I loved returning to Wells Landing and spotting some old friends and embracing the lives of some new ones. This was such a heartwarming story and deals with a couple that made mistakes and needs forgiveness both from one another and from God and their own self. It shows we are loved by God and will be forgiven for our mistakes.
I love how Ivy found an outlet and friend at the care center. She felt that she couldn’t join the church because of her past and has a hard time to go through whatever steps she had to go through to rectify her situation, feeling that everyone would reject her.
This was a great read. It was a hard to put down book. It was a moving and touching story. I loved it. It was good like all the books this author writes. They are all good.
I received an ebook copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

This is an emotional and moving story of love, friendship, forgiveness, grace and realizing our worth in God's eyes. Ivy Weaver is a special young Amish woman who cares for her grandfather and works
but it is hard when he starts having memory issues. Her mother remarried after the death of Ivy's father and moved away.
Zeb Brenneman and Ivy had a special relationship but when things didn't end well, Zeb moved to Pinecraft, Florida where he joined a more liberal Amish community. Two years later, Zeb is back visiting his family for the holiday. He would like to mend their relatisonship but Ivy is not ready. Zeb tries to show he cares for Ivy by helping her out with chores and care for her dawdi. Because of her dawdi's problems, she visited a new senior center just to check it out but drawn to visit the residents and met resident, Ethan Dallas. Ethan and Ivy become friends and both benefit from their friendship. He helps Ivy see herself as God's child and her need to forgive God, Zeb and especially herself for the past hurts. Ethan is dying and he benefits from their visits.
It is heartwarming to watch Ivy as her faith grows and she realizes her faith alone earns her God's forgiveness and love, something that she cannot earn, contrary to what she has grown up believing. Only then can she love herself and allow others in. I was drawn into Ivy and Zeb's story and wanted things to work for them. It is obvious that they care for each other and both need healing from their past. This is a story that will stay with you after finishing the book. I recommend it for a special read anytime but especially during the Christmas season.
I received a complimentary ARC from Zebra and Kensington Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review. Thoughts and opinions stated are mine only.

In A Wells Landing Christmas by Amy Lillard, we see that Ivy Weaver’s life is nothing like that of her peers. She has become an outsider in a very close-knit community and on top of that she is the sole caretaker of an ailing grandfather with many signs of dementia. In the middle of her chaotic life, Zeb Brenneman returns after being gone two years.
With no one to turn to in her time of need, Ivy visits her new retirement/nursing center close to her home. She quickly discovers that they can not help her, but she might be able to bring the residents a little bit of joy by visiting. She soon befriends one resident and what started out as her being the helper, might just have turned into her getting the help she so desired.
I loved how Lillard added the element of dementia and the nursing center. It is not in every Amish novel that one reads how God uses an Englisher to lead an Amish back on the right path. I give this novel five stars and recommend it to everyone who loves Amish or Inspirational Fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from netgalley.com and Zebra in return for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Outstanding story, I am A fan of Any lillard writing she always holds me captive in to her writing. I it really grabs your attention when you read them. This cover was beautiful and catches your eye's! love how the story is told. Well Done amy!

Ivy Weaver has been busy tending to her grandparents and trying to keep up with household duties and her job, but missing out on community activities - especially those by young adults. Zeb Brenneman returns to Wells Landing and realizes that he's still in love with Ivy. Ivy has built walls around herself over the years and doesn't know how to tear down the walls to allow others to help. As Ivy rediscovers the joy of Christmas, Zeb also rediscovers the importance of family. Sweet book filled with difficult life-decisions and consequences, but mostly filled with explanations of God's grace and sweet love.

Ivy Weaver made a mistake years ago and her Amish community seems to ignore her. Ivy tends to her ailing Grandfather who's mind is failing. Ivy tries to work and take care of her Grandfather. Zed left town years ago and comes back and regrets leaving Ivy. He tries to show her he has changed but Ivy wants nothing but to care for her Grandfather. When he starts helping with the chores and helping with her Grandfathers care will Ivy see another side of him ? This is a beautiful story of forgiveness and love.

A Wells Landing Christmas touched me on so many levels The Amish place such a high focus on family life, which is also a priority in our family. I so respect and admire Ivy's devotion to her grandfather, especially as she grows increasingly concerned about his forgetfulness and his wandering. Her dedication to the elderly residents at the senior living community, one in particular, is beautiful to read about. Ivy struggles, however, with much of the community's perception about her reputation, as she often feels on the fringes. This, even though its an image she actually is responsible for perpetuating. When her former boyfriend, Zeb, returns to Wells Landing for Christmas, from where he has been living in Pinecraft, Zeb and Ivy struggle with their past and current emotions about each other. She reluctantly accepts his assistance in caring for and and helping her grandfather.
I highly recommend a Wells Landing Christmas. It is a touching story for the holidays, and for any time of the year.

Amy Lillard has captured Christmas at it's very core. The book takes a look at an Amish young adult woman, Ivy, and an Amish young adult male, Zeb, who were a former couple. We travel along the path they each take in order for them to be released from the bondage of past mistakes and beliefs. Different people impact their lives and allow them to see a God of mercy and grace through various Christian sects (Amish, Catholic, and Protestant). It is a powerful story and very relevant to the current period of time. A must read!

A Wells Landing Christmas is a cute and sweet read by Amy Lillard. I give it four stars.
Recommended.

The Hope Jar

I was looking forward to reading this book and it was definitely a very good book. I am looking forward to the continuing story in the next book. I really loved Michelle and how she really took to Amish life. She had a hard life and found the hard working life of the Amish was rewarding.

Sara’s mother had just passed away and she finds a letter from her mom letting her know about her grandparents. Before she got to go see her grandparents Michelle is mistaken for being Sara.

Michelle finds jars with notes in it with verses from the Bible and prayers. I really loved seeing Michelle want to know more about the Bible thru the notes in the jars. There is an mystery of who wrote the notes.

Of course, a lot more to the story, several secondary characters. Loved the grandparents. Then other family members and neighbors. Such an inspiring story.

I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review.

When I think of an Amish story, I rarely think of spiked hair, blue jeans, and Alzheimers. Nor do I think of nursing homes. But this book has all of that and more. I've seen a lot of 'branching out' within the Amish fiction genre just this past year, and it has been fantastic! I'd love to know how much truth lies within these pages, but it's nice to see a behind-the-scenes look at the Amish culture and see that they're not infalliable...they're human, too. My favorite character here was Ethan, with his infectious personality. I think both he and Ivy benefit from each other, more than each knows. Up to the very end, I wasn't sure how the love story would play out, but it worked very well.

A wonderful story about two people who made some bad choices when they were young. They meet up a couple years later and feel like there is no hope for them, but God has big plans ahead. I really enjoyed this book. Thank you Kensington Books Zebra via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Ivy’s life was taking care of grandfather, and now with the coming.holidays. This Christmas would be worst then last trying to pretend she didn’t care that Zeb left. One mistake and she is now an outsider. For Zeb he is returning, and wondering why, nothing has changed, He has, always felt like he was different. A house with 3 bachelors, and facing all the mistakes he had made. He spotted Ivy driving a tractor, she dropped him at the house. Welcome and a caution, that she was trouble. She went off the rails, became wild and unruly after he left. Story that takes a good look at two people who made mistakes when younger, now wanting love for themselves, to having a family and to belong. Not an easy road, and this was a good plot, and one is drawn into and hoping for the two of them.
Given ARC by Net Galley and Kensington for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.