Bethany is trying to raise her younger siblings, but her younger brother Ivan is a handful and then some. Bethany’s father has deserted the family, her mother died years ago, and her beloved grandfather recently passed away, leaving Bethany on her own with her siblings. The Bishop has decided that Ivan is getting into too much trouble without a man in the family to rein in his wild ways, and is going to sent him to their uncle’s home in another community. Entering into this mix is a newcomer, an Amish man with baggage of his own that he deals with on a daily basis. The story continues as these characters find a way to cope, first by themselves and then by helping each other. It’s a nice story, a quick read, and a lovely romance. ( )

This book addresses many topics in a short amount of time. Though the topics addressed were serious the book moved quickly through the resolutions. Not everything can be taken care of in such a short amount of time but the book did try to bring to light that even though people may try their best to shelter themselves from the evils of the world it can find you and you must seek the tools to live with or overcome what is presented to you. And it's always best to do it fully supported. ( )

This story takes place in a very small Amish community tucked way up at the top of Maine, and consists of just a few families. Bethany Martin’s Grandfather was the one responsible for making the move to this remote area, and now he has passed. This girl has a lot of responsibilities for a young woman, she is the sole caregiver for her teenage brother and six-year-old sister.
Enter a new comer who it seems has an arrangement with Bethany’s grandfather to work and live on the property. An answer to a prayer, well, she has a real challenge in her life, her young brother.
Will this new comer be able to help her and be the answer to her prayers, or will his demons keep him prisoner?
We find some really sweet moments, and see some very sad problems, but are there answers here, and in time for Christmas?

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )

"An Amish Wife for Christmas" tells the story of Bethany, a young Amish woman who is tasked with caring for her younger brother and sister, while trying to maintain the family farm. Set in Maine in the newly established Amish community of New Covenant, the story focuses on Bethany's growing attraction to an Amish newcomer, who seems to harbor some dark secrets to be overcome. The ways in which Bethany and her siblings help him become part of the Amish community make up the main story line.

This book was the first one I read by Patricia Davids. I am a big fan of Amish romances and novels, and this one ranks right up there as one of my favorites. The plot moves forward at a good pace. The characters are interesting and keenly drawn. I especially liked the inclusion of problems such as vandalism, domestic violence, and PTSD. Past Amish novels I have read sometimes seemed to paint a picture-perfect existence of Amish life in small rural communities. This one seemed quite realistic and provided a very enjoyable read that I could not put down.

This book was provided to me by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions provided here are entirely my own. ( )