A Christmas Haven

There was something frustrating about this book.  It feels like I did in high school when I was trying to write a paper and the deadline was approaching and I just tied everything up in a tidy bow and left out important bits of information.   Cindy Woodsmall and her daughter-in-law, Erin, have been collaborating on books for a bit now and they do a wonderful job together.  This one "flub" won't keep me from reaching for their books, but it's one I can't truly endorse.

A Christmas Haven starts in the summer months and describes the life of Ivy, Holly, Sarah, Arlan, and Josh.  Ivy and Holly are sisters, Sarah and Arlan are siblings, and Josh is Holly's fiance'.  The five people come from three different Amish groups in varying degrees of strictness, with Sarah and Arlan being the ones from the most strict group. 

Ivy has been running a party planning business with her Englisch friend, Tegan, and wants to leave the Amish.  Holly has gotten special permission to go to school to get a degree for being a Licensed Practical Nurse, to help with the Amish people who take medications and need to understand them better.  Josh's bishop won't marry Holly and Josh unless she gives up her training.  Sarah is young and pregnant, and very ill, but her father won't let her seek medical attention.  Arlan is beyond aggravated with his father and runs away with Sarah.  Because of all the differences of opinions, it seems as though Arlan and Ivy will never have a civil conversation. 

It takes most of the book to get this all laid out, and in the last couple of chapters, it is all resolved and put to rest.   I'm sorry that this is at best a two-star book.

I wish to thank NetGalley.com and Waterbrook/Multnomah for allowing me to read and review this book.