Burying pride and fear lead to second chances for love.

The Jamesport, Missouri Amish community is all about second chances. Laura Kaufmann great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, she serves her family and community well. Being a widow has not slowed her down. She misses her husband and the love that they shared. She continues sharing that love by loving her family well. Laura in her later years still wants to be useful so when a opportunity comes up to help a family with the birth of twins, she is more than happy to do step up. The Stutzman family also has their grand father Zechariah staying with him. He is a widower as well and suffering from Parkinson.

The two seem to bounce off each other in a good way and in doing so are also learning what does God have for them. They both grow closer together when family crisis come up that test their faith and question their purpose. They both have fears for their family and are dealing with how family dynamics are reversed. The kids begin telling them what to do.

Laura's family crisis are two-fold. One granddaughter is jumping the fence to become a doctor and the another granddaughter becomes pregnant. Laura dealing with the crisis becomes a journey of acceptance of God's will and drawing wisdom of God's grace. These family lessons that Laura and Zechariah draw them together in a sweet way.

A special thank you to Zondervan Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

A heartwarming tale of love at any age. I enjoyed reading this book by Kelly Irvin, and even though I had not read any of the other three books in this series prior, I did not feel like I missed anything. In fact, I didn’t realize it was the last book in the series until I read the acknowledgments. I enjoyed the story and characters and overall a great read.

I love Amish fiction and this book didn’t fail to disappoint. A lot of love, twists, and surprises led to a satisfying end.

I loved reading With Winter's First Frost by Kelly Irvin. She pulled at my heartstrings with this book's message. I felt like she wrote it just for me. I'm a widow, a young widow to be more specific. I have found myself questioning some things in my life, relationship wise. This book's message answered that.
Thank you Kelly Irvin for writing this book, I am ever thankful that you did. And I'm thankful that your publisher liked it so much to print the book for us readers to read.

Kelly's book shows us that no matter what our age is or how old we are we still wanted to help and feel needed. The older we get we find it harder to move and do the things we are used to but we should never be considered down for the count. Also shows us that we are never to old to fall in love too. A must read that will tug at your heartstrings.

With Winter’s First Frost by Kelly Irvin is the final book in An Every Amish Season series. Laura Kauffman has been a widow for the last eight years. She has retired as a midwife and the arthritis in her hands limits her activities. Laura is at loose ends and wonders what God has in store for her next. She is visiting Rosalie and Ben Stutzman’s home when Rosalie goes into early labor with twins. They need someone to stay and watch the three other children plus Ben’s grandfather, Zechariah who has Parkinson’s. Laura volunteers herself for the job and looks forward to fulfilling days.

Zechariah is a widower who has been moved out of home since his Parkinson’s started to worsen and forced to live with his various grandchildren. He loves each and every one of them, but Zechariah misses his independence. There is a long list of activities that he is not allowed to do including chopping wood, drive, build fires, and touch the cookstove (can you tell there was a fire incident at his last residence). Zechariah has become grumpy and disgruntled. He wonders if he has outlived his usefulness. Zechariah does not feel he needs Laura’s help with the house and kinner, but he soon finds that he enjoys her company. The days are filled with activities and the evenings with companionship. Too soon Rosalie and Ben return home with their new babies and Laura is sent back to her own home. Zechariah misses her company and their busy days. When Zechariah’s family starts making new plans for his life, he feels defeated. Laura has been missing Zechariah and decides to take matters into her own hands. Is it possible to find love in your twilight years?

With Winter’s First Frost is a charming story. If you have not read the other books in An Every Amish Season series, you will be fine. Each book can be read on its own. However, I do want to say that they are lovely to read as a collection (enjoy the four seasons with this delightful collection of characters). Characters from the first three books appear in With Winter’s First Frost. Winter refers not only to the season in which this book takes place, but to the later (or winter) years of our life (I like it phrased that way). I found the characters and situations to be realistic and relatable. I liked that With Winter’s First Frost features older main characters. They have wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Just because they are over 65 does not mean they have nothing to contribute (or need to be put out to pasture). Laura has had a busy and satisfying life as a wife, mother and midwife. Now that arthritis has affected her hands, she finds her days empty. She may not be able to knit or quilt, but Laura can assist with many other tasks. Zechariah lost his wife two years prior and he has Parkinson’s disease. His family was worried about him living alone and moved him in with one of his grandson’s. After several months at that house, Zechariah is now living with Ben, Rosalie and their three children. There are a number of rules for Zechariah and he is not allowed to do any of the activities that he enjoys. Zechariah feels inept which has made his grumpy (a sourpuss). No matter what our age and issues, we like to be helpful and busy. No one wants to be burden on their family. With Winter’s First Frost is well-written with a gentle pace. While the story focuses on Zechariah and Laura, there are subplots involving members of their families as well as the picking of a new bishop. With Winter’s First Frost we get to see that we are never to old to learn, adapt or find love. God is full of surprises and has a plan for our lives as we see in With Winter’s First Frost. We just need to trust Him. If you are looking for a heartfelt Amish romance, pick up With Winter’s First Frost.

I enjoyed reading With Winters First Frost. Zechariah is dealing with being shuffled around amongst his family. He lost his wife and has Parkinsons. Laura is a widow and was a midwife and is helping his grandson and his wife after they have twins. Laura and Zechariah have known each other since they were very young and find themselves struggling with feelings for each other. Family is important for both of them and they want to help and do what is best for all of them. I can appreciate how Laura tries to help Zechariahs family see he not a child and is still a functioning part of the family. This book shows a lot of love, understanding and compassion.

With Winter’s First Frost is the final book in Kelly Irvin’s Every Amish Season series. The characters in this series are just wonderful and it is easy to follow their stories throughout every book. They have great comradery and it would be a pleasure to get to know these individuals if they were not fiction
This final novel shares with us Laura Kauffman’s new chapter in life when she strikes up an old friendship with Zechariah Stutzman. Both are in their 70’s and faced the loss of their spouse. They long to feel useful and needed and to not be a burden to their families. They had a great dynamic between the two and it was as if you were actually watching them when they bantered back and forth. It really reminded me of people I know.

Although this is a series book, it could be read as a stand-alone novel.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review.

This is the fourth and final book in the Every Amish Season series. I have had the good fortune of being able to read all of the books. One of the things I enjoyed about this book is revisiting so many characters from previous books. I love how realistic this book is, the events could have happened. Winter in this book not only refers to the time of year but the Winter season of our life. The Amish don't know what Gott has in store for them but they are accepting of it. I loved the fact this book had an older hero and heroine in them. It goes to show you are never to old for a second chance at love. I loved seeing how the community all come together when someone needs something and the support is there for each other. I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us next.
Published February 5th 2019 by Zondervan.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love this story. In ways it is certainly close to home for me as a part time caregiver for my eighty seven year old mother and three year old granddaughter. What a blend of worlds.
Laura and Zechariah are a riot of knowledge, experience, faith, caring and cantankerous humor. They make me think of my thirty something years with my husband and remind me time is precious. They both love their families and they are protectively loved by them. As they have aged, they both feel what time has done to their bodies and observe that younger people don't get it that their spirits and minds are ageless. This is a great book that truly 'shows' how an older person can feel. There are excellent descriptions of the loss, weakening and yes, even anger at the changes and brings. It is an Amish story but it is also an elder story too. I highly recommend this book for any adult. It gives hope, humor and truly shows insight into the aging generation and their value.
This is part of a series but it is certainly a stand-alone book that has been a delight for me to read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this treasure. Now I want to read the others in the series!

What a fun book, would love to be in a room with the banter that the author has given us, between these seasoned individuals, had me laughing out loud!
A book that is going to make you think, and a faith that cares about their members and hate for them to go down the wrong path.
All the while you wonder if two seniors could possibly have a relationship, if the love of a great grandmother will convince her wayward greats to repent and stay in their faith.
We have new babies being born, a change of homes for a great grandfather, changes in their church, and more! A read that is going to have you page turning!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review.

Widow Laura finds herself feeling a little useless as of late especially since she has given up working as a midwife and filling in at the local bookstore. When a close friend of hers needs her after the difficult birth of her newborn twins, Laura finds herself enjoying life again taking care of babies, cooking for the family and taking care of the house. There is one exception to this, widower Zechariah, the great-grandfather of the babies. He suffers from Parkinson's disease and finds himself very grouchy especially when his grandkids and kids don't think he can do anything for himself.

As the winter progresses he finds himself falling for Laura and Laura feels the same. Can they both let go of the past and let love fill the rest of their days?

What an emotionally charged story that will make you look at love in the elderly in a new way. Laura and Zechariah have imprinted my heart and will not be leaving for a very long time. I want to be them when I grow old, I want to be able to love that unconditionally with everyone in my life. So beautiful and moving. This story will change your life.

What you don't believe me? Find out yourself by buying a copy on release day of February 5, 2019, from your favorite bookseller.


Every Amish Season Books in Order:
1. Upon A Spring Breeze 4 stars
2. Beneath the Summer Sun 4 stars
3. Through the Autumn Air 5 stars
4. With Winter's First Frost 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan Fiction through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

A satisfying conclusion to this series! Laura and Zachariah's story will touch a lot of readers that are dealing with older parents or maybe their own golden years. Getting older and wanting to feel needed is something many go through. The author did a wonderful job portraying aging in a very heartfelt manner. Highly recommended!

With Winter's First Frost is the fourth installment from Kelly Irvin’s series, Every Amish Season. I enjoyed this book. I loved how the author used real to life characters with real to life issues for this story. I found it to be quite relatable for many readers. Laura and Zechariah are two characters that are not forgettable.

I am giving With Winter’s First Frost five plus stars. I recommend this book, as well as, the others in the series.

Good book dealing with life's changes and people coping with them. I loved that the book was placed in an Amish community I have personally visited and enjoyed. I have not read other books of this series, and was probably a bit confused with the characters in the beginning. As soon as I understood each of them, I was taken in by the story.

Enjoyed it very much!

I received an ebook copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Excellent story by Kelly Irvin. It was unique in the sense that the story focused on two elderly Amish who missed their deceased spouses and how they were viewed in the eyes of their families. It also shed light on the feelings each harbored within themselves about the possibility of finding love again.

I have loved this series, and I love this book. This story features the romance between Zachariah and Laura, two 70+ year olds who discover that love is possible at any age. There have been many wonderful characters in this series, but I think Zechariah and Laura are my favorites. Both are strong, caring people who have a great desire to feel needed and useful in their older years. Their children are somewhat overprotective of them and struggle to find the right balance between taking caring of them, yet allowing Zachariah and Laura to live a full life. It’s a stage that many of us have gone through, and the author has done an excellent job of writing their story in a very caring and realistic way.

This is a good family drama. Even though there’s quite a bit going on in this story. Kelly Irvin is a skilled writer and I never has any trouble keeping up with the storyline. This is one of the best Amish stories I’ve read and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This author has written another fantastic Amish book. A great plot and well developed characters.. I highly recommend this book.

Dont worry about not reading other books its a stand alone... I loved how this one was different then the normal Amish love story she usually give it was a different take on Amish Romance. Great book now for the colder weather because it will defiantly warm your soul! A beautiful story in time for Christmas. Anyone who has experienced caring for older parents while taking care of their own children--the 'sandwich generation'--will understand the dilemmas surrounding the older characters in this heart tugging story.

I've read many of Kelly Irvin's Amish Fiction books and this is the one that has every single character Kelly has produced--well almost. I must say that if this book were to be produced into a play, it would take a whole Amish settlement to fully fill the cast. But the play would be entertaining for sure.

Playing the leading lady would be Laura, a widow of some years, with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Playing the leading man is Zechariah, a crotchety old widower with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Among the supporting cast are the sons and daughters of Laura and Zechariah, along with their children and grandchildren. The plot is rife with the cares and foibles of the characters. It moves at a pretty good clip, keeping the reader engaged and involved to the very last page. For instance, granddaughter Tamara's jumping the fence, and Hannah's unborn baby. The biggest plot issue is whether two elderly people can find love again after raising families and knowing the love of a good spouse. It's all here. All you have to do is read the book.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a gingerbread cookie for your hot cocoa

My Thanks to Zondervan Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.