I love Christmas and recommend this Christmas story. It is a heartwarming story for the holiday season. It is alsoa fast read.

A MATCH MADE AT CHRISTMAS is the first book in the Amish genre that I’ve ever read or reviewed. Considering that I’ve been doing this for over twenty years now that might sound strange. I get to choose what books I want to review, now that I’ve done it for so long, well over a thousand reviews. But something about the description of A MATCH MADE AT CHRISTMAS made me choose this book by Patricia Davids. I am also new to stories created by Patricia Davids and must say I am totally awestruck by her writing. Her characters are wonderful and real, and of caused flawed. After all who isn’t.

Most of the folk in this book are Amish living amicably with Mennonites and the English. They live in a small community in an area of Kansas. Hardworking, genuinely caring folk that treasure their families and friends. Most are highly religious in that they take their lives as a part of Gods plan. Some are more in the line of observant which just means that they accept more latitude.

As Sophie and her sister Joanna come to the town the townspeople are welcoming and accepting. Sophie has been hired on as a teacher for their one room schoolhouse. Sophie needs a new start after completing a regimen of chemo treatments following a partial mastectomy. This cancer seems to run in her family and needless to say Sophie lives under a gray cloud. Moving to Kansas hopefully meant a reprieves from sad eyes.

But life does have a way of following you. And for Sophie the challenge is how open she is with her health. Learning the traditions and meeting new people are helping Sophie get acclimated to what she hoped would be her new home. But challenges remain.

There are lovely characters in this amazing story. Patricia Davids treats them all with such respect. And as a reviewer I was enthralled by the entire tale. As a people the characters became very familiar to me. As a traditional person I shared so many of their thoughts and values that the difference was blurred. Suffice it to say that I was truly surprised at how much I loved this book. It wasn’t centered on how different their lives were but how similar their challenges are to most everyone. Sure living in their Amish community meant following some strict guidelines. Rules are important in any civilization. We all have rules dictated by our religion, faith, upbringing, etc. Patricia Davids is more centered on the relationship of her characters and their challenges and joys. And that is what brings A MATCH MADE AT CHRISTMAS to life.

Christmas is approaching in Harts Haven, and Sophie Eicher has been hired as the new school teacher. She and her sister have moved to start a fresh life as their father has remarried a woman with two children. What the residents of Harts Haven don't know, is that Sophie has just had surgery and undergone treatment for breast cancer. Her mother and grandmother died from the disease, so she has no desire to marry and give the gene to any children she might have. Meanwhile Rose Yoder, the local matchmaker has plans to find Sophie a husband. Karl Graber is a widower with two young daughters and is busy with his hardware store, home and raising his girls. He is still grieving and has no intention of being part of Ruth's scheme, but when he is not included in her list of possible husbands, he is surprised. With humor, love, frustrations, secrets, honesty and self-reflection, this story shows that might be a different path to a different ending than the one Karl and Sophie have envisioned.

Having just put together our Christmas Presentation at church, I loved reading about Sophie's worried, the parents meddling and the children's hopes. Seeing how this pulled together a whole community was a wonderful path for this story to take. Of course the romance is the major part of this book and I loved how Sophie and Karl became friends, while both trying to play it cool and not have any entanglements. The old adage of wanting what you can't have really played out with Karl being attracted to Sophie and pursuing that because Ruth told him he was not a good match, crafty lady. Karl's children, Rachel and Clara were instrumental in getting the Live Nativity off the ground as well as bringing their father and teacher together. Clara's personality was like her father's at the beginning, sullen and angry, but as she blossoms in this story, she becomes friendly, accepting of help from others and almost sweet, like her little sister Rachel. All the characters in this book show growth as they come to believe that maybe there is a chance for happiness. A wonderful story of how love, acceptance and faith brought these characters together to form a new family, at Christmas.

I’m back with another holiday story — this one a romance taking place in Amish country. I haven’t read too many Amish stories, but I know that it is a popular genre. I do appreciate that they are always a clean read and usually with a warm and happy ending. What better time of year to read a happy story than holiday time?!

Here’s the overview of this charming and touching tale:
With Christmas just around the corner, an Amish cancer survivor moves to Harts Haven for a fresh start as the new schoolteacher. She wants to escape the pity that she felt from the people back home and throw herself into her new job. She’s worried her illness might return at any moment and isn’t looking for love. Neither is a local widower with two daughters. The loss of his wife devastated him, and he never wants to feel that kind of pain again. The matchmakers of Harts Haven set their sights on the pair, by having them work together on a living Nativity for the school Christmas program. With three elderly matchmakers, a school full of rambunctious children, a handsome widower, rowdy sheep and one cantankerous donkey, Harts Haven is about to witness an unforgettable Christmas Eve where two unlikely people discover healing love is the true Christmas gift.

If you enjoy an inspirational romantic story set at Christmas time, don’t miss A Match Made at Christmas by Patricia Davids.

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

A Match Made at Christmas is a good combination of emotional, funny, and sweet. The things Karl and Sophie have and still are dealing with are serious and their individual stories definitely tug at the heartstrings. That also makes it even easier to root for them. They're both likable characters, but I think my favorite character in the book is matchmaker Rose. She's a hoot, and Karl and Sophie don't make things easy for her. I've already read several Christmas romances this year, but I think this one may be my favorite so far. Patricia Davids blends the serious with the sweet and funny so that things don't get too heavy, and the whole story is totally charming

I'm not a huge fan of Amish romances but something in the blurb made me read this one and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I loved the fleshed out and complex characters, the heart warming and festive atmosphere, the sweet romance.
It's the first I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A Match Made at Christmas by Patricia Davids is a heartwarming Amish tale. It is the second novel in The Matchmakers of Harts Haven series. It can be read as a standalone. However, I recommend reading the entertaining The Inn at Harts Haven. I thought A Match Made at Christmas was well-written with steady pacing. Rose Yoder has that gleam in her eye again. Sophie Eicher and her sister, Joanna are new to Harts Haven. Sophie has been hired as the new schoolteacher. She wanted to get away from her hometown because she could not stand the looks of pity. Sophie is a breast cancer survivor. She beat the odds, but Sophie does not believe it. She wants to make sure her sister, Joanna is happily settled before she dies. Rose comes up with a clever scheme to match Sophie with widower Karl Graber. Karl has two young daughters as well as his farm and the hardware store. He needs help, but Karl is not ready to open his heart again. This was a cute story. There is some repetition of details. I enjoyed catching up with Abby and Joseph Troyer from The Inn at Harts Haven. I liked the characters in this story. There is a close-knit community. They help each other out as well as spread gossip. The school Christmas pageant was entertaining. I liked the theme and how they went about creating the props they needed. It was wonderful how the play captured the true meaning of Christmas. Love has the power to heal if you let it. That is what we get to experience in A Match Made at Christmas. There is humor sprinkled throughout that will have you chuckling. I am looking forward to the next story in The Matchmakers of Harts Haven series. A Match Made at Christmas is a lively Christmas tale with a meddling matchmaker, galloping goats, a delightful dog, burned bread, a determined donkey, pageant problems, and a cozy Christmas.

A delightful Amish romance
Where lost faith is given a second chance.
An emotional story about feelings of loss and fear
With matchmakers striving to bring them good cheer!

A heartwarming read with faith at the core
Trusting in God to have plans and more
Learning to let go of what happened to others now
To look forward to the future instead somehow.

With sisters sharing
Always caring
Animals causing chaos
A Nativity loss?

With school reopening with a new teacher who
Isn't quite sure just what she should do.
There are unforgettable dramas and some
Filled with love, dreams and hopes to come.

A story of an Amish community where
The matchmaker ladies all take good care
They know just how to manipulate folks it is clear
To help others find romance that is dear.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review
Of the complementary book for which I say thank you!

A Match Made at Christmas by Patricia Davids, book two in The Matchmakers of Hart Haven series, deals with the uncertainty of life having faith, and trust. This is the story of a young woman, who feels she has a death sentence, trying to get away from the pity she feels from those that know her and a grieving widower with two young daughters.

Rose Yoder, a self proclaimed matchmaker, has that gleam in her eye again. Her next match will be for Karl Graber, a widower who is still hurting from the loss of his beloved wife. Rose has chosen the woman for him, but the secret Sophie Eicher, a breast cancer survivor, is keeping may be too much for anyone to overcome. Karl has two young daughters as well as his farm and the hardware store. He needs help, but Karl is not ready to open his heart again. Sophie and her sister, Joanna, are new to Harts Haven. Sophie has been hired as the new schoolteacher. On Sophie’s first day of school there is quite a commotion in her classroom, when unwanted guests, people and animals, arrive. After that chaos is calmed, she learns that the main thing on the mind of parents and the community is what she has plans for the Christmas Program, an important part of this Amish community’s lives. With only weeks until Christmas, Sophie has her work cut out for her. With the help of Karl’s older daughter, Karl and the community, an entertaining Christmas play is planned; including live animals from within the town. The play did an excellent job of capturing the true meaning of Christmas. Love has the power to heal, if you let it and that is exactly the experience Sophie and Karl find. A Match Made at Christmas is a spirited Christmas tale with a meddling matchmaker, galloping goats, a delightful dog, burned bread, a determined donkey, pageant problems, and a cozy Christmas, along with some humor sprinkled throughout. I highly recommend A Match Made at Christmas to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

The story of breast cancer survivor Sophie Eicher and widower Karl Graber just reached out and touched my heart in so many ways. Sophie is a school teacher, looking for a new start in a new town, one in which her medical issues are not known by everyone. Karl is a shopkeeper who is quickly attracted to Sophie but he is quick to sense that she is keeping a secret. The townspeople are endearing, if a little meddlesome, especially Rose who is determined to be a matchmaker. I really enjoyed the scenes in the one-room schoolhouse and how organized Sophie was as well as her realistic dedication to instilling a love of learning in each of her pupils. The talents and personalities of each character were well portrayed and very realistic. My favorite character was Karl’s younger daughter Rachel who reminded me of Mary with the lambs since Rachel’s lambs seem to be in and out of mischief. I also liked the character of Joanna, Sophie’s sister who has come along with her for a new start. Joanna is a fun-loving but also compassionate about her sister and wants what is best for her. The romance was there but it took second place to the characters discovering each other’s vulnerabilities and strengths and finding out how their lives could fit together in spite of the past and hardships that they had faced. This is a book that is gut-wrenching at times, humorous at others and an all-around quick and engaging book. With a lot of details about Amish life, the story moved me right into the setting along with the characters and made me feel their anxiety and their desire to move on to a better future. With themes of overcoming life’s battles and helping others when they need it even when they don’t ask, this book is one with lessons to learn and a good story to enjoy.
I am already looking forward to the second book in the series as this first one was so relatable and entertaining.
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, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

"A Match Made at Christmas "by Patricia Davids
HQN
October 4, 2022
10-1335453474


Breast cancer survivor Sophie Eicher needs a new start. When her aunt Rose Yoder, who knows what she’s been through, suggests she relocate to Harts Haven, Kansas, to take the job as the school teacher, she decides to go.

“Everyone in their small Ohio community knew Sophie Eicher was a walking dead woman. Breast cancer had killed her mother and her grandmother. The pitying looks, the way people chose their words so carefully around her, had been stifling. It had been like living in a coffin waiting for the funeral to begin . . .”

Her younger sister Joanna goes with her, not because their widowed father is now remarried, which she uses as an excuse to Sophie, having her think she is in the way of his new family, but because she wants to be with her big sister and take care of her after her medical scare.

Sophie who is supposedly cured of her disease refuses to accept that fact. When her mother and grandmother perished from the same illness, Sophie believes she will not live long. Joanna tries to make her see she can have a full life, and she hopes with this move Sophie will realize she does have a future.

Sophie loves children and mourns the thought she will never have any or a family. With her now taking on the job as an Amish school teacher and knowing teachers are not allowed to be married, it doesn’t matter for she has no intention of ever getting married.

Rose, known to be a match-marker as well as a busybody, is thrilled when the sisters arrive. She has big plans to fix up both Sophie and Joanna with available bachelors.

One of the men Rose is hoping to match up is Karl Graber. Karl’s beloved wife passed away, leaving him with two young daughters. Knowing Rose well, he warns her not to meddle in his affairs, insisting he will never marry again for his deceased wife was the love of his life. But Rose worries about his girls whom she believes are being neglected while he wallows in his grief.

However, Rose informs Karl he is not on her list of eligible husbands for Sophie, which causes him to wonder why. He doesn’t know about Sophie’s illness, so could that be the reason why Rose crosses him off? Does Rose think Sophie is going to die soon?

When Sophie realizes what Rose is up to, she adamantly but nicely warns her to mind her own business. Sophie’s only wish is to have Joanna marry and have a family of her own before she (Sophie) dies—something she firmly believes will happen.

Sophie soon realizes her aunt is up to something when she recommends they rent the small house on Karl’s property. Sophie decides this could be a reason to push Joanna toward Karl, even though he is much older.
Karl and Sophie clash at first, but before long, Karl finds himself drawn to the lovely young woman, especially seeing how well she connects with his daughters, Clara and Rachel. Clara acts aloof toward Sophie in the beginning, but Rachel is a child anyone can love. As they grow closer to Sophie, they ask if she will become their new mother, scaring Sophie tremendously.

Meanwhile, as the holidays approach, the townspeople are worried about the annual Christmas show the children perform every year. Sophie is stressed because there are only a few weeks left to prepare, and the parents are putting pressure on her. This is a big event for everyone in town, so what shall she do? Surprisingly, Karl helps her with props for the performance that his daughter helped put together. While he and Sophie are thrown closer together, Sophie soon begins to fall in love with the widower. How can this happen? She won’t set her sights on him or anyone, knowing she may not have long to live, yet imagine her surprise when he states his interest in her.

"A Match Made in Heaven," book 2 in The Matchmakers of Harts Haven, deals with the uncertainty of life and having faith in God to trust in His ways.

This read, like the first in the series, grabbed me and didn't let go!
We do reunite with some of the previous characters from the first book, and some play a part here, but this can be read alone.
This is the story of a young woman, who feels she has a death sentence, trying to get away from the the pity she feels from those that know her. Enter endearing Rose, a self proclaimed matchmaker. Her next target is Karl Graber, a widower who is still hurting from the loss of his beloved wife. You can guess who is the woman Rose has chosen, and yes, but the secret of the breast cancer Sophie is keeping may be to much for anyone to overcome.
Sophie is the new teacher, and there is quite a commotion in her classroom, when unwanted guests arrive. We see how she and the community handles the intrusion, but on their
mind is the Christmas Program, an important part of their lives. Will Sophie have enough time to put a program together and will the bishop approve?
An enjoyable read as we journey with attraction, maybe romance, and the antics of animals!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was no required to give a positive review.

This is part of a series, and it'd be best to read them in order. Matchmaker Rose is an enjoyable character. The cancer angle is well-researched and respectful, and Sophie's battle with it creates an emotional element to the story. This is an enjoyable read that's perfect for the upcoming holiday season.

When I began reading this, I did not know it was part of a series. I stopped reading "A Match Made at Christmas" to read book one. I read both within a couple of weeks and am looking forward to Rose's antics at matchmaking continuing.
I am a cancer patient and have been chemo\cancer free for four beautiful years. The turmoil Sophie goes through (internally) at having her cancer cured and not fully trusting that her cancer will stay in remission. Surviving cancer seems like the end of a hard journey, but the aftermath remains with us for a while. I cried while reading this book because Sophie's vulnerability mirrored my own.
I have recommended this book to my library and know we will have it.