The Christmas Cradle

August 31, 2015
Hubbard’s steady and somewhat predictable sixth Seasons of the Heart romance (after Harvest of Blessings) contrasts two very different couples in the insular Amish community of Willow Ridge, Mo. Miriam and Ben Hooley, who courted and married in Autumn Winds, are expecting a baby—their Christmas miracle—when a winter storm brings a squabbling young couple to their door. Lena and Josiah, unmarried and expecting their own child, are frightened and anxious, desperately searching for a fresh start. They present challenges and new insights for Ben and Miriam, who work to heal the pair’s relationship while keeping them away from wicked ex-bishop Hiram Knepp, the series villain. Familiar faces from previous books provide a comfortable, warm continuity. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.

October 15, 2015

Rescued during a snowstorm and taken in by smithy Ben Hooley and his wife, Miriam, young Josiah Witmer and his pregnant girlfriend, Lena Esh, are overwhelmed by the kindness of the people of Willow Ridge. But Josiah has a lot to learn about life, poor decisions, and accepting responsibility, and Lena, as well as the rest of the town, can only hope that he's up to the challenge. VERDICT Thoroughly steeped in the Old Order Amish ways, this sweet and tender story teems with forgiveness, growth, and promise, and with babies on the way, it's a perfect story for the Christmas season and fans of Amish fiction. Hubbard (Harvest of Blessings) lives in St. Louis.

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