Sweet story! I loved the personality of the donkey. Addie's story was touching which made her a strong character. I like that Addie had a good relationship with Brooke even though she questioned it at times. It was a little hard to believe that none of the youth had befriended Addie before Daniel. I enjoyed the letter writing concept and found it be endearing. Enjoyable.

I had never heard of Shelley Shepard Gray before I requested this arc, but I am so glad that I stumbled upon her books.

I am obsessed with Amish romance novels (not many people know that I once felt called to join an Amish community before God led me in another direction). I love the family aspect of the stories and the clean and wholesome romances that are based on faith.

This book is based on learning to trust others and to forgive those who have caused you pain and hurt.

I felt a deep sense of affinity with the main character, Addie, emotionally scarred from the actions of others. Considered a little odd by her community, Addie had never fit in and had endured a rather lonely life.

When she receives a note from a secret admirer and decides to reply, it completely changes the course of her life. I enjoyed seeing the main characters grow through conflict and hurts, each overcoming burdens they once thought insurmountable.

This is a book that will stay with me for a while and I’m glad I decided to read it.

This is the first book in Shelley Shepard Gray's new series The Amish of Apple Creek, and after finishing this book in a single sitting, I immediately went and pre-ordered book two.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Another beautiful story from Shelley Shepard Gray. This story is about Addie Byler she is raised by her Grandmother in Apple Creek. Addie was left by her mother at the age of 4 year's old. Addie was a wallflower and kept to herself do to the way her peers talked about her. She had a pet donkey named Snicker's who she rescued. Addie had a heart of gold and would help anyone in need. Daniel Miller always thought Addie odd. When he see's her at a engagement party he decides he wants to show her how kind she really is and decides to write her a letter and does not sign it. This is a beautiful story that shows if someone would take the chance of really knowing a person they can make a difference. Loved the characters and the storyline. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley allowing me to read and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I love Shelley Shepard Gray and all of her books. This one was not an exception. This is definitely a book for hopeless romantics. If you want a nice easy read, that is the start of a new series..This book is for you!

A book for all hopeful romantics. Addie Byler has always been the weird girl in Apple Creek. Everyone knows her, her glasses, and her tendency to talk to her pet donkey. Many people talk about her but not to her. That is until Daniel Miller thinks someone should.

Of course, he doesn't simply start a conversation. He writes a letter. Soon they are both getting to know one another and developing feelings they never though possible before.

Shelley Shepard Gray is bringing Amish fiction fans a new series. This first book takes us to Apple Creek and is a fine start to the series. Addie is different. Her peers have deemed her so since learning that she was basically abandoned by her parents and brought to live with her grandparents at age four.
Daniel Miller notices Addie as she stands off by herself at yet another engagement party in their community. He thinks about the fact that she never seems comfortable or confident when she is around people their age. They went to school together but didn't know one another at all. The girl talked to a donkey! It was public knowledge. Daniel decides he needs to do something to make Addie realize that she is special.
And things snowball from there. He has a lot to learn about the young woman.

I really enjoyed this book. It was such a nice read and hard to put down. I know I am going to enjoy the rest of the series. I received this advanced reader's copy from the publisher and NetGalley and am not required to review it. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a sweet Amish romance.
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There are times when I just need a good Amish book and Shelley Shepard Gray is a go-to author. "Happily Ever After" definitely delivered.

This book is about an Amish young woman learning to trust and forgive. The book held my interest from the first page. I’ve enjoyed all of Shelley Shepard Gray’s books, and this book was not an exception. The characters and surroundings are well defined, and the characters are all likable and believable. It is always fun to learn a little about the Amish while reading a good romance. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed Happily Ever Amish. This is the first book in this series from Apple Creek. I can’t wait for more from Shelley Shepard Gray. Daniel and Addie went to school with each other but basically have never spoken to each other. You will enjoy how Addie and Daniel get to know each other. Also Addie’s grandmother and her pet therapy donkey Snickers bring a lot to the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books. This is my opinion.

Shelley Shephard Gray once again gives us a story that will keep you turning the pages. A sweet story of love gone sideways, I really enjoyed this storyline of forgiveness and being yourself. We’re all different in some way, and Happily Ever Amish reminds us that we all have value and are worth getting to know.

Daniel and Addie are both dealing with things in their lives but they find the courage to become friends. And they help each other to grow and get past those things (I’m being careful not to give spoilers.) Then there’s Snickers. Snickers is adorable and key to this story. You’ll love him!

If you enjoy Amish fiction with a bit of a twist, then I recommend Happily Ever Amish.

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

I enjoyed "Happily Ever Amish" and hope that Shelley Shepard Gray has plans to make this into a series. I liked the flow of the process of Daniel and Addie getting to know one another and being open to the possibilities of falling in love. This is a MUST read! Shelley Shepard Gray is a fantastic author, and this book is proof!!

Shelley Shepard Gray gives us a new series set in Apple Creek, located in Holmes County, Ohio. We meet Addie Byler, who feels she is a wallflower because of her family history, the fact that she wears glasses and has a pet donkey.

One day a mysterious letter arrives from a Secret Admirer. She wonders if it is a prank, but decides to answer the letter. Thus begins many interesting occurrences in the book.

You will enjoy reading this book, finding out who the Secret Admirer is and if anything develops from the correspondences.

There are other surprising developments in Addie’s life that you will enjoy reading. I highly recommend this book. You will not want to put it down until you have finished reading it.

I receive a copy of the book from Kensington and NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars

A delightful start to a new series. A key theme of learning to trust others will likely resonate with many readers. Characters are well-drawn and realistic, and it's easy to connect with and root for Addie, as well as Daniel. There is solid development in both main characters. I've never read a book with a donkey as a therapy animal, so that was a nice point, as well. In fact, he was one of my favorite characters in the story, and he had many moments where he put a smile on my face.

Combining contemporary romance with Amish characters gave this book a sense of authenticity. Addie Byler is the main character, an Amish girl who really lacks self-confidence since she was abandoned by her parents as a young child and raised by her grandmother. Daniel Miller, a young Amish man, sees how shy Addie is and wants to help her be more confident, so he comes up with the idea to send her anonymous notes commenting on her good qualities. The story is predictable but a good one in that Addie and Daniel have some bumps in the road in their pursuit of romance. Addie also has to overcome her rejection from her mother and what she feels is betrayal from her grandmother. The themes of forgiveness, self-acceptance and loving the unlovable are all portrayed well in this quick read. The pace was just fast enough to keep me interested but not so fast that I lost out on details that were needed later. This is the beginning of a new series set in Apple Creek and was so heartwarming that I look forward to more books just like it.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This was such a cute and quick read! I loved reading this on a rainy day! Shelley Shepard Gray did a really great job on building characters that the reader could feel real emotions for! This novel is about heart breaking, finding out hard truths, feelings of betrayal and second chances! Definitely would read this again!

This is a good book. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters. Also that people can admit mistakes from the past and try to make it right.
Looking forward to the next book in this series.

I am a big fan of Shelley Shepard Gray, and this book did not disappoint! First of all, I really like how Addie was a main character with glasses. I know that is an odd thing to like, but I feel that main characters with glasses are rare, and it made me, a glasses wearer, very happy. I also liked how Addie wasn't considered to be outstandingly gorgeous. She was averagely pretty which is more realistic, and I enjoyed that. I thought that the romance between Daniel and Addie was cute, and that their letter writing was unique. However, I felt that the letters themselves did not have much substance, and Daniel did not share much about himself. In fact, the reader does not really find out much about Daniel until near the end of the book, and even then, it is not that much. Why did he decide to move out on his on? How did he adopt Bob? How and why did he start working in the hospital? Also, he and his friends seemed more English-y than Amish in my opinion. And for being in their 20s, didn't they know better than to gossip and make fun of Addie? And it did seem abrupt how they decided to become friends with Addie. There were also some inconsistencies throughout the book. For example, Addie's Mommi left the first letter on the stairs, but when Addie talked to Brooke about, she said that Mommi had left it on her bed. So, I suggest a closer read through by editors. Overall, it was short and cute, and I would recommend it.

Addie is the sweetest girl I’ve read about in a long time. Addie lives with her grandma, took in a donkey named Snickers and seems to be constantly helping out or checking up on people in Apple creek. At times the storyline was Sade because Addie doesn’t exactly fit in with everyone else, also her parents left her with Mommi when she was four years old. Then one night at a party D
Angel realizes that they haven’t given Addie a chance to show what a special and amazing person she is. Daniel also is an incredibly nice and kind guy trying to help his friends at work and at home whenever possible. I requested this book from netgalley because I’ve read 4 other books by Shelley Shepard Gray. I can now say I’ve read 5 of her books and love each of them for different reasons. This book especially left me feeling it’s okay to be different, also that I should try to reach out to more people so I can learn their stories as well,

This is the sweet story of Addie and Daniel's romance that they begin when he writes her a secret admirer letter. Even though they've known each other for years they are only mere acquaintances. When Daniel's friends make fun of the way Addie is he decides to stand up for her and so begins their letter writing. I really enjoyed Snickers, the rescue donkey. He really added to the story!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publishes 25 October 2022.

Another awesome story by Shelley Shepard Gray that I absolutely loved!
Addie is so much like me that I felt like Gray was telling my life story! Just wow!
I connected so much with Addie. I felt her joys and the pain of everything she went through. Same thing I went through my whole life.
People can be so cruel and still are. Even today I'm sometimes not sure how to deal with them. That's where God comes in. That you Lord that I have Jesus. I couldn't have done it myself.
Addie is a special person. I'll treasure this story always. I'm still thinking about it.
Snickers though stole the show. I thought he was the cutest thang. I could just picture that sweet donkey.
There's a bit of mystery involved too and that was what kept me engaged. I do love twists and turns that are throughout this novel.
I'm giving this novel 5 stars for a job well done. I'm still thinking about Addie and that sweet donkey
I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.