A sweet story of a Christmas engagement. When Liz thought no one would want her after left at the alter, little did she know that he was right in front of her all the time.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book for netgalley.com. I have come to seek out books with Amish characters as I find that I benefit from their faith and determination. Liz and Matthew are two characters that grow and develop through the story. I liked the festive feel and quite faith of both characters. This is a lovely story.

22 is old and over the hill? Well maybe if you are Amish. Liz had her heart broken when her first love broke off the engagement. She thought she would never love again. She is bitter and depressed. But she has a job cooking at the Amish market and she loves her job. Then a new person buys the cafe. Matthew hides his feelings well. Liz doesn't hide hers at all. She seems grumpy to me. But it is a nice story with a good ending. I liked the story.

I found this book fascinating in the sense it was written with an authenticity of day to day Amish life because it is written by a woman who is Amish. She writes her stories in a notebook and sends it to the publisher.
This is an enjoyable,quick read. I liked some of the characters more than others. Some of the characters seemed immature and jealous. Even though we hardly spend much time with the grandmother, I liked her character a lot.
Liz and Matthew each are trying to heal from a bad relationship in the past they had with other people. It's welcoming reading how they make such a strong connection with each other and are willing to help each other heal. Though there are bumps in the road, just like there are in all relationships they are steadfast in their faith and in the conviction that their partner is the right one for them.

Pub Date: 21 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Liz is a young woman, she works as a cook in a restaurant in the market, she is single.
"All was not lost, not at all, neither was anything promised. The realization that nothing is over promised, but the fact that we live by faith was the most astoonding thing."
Sometimes the future deserves good news to people, you must pray, hope and think well.
Amish books, like this, to the readers have the power to relax, feel good and loved by God. thanks.

A Christmas Engagement: An Amish Romance by Linda Byler is a quick, easy to read Amish Christmas romance. It has family, friendship, second chances, forgiveness, and romance.
I do think the story had quite a few stretched out portions.
I was given an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

"A Christmas Engagement" tells the story of Liz, a young lady who nurtures a secret hurt. Jilted by her longtime boyfriend a month before their wedding, Liz is determined never to open her heart to another man.

When Matthew takes over the restaurant where Liz works, she is captivated by his personality and his attractiveness. Determined to guard her heart, Liz tries to hide her growing attraction to Matthew. Will God guide them to each other, or does Liz need to seek another path?

This is a clean and sweet romance about and Amish couple and their community. The characters are realistic and likeable. The Christian message is clear. Readers will feel the insecurities of both Liz and Matthew, and will "root" for their romance! One of the best parts of this novel is its beautiful and clear descriptions of settings and events. Those who enjoy a sweet romance, without violence, strong language, or explicit intimacy will look forward to curling up with this novel on a winter day, with a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa to sweeten the experience.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

A Christmas Engagement by Linda Byler

Matthew Zook is the 24 yr old new owner of the Dutch Eatery at the Amish Market in Lancaster, PA.

Liz has worked at the restaurant in the kitchen for 8 years. Lizzy was one of the oldest workers there and was in charge of the kitchen. She was dedicated to her job.
Liz had thought she had found her love but after several years it was not to be. She finds Matthew attractive but doesn't always like his actions as the boss. If he asks her out, will she say yes?

Included in the book is a telling of the process in an Amish wedding.

I really liked the book but was wishing for a little something more.

I received this ebook from NetGally for my honest review, no pressure!

A wonderful story of hope, love and many other things.
This book will definitely get you in the Christmas mood if you're not already!
Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I hope it's yours too!
5 stars for a well written novel that I thoroughly enjoyed! I totally forgot where u was for awhile.
I especially enjoyed the Amish Christmas traditions! A cup of celery soup sounds amazing!
I highly recommend this book for anyone who love to read stories like this!
Ms. Byler is awesome!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Congratulations! Your review for A Christmas Engagement,
captioned below, has been published. Visit
<https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=75624> to view your
published review.

Please share your review via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest,
Instagram and other social media venues. Include the #FFreview
hashtag or @FreshFiction in your posts.

A Christmas Engagement is a very well written Amish romance. Great plot and character development. I recommend this book.

I have always enjoyed reading books by Linda Byler and this one did not disappoint at all! Amish stories are so wonderful to read and help me to relax and just enjoy the written word!

Liz and Matthew, the two characters in this book are well written, well-rounded, and extremely well thought out. I did not want their story to end. A good snuggle up on the couch in front of the fireplace and read book!!

This is an Amish Christmas Romance. I found parts of this book really good, but I did not like parts of this book. I found the story to be very slow moving. I found the characters to be ok but none of the characters shined or made me care about them. I found the storyline to be good. Overall, It was an ok story with ok characters. I also did not find a lot of Christmas in this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher or author (Linda Byler) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

A Christmas Engagement by Linda Byler has Liz planning on staying single the rest of her life after being disappointed in love. She cannot handle going through the heartbreak again. The restaurant where Liz works is purchased by Matthew who exasperates Liz. At the same time, Liz finds him handsome and attractive. When Matthew asks Liz out, will she say yes and risk her heart once again? A Christmas Engagement contains good writing, and we get to see inside Amish life. I like that there are comparisons between how the Amish have done things and how the current generation prefers to do them. I did feel that the characters lacked development. We are introduced to Liz with only a first name. The book is of the length (240 pages) that I wanted to know more about the characters and the setting. The books pacing fluctuated. I found it slow going at times especially when Liz was thinking about how she was betrayed by Ray, whether she can love again, and other such thoughts. There is also a repetition of information and predictable nature to the tale. A Christmas Engagement is a sweet story, but it needed a more depth. The Christmas element is not as expansive as I had hoped for a book with Christmas in the title. I did enjoy the Christian elements in the story. My favorite message is that we are never alone as long as we have God in our life. If you are looking to escape from everyday life, then The Christmas Engagement fits the bill. The Christmas Engagement is a subdued Amish novel with an energetic eatery, a hurt heart, a massive wedding, a profusion of food, and the magic of Christmas.

I truly enjoy Linda Byler’s writing style. But I was torn between giving this book 4 or 5 stars. The way Mrs. Byler talks about Amish customs and traditions is amazing. I wanted a cup of celery soup while I was reading. Liz is an “old maid” having been left at the altar by her fiancée. She works at the Amish Marketplace and becomes friends with her boss Matthew. Can Liz put the pain of heartbreak behind her?
Mrs. Byler weaves real Amish landmarks in her beautiful story. Her description of Amish life is so accurate. I am settling on a 4.5 rating. I love Liz and her story, but I wished she was more developed. Liz’s friend Esther is off to Mexico and the end of the story. A sequel featuring Esther would be great!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Christmas Engagement is a nice sweet light book. It is a great palate cleanser. The Amish world building is very unique as in that a good portion of the story takes place in a market and in the Amish workplace outside the home. It was a fresh perspective in the world of Amish novels.

If you are looking for a gentle sweet love finds you when you are not looking story then this book is for you. I truly enjoyed the story from beginning to end.

The author is an active Amish member and writes Amish fiction and romance. Her novels don't have the finesse of Beverly Lewis or Wanda Brunstetter but they are just as good. They feel authentic.

I read an interesting article the other day that mentioned she writes them long hand and mails the notebooks to her editor. They type them up as is and make very few changes.

A Christmas Engagement is a sweet, quick read. Perfect for a quiet night by the fire with a cup of tea or cocoa to get you in the Christmas spirit.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Good Book, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

A Christmas Engagement has elaborated on many Amish customs during marriage. The story line is very simple. There are no twists or turns. But one good aspect is that the Christian values are very well infused in the story. This reader is prompted to imbibe this value too.

This is a short fast read that was so good. It's a sweet Amish romance that deals with rebuilding trust and following God's will. A very enjoyable read.
I received a complimentary copy from Skyhorse Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A sweet but short story of Liz, a young lady that is afraid to fall in love since her ex boyfriend dumped her shortly before their wedding to marry her best friend. Now she works for Matthew, the very handsome owner of the restaurant where she works. They become friends, but she isn't very trusting of him, but he is crazy for her. Very sweet and clean story!