A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing Inc., Barbour Books for allowing me to read this digital galley.

I've always been curious about this mixture of romance and faith novels and decided a good way to experience them would be through a collection of stories written by different authors. What I found were nine wholesome, charming and relaxing looks at romance inside religious communities I'm not very familiar with. The added bonus is a recipe included at the end of each story. One was even from one of my favorite places to visit, Colonial Williamsburg. This is the type of book where you can read one story a day to lift your spirits or read it from cover to cover to discover all the different situations you will find. I've listed the stories along with other information which was interesting to me so you can make sure you haven't read the stories before.

Laura Lee Bliss -"A Crossroad to Love" - 2011 - Quaker - 1846 - Waynesville, Ohio
Ramona K. Cecil -"Simple Gifts" - 2011 - Quaker - 1880 - Serenity, Indiana
Dianne Christner -"A Christmas Prayer" - 2016 - Mennonite - 1881 - Mountain Lake, Minnesota
Melanie Dobson -"Treasure of the Heart" - 2016 - Amana Colonies - 1907 - Amana, iowa
Jerry Eicher -"Love is Forever" - 2016 - Amish - 1941 - Lancaster County
Olivia Newport -"Love's Pure Light" - 2016 - Amish - 1910 - Lancaster County
Rachel O. Phillips -"Pirate of My Heart" - 2011 - Quaker - 1825 - Rock and Cave, Illinois
Claire Sanders -"Equally Yoked" - 2011 - Quaker - 1838 - Southern Ohio
Anna Schmidt -"Abigail's Christmas Candles" - 2016 - Mennonite - no date given - Hope, Wisconsin

Naturally, out of all nine stories I did have some I enjoyed more than others, but considered as a whole I think this collection was a very good introduction for me to the treats in store among these types of novels. I look forward to exploring more by these and other authors.

I always get excited when Netgalley starts rolling out books with the beautiful Christmas covers. And while I am not one to reach for romantic books, I couldn't get past the description of 'A Plain and Sweet Christmas.' It just sounded so good! And it most certainly was.

This book is a collection of 9 novellas, all centered around the Christmas season in various Plain (Amish, Mennonite, Quaker, etc.) communities. The stories were rich and sweet, focusing on subjects such as forgiveness, acceptance, love and wonder. It is so hard to choose a favorite, but I think perhaps Abigail's Christmas Candle may top the list for me. Such a wonderful and cozy book that set my heart in the mood for the Christmas season.

This is a deep and rich collection of Christmas themed stories from varied Plain sects. I really appreciated the fact that not only were these stories well written and engaging but very well researched. I come from a Plain background and often see glaring inaccuracies....not so with this book. Excellent inclusion of Amana. This is far above the genre standard in depth of narrative and character.

As I began reading this book, I felt like I was visiting an old friend. As a matter of fact I was. On August 8, 2016, I published a review of the same book. My opinions haven't changed, and I still believe everything I said.

This title says it all, it's about plain men and women finding romance, whether they are Amish, Quaker, Mennonite, or from Amana Colonies. The sweetness is all there too. The women are sweet, what they cook is sweet. The novellas are overloaded with sweetness, but at the same time, quite a number of the women are strong-willed and not all of them can cook. It's a neat thing to see these women with foibles, even in their plain lifestyles.
The nine novellas are written by respected, experienced authors who put out nothing but quality. These are of the same quality as their full length novels--which I think is a harder thing to pull off because a whole plot has to be condensed into a little over 100 pages. Definite Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and your favorite Christmas cookie recipe.
My thanks to Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this olio.

A great introduction to the world of Quakers, Amish, Mennonite and Amana fiction novels. If you have never read this genre but are interested this is a great book to get your feet wet.

I enjoyed the book but it helped me realize I am not a fan of stories involving the Quakers. Those stories do not grab my attention like the Amish and Mennonite stories. I really enjoyed the Amana story and wish I could find more.

The stories are short enough that it makes it the perfect book for the busy reader who only gets to read before bed or the reader who needs a book for the bus or subway ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review in my own words.

This book has something for anyone who likes a good clean Christmas story, with a bit of romance thrown in.
You are in for a real treat, only have a little bit of time for reading, there are nine novellas here, and you will be finishing one and ready to start another in no time.
These are plain people, Amish, and Mennonite, a few Quakers and then we also have an Amana Colony, made me wish there were more.
Be ready for snow, of course Christmas time, and there are some real blizzards our folks have to contend with. Come and enjoy a refreshing adventure.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour and was not required to give a positive review.

This book of 9 novellas, "A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection," was delightful. The novella format is long enough for a good story and character development, but short enough that you can probably finish each one in a day -- even if it is a busy day at Christmas time. I was especially intrigued by the descriptions of these historical faith communities, I knew nothing about the Amanas and my knowledge of Quakers was limited to the unprogrammed style. I highly enjoyed this book as a relaxing treat, taking me out of my ordinary life. Definitely recommended!

A Plain and Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection by Lauralee Bliss, Ramona K. Cecil, Dianne Christner, Melanie Dobson, Jerry S. Eicher, Olivia Newport, Rachael O. Phillips, Claire Sanders, Anna Schmidt is a wonderful collection of Historical couples from Amish, Mennonite, Quaker and Amana settlements. I found the differences in how the settlements celebrated the season informative and fascinating.
Each story is unique to the author’s style and the settlement it represents. I found all of the characters in each story to be very realistically portrayed. Many of the characters face some type of conflict or situation that tests their personal relationship with God. All are handled in different, unique and unexpected ways.
I enjoyed this book very much and it would be an excellent gift for the readers on your holiday list. I give it 5 of 5 stars; all of the writers are well-known for their writing and they do not disappoint with this collection. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction and learning more about how others view the Christmas season and why they hold those views.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love this set of Christmas stories. I loved each one and the fact that they were of such interesting and diverse groups. I have enjoyed many of these authors in the past and this compilation of shorter writers was excellent. I am so happy to have the chance to read this exceptional book!

I received an e-book version of this book for review. All thoughts are my own.

Short sweet stories of Christmas! This collection of stories will introduce readers to different authors and faiths. I enjoyed reading about the different types of ways Christmas was celebrated during different time periods. Reading novellas is a nice break from a longer novel or if time is short. Recommended!

A Plain and Sweet Christmas focuses on how the Quakers, Mennonites, Amish and those from the Amana Colonies in Iowa either do or do not celebrate Christmas. Of course, there are romantic elements to each story. Surprisingly, some of the stories focus on married couples. However, just because you are married doesn’t mean there is no romance, right?

I enjoyed reading about the Amana Colonies. I have family members who lived in Iowa, so I’ve always been fascinated with the Amana Colonies. Unfortunately, I have never been able to visit them. Maybe one day I’ll get the opportunity. Having read these stories will help me to appreciate their history even more.

The compilation features authors whose books I’ve read before and some that are new to me. I am always excited to read a set of novellas like this because of the exposure to new authors, and A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection doesn’t disappoint! Also, there are some great recipes at the end of the stories; I can’t wait to try some of them out.

Each narrative is well-written with very different perspectives, some more heart-wrenching than others. Even so, if you are looking for a heartwarming, faith-filled book full of Christmas history, drama, hope and renewal, along with love and romance, then you are sure to enjoy A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection.

I received this book from NetGalley. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.

What a sweet book!! All the stories bring the true meaning of Christmas to life. I don't think I can pick a favorite but Melanie Dobson has always been a favorite author and she didn't disappoint. If you need a touch of the holidays I highly recommend A Plain and Sweet Christmas Collection.