Amish marriage of convenience stories are common but this one has angles that make it different from the rest.

Author Marie Bast deals with jealousy, anger, and even hatred in her story about May and Thad. You wonder if there’s any hope for them. Especially with Thad’s mean, meddling mother. Why the bishop allowed her behavior we’ll never know. Yet the characters learn to rely on God, and how to walk out forgiveness giving this book a heartwarming plot.

The characters are written very well. You can understand why they feel and think the way they do, making this story quite believable. And baby Leah is adorable! If you enjoy Amish fiction then grab a copy of this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

The Amish Marriage Bargain by Marie E. Bast takes readers on a journey to Washington County, Iowa. May Bender has been carrying for her niece, Leah along with her brother-in-law, Thad Hochstetler since the death of her sister, April a year prior. It has been difficult since Thad broke her heart when he stopped courting her and married April. May now has an opportunity to work with her aunt in Indiana and she will inherit the business. It will be hard, though, to leave Leah who she loves so dearly. Then she learns that her family farm is in dire financial straits and there is a chance that Thad will lose it. Thad needs May, but, for her to stay living there, May will have to marry the man who broke her heart. Can they reach a bargain that will keep May’s safe from heartbreak? The Amish marriage Bargain is a sweet story. I like Marie E. Bast’s conversational writing style. It engages the reader and draws them into the book. I could understand May’s feelings toward Thad and her current situation. She is angry, frustrated, and heartbroken. May ends up taking care of the man she lost, but the bright spot of her life is her niece, Leah. May knows that she must forgive Thad and she tells him that she does. However, it takes time to feel the forgiveness in your mind and in your heart. I admit that I was surprised in the story that May and Thad slept in the same house at night since they are both single and there is no chaperone. The story would have been more realistic if Thad had slept in the Dawdi haus. Thad knows how May feels about him and it hurts his heart. He had reasons for his actions, but Thad feels he cannot share them with May. Thad’s mother, Gretchen is a critical woman who seems to find fault with May’s work. I enjoyed how that storyline played out. Thad and May marry for convenience and you could feel the tension between the pair. Thad hopes to change May’s feelings for him which will take time and a whole lot of patience. I assumed that May and Thad slept in separate rooms after they wed, but it was never addressed. I wish the author had added this element to the story. I like how the story developed and the revelations May uncovers. I enjoyed reading this heartwarming and inspiring story. The Amish Marriage Bargain is a touching story about second chances and forgiveness.

Quite an interesting story about a promise made to your dying sister and a bargain made strictly so you can be a mother to her tiny daughter and save your family farm. Through accidents, illness, an interfering bishop and a mother-in-law who doesn’t even like you, May wonders if she will ever be able to look beyond the past and move bravely into the future. Will Thad realize that mistakes and lies do not make good ground for a growing relationship? Can they possibly learn to forgive?

A lovely way to spend an afternoon, I found myself wanting to shake sense into some of the characters. I loved the entrepreneurial spirit of May and her ability to think beyond the norm.

I received an ARC through Harlequin Love Inspired and CelebrateLit. The comments and impressions are my own.

The Amish Marriage Bargain is my first introduction to books written by Mary E Bast. I thought this quick read was a sweet story. May Bender is still nursing a broken heart thanks to Thad Hochstedler, who married her sister unexpectedly. However, her sister dies during the delivery of May’s niece. This is where a great lesson of forgiveness, second chances, and moving on, that so many of us could learn. May makes a hard decision of helping Thad to take care of the baby. Which leads to the Bishop pressuring the pair to wed. Can the two get over the past and make things work for the baby and their marriage?
I give The Amish Marriage Bargain four stars. I would be interested in reading more by this author in the near future. I think readers who love to read clean and inspiring Amish fiction with a twist, would enjoy this one.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

May is the only mother that her niece has ever known, when a job offer threatens to take her away she is torn between staying and leaving. The bishop pushes her to marry her sister's widow, Thad, who jilted May to marry her sister instead.



A marriage of convenience, and fighting to save the farm, will May and Thad give love a second chance?



May has been a nanny to her young niece after the death of her sister, working alongside her sister's widow, and her own former flame is challenging. She loves her niece and has a strong sense of commitment to her family.



Thad never stopped loving May, but he married her sister to honor his family. But now that his year of mourning is up the bishop is pushing him to marry again, but how can he explain to May what happened and why he did what he did? Thad is honorable to a fault, even if it means hurting the one that he loves most. He is at a loss on how to bridge the gap between himself and May.



A heartwarming, marriage of convenience story, with good tension and backstory between the main characters. I felt like the story felt like it was the perfect length for this format, and set in the Amish community it fit the storyline really well. An enjoyable read, and a strong heroine who loves her family.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Who are May, Thad, Leah, Alvin, and April? How do they know one another? Who is Gretchen? I don't like her one bit right off the bat of meeting her in this story. Wow, this story was so unexpected for me. I enjoy reading Amish romance stories, and this one had many different interwoven layers. These layers included things that I don't normally see in Amish romance that made it all the more interesting for me. Some of them were jealousy, hatred, fear, anger, and resentment. Of course, love is also found in abundance in this story. Over time, toward the end of the book, my thoughts on how I felt about certain characters, not just Gretchen, changed You need to read this story. I want to read more from this author now!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

This book quickly became a story I couldn’t put down, and I didn’t!
My mind was trying to wrap around the circumstances here, some that are presented, but what are they not saying? Yes, I was surprised when the facts unfold, and I had surmised the truth, but wanted it confirmed.
You have to love the little one here, and all seem to cherish her, and she is the glue to all that has happened, and appears to be the future.
What a part the mother-in-law plays here, and I really disliked her, but is she really the main problem here? You will be finding the answers, keep reading, and when finished I wanted more!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review.

This Amish story is a family drama with themes of forgiveness and being forgiven; of putting others above yourself; and working together through hardships. May and Thad’s marriage is not working well, and it will take depending on God’s Grace to make their lives come together in a right relationship. This is not always a “happy” book to read, but that makes the ending that much sweeter. It’s the first story I’ve read from this author, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

May Bender grew up getting her older sister's hand-me-downs. She wore her sisters dresses, her shoes, but she drew the line at her hand-me-down husband. Thad Hochstetler had been HER beau, but when he suddenly dumped her to marry her older sister, April, she was understandably angry, jealous, and unforgiving. The only good thing she saw was the infant niece her sister died giving birth to. She agrees to stay in her childhood home and serve as nanny to Thad and April's daughter. When Thad's year of mourning is finished, and the bishop comes calling, insisting on a wedding if she stays, can May give Thad a chance to win the heart he's always cherished?

For his part, living with May in his house and knowing she can barely stand the sight of him breaks Thad's heart daily. There were reasons for his actions, but he can't share them. Is there anything he can do to convince her that his love for her is very real before she leaves him and his daughter behind?

This story broke my heart. May has spent her life in her sister's shadow and when Thad left her to marry April, her heart not only broke but became rock hard. The Amish imperative to forgive in all circumstances is beyond difficult for her. She can say the words, but she doesn't feel them in her heart or in her head.

Readers of Amish romance will enjoy this story. This was a fairly new author for me, and I look forward to reading more from her.

I don't usually pan an Amish book since they are usually written so sensibly and with a good plot, but this book just meanders and was filled with too many 'tragedies' for me to enjoy the book. Then to find out the why of Thad (the male Protagonist) married Mays ( the female protagonist) sister, was just a slap in the face for me.

I'm not going to say more or I'll start spoiling the book for future readers, but I really ended up skimming most of this book.

It was not a very religious book ( actually it didn't feel very 'Amish' either).

*ARC supplied by the publisher.

This is a delightful Christian Amish fiction written by author Marie E. Bast. The characters are lovable, realistic, and relatable. Some are bossy and downright rude. I was immediately drawn into the Amish world and tried to solve a mystery. The mystery kept me turning pages until I had an answer. It lagged a few times but I still read on.

I enjoyed the strong Christian message in this novel. Everyone, not just Amish, could learn from the teachings of the Plain people. I also picked up some knowledge on cheese making. The author made it sound intriguing.

This is the story of May who is taking care of her deceased sister’s house and family, I adored the baby girl, Leah. It is also the story of her brother-in-law, Thad, who happens to be May’s former boyfriend. He farms and his parents live in the grandparent house by the main house.

The story was well thought and nicely written. My interest was immediately captured. There were some twists and turns along the way to make it a page turner. A few mysteries kept me guessing. Anyone that likes Amish fiction will enjoy this book. I would recommend it.

I was disappointed there were no recipes or discussion questions.

This was a cute story, with a twist I hadn't really expected.

I wish the author had gone into some description of what happened after the wedding at night. I'm not talking about intimacy because that wouldn't be appropriate in this type of book. But I'm talking about how it felt to lie next to each other, given their new circumstances.

** ARC received from Netgalley **

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!