Enjoyable, feel good book by Mindy Steele.  It’s the first book I’ve read by her, but will be looking for more. I loved the main and supporting characters, they made me laugh and get teary. Traveling to see the quilt gardens is something I hope I get to do someday.

I enjoyed this story so much. I love quilting and gardening so this idea was a sweet one. I also enjoy a sweet romance and I appreciate the way this was written. It was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading another one. 
Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the advanced copy.

The Flower Quilter by Mindy Steele

Summary:
Barbara Breaks from Amish Tradition to Express Her Artistry
 
Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.
 
Barbara Schwartz was born into a family of quilters, but she would rather eat dirt than partake in another quilting frolic or sew on another binding. When her parents send her to Indiana to help her grandmother in her quilting shop, she finds herself amongst a very different community. It’s only one summer and then she will be back in Kentucky where she belongs.

Melvin Bontrager’s world stopped six years ago when his parents died. Now when his only means of providing for his widowed sister and niece is threatened, Melvin finds his landscaping business disappearing too. When spring delivers a newcomer who is immune to his salty moods, Melvin does something he has never done before, accepts help. 

What blooms is the last thing Barbara ever expected, and everything Melvin could ever want. 

Review: 4-Star
I have always been a fan of authors who tackle the Amish communities as the heart of a love story.  I’ve never heard of Mindy Steele before, but the storyline sounded intriguing, so I gave it a whirl and I’m so glad I did. It’s a page-turner and one you don’t want to put down until you finish even if that’s 2 am. Mindy paints a pretty picture and you can see what she wrote about in your mind, she also really captured the emotions which is something not all authors do well.  The reason I didn’t give this book a 5-star rating is that there were just a few editorial errors and I hate editorial errors. They were small and spaced far between, but still there. These were sentences that you had to read a few times and still, they didn’t quite make sense in my mind, but I decided to leave it and go on with the story, which I truly loved. I look forward to reading more of Mindy’s stories in the future.
  

I received this book for my honest review by NetGalley

I was excited to read this book when Mindy Steele first posted it. And it didn't disappoint! I was first drawn in by the cover and title, and then of coarse the author because all books I have read by Mindy are great! 
Barbara has always struggled because she come from a family that love to quilt and did so very well. But she was awful at it and didn't care for quilting. She much rather be outside in her garden or planting flowers feeling the dirt on her fingers. Her parents send her to Indiana to her grandmother to help in her quilt shop of all things! The community is different from hers in Kentucky.  Her grandparents quickly see that her heart isn't in quilting or the shop and so her grandfather finds her the perfect job working with Melvin Bontrager in landscaping! They had a run in when she first arrived so Barbara wasn't to excited to be working with him, but she did love flowers so decided to make the best of it.  Things go better than either one expected and Barbara finds she is a quilter but with flowers instead of material and together they create beautiful quilts of flower beds as their friendship grows. I really enjoyed this book and was given the chance to read it by netgalley.

When Barbara goes to visit her grandparents she ends up working with landscaper Melvin and they create beautiful flower garden quilts together.  I thought that was a unique idea and enjoyed their romance. This is a sweet Amish romance.  If you've read others you've enjoyed, you'll probably like this one too!

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

Publication date: 1 September 2023

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and I loved seeing Barbara and Melvin grow through out the story. I loved how as Barbara got to know Melvin she found where she belonged and what she was meant to do. I loved how she was able to share her passion for flowers and how she was able to make the world around her just as beautiful as her family did with their quilts. I loved how Melvin helped Barbara to see her worth and I loved how Barbara helped Melvin to find joy in life. I thought this story was a sweet story and was an enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book. 

Amish books are my go to books for relaxation and quiet time.  They always are a pick me upper for me.

I love the wholesomeness of the books.

'The Fliwer Quilter' is a beautiful story. 
I especially love the characters of Barbara Schwartz and Melvin Bontrager.

Barbara is not much of a quilter and would much rather be gardening, but she tries. At times her her antics had me in hysterics.

The book is just such a quick lighthearted read and so enjoyable.

Highly recommend.

The Flower Quilter is a wonderful novel set in Amish country that you’re going to enjoy reading. It’s a sweet story!  It’s also the first book in a series.  I for one always love starting a new series!  And I can’t wait to see what comes next for this one as this was truly a sweet story that read well. 

I love quilting. It is relaxing for me.  I’ve done some form of it for years.  In fact, I did my first nine patch when I was 8 years old at a Civil War Reenactment.   Since then I’ve been in love with it. 

Now flower quilting. I’ve never done that. My dad is a horticulturist though so I’m no stranger to flowers and bushes and plants, etc.  But I’ve never purposefully done a flower garden. 

I loved learning about flower quilting.  The characters I met along the way were wonderful as well.  It was such a fun and sweet read.  I can’t wait to see what else comes from this series!

I loved how Barbara and Melvin getting such fun looks at their personalities.  It’s always fun to meet new friends!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

I really enjoy quilts and I really enjoy gardening, especially the results of the flowers in the garden. I love the colors in the garden &  I try to make mine into a color-themed  pattern.  In this novel Barbara grew up in a family of quilters and her mother tried to teach her how to quilt. Barbara did not enjoy the quilting at all because she kept pricking  her fingers and felt she was not good at the craft.   She went to another state for some months & found she was good at gardening and even better, she made beautiful flower gardens into quilt pattern designs.
Barbara had not found a man to marry yet and had pretty well given up on that idea. She met someone at the place she was visiting and they had a lot of conflicting conversations how she liked him. He encouraged her with the quilting in the garden & they took time out to get to know each other.  Barbara left and went back home to resume her life.
This was a good little romance, which I enjoyed. I’ve never heard of Garden quilts before so was intrigued by that.
It was not a page-turner for me  because the writing style did not hold my attention, but I enjoyed the book and especially the outcome.  I also was introduced to a new Amish author, who I may  try again.  Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Mindy Steele never lets me down when it comes to a satisfying Amish romance. The Flower Quilter was a quick and endearing read for me. I loved how Barbara coped with feeling like she didn’t measure up to her society or family’s expectations. I think all women can relate to that! Her enemies to lovers romance with Melvin was delightful, as well. His growth and realization that God always provides above and beyond what we can hope for was encouraging to me, as sometimes I tend to be self-reliant as well. If you love wholesome, uplifting romance, give this one a try!

The Flower Quilter by amazing storyteller Mindy Steele is Book One in her The Heart of the Amish series. This is a contemporary Christian Amish romance. Within the first few pages I was interested in the delightful story. 

This is the tale of Barbara Schwartz, a Kentucky Amish woman, who travels to Shipshewana, Indiana to help her grandparents for the summer. There she meets Melvin Bontrager, an Amish man with a landscaping business. Life is much different in this Amish tourist community.

Barbara is the only one in her family that is at a loss with a needle and thread. She has a plethora of other talents, including a caring heart. Melvin comes with some past  baggage. He carries guilt that is misplaced. As the two begin working together, they both begin to open up more.

The author did a great job crafting her characters, right down to some unruly children. I loved the humor and twists that were included. The story was well done and had me turning page after page until I had read the book in one sitting. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful story. It was full of entertainment, life lessons, as well as spiritual ones. The author taught me some things about the different Amish communities. I highly recommend it. It gets a five out of five star rating from me. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but these are my honest words.

This sounded so interesting and different from most Amish stories, but Barbara didn’t appeal to me. She wanders into the street without looking and nearly gets hit not once but twice, and gets mad at the buggy driver for being upset with her. The women in her family are fabulous quilters and she feels inferior. Understandable, but now she seems to have a chip on her shoulder.
The long glossary of Amish words didn’t help. A few words like baby or wife are understandable, but not words like away or far. That only makes reading a frustrating experience.

I LOVED this book! The sly humor that sneaks in when least expected had me laughing out loud as I read. 

Barbara Schwartz is a failure as an Amish woman? Why? She can't quilt worth a lick. When she tries, her stitches are uneven and invariably have to be ripped out and she can't seem to do it without bleeding on the fabric because she is forever sticking her fingers with the needles. She can cook, she can clean, but the one thing her mother expects her to be able to do - because she comes from a long line of quilters - she just can't get her fingers to cooperate. 

When Barbara is sent to Shipshewana from her Kentucky home to "help" her grandmother, she arrives expecting her grandmother to actually need help. Instead, she realizes that her mother sent her to HER mother so she could teach Barbara to quilt (since she wasn't having any success at it.) In the first week, her grandmother finally asks the question no one has ever asked her, "Do you want to learn to quilt?" The truth spills out, that Barbara would far rather be outside, working in the garden, than sitting inside working on a quilt, something she is NOT gifted for. Her grandfather finds her a job working for a local landscaper and she finds that creating quilt gardens feeds her heart. Could it be she's finally found something she's good at?

Melvin Bontrager's world crashed when a speeding truck hit the family buggy, killing both of his parents and leaving him seriously injured. When his sister's husband also dies, he takes on the care and support of his sister and his niece. He is slowly crawling out of the financial hole the accident left, but having to sell the family farm left him scrambling. His bishop (Barbara's grandfather) found him a place to live with a greenhouse on the property, so he started his own landscaping business.  Grateful to his bishop, he agrees to take his granddaughter as an employee for the summer. At first, all he sees is how pretty she is, and how attracted to her he is, but then he finds that her garden designs make his flowers stand out. He sees her gift and falls hard, but how can they continue to work together or eventually be together when she makes no secret of the fact that she is going back to Kentucky?

As someone who has seen some of the beautiful flower quilts around Shipshewana, this story was a beautiful love story that envisioned how they might have come about. Barbara has always felt inadequate because the one thing her mother wanted her to be able to do completely escaped her. She's 24 and her 14-year-old sister is a better quilter. Melvin is deeply mired in guilt stemming from the accident that killed his parents. Even though it wasn't his fault, he always felt - as the buggy driver - that he should have done more to get out of the way. Working together, each find their strengths enhanced, and they find their hearts reaching toward one another as well. 

Readers who enjoy Amish fiction or even just sweet romance will love The Flower Quilter. Be prepared for smiles, and even a few tears, as you read this one!

A sweet romance from Amish communities. Barbara never took to sewing or quilting which makes her feel like an outsider in her family of quilters. Not only does she not do it well - she hates the work. She'd rather be outside, in the gardens, raising food for her family and most of all - flowers. 
Melvin is not interested in a romance. All he wants is to support his widowed sister and her young daughter. But his landscaping business is in trouble when he looks like he will lose access to his greenhouse. Reluctantly, he hires Barbara as an assistant as a favor to her grandfather. Before long, and without intending it so, Barbara's flower gardens take the shape of quilt patterns and bring much attention to Melvin's business along with more eager customers. Somehow, as they work side by side, feelings begin to develop between them.
But Barbara is only visiting her grandparents in this community. Her home is in another state. When she is unexpectedly called home to care for an ill family member, they both see it as the end of their relationship before it ever had a chance to begin.
Will Melvin and Barbara find a way to find the desire of their hearts? 
A wonderful story about recognizing each persons talents and gifts and directing them toward those things rather than what might be expected of them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review

Family and/or friends may try to place a person in a certain mold, but each person has their own unique gifts and loves. That’s a lesson that Barbara Schwartz took a while learning. I enjoyed reading her story and how among bandaged fingers she learned there’s more than one way to “quilt”.
Throw in a love interest, a pair that works well together and beautiful flowers and you’ve got a story that is well worth the time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.

Barbara Schwartz grew up in an Amish family in Kentucky. Her mother was a quilter and there was no question about Barbara learning to quilt as well. However, quilting was not for her. She wanted to get her hands dirty by working in a garden planting flowers. She was sent to Indiana to help her grandmother who had a quilting store and her mother expected her to learn quilting while she was there. 

Melvin Bontrager found himself caring for his sister and niece after he lost his parents. He supported them through his landscaping business and soon Barbara found herself working for him in addition to helping in her grandmother’s shop.

I enjoyed this book very much and learned more about the Amish people as well. I was given an e-book by Barbour Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review.

Barbara was convinced she could not do anything right.  But Melvin proved to her that she had a gift of creating flower quilts.

A delightful story that clearly sends a message that GOD gives each one of us special gifts.  Barbara was convinced she couldn't quilt.  But she could create beautiful flower gardens.  

A sweet story of the first bloom of love. With a little help from Barbara's mammi and dawdi, she found what she never expected while visiting in Indiana.

Melvin felt responsibility for his sister and his niece.  He felt responsible for his parents' accident.  This weight of responsibility prevented him from finding real happiness. 

Both Barbara and Melvin gave so much of their time and love to others.   It was time for their dreams to come true. 

I received this from Celebrate Lit to review.

I have never read from this author before and the cover is so pretty that I knew I had to read it.  I enjoyed this book so much that she has a new fan.  If you love Amish stories then this needs to be your next read.

The Flower Quilter is written by Mindy Steele. This is book one in the The Heart of the Amish series. Barbara Schwartz was born into a family of quilters. She however did not inherit that gift. She really struggles to sew stitches and spends more time stabbing her fingers and ripping out stitches then anything. Her parents send her to Indiana from Kentucky to work with her grandmother's quilt shop. However, her grandparents realize that she is not cut out for the quilting business and encourage her to work with Melvin Bontrager.

Melvin and Barbara did not get off to a good start. He almost ran her down with his buggy and spunky horse Fred. However, he has a landscaping business and Barbara really enjoys arranging flowers and plants. She suggests to Melvin to arrange the flowers into quilt patterns - and that idea takes off. They become friends and enjoy each other's company. However, Barbara has to go back to Kentucky. 

This book is beautifully written. The author has created a story that has characters that are not cookie cutter Amish characters. The storyline draws you in within the first few pages. 

Thank you to the author and Publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own,

“The Flower Quilter” is a heartwarming Amish romance. The first line hints at the importance of family and faith in the Amish community, setting the tone for the story: “Next to Gott, family always came first.” 
 
Barbara and Melvin are engaging characters, and their journey is filled with humor, emotion, spirituality, and romance. Barbara’s situation brought back memories of my youth when my grandmother urged me to sew like she did, but I had no interest.  It was easy to connect with them and I rooted for them as they worked the land and strengthened their hearts, minds, and lives.

With a premise of following our passions and talents, this story is flavored with heart. I enjoyed the setting and characters, as well as learning more about quilting, gardening, and Amish living.

Faith, hope, and romance blossom in this unique flower quilting tale. 

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are 100% mine.