The Gift

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. 

I always love Amish fiction stories, and this book did not disappoint.  In this book, I could easily picture the setting, the characters, and lose myself in the story of Leah and Adam.

I enjoyed how this book also introduced us to a few new topics such as reflexology as well as hummingbirds.  Leah's passion around these two items was very interesting and I learned a few new things as I enjoyed the story.  

This story touches on the topics of love, loss, and strong family ties.  There were actually some unexpected plot twists that I wasn't expecting, and that kept me reading and eager to see what happened.  I really enjoyed this story!

This is a wonderful series about Amish families that the reader can relate with. This story shows the Amish have just as many problems with relationships as others have. Everyone needs to rely on God. I  also enjoyed reading about the hummingbirds and how they were captured, banded and released. I can't wait to read more about this community.

The Gift didn't disappoint!!! We journey through love, sacrifices, loss, pain, and so much more. This is one of those books I struggle to put down because I'm always at a "good part". You seem to settle or calm one issue and suddenly find yourself building up in another area. We have unlikely meetings and chances for new beginnings. It's a whirlwind of a story that leaves me wanting to read more. 

While all the relationships are growing, building and blossoming we learn of Leah's love for humming birds. This isn't just a little "I like hummers" and moving on. A lot of facts are shared about the little guys. It made me wish I had a feeder to put out so we can attract our own humming birds.

Do you have a special gift and or talent?
Did you expand from your gift or talent to the next level?

Do you have regrets? How have those regrets affected your life?
Do you wish for a do-over?

Follow the characters as we learn about how regrets affect not only us but those around us, especially children. Children are affected by the choices their parents make and sometimes children have a hard time later in life letting go of the hurt they have experienced from their parents choices.

Who knew hummingbirds, a chipmunk, and dogs could steal the spotlight in an Amish fictional book? There is a very good reason why they did and you'll have to read "The Gift" to find out just how.

"The Gift" kind-of picks-up where "The Decision" left off. There is a shift of main and support characters this time around. Boy! Wanda does not miss out on any details because "The Gift" is FULL of details and information. I felt like I was right there in Illinois living the experience with all of the characters. 

I loved "The Gift", the experience of following the characters' lives and how they handle the situations that Wanda E. Brunstetter has laid out for them. I can not wait for the third book in the series to be announced so I know when it will released.

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. No money was exchanged. This is my honest review in my own words.

The Gift is yet another great novel by Wanda Brunstetter. I just love her stories and this one is no exception. I thought Leah was a unique characters. The issues dealt within this book are real with her beautiful and inspiring message.
5 stars

This story was an especially good read.  The story and characters were very complex and compelling.  Leah, was gifted in reflexology.  She had many people coming to her for help with all kinds of ailments.  If she couldn't she was quick to recommend a doctor or clinic for more precise care..  She accepted donations for her services.  Adam is her neighbor and is convinced that reflexology is hocus pocus.  Their first encounter did not go well for obvious reasons.  Then his sister & her husband were coming to celebrate his birthday.  There was an accident and they were killed and their 3 daughter survived.  .Adam now had to raise his 3 nieces. He was alone with no one to help him with the girls while he worked at his hardware store.  Leah comes to help care the girls while Adam is at work.  The girls are mourning their parents and having a hard time adjusting.  Leah bonds with the girls and helps them.  Adams mother abandoned her son & daughter to pursue a nursing degree..  She practiced reflexology while being Amish.  Adam father felt that was the beginning of her need to leave the Amish..  He raised Adam & Mary alone.  Even though Adam never wanted to marry, he finds that his household needs Leah full-time.  OK folks that;s enough.  if you want to know what happens in the rest of this book you are going to have to buy it and read yourself.  It was a wonderful book of forgiveness, acceptance and tolerance.  You will love the book.

A riveting plot that kept me glued to the pages, one minute THE GIFT would be going smoothly and then Ms. Brunstetter would throw in a twist that was sometimes gut wrenching.  Each twist kept me wondering what might happen next. There were a few story lines going on within the story and Wanda Brunstetter blends them together perfectly, providing an ending that certainly leaves this reader longing for the next book in The Prairie State Friends series.

 Fans of Amish fiction will devour THE GIFT but anyone dealing with love, loss and family issues really should give this one a try. Wanda Brunstetter has always been one of my favorite authors in the Amish genre because her work always provides inspirational messages while also providing real life issues that happen to take place in an Amish setting.

Absolutely fabulous! The Gift, By: Wanda E. Brunstetter This is book two in The Prairie State Friends series. This book was absolutely amazing from the very beginning right to the very end. There is always something happening in the story. You will laugh, cry all the way through this book. I so love the characters and their personalities. This is such an amazing story line that will make it so that you won’t want to put the book down. I read this book in a day it was that wonderful. The story is so gripping and so real. I felt as though I was living the story right along with the characters. It takes a truly talented writer to grab a hold of you and not let go of you with one of their stories. I am so looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

Be sure to pick up your copy of the book today! Remember it makes a great gift also! 5 star!

This book did not disappoint! Wanda Brunstetter is an excellent author!
I like the idea that Adams mom showed up and wanted to make amends for her past mistakes.  I loved Leah as she was my favorite character.  She had an undeniable faith in God. Prayer is the most important part of the day. We should always take time to pray.  God answers our prayers in His time even though sometimes they're not always what we want Him to do.  Adam is a person who has a lot to overcome. Im some ways I really cant blame Adam not wanting to confront his mother the way she wanted him to.
I cried when he lost his sister and brother in law and had to become his nieces guardian.  Together through the love of God they overcame certain obstacles and became a real family I snickered through some of the book and laughed outright through the rest.  Wanda Brunstetter I certainly hope there will be a third book to this series.
Adam and Leah have a lot more to tell in their story.
The title of this book was appropriately named.

Deeply hurt as a young boy, Adam keeps to himself to prevent ever feeling that aching pain again. Adam doesn't trust women. He's close to his sister though she's married and lives in another state. He's owns a thriving business.  Leah's gift is healing. She's a reflexologist, giving foot treatments. She has loving parents and good friends. Can she break through Adam's shell and help heal his heart?
Engaging, dramatic, romantic read! There's a story within a story that keeps the pages turning with interest! Enjoyed! 4 1/2 stars Book free for honest review.

The Gift is the second book in this series at Arthur IL Amish Community, and reunite with our old friends, and especially the bond of friends Leah, Priscilla and Elaine. We ended the first book on a cliff- hanger and expect the same with this read.
We get caught up with all of our friends and begin new relationships, with the focus on our friends and their trip to matrimony. There are some real chuckles here, and some very sad happenings.
With the introduction of the Englisher from Chicago into the story, my mind was trying to figure out how she fit, and yes I did guess it. We all make some choices that we regret later, and this story has several story points of this nature, and we get an in-depth look into their lives.
When the story ended Adam seemed to be on the road towards forgiveness, he has a lot of bitterness left, and we can only home he finds peace. I am looking forward to the next book and answers to the many facets of the lives in this small community.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, Inc., and was not required to give a positive review.r

The Gift by Wanda F. Brunstetter is the second book in the Prairie State Friend series, (The Decision is #1) , but is also a great stand-alone book. I didn't read the first book in the series and had no problem with following along in this one. Although now I want to go back and read The Decision. 

I learned a few things about Leah's passions, hummingbirds and reflexology. Was interesting to read and learn about. Leah decides to take Adam up on his proposal of marriage to help him raise his 3 nieces, even though it will be a marriage in name only or will it?

The Gift is an awesome story with love, forgiveness,acceptance, and tolerance for others. The end of the book left me wanting more! Will Adam forgive Cora? Or will Cora and Jared move back to Chicago? Will Adam and Leah have a baby of their own to add to their family? I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series to see how these characters stories play out.

I received an ARC from Barbour Publishing and NetGallery in exchange for my honest review

Brunstetter never disappoints and this novel, book two in the Prairie State Friends series, lives up to expectations. Leah Mast has a gift for healing people using reflexology by massaging key spots on their feet. Leah's neighbor, handsome Adam Beachy scoffs at her ability and becomes angry when discussing the treatments that Leah provides in the community. Leah learns that Adam's mother practiced reflexology before she left her husband and abandoned her family. Adam's world is turned upside down when he becomes guardian of his three nieces and he realizes that a hardware store is no place for young girls to play. Hiring someone to look after the girls is a solution, however, what Adam really needs is a wife to cook, clean and be a mother to his nieces. Will a marriage of convenience work for him and will his new wife be submissive to her husband and give up what is important to her? Or will history repeat itself?

I read Decision, the first book in the series and loved it. Bruntsetter has a way of bringing out the best traits of people in real life situations. Life isn't perfect, but there is always hope for a better day tomorrow. Her message of "love prevails" is evident in this book and the "six degrees of separation" theory provides an interesting twist to a painful experience. I always enjoy Brunstetter's books, well-written, entertaining and hopeful. If you are an "Amish Fiction" genre fan, you will soon be drawn in and won't leave until you finish.

I have never been disappointed in Wanda's book and this one is no exception!  It is the second in the Prairies State series but could be easily read as a stand alone. Wanda' s abiltity to develop her characters in a realistic and complex way is outstanding in this novel. The two main characters are realistic , with problems such as you and I could have. They became my best friends and at times, i became so involved in their lives that I forgot they were not real !!

The plot moved quickly with unexpected twists and turns !  The reader is kept guessing throughout the book. Just when you think you have the answers to their problems and challenges, another surprise awaits you.  The world passed me by as I was glued to this book! Yes, my husband can attest to this fact, as meals and housework were forgotten. 

The theme throughout made me really think ! The past  deeply affects the future. God has a plan to heal hurts and solve problems, if we only will step back and allow Him to take control of our lives.  A five star book!! Eagerly awaiting the next!!

I've yet to find an Amish book which I don't like! While the exact end was a bit obvious (happily ever after), this never detracts from my enjoyment – if anything it heightens because as Adam and Leah kept clashing I wondered how they would ever figure out how to live in harmony. Leah is strong hearted, she knows what she wants, she doesn't understand why Adam is so against her reflexology work. 

As the story unfolds and Adam's past is revealed it sort of makes sense why he holds the views he has, although they are narrowminded and don't take into account Leah's true nature, how much she loves her Amish faith and wants to serve God. The children provide some mayhem, Leah provides something called a chocolate chip cheeseball which I'd never heard of but is basically a cheesecake ball – a recipe is provided so rest assured I'll be trying it out!

Leah has a gift from God that she takes great pleasure in using to help others in the community.  But her neighbor who is now her new employer does not approve of it or believe in its effectiveness.   Leah works for Adam as she cares for the three nieces he is now raising alone.   She and Adam become quite close but will the differences from his past create problems for their future?   He is looking for a mother for the three precious nieces and he needs a mother for them now!    The girls have grown attached to Leah.  Will she agree to marry a man without love?    Will love grow between them?              The secrets from Adam's past come to haunt them as Leah finds a special patient for her reflexology.    But will this secret come between Adam and Leah?   Or will this newfound secret bring them together?             This book is definitely filled with surprises.   I had read book one so it was really wonderful to see the story continue.  The characters are lovable and real.    They could be my own next door neighbors and in fact, I would quite enjoy it if they were my own neighbors.              I rated this book 5 stars and highly recommend it to readers.   Wanda Brunstetter's followers will be certain to fall in love with this book.              I received a print copy of this book from the publisher and a pdf version of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a wonderful Amish story.

I had not read book #1 in this series before reading this one. There were enough references to it and things from that story that it probably would have been better to do so. At the same time I was able to fully follow everything that happened in this novel without having done so. Therefore it isn’t exactly necessary to read it first.

I loved Leah Mast and I’m guessing that she is probably one of the secondary characters in the previous book. She is comfortable with the life that she has living with her parents and giving reflexology treatments to help others. That is her whole focus in life living the way God wants her to and helping others. I was able to really connect with her on both of those points and that added to my enjoyment of the story. I wanted her to add a loving, romantic relationship to that so that her life could be even more fulfilling.

When introduced to Adam Beachy and the story of his childhood started to come out my heart ached for all that he had been through. I can’t imagine the feelings of rejection that he and his sister would have had to deal with. I really enjoyed reading his journey as he tried to work through some of the past and the heartache with God’s help. 

I hope that we get to see more of Adam and Leah in future books so that we can see how they are getting along.

I received a free eBook copy of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a great book! I love all of Wanda's books!

I have read a vast number of Amish themed books.  Wanda represents the culture well with her use of language and descriptions.  Moral dilemmas are difficult and it is very interesting to see how people living a less complicated life handle it.  After following her characters through this journey, I can't wait to see where they go next.

This is the second book in the Prairie State Friends series. In this book, there is an Amish wife who has a job away from the home. The story line and characters in this book are memorable and so well-written that I wished their story could continue when I reached the end of the book.

Wanda E. Brunstetter is known to write outstanding Amish books but I am always surprised at how each one is different and so meaningful.

I would recommend this to any of my friends that enjoy Christian and Amish book.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The Gift is one of my favorite books by Wanda Brunstetter. I enjoyed learning about reflexology. The book is one I would highly recommend.

Love Wanda's books!! Absolutely amazing