HEART OF CHRISTMAS by Marta Perry touches on a topic dear to everyone's heart. How do we keep Christmas alive without commercialising the feast day? When you are an Amish maiden teaching school, this becomes especially relevant! Susannah's plans for a respectful class celebration are forgotten when Toby Unger darkens the school doorway. Ten years ago he had an understanding with Susannah but jilted her and left the community to marry elsewhere. Now he's come back, a widower with two children needing to be schooled. Susannah is thirty and still unmarried thanks to him, so he needn't expect a warm welcome. The Amish preach forgiveness, but she feels there has to be a limit.

A PLAIN HOLIDAY by Patricia Davids shows us Sally Yoder from a farm in Ohio, off on her rumspringa time in Cincinnati and working as a nanny. She tries to get used to Englisch garb, but the demands for pricey Christmas gifts by her young charges are more discomfiting. Ben Lapp meanwhile works as a groom on a horse farm, but when the owner's grandchildren make a seasonal visit he can't believe his eyes. The stunning young woman with them - in jeans, leather jacket and with fiery red hair down her back - reminds him of someone he knows... someone he didn't think twice before leaving. Maybe he should think again.

I liked reading about the seasonal decorations - no Christmas tree, but plenty of greenery, candles and berries are evident as snow falls in Pennsylvania. Youngsters don't all behave perfectly, and even here, in Marta Perry's tale, some of them are troubled. Also delightful is the ride in a one-horse open sleigh! I really felt that I was seeing the countryside and savouring the scent of cedar wood and baking as I read Patricia Davids' story of snow piling dangerously high. And I definitely want some of the peppermint hot chocolate with marshmallow cream. I don't think you could do better for an inspirational Christmas book this year so I heartily recommend AN AMISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS to romance readers everywhere.

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