Blog Tour: The Calling Review & Giveaway

The Calling

by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Christian Historical Romance
January 14th 2014 by Fleming H. Revell Company

Summary

Twenty-year-old Bethany Schrock is restless. Her love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending the incredibly hot summer days wading through a lifetime’s accumulation of junk at the home of five ancient Amish sisters. About the only thing that holds her interest is the spirited and dangerously handsome Jimmy Fisher–and he seems bent on irritating her to no end.

When the sly old sisters and a guest at the Inn get Bethany involved in running the local soup kitchen and starting a community garden, she suddenly finds herself wondering, Shootfire! How did that happen? Despite her newfound purposefulness, a gnawing emptiness about a childhood mystery continues to plague her. Encouraged by Jimmy Fisher, she will seek out the answers she craves–and uncover a shocking secret that will break her heart, heal it, and point her to love.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers her trademark twists, turns, and tender romance in this delightful and exciting visit to the deceptively quiet community of Stoney Ridge.

You can read an excerpt here.

   

My Review

This is actually only the second book I've read with an Amish setting. The first one was vastly different and so I would say that this is really the first. I started it with no real expectations except hoping for a good story.

I really, really loved the characters! I loved Bethany and Jimmy, Galen and Rose, Naomi and Mim, and then all the other side characters. Bethany and Jimmy were my favorites and I loved their story the most. This was probably due to the way they interacted with each other. It did take me a few chapters before I could keep everyone straight. I would have liked to have had a few chapters of just one or two characters before I was introduced to the others, but in the end it still worked out.

The plot kind of meandered along with a few climatic moments here and there. I didn't necessarily feel a driving force in the story until about a third of the way through, but I don't know that it was really that type of story anyway. Overall it was well paced and enjoyable. There were some tough decisions that the characters needed to make.

I would recommend The Calling to those who enjoy Amish and Christian Romance with a (non-pushy) religious aspect.

Content: Clean
Source: I want to thank LitFuse Publicity Group and the publisher, Fleming H. Revell Company, for my free review copy, which did not affect my opinion in any way.

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including "Amish Peace." She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. For more information, please visit suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher. Get Amish proverbs delivered right to your mobile device! Download the Free App here! You can also find Suzanne on Facebook and Pinterest.

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating her newest book, The Calling, by giving away TWO iPads, TWO Kindles, and TWO Nooks!
 

Two grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad
• The Letters and The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Four second place winners will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX or a Nook HD—winner's choice!
• The Letters and The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 8th. All winners will be announced February 10th at Suzanne's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 10th to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)