What a beautiful story this was. It's amazing how much something in a person's past can define them. We learn to put up a guard so not to be hurt again. The friendships and love each character has for one another is a pleasure to read. And learning never to give up hope!
Christiana Kurtz loves to bake, but when her bake stand becomes too busy, her mother encourages her to move her business to the local market. Her new bake shop becomes so inundated with customers that the line blocks the leather and woodcraft shop next door, which is run by Jeffrey Stoltzfus. When Jeffrey complains that her stand is driving away business due to the lines, she complains to him that his personalization machine smells. Though their relationship starts off on bad footing, they eventually forge a friendship.
When Christiana’s father makes a surprise visit to the market, he is upset to find that Jeffrey uses the building’s electricity to personalize his items. He tells Christiana that Jeffrey is too modern for her, and she’s forbidden from dating him. Christiana is crushed, but she knows she must obey her father.
When Jeffrey’s shop catches fire one day, he puts the entire market in jeopardy—including Christiana’s bake shop. Christiana, however, can’t deny how she feels about Jeffrey despite his mistakes. Though the odds are against them, can two young people find a way to rebuild both their businesses and their relationship?
Christiana Kurtz loves to bake, but when her bake stand becomes too busy, her mother encourages her to move her business to the local market. Her new bake shop becomes so inundated with customers that the line blocks the leather and woodcraft shop next door, which is run by Jeffrey Stoltzfus. When Jeffrey complains that her stand is driving away business due to the lines, she complains to him that his personalization machine smells. Though their relationship starts off on bad footing, they eventually forge a friendship.
#TheBakeShop #NetGalley

Nice feel good book. It flowed very well. was easy to read. Nice characters. Good storyline. What’s not to love.

This book is such a relaxing read. It is heartwarming and the glimpse into the Amish life in Lancaster is so exciting. I enjoyed the story line and the author's descriptive writing. I recommend this book and I would buy it for my friends.

The Bake Shop
by Amy Clipston
Book 1 in the Amish Marketplace series
Zondervan - Release: November 5, 2019
Rating: 4/5

This sweet story kept me reading to the end - lost some sleep over having to find out what happened next. This beautiful story was just what I needed. I laughed and cried over the characters. I wanted to try all the baked goods.

Christiana is an obedient daughter who loves to bake and sell her delicious pies, cookies and other treats. She currently sells her baked goods from a stand in front of her home but when a booth opens up at the marketplace where her cousins work, she's quick to ask her father's permission. He is reluctant but grants the request. Her father is extremely wary of his daughters being around Englishers and their electricity.

Jeffrey has a booth right next to Christiana where he sells handmade wood and leather items. His first meeting with Christiana is not ideal but they start to form a friendship and Christiana gets Jeffrey to open up about his life and the sadness she sees in his eyes. Will Christiana be able to find her place as a businesswoman and daughter and friend? Will Jeffrey be able to let go of the past and regain his self-worth?

There's just something about Amy Clipston's writing that is contagious and draws the reader in. I really enjoyed reading this quirky love story with both fun and serious themes. The characters were fun to get to know and I look forward to reading more in this series.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

I read a lot of Amish Fiction. It is my niche. This is my first by this author and I was not disappointed. The differences in dating, working, and even community interactions vary from this book to others I have read: but Amish communities vary, and I was introduced to the concept through this book. Now onto the plot.

Christiana loves to bake more than anything. So much so she runs a bake stand outside of her home. However, she is out growing the bake stand. Furthermore, people come up to the house when the stand is closed to place orders. (Side note: as an Englisher that visits Amish communities I fin this embarrassing.) With the help of her mom and sister Christiana convinces her protective father to let her move her stand to the nearby market.

The market is home to Amish and English businesses. Coffee shops, quilt shops, farm stands, and more. Christiana's Bake Shop immediately becomes a popular stop. Much to the annoyance of her neighbor Jeff. Jeff runs the leather and woodcraft shop where sales have been declining. Christiana's long lines blocking his shop doesn't help. After an initial disagreement they come to a compromise and become friends.

The friendship starts to lead to something more, but is abruptly halted when Christiana's father discovers Jeff uses electricity in his shop. Her father sees this as a gateway to leaving the Amish faith and doesn't want Jeff to take his daughter away too. Of course, he has his reasons. And Christiana and Jeff try to work through those reasons to be together.

The Bake Shop is well written and imaginative. The imagery of the baked goods, coffee, and leather material gives great details. I enjoyed this book.

I requested and received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book about Christiana moving her roadside bake stand to a shop stall in a local market where she meets Jeff. I enjoyed all of the Amish details added to the story, but Christiana’s dad, Freeman, ruined my reading mood! I wanted to yell at the characters and stand up for Christiana - to encourage her that she was old enough to make her own decisions and to stop allowing her father to dictate what she did.

Oh my goodness I think I read this in 48 hours! This is such a sweet story of love and forgiveness. I am definitely an Amish book fan (if that even is a thing....) and this one really is outstanding. I think one of my favorite takeaways from this book is the fact that Amy Clipston doesn’t take forever to develop the characters and the love story. Many times you will read a story and find that there are too many characters to sort out and follow, that it gets confusing. Also, I feel like the love development is excellent. You can walk with each character through their battle of trying to determine if it is love they are feeling or just friendship. You aren’t tossed two sentences at the end and BOOM, it is over, The love develops and you fall in love with it at the same time as the characters. Any time you can almost become a character in the book, it’s magical. Lots of authors don’t have this talent. Can you tell I enjoyed it?

This story sticks to the point and will hold your interest. I highly recommended this one!

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 4.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

I enjoyed the start of Amy Clipston's Amish Marketplace series, The Bake Shop. I am giving it four stars.

This is starting out to be a great series. Christiana and Jeff have their trials and tribulations in this story. Will they work through everything and find their way to each other? Amish fiction fans will love this heartwarming story.
Many thanks to Zondervan and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Bake Shop
By Amy Clipston
First off, I really enjoyed this cover. Amish romance is not something I read regularly but the treats and design of the cover made me give this book a try. The sweetness of the cover did not disappoint. This was a lovely and pure love story. It was well written and easy to follow. I live in Lancaster county myself and I always enjoy to read about the places and people who make up this beautiful region. It is quite unique and a surprising melting pot of culture. I go to markets that are similar to where Christiana and Jeff might have set up shop. I can see the community involvement in their lives and their interactions with each other.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. For more reviews check out:https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com

I have yet to read an Amy Clipston novel that I didn't love, and The Bake Shop may just be my new favorite by her. A heartwarming story about friendship, faith, healing, and new love, I was completely wrapped up in this story, and never wanted it to end.

Christiana Kurtz loves baking, and has opened a roadside bake stand outside her family's farm. She can barely keep up with the demand, and customers seem to show up at her house morning, noon and night looking for her baked goods. While visiting her cousins Bethany, Leana, and Salina at the local market, she finds out about an opportunity to open her bake stand there instead. It seems like the perfect decision for Christiana. After all, she can sell her baked goods at the market, she can stop having customers shop up at all hours at her family's home, and she can spend more time with her cousins.

She didn't, however, plan on Jeffrey Stoltzfus. The handsome Amish man who has the booth next to hers for his leather wares soon becomes a different sort of problem. Christiana feels encouraged to try and develop a friendship with him, but his bad manners always seem to send her running. After her cousin's encourage her to give him another chance, and stop taking everything he does personally, she starts to see that there is more to him than first meets the eye. Jeffrey is at the market for a new change of scenery after his fiance left him before their wedding, and he wasn't planning on opening his heart again for anyone. Soon the friendship with Christiana comes to mean just as much to him as it does to her, and they both value their lunches together, and any other interactions they're able to exchange.

Christiana and Jeff both feel that their friendship is God's way of opening up the opportunity for a romance between them, but disaster strikes when Christiana's dad forbids the match. He's convinced that the fact that Jeff uses electricity at the market is indication that he will eventually find that the Amish ways are no longer enough for him, and that he'll leave the church. Christiana and Jeff are heartbroken when their opportunity to be together is taken away, but they'll soon learn that God's plan will come together in the way that He desires it to be.

The Bake Shop was a lovely story from start to finish, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more. Christiana and Jeff were both characters that I really enjoyed reading about, and Amy Clipston had them feeling like old friends to the reader by the end of the story. The inclusion of Christiana's three cousins was an added bonus to the story; as I loved the love and loyalty that existed between the four cousins, and the way they're always there for each other no matter the circumstances.

As with any Amy Clipston title, I loved how strong of a focus that faith plays throughout the story. Even though Christiana and Jeff are heartbroken when her father doesn't give them the answer they're looking for, both are encouraged by friends and family to turn their heartbreak over to their Heavenly Father, and truly listen to what He has to say.

Lastly, I loved the setting of the marketplace, and how vividly it's described to the reader. I felt like I was right there in Lancaster County with the characters, seeing all the traditional Amish wares set out for sale. I can't wait to read the future books in these series, and I have high hopes that they are also going to be amazing reads!

Amy Clipston continues to be one of my favorite authors, and The Bake Shop is another perfect example of why she is. If you're looking for clean, wholesome Christian fiction with a plot that will keep you invested from start to finish, and a romance that will leave you with a huge smile on your face, then you need to go ahead and pick this one up as I can guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Thanks so much to Zondervan and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this!

Final Rating: 5/5

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Zondervan) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

This is the start of a new series, The Amish Marketplace. Christiana is eager to sell her bake goods at the market and have a little time away from her overprotective daed. Jeff, has no self esteem after his fiancee left him practically at the alter. Things get off to a rough start when they collide at the market. The on again, off again friendship will have some trying moments especially with Christiana's unreasonable daed. I love the way the characters support each other. Looking forward to reading the next in the series. Highly recommended!

Christiana has a bake shop booth in the local Bird-in-Hand market. The booth next door is Jeff’s, who makes leather crafts. Both are old order Amish. Jeff has disappointments in his past that make it hard for him to move forward. Christiana is under the thumb of here overly strict father. Together they work their way through the difficulties to learn to enjoy each other’s company.

The story drags at times, repeating the same basic routine in the same places but that is very likely the essence of this type of life. I enjoyed the story nonetheless and kept reading.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This is #1 in the Amish Marketplace Series

Return to Lancaster County with the first installment of Amy Clipston's charming new Amish Marketplace series.
Fresh and clever read, I enjoyed the story about Christiana Kurtz and her Bake Shop at the Market. The wood shop is next door, run by Jeffrey Stoltzfus and many adventures ensue. Then Jeffrey's shop catches fire one day and puts the entire market in jeapordy.

Though the odds are against them, can these two young people find a way to rebuild both their businesses and their relationship?

Read to find out...

I loved this story and will read the rest of the series. I received a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Cute with relateable struggles.

Unlike most Amish romance books, this isn't one where the family immediately approves of the man asking to court their daughter. This is a story of a slow developing friendship between two young adults who are the last of their friends to remain single. Christiana's father squashes their friendship just as it was beginning to show signs of something more.

My only complaint is that the ending seemed a little abrupt.

** ARC received from Netgalley **

By far this is one of my books written by Amy Clipston. The character of Christiana and Jeffrey will have you hooked from the beginning. The story line was intriguing and I had a range of emotions from happiness, to anger, to tears and speechlessness. The story teaches that things are not always what the seem and holding on to our past may make us miss out on other opportunities.

I really enjoyed this sweet romance. It is a welcoming change from my usual reads and I always look for something that will hook me in from the beginning. I fell in love with the characters right from the start. I also love that the author used Amish language for dialog throughout. If you read it on ebook it's a little harder to flip to the glossary but it was different and more authentic to me. Chrisitiana and Jeffrey have a budding romance but Jeffrey has had a major heartbreak in the past and isn't sure if he wants/should look to Christiana for more than friendship. I look forward to the next book in the series as I am sure we will get to follow other characters from this book, which are mainly Christiana's cousins but there are a few other interesting characters at the market. I love the market cat. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it if you are looking for a sweet Amish read.

I really enjoyed reading this story! Sweet and clean, a nice romantic story to read. Christiana is an Amish girl that likes to bake and sell her baked goods. When she opens a shop at the market, she meets her neighbor, Jeff, a wood craftsman that also works with leather. Their beginning is a little crazy and unsure, but they begin a friendship that grows into something more. Then her father objects to Jeff because he uses electricity in his shop. Great story with a wonderful ending!

This is the first book in a new series, Amish Marketplace, by Amy Clipston. As is the norm for the author, she has given us another delightful Amish book that I couldn’t put down until I had read the entire book.

Christiana moves her bake shop to the local Amish Marketplace, and there meets Jeff, who also has a booth there. They become friends, but misunderstandings and Christiana’s very strict father make it difficult to even be able to maintain a friendship.

Living in an Amish area, I frequent the Amish Flea Markets and could easily visualize myself in the middle of this book! I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading Amish books. I look forward to the next books in the series to see how the other characters introduced in this book are developed.

I was given an ARC copy of this book by Zondervan on NetGalley and was not required to give a review. The opinions expressed are my own.