College librarian and struggling artist India Hayes isn’t sure how her older sister Carmen talked her into managing a face-painting booth at the Stripling, Ohio, Founders’ Day Festival or how Carmen convinced her to wear the pink gingham pioneer dress, including mobcap and granny boots, but that’s where she finds herself in a chilly October just before Halloween. India’s annoyance turns to suspicion as she discovers the body of Zen-like basket weaver, Tess Ross, on the festival grounds. Tess leaves behind an angry blacksmith husband, a confused adopted son, greedy siblings, a dysfunctional artists’ co-op, and a chocolate-colored labradoodle with a two-million-dollar trust in his name. Much to India’s dismay, she learns Tess is the sister of her stuffy college provost, Samuel Lepcheck, and the mother of a library student worker, Derek, who has an irrepressible crush on India that she’s doing her best to ignore. Derek begs India to investigate his mother’s murder. Despite the urgings of handsome Police Detective Rick Mains to stay out of the investigation, India agrees to Derek’s request and finds herself playing sleuth as well as foster-owner to Zacchaeus, the two-million-dollar labradoodle. With her own eccentric family commenting from the sidelines and her Irish-centric landlady, Ina Carroll, as volunteer sidekick, India must discover the truth before she has a permanent canine houseguest or she ends up the next victim in the basket weaver’s murder.

My Comments: India Hayes ranks right up there as one of my favorite new detectives in a cozy mystery.  Her family makes me smile!  I love it that her mom is a pastor and her dad is in a wheelchair – real people!  Her parents, middle aged hippies, get involved in all the local “causes.”  The women in this family are strong – including India’s sister Carmen.  There is a book that comes before this and I’m anxious to read it as well.  The book ends with a great cliff-hanger making me want more, more, more.  If you like books by Leslie Meier and Joanne Fluke, you will love this book!

English and Amish worlds collide for a few days to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas!

About the Author

Eden’s hope is rekindled when Clay delivers astounding news: their daughter has been found.

Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson’s baby was stolen and never found. Eden blamed herself, Clay lost himself in work. Their young and rocky marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.

Now  Eden’s moved to a new town. She’s found faith and is trying to rebuild her life. She’s even dating again-a sweet guy who plans to marry her someday. But then Clay arrives out of the blue and delivers shocking news: they’re still married. What’s more, Clay has been searching for Brianna all this time. And he believes he’s found her: their daughter is in Bluebird, Texas, at a youth ranch.

To uncover the truth, Eden and Clay sign on as counselors at Bluebird Ranch. Working together, they rediscover their love for each other. But danger is closing in-Eden, Clay, and their young charges are in jeopardy. As they fight to save their family, Eden realizes that God has been fighting for them all along. And His plans are for a more abundant life than they’ve dared to hope.

My Comments:

I always enjoy Colleen Coble’s novels and this one is no exception.  I read it in just a couple of days and was very curious about the outcome.  The story was engaging, the characters interesting and likeable.  The story had both romance and mystery, so it met all of my criteria of great women’s fiction.  The Christian elements were believable without being preachy.  I think someone who was not of the Christian faith would also enjoy reading this book.  I wonder if a sequel will be coming…

Listen to part of the book now.

Click on the above to view information about the Amish Holiday Book Tour coming up soon.

We will be giving away the following in honor of the book tour which will be NOVEMBER 11-19 a wunderbar collection of Amish goodies:

2 autographed books – one from each author on tour (Amy Clipston, Vannetta Chapman and Shelley Shepard Gray)

2 tour t-shirts, AND

2 tour bags

The pictures of each are below.  In order to win one set of each, put in one sentence what you love about Amish fiction.  The prizes will go out the week of November 7.  We will have a random drawing on November 4 and let you know who the winners are. You must be a resident of the United States to enter and leave a valid email address so we can contact you.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

My Comments: 1225 Christmas Tree Lane is the last book in Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series.  So sad!  I loved this series – the stories were always warm and fuzzy!

Of all things, Debbie used puppies in this book to wrap up this engaging series based on her hometown.  Almost every family in the town received or requested a puppy from a litter of black labs.  What a great way to finish a homesy type series of stories – especially to us dog lovers!  Most of the characters had happy resolutions to their issues from previous books.  The resolutions were both satisfying and joyful.

I had to see this series end, however, this is a GREAT holiday read including all the feel-good elements of a Debbie Macomber book.  I highly recommend this series and this book!

I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley.  Thank you!