quickly worked through the book in a single sitting. I look forward to future novella collections written by this trio.

This story has three parts and each part is written by a different generation of the Brunstetter family.  First we meet Luella who is a housekeeper for a father and son who have recently lost the wife of the family.  The wife of the family gave Luella a treasured quilt before the wife died.  That quilt shows up again in the story of Karen, Luella’s daughter.  And, it appears again in the story of Roseanna, the granddaughter.  I did not think the quilt itself was all that important to the story, though it gave a way for the family connection to be reinforced.
Each story is a love story with some real life challenges tossed in.  One of my favorites was the Nancy Anne side story where Karen’s family must learn how to handle communicating with their deaf daughter.

What a wonderful book written by very talented ladies. I love each of the stories very much. Each pulled at different heartstrings. In Luella's Promise by Wanda Brunstetter Luella is hired to take care of Atlee Zooks wife and young son. Before Atlee's wife dies she makes Luella promise that she will take the Christmas quilt and pass it to her own daughter when she marries and that she will help Atlee and his son. Finding herself falling for Atlee but she knows that her parents will not grant Atlee permission to court her because of an age difference. Will they be able to be together. They must have faith.

In Karen's Gift by Jean Brunstetter Karen misses her family and her husbands family being close. The only thing that gives her comfort is the Christmas quilt. The find out that their youngest daughter is death and the must learn sign language to communicate with her. Her husband has a tough time but family and faith see her through the hard times.

Roseanna's Groom by Richelle Brunstetter Roseanna groom runs away before saying their vows. Unsure why he left she finds out a secret that he was keeping. Moving on she starts see another guy but John comes back. Something happens that causes her to rethink her relationship with John.

It was an amazing read. Thank you ladies for the wonderful stories. I loved how the stories moved from one generation to the next.

The Beloved Christmas Quilt is a charming and delightful story of a Christmas quilt that brings comfort to three generations of women. The stories are written by three generations of Brunstetters, Wanda, her daughter-in-law, Jean, and Wanda's granddaughter, Richelle. This apparently is a debut story for Richelle and she did a great job with her story. The story of the quilt begins with a dying woman giving it to her best friend who has been caring for her and continues through each generation as the quilt is passed on from mother to daughter. Each of the main characters is challenged in her faith as she seeks to do God's will in her life and finds comfort and strength in the embroidered scripture on the quilt. The stories are well-written with strong, lovable characters, good dialog, twists to the plot and a little humor amidst the romantic tension. Readers will quickly be caught up in the lives of the characters and their stories, hoping for things to turn out satisfactorily. Looking forward to more from this set of authors.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

The Beloved Christmas Quilt: Three stories of Family, Romance and Amish Faith by Wanda E. Brunstetter, Jean B. Brunstetter and Richelle Lynn Brunstetter. We get to see how one quilt with a Psalm 31:3 embroidered on the back helps and guides three generations. Luella’s Promise by Wanda E. Brunstetter is set in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. Luella Ebersol was hired by Atlee Zook to care for his dying wife, Dena Zook and young son, Daryl. Before Dena passes away, she gifts Luella with a special quilt that Dena and Atlee received as a Christmas gift from Dena’s mum the first year they were married. It is a quilt that is to pass from mother to daughter. After Dena’s passing, Luella continues to work for Atlee and care for little Daryl. Slowly the pair begin to care for each other, but Luella’s parents are not pleased with the pairing (age difference). Without her parents blessing, Atlee and Luella cannot have a future together. Is there a chance for them to have a happily ever after?

Karen’s Gift by Jean Brunstetter takes us to Lykens, Pennsylvania. Karen and Seth Allgyer moved to Lykens two years prior to get away from the commercialized Paradise. Karen misses her family especially now with newborn, Nancy Anne in the house along with her other daughters, Roseanna and Mary. Karen is worried about Nancy Anne who was born early and is afraid the little girl might suffer from the effects of the German measles Karen had while pregnant. Seth is having trouble at work with a co-worker and he cannot handle any more stressful news. How will the family cope during this worrying time?

Roseanna’s Groom is by Wanda Brunstetter’s granddaughter, Richelle Lynn Brunstetter (her first published story). Roseanna Allgyer is marrying John Beiler. She is excited and nervous to start her new life with the man she loves. They are standing before the Bishop while he discusses their responsibilities when John suddenly flees. Roseanna is hurt and confused. John goes away, and old beau, Mark returns to town wishing to court Roseanna again. Roseanna is afraid to trust another man with her heart. What choice will Roseanna make?

The Beloved Christmas Quilt contains three sweet stories. I liked how we get to experience three generations of the family. It was nice that the characters from Luella’s Promise are in all three tales. My favorite one is Luella’s Promise. It is well-written, good pace, and engaging characters. I like the messages or themes in the novellas. They include friendship, power of prayer, kindness, compassion, overcoming adversity, and following God’s path for your life. My rating for The Beloved Christmas Quilt is 4 out of 5 stars. Roseanna’s Groom is a nice story and for Richelle Brunstetter’s first published work, she did a good job. Karen’s Gift, though, was not as enjoyable. I was not fully engaged by this short story. It lacked the nice, easy writing style that readers prefer (and we get from Wanda Brunstetter). The Beloved Christmas Quilt has three inspiring, romantic stories that will leave you with a warm feeling in your heart.

I am once again amazed at the depth of writing and emotion the authors has given us. I loved that it not only included a story from Wanda, but also from Jean and Richelle. Each story is like a sweet song that you hear to gently calm you. The characters are so vivid that you want to be friends with them. I really didn't want the book to end because I felt like I had found people who were caring, loving and willing to help others without complaining. It is very family oriented and I loved how they made sure to have meals together. The love that the family members had for each other was well defined in each story. I hope the authors write another book together.

Luella's Promise by Wanda Brunstetter

It was easy to like Luella because she was so giving and compassionate. I loved how she stepped up and took care of her ailing friend Dena and her family. My tears flowed as Dena gave Luella such a precious gift and asked her to make a promise to care for her family when she was gone. I can't imagine how hard it was for Luella as she became close to Daryl and Atlee. I loved reading how nurturing Luella was with Daryl . Atlee is grieving and trying to do the best he can raising his son. It's funny how gossip starts when Atlee and Luella are seen in town together. What does Luella's parents think of her spending so much time at a widower's home? Will their age difference keep them from falling in love with each other? I loved the theme of compassion, love and helping in the story.

Karen's Gift by Jean Brunstetter

I loved how the story seamlessly continued from Luella's Promise. Karen is now grown and has a family of her own. I loved how she embraced being married and caring for her family. When they find out that their baby has something wrong with her, I thought the author did a great job of showing how they cope with it. I thought Seth was a wonderful husband and I did like the part about him going to his dad when things are burdening him. He is having a rough time at work and I sympathized with him when he had to deal with a co-worker. He has his hands full with three children and another on the way. Will Karen and Seth be able to handle the responsibility of raising a large family? Overall the story was good and I loved how the families come together to help each other out.

Roseanna's Groom by Richelle Brunstetter

What a wonderful story this was. I loved reading about Roseanna and her dilemma when her soon to be husband runs away during the wedding ceremony. What would you do if that happened to you? Roseanna is devastated and seemed to blame herself for John leaving. I really enjoyed the time Roseanna spent with her family while working through her problems. It was nice to see her rely on listening to God and not rushing to make a decision. The story gets a bit complicated when an old boyfriend of Roseanna's shows up. Will Roseanna decide to start a courtship with her old boyfriend? Can John learn to forgive himself ? I especially liked this story because it brought the entire family back together and how precious The Beloved Christmas Quilt was to pass down to a family member. I loved the book and have to say it was my favorite because it brought three generations together writing and working together.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and the author. I was under no obligation to post a review.

What an absolutely beautifully heartwarming story! A delightful Christmas book with 3 storis written by popular Amish author Wanda Brunstetter, her Daughter-in law Jean Brunstetter and first time published author,her grand daughter Richelle Brunstetter. Each of the Brunstetter authors has a short story in this Christmas collection. The authors have worked together to create a story that seamlessly blends all 3 stories together. The book starts out with Luella's story who is the grandmother,continuing with her daughter Karen's story and finishing with grand daughter Rochelle's story. A quilt that is given to the grandmother in the first story continues on its journey of comfort as it is given to the oldest daughter in each story. It binds the three generations of Amish women together.There is a healthy helping of peace,forgiveness and understanding in this book. Wanda Brustetter is an absolute go to author for me and it is great to see she now has a grand daughter stepping into her shoes and publishing as well. I look forward to reading many more books by these authors.
Pub Date 01 Sep 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

There was so much to love about this collection of novellas. I've been reading Wanda Brunstetter books since my introduction to the Amish fiction genre. I have enjoyed the stories she has co-authored with her daughter-in-law, Jean and now with granddaughter Richelle writing there is even more to love. This book was a quick read for me and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Wanda E. Brunstetter does a fantastic job of setting the scene and the tone for the book. In Luella's Promise, readers get to meet Luella and are introduced to the quilt with the special Bible verse. This story was both heartbreaking and sweet.

Jean Brunstetter does a splendid job of taking the reigns from Wanda for the second story in the book, Karen's Gift. I liked this story and I really like Jean's writing style. It is so much like her mother-in-law's but she has added her own touch and really makes the story her own. It was interesting to read of Karen's and Seth's problems and how they dealt with them.

Richelle Brunstetter's debut story, Roseanna's Groom, is wonderful. Her writing style is similar to her grandmother's and mother's yet she has her own special way of telling a story. I found her writing easy to read and I can't wait to read more from her. Roseanna's story is full of heartache and hope. I was left guessing until the end as to what Roseanna was going to do.

I loved that these three stories about three generations of women were written by three generations of Brunstetters. The writing style of all three is similar yet a bit different so the stories are seamless yet readers know they are reading stories by three different authors. I enjoyed reading about each generation and what the quilt represented to them. It was neat that the quilt tied the stories together and it wasn't just three stories about three women in the same family. The quilt really allowed each author explore their character and yet kept them true to the overall story.

Fans of Amish fiction are sure to love this book. This would also be a great way to introduce someone to the genre. Three authors with three heartfelt stories that are great reads for Christmas or any time of the year. Definitely a book for the keeper shelf!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

I always enjoy Wanda E. Brunstetter’s books and this was a nice spin of a family life both with the Beloved Christmas Quilt and the writers. What an interesting way to write including family which seemed like they all had the same mindset. To me this was more of a meandering brook this time, although I did like the book it was very easy to put down and pick up later. The characters were well thought out though and it was pleasant to follow this family. Thank You netgalley for this copy.

This is THE BEST Brunstetter clan book I've ever read! I was fascinated by the first story written by Wanda. It was interesting and had a bunch of unique elements to the storyline. It wasn't predictable at all. I was annoyed a little by Eugene's character. He seemed like a whiny baby but I think this added a unique real human element to the story. While I hated his whining I loved how he didn't win in the end. The love story in this book were so sweet and well developed. It wasn't oh we met and now it's the next page and we are in love. It was a natural development that I wasn't surprised about but still didn't see it as "predictable". The 2nd story in the book was written by Jean Brunstetter and was also good. I loved how it was a continuation (but not immediate following the previous story in terms of timeline... but it jumped to the adulthood of the youngest child born at the end of the previous story) of the previous story. I was glad to see what was going on in the lives of the characters I had just met. Loved the addition of a deaf child. We don't see "handicaps" in Amish stories often. I love this addition. And I loved how the characters reacted in a real way. They weren't immediately accepting of this challenge. The addition of marital struggles was also one you don't see often. I love when Amish fiction authors get real and don't romanticize the Amish lifestyle. Great story. The 3rd story written by Richelle got going slowly but then bam! Conflict from the beginning! I loved it. Characters met hardship and struggled but then pulled through and were even better off than they were before the struggle. Loved the raw emotion. Characters were well developed and there were plenty of plot twists and cliffhangers that kept me interested. Can't wait to read more from this author. She has a great writing style and way with plot that makes the reader want to keep reading. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

My review has been posted on the Fresh Fiction website. I can be accessed at:
http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=63691
Thank you for the opportunity to view this ARC.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Stories with meaning, tied together by a quilt
ByMaggie
on September 12, 2017
Format: Paperback
Three generations of a family are tied together by a Christmas quilt and their faith. Each story has themes of uncertainty as to how to handle a problem, prayer, and, eventually, resolution. The bible quotation on the back of the quilt is apt for all. To make this book even more special, the novellas were written by three generations of Brunstetter women! Although I prefer a longer novel, the novella format seems ideal for our busy lives at Christmas time.

A delightful and heartwarming collection. The three stories were woven together with three generations and one special quilt.
I loved that the precious quilt meant so much to so many as it was passed down from the first story in the book until the last person in the book.
I have to say that I found the writing of Richelle to be very much to my liking and I look forward to reading more of her work. I knew that I would enjoy the writing of both Wanda and Jean.
This is a definite keeper and I'll read it again closer to Christmas.
This would be the perfect Christmas gift for a loved one.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The Beloved Christmas Quilt is a three generational story written, appropriately by three generations of Brunstetter women: Wanda, Jean and Richelle. Neatly tucked into the story is a beautiful quilt that will bring comfort to three generations of women in the Zook family. The quilt bears a label lovingly embroidered by Dena Zook's mother with the words "For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me." Psalm 31:3

Luella's story is written by celebrated author Wanda Brunstetter. Luella is a sweet, unselfish young woman who is the caregiver for Dena, who is dying from heart disease. True to her unselfish nature she strives to provide loving care to Dena's son Daryl while keeping up with all the meals and household tasks. One day, Dena gives Luella a beautiful heirloom quilt, made by her mother. Dena intended to lovingly pass it along to her own daughter one day. She sees something special in Luella's heart and gives the quilt to her with the promise that she will continue to dare for Daryl and Atlee after she is gone.

After Dena passes, Luella continues to care for Daryl as promised. As her love for the child grows, she begins to have feelings for Atlee. Although she is being pursued by Eugene Lapp, she realizes she is in love with Atlee, Daryl's father who is sixteen years her senior. The age difference seems insurmountable and Luella's parents are at odds to accept Atlee as a suitable husband for their daughter. Does a heart recognize age as an obstacle?

Karen's story, written by Jean Brunstetter, is one that could resonate with any young wife and mother who has moved with her husband far from the family farm. Karen is lost without her parents nearby. She goes through the daily motions of caring for her young family but can't help but feel her life would be so much better if she could convince Seth to move back home to be closer to family.

Seth, working through his own stress on the job feels the added pressure of Karen's unhappiness. His job provides a better income for his family than he could earn back home. Karen and Seth face what seems to be insurmountable differences. As she holds the Beloved Christmas Quilt close, she discovers the verse on the label and it provides her with comfort. Can she take heart in the verse as her mother did before her?

Roseanna's story is written by newcomer Richelle Brunstetter, Jean's daughter and Wanda's granddaughter. Roseanna's story is that of a young woman who is left standing alone at her wedding by her beloved John. Her mother, Karen, wants to pass along the quilt to Roseanna, believing that it could provide a special comfort to her. Roseanna, knowing the history of the quilt, doesn't feel worthy of the quilt since John didn't marry her.

After weeks of staying home, she finally goes to town and runs into Mark, who recently moved back to town. The attention he gives her is a welcome change after John's rejection. After staying with his aunt and uncle to think through his actions, John returned. He tried to explain what prompted him to leave but Roseanna refused to hear him out. But when a tragedy strikes her family will the dashing suitor or the man who truly knows her heart truly be there at her side? Once more the quilt provides comfort that so long ago was stitched into each layer.

Like constant character in the story, a quilt that was a labor of love touched the lives of all who owned. I wonder how many of us have a treasured gift that was passed down through generation. The Beloved Christmas Quilt is a heartwarming book that will make a wonderful addition for your Christmas reading list!

Three beautiful stories each written by Grandmother Wanda Brunstetter,Daughter-in-Law Jean and her daughter Rachelle. The three stories revolve around a Christmas Quilt. The quilt was given by a women who was dying. Each story is about the next person who gets the quilt. Each story is beautifully written and very inspirational. This book is a great treat knowing it was written by three members of a family.

This book is actually three shorter stories written by different authors. Wanda E. Brunstetter, Jean (Wanda's daughter) and Richelle (Wanda's granddaughter).
The first story is about Louella, who has been hired by Altee to care for his dying wife, Dena, their home and their young son. Dena and Louella are close friends. Louella is saddened knowing her friend's life will be cut so short. Dena gave Louella her favorite quilt as an early Christmas gift as she doesn't believe she will live until Christmas. The quilt was given to Dena and Altee by Dena's mother on their first Christmas together as husband and wife. Dena instructs Louella that she's to give it to her first born daughter. The actual name of the quilt is 'Country Patch,' but Dena calls it her 'Beloved Christmas Quilt.' Dena also asks Louella to promise to continue working for Altee after her death to make things easier on him. Louella gives her word.
Before Dena died, she made Altee promise to take another wife. He promised, but felt if he ever married again, it would be for convenience, as he felt he'd never love another woman again.
Euegene Lapp is interested in Louella, but she is not interested in him at all. She begins to have feelings for Altee and he for her, but her parents won't give their blessing as Altee is fifteen years older than Altee.
A very enjoyable story as are all of Wanda E. Brunstetter's.
Book Two: This one was written by Jean Brunstetter. It begins with Altee and Louell's daughter, Karen and her family. She and Seth have three daughters, the youngest being a baby. Karen came in contact with German measles during her pregnancy with their baby, Nancy Anne. They realize their baby daughter is deaf, due to the German measles contact.
Karen, although scared and sad, has faith that God will see them through this and even checks out a book at the local library on sign language. Seth, is very angry and in denial. Seth seems angry, in general and sometimes selfish. He purchased a rifle and then hid it form Karen. He did later confess it to her. When Karen tells Seth she's expecting another baby, he says it's not the right time for another baby. He also whines about work a lot as he doesn't care for an English coworker.
This one was difficult for me to complete reading. It just didn't flow and there seemed to be far too much detail on conversations and thoughts. It truly was a struggle for me to get through it.
Book Three: This one is written by Wanda's granddaughter, Richelle. This story is about Roseanna (Seth and Karen's oldest daughter) on the eve of her wedding. She is to marry John who literally ran away from the ceremony and left her standing there. Roseanna later learned from John's mother that he had done this once before only two years ago. Roseanna struggles with anger, insecurity and trust now. Months later she ran into Mark in town who had recently moved back into the community. He pursued her and she finally allowed Mark to court her, all the while questioning how much she cared for him and if she could trust him or would he let her down as John did. Just as she was accepting the idea of a life with Mark, who knocks on her door, but John? Yes. What will she do now?
The Beloved Christmas Quilt continues to be handed down through generations and is a great comfort to the one in possession of it. Psalm 31:3 is stitched in a corner and brings great comfort in times of hardship and despair.
I did enjoy reading the third story in this book. The second one just kind of ruined the entire book for me.
I was given a free ecopy of this book by the publisher, Shiloh Run Press and Netgalley for my honest review.

I was really excited when I first heard about this book. I mean, symbolically, what better than three generations of women writing about three generations of women? Three generations of love and faith. I think I've reached a situation where anticipation clouded reality. I liked this book but I didn't fall in love with it. I fell in love with the story, the characters, and the promise of love for generations. There were some elements that I felt lacking and missing though, and that kinda breaks my heart. This review is so hard to write for many different reasons.

Let's break the three stories down. In the first story I fell in love with Louella and Atlee. It took me a touch off guard when I realized that the quilt originated with Atlee's first wife, a dear friend of Louella. I feel, however, that this story missed opportunities to build conflict. Both internal conflict within the characters but also the resolution of those conflicts through faith. This book set an amazing stage for the following two stories but it just wasn't a bulls-eye. Jean's story of Karen and Seth was rich with conflict that was handled really well. So much of the conflict set the stage for the following story but also showed the reality of working through the process when a child has a handicap. However, there was so much 'filler' that didn't do much to progress the story along but felt more to fill space. The story also jumped through time awkwardly without filling in enough of the gaps. I feel like the biggest missed opportunity for this story was the passing of the quilt. The quilt was it's own role, it's own character really, but there was opportunity for the quilt to find it's home that was missed. Richelle's story embraced the theme of this book in ways the other two weren't in a position to do so. First, before I even go there, I LOVED the story of the runaway groom! You don't see that portrayed in books or movies much, it's always the stereotypical runaway bride. Richelle built and developed characters with depth and flaws and pulled in the reliance of faith that is very reminiscent of her grandmother's earlier work. This story flowed so easily with developed story-line and even depth of conflict and resolution that is hard to pull off in a novella length story. This story held the promise of the quilt. This story held the promise of faith and love and family and future and God. There was one little thing I noticed that I was shocked when Kristin and I were comparing notes that she didn't catch. When John went to talk with Roseanna about why he ran there was the big set up that despite the cold and snow he chose to walk. After their conversation he walked back to his buggy?!? Sometimes it's the little things and I usually miss those. That little story edit glitch did not however affect my rating of this book.

This collection of intertwined stories of generations of love is one that I will gladly re-read and am happy that I own as part of my collection. It's a great book for anyone who cherishes family, love, and a life built in faith through the easy and the difficult. It is not just a holiday read and while centered on Christmas is a book that can bring heartwarming and joy at any time of year.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Books and NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

A book about three generations written by three generations, brilliant. Written by Wanda E Brunstetter, her daughter-in-law Jean and her granddaughter Richelle, the book comprises three novella following Luella, her daughter Karen and granddaughter Roseanne.
Luella is gifted the Christmas quilt from a friend who she was hired to take care of just before she dies. It's meant to be passed down to the oldest daughter after she marries.
Novella one, Luella's Promise and novella three, Roseanna's Groom were my favorites. The timeline in Karen's Gift, novella two felt off to me. It also felt junky. Roseanna's Groom is Richelle's first publication and look forward to reading more from her. The characters carried well through all three novellas. Even though I didn't agree with every outcome these were so well written I couldn't help enjoying them.

he three stories in this book revolve around a special Christmas Quilt, owned by the same family, but passed down through the generations.
The three novellas’ are written by three different authors, and are tied into one another. All are three of the tales are based on love and romance, and of course family.
The bible verse “For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me”. Psalm 31:3 written on the quilt and appropriate for the theme here.
The perfect book for a special Christmas story, each story can stand alone, but are tied in perfectly.
I received this book through Net Galley and Barbour Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.