The Bake Shop is a sweet love story with likeable characters who overcome obstacles to be together. I enjoyed the glimpse into the Amish community and can't help wondering what comes next in life for Jeff and Christiana.

This was a sweet amish romance novel by an author I have not had the privilege of reading before. I was very pleased with this experience! I enjoy this style book especially for the laid back easy reading that it provides. Sometimes I'm not seeking a book that requires a lot of thought and emotions. I occasionally enjoy a book that I can just fall into and find a sense of refreshing goodness and purity. This book truly made its mark!

I want to recognize the fact that "The Bake Shop" was not what I would consider a short story, as many such books are. It wasn't so simple and quick that I had it finished in just a few hours time. I was truly pleased with this fact! This was a full length, well written book that gave wonderful back story to each of its characters, and brought me (as the reader) within the pages to truly feel as if I were a part of the story. I was able to lose myself in this story in a way that I felt a fully refreshing escape from a very busy life.

I will definitely be seeking more books by this author in the future! I am very pleased to have a new author to add to my list of "favorites"! Thank you, NetGalley, for this opportunity to discover such wonderful authors I might not have otherwise experienced!

Amy Clipston has done it again. She has given us a wonderful start to a new series. This story is true to life and teaches us to continue to pray, have faith and wait for his guidance.

A truly delightful read. Christiana moves to the marketplace. After her English customers keep intruding on family time but she excited to be working with her cousins even though her dad is reluctant to let her move. She meets Jeff and an unlikely relationship is formed. Jeff has been hurt before and is reluctant to trust again and let anyone into his heart. There are a lot of foot in the mouth situations between him and Christiana and I loved how their relationship progressed from friendship to love. Despite the obstacles with her father being adamant that they not see each other. I love how the situation was handled with grace. Trusting God is in control even when there seems to be no hope. I'm glad her father changed his mind and apologized for his overprotectiveness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are solely mine.

Christiana Kurtz loves to bake , but when her bake stand becomes too busy, to the point people are knocking on the doors of her family’s home, she decides to move her business to the local farmer’s market. Her new bake shop quickly becomes so popular that the line completely blocks the leather and wood working shop next to hers, which is run by Jeffrey Stoltzfus. When he complains that her customers are driving away his business, she responds that his personalization machine is smelling up the entire area. While they didn’t have the best beginning, Jeff and Christiana quickly become friends and begin to think that they could become more. But, when Christiana’s father visits the market, he is angry when he discovers that Jeff uses electricity to run his personalization machine and forbids them to see each other. Even though she’s heartbroken, Christiana knows she has to obey her father. Despite this, she also can’t deny what she feels for Jeff.

I have absolutely loved every book I’ve read by Amy Clipston. Her stories are sweet and entertaining, and full of God’s love, timing, and forgiveness. It’s wonderful being able to read stories that have positive messages about faith, family, and friendship. I loved the way that Jeff’s family interacts with each other and the way Christiana and her cousins were together. I also really enjoyed the progression of Jeff’s and Christiana’s relationship and everything it said about second chances. I can’t wait to read more of this sweet series

I am completely in love with The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston! Ms. Clipston is one of my favorite Amish authors and she has hit another homerun with this latest and first in a new series!
This is the story of a young Amish woman, Christiana, who loved to bake. She begins with a bake stand outside her family's house and is delighted when she gets the opportunity to move her renowned bakery items into her own little shop at The Marketplace. It is at The Marketplace that she bumps into a young Amish man, Jeff. Things get off to a very wrong start, however a friendship does form between the two. Jeff has had his heart shattered and finds it nearly impossible to trust. However, Christiana is slowly able to mend his heart and distrust, only to have both suffer from heartbreak and forbidden friendship.
The Bake Shop drew me in from the first page until the very last. I smiled, laughed, cried and ached. These characters reached deeply into my heart and my soul and will not soon be forgotten. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released!!

Christina has a successful bakeshop, so successful that her other encourages her to move to town. The heady aromas draw so many people that the lines block the entrance to the shop next door. Words fly, but eventually the two neighboring shop keepers become friends, and then more than friends. A lovely book with an Amish theme and setting.

Amy Clipston is one my favorite amish authors. She is a wonderful person as well. When Amy starts a new series, my daughter and I get very excited because we have read every book she had written. We are never disappointed in her fabulous stories. The Bake Shop is a quick, fun story. You can tell Amy does a ton of research about Amish life. This is the first story in a new series and I cant wait to get my hands on the next one. Thanks to netgalley and Zondervan publishing for the gift of an arc. The review is my own opinion.

Amy Clipston, The Bake Shop (Amish Marketplace #1), is perhaps one of the sweetest Amish romance novels I have ever read. She has woven a beautiful story of trust, love and second chances between two delightful characters, Christiana Kurtz and Jeffery Stoltzfus.

Christiana Kurtz loves to bake. Her current roadside stand is a success, but Christiana longs to have her own shop one day. Jeff Stoltzfus, has a stand in the marketplace where other Amish sell their specialities. He assists his dad and brother on their dairy farm at night, but during the day he sells his wood crafts and leather goods to customers who love his unique work.

When Christiana’s roadside stand becomes too much for the family with customers coming and going at all hours of the day, her father reluctantly allows her to open a bake shop at the marketplace where her cousins have shops and sell a variety of goods. Excited to finally rent her her own space and share part of the week with her cousins, Christiana eagerly sets about setting up her shop at the marketplace. When a chance encounter at her cousin’s coffee shop finds Christiana accidentally spilling coffee over Jeff’s clean shirt, the two get off to a rocky start. Christiana apologizes for her error, but the dark, handsome and brooding Jeff does not take the incident well. However, as Christiana moves into her shop and she and Jeff become neighbors, she observes a sadness and quiet desperation in his demeanor. Wanting to know why he is so complicated and sad, Christiana is determined to gain his trust.

As time goes on the two become friends, share lunches and in the process develop feelings for one another. But as the past continues to haunt Jeff he is hesitant to trust Christiana with his heart. As she tries to show Jeff he can trust her with his feelings and his heart a new threat takes shape. Christiana’s father’s overly strict ways could put an end to their happiness before it begins. Both must decide to strive for their relationship and have faith in God and trust in one another before it’s too late.

I really enjoyed this book. What a lovely story! It was so much fun to read that I caught myself smiling through most of it. The characters were enjoyable, particularly her cousins. I loved the way the author developed and played out the relationship between Jeff and Christiana. I became extremely frustrated with Christiana’s father in particular. His inability to listen to reason had me shouting at the book. The ending however was well worth the wait and as a result I cannot wait for the rest of the Marketplace novels because I don’t want to give these characters up.

If you love Christian Romances and in particular Amish Romance novels then you have to read Amy Clipston’s The Bake Shop (Amish Marketplace #1). It’s a sweet novel that will leave you smiling and happily waiting for more.

I want to thank the publisher Zondervan and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book The Bake Shop ( Amish Marketplace #1) by Amy Clipston. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”

Christiana has outgrown the bake stand that she has on her family’s property and gets her father’s begrudging permission to rent a booth at the local market run by Englishers. At the stand, she meets Jeff who creates leather and wooden goods. Their meeting starts on a bad foot but eventually the two become friends and decide to pursue a romantic relationship. But this is forbidden by Christiana’s father who fears that Jeff will be a bad influence on his daughter and draw her out of the Amish faith to her detriment.

Usually, I enjoy Amish stories because they tell of a simpler life and their faith is almost tangible and reminds me that God is all-powerful and is worthy to be praised. I did not enjoy this book. It felt repetitive as each event that happened was repeated multiple times as each character had to tell their circle of friends and family members what happened almost verbatim. I had to do a lot of skim reading to finish the book. A lot of the focus was on trivialities… “Hi, how are you? Let me tell you about my day…”

I did not get the sense that either Jeff or Christiana had a strong faith. In fact, there was no real mention of God until Jeff’s friend asked if he had prayed about his relationship with his ex-fiancé. Only then did we see Jeff praying. The resolution of the issues the characters faced also seemed contrived as if they happened without the characters really doing anything to solve their problems. Christiana was defiant of her father’s wishes and Jeff was forward in his advances—not what I’m used to in Amish romances.

Know God—when we go through challenges as Christians, it’s our faith that will help us through those times.

Know yourself—each of us has varied character flaws that can sometimes be misinterpreted by those who don’t know us. While we should not change ourselves to suit others, it helps if we are aware that some of our traits can and will be misinterpreted in various situations.

Run your race—it’s important for us to allow the people closest to us to run the path set before them. We do them a disfavor when we chain them to our expectations and experiences. They can’t live their lives a certain way because of the emotional scars in our past—and they shouldn’t be expected to.

The author did a great job of communicating how delicious the items were and the general excitement experienced by her customers. I found myself wishing I could sample some of the goodies Christiana baked. I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

September 04, 2019
The Bake Shop - Amy Clipston

I received this on my Kindle free for the purpose of review for Net Galley.com

What a fun book to read and learn an Amish language, they have some special words of their own.
I enjoyed the story, the flow and the details I learned about Amish tradition.

Christiana, learned to bake as a young girl from her Mammi, grandmother. After she passed Christiana began baking goods and selling them at the roadside stand at the end of the road of her parents property. When the opportunity came for her to run and have her own Bake Shop in town she was delighted. Freedom three days a week, no-one showing at her family door for last minute bake goods, only three days per week: Thursday, Friday and Saturday and best of all time with her cousins in the market shops.

The intrigue of the relationship between Jeff and Christiana tested Christiana's faith, submission and desire to continue in her business.

Many new words and meanings but easily figured out due to the writing style of Amy Clipston.

Read, enjoy, read to daughter and open conversation about your family faith, convictions and expectations.

Amy Clipston is one of my favorite writers of Amish fiction. I always enjoy her books and The Bake Shop was no exception. I found it to be a fun and quick read...a great way to spend an afternoon. I enjoyed seeing Christiana and Jeff''s romance unfold and I know the others in this series will be just as good!

The Bake Shop was a delightful and charming novel., In which I lovd reading about Christina and Jeffrey's evolving relationship.
Christiana is a loving, talented young Amish woman who is cajoled by her cousins to open a stand in the market for her exquisite baked goods. She does this with the reluctant permission of her strict father.
Almost immediately her Shop is an overwhelming success while Jeffrey struggles to get his woodworking shop to break even. Jeffrey and Christiana start as uneasy adversaries yet somehow a friendship develops.
This progresses in to the sweetness of a strong friendship that is frowned upon initially by her father. This is a novel I highly recommend as the characters are truly relatable and draw the reader in. I could not put it down.

Lancaster county, Christine loves to bake, but she outgrows her stand, so she moves to local market. She has lots of business that causes problems to Jeffrey Stoltzfus business ( long lines blocking his business) . Her father forbids any relationship between the two. Great story of struggles, she goes through. Then accident causes fire, and she has to rebuild. What happens with her relationship with Jeffrey? Love the story, huge fan

Wow! What a great start to a new series by Amy Clipston. The Bake Shop tells Christiana's story about the beginning of her bake shop, her close friendship with her cousins and her sister, romance, and Amish life. The story introduces several characters both within Christiana's family and males in the community (including Christiana's romance story). It will be interesting to see whose story is shared in book 2 of the series. For now, read this book!!!

This is a well written book that holds your attention. I was looking for a sweet Amish story and that is exactly what this book was. It was an easy inspirational read that I could relax with and forget about the world for awhile. I enjoyed every minute of this book. Thank you Zondervan Fiction via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Bake Shop is a beautifully written inspirational romance. Great plot and well developed characters. I highly recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

The Bake Shop by author Amy Clipson is an Amish Christian romance. The author has given us an authentic glimpse into the lives of some Amish people. Using vivid descriptions and some Pennsylvania Dutch words, she transported me to Amish Country where I made a new circle of friends.

Characters were very realistic as they had many redeeming factors and flaws. It was easy to become invested in the life of main character Christiana. I felt her sadness and joy. When she sold things I felt a victory. I wanted to sit in the coffee shop and have specialty coffee with her and her cousins, too.

Jeff was a moody character. At times I wanted to sit him down for a lecture but he was still a very likable guy. I loved learning about the different types or districts of Amish and what each allows. The Bake Shop had a wide variety of goodies that I could almost smell!

There are so many good life lessons in this book. Forgiveness, marriage, submitting to a father and husband, moving on, getting along with others are just a few of the inspirational messages. Bible verses and faith are heavily laced throughout this captivating story.

I highly recommend this book. There are discussion questions in the back for groups. Unfortunately there are no recipes. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Christiana Kurtz has a bake stand in front of her family farmhouse. She makes the best cookies and pies in Lancaster County and is famous for her whoopie pies 🥧 as well as her shoofly pies and chocolate chip cookies. Her sister Phoebe helps out whenever she can.
She’s usually swamped with customers and with no extra hand at the bake stand, she finds the task daunting.

Her cousins all have a stand in the local market—Bethany Gingerich owns Coffee Corner booth at the Bird-in-Hand market; Leanna Wenger owns Jam and Jelly Nook, and Salina Petersheim owns Salina’s Farm Stand.

When Christiana shares her concerns with them, they informed her that there’s an empty booth where a knickknack boutique has just vacated and advise her to snatch up the booth before someone else gets it.
Moreover, since the market opens only three days a week she’d have more time to help with chores at home.
While the quartet is having coffee, Jeff Stoltzfus walks in to order a cup of kaffi ☕️ and a doughnut. He owns Unique Leather and Wood Gifts shop right beside the vacant shop. On his way out he accidentally bumps into Christiana spilling kaffi on his shirt.

Earlier that day, Jeff had run into his ex-fiancée who’s now married at the hardware store. Seeing them together made him grumpy 😡
At home she shares the news about the vacant booth with her parents, her father is against the idea. He doesn’t want her moving her business to the market because the market is owned by an Englisher. Besides, the market uses electricity which is against Amish beliefs.
But Christiana assures him she will be using a cooler for her baked goods and she’d set up a propane oven so she could bake cookies during the day.

Her mother tries to make him see reason and eventually he relents, but on a condition that Christiana must keep their Plain ways.

So Christiana finally sets up shop and calls it The Bake Shop. When she meets Jeff a second time, she realizes he’s a quite a likeable person. He’s even offered to help her make a shop sign and at a discount.

For a while now sales have been stagnant for Jeff and customers have been dwindling. To make matters worse, there’s always a long line of customers queuing up in front of Christiana’s shop and blocking his own shop. He’s afraid he’ll have to close his booth. He finally musters the confidence and tells her about this. Then he suggests they come up with a solution so they can both make a profit and he wouldn’t have to close his booth.

Christiana is offended by Jeff’s suggestion and they have a falling out. But then they set aside their differences, and when they finally get to know each other, sparks fly. Jeff wants to get to know her more but there’s one hindrance—Christiana’s father, who rejects modern technology. The only niggle here is Jeff uses electricity in his shop for his burnishing machine. When Christiana's father pays Jeff a visit to his shop and discovers he uses electricity, he forbids Christiana from seeing Jeff. Christiana is devastated, but she must obey her father.

Not one to give up that easily, Jeff switches to an inverter in an effort to please Christiana’s father. Soon after his shop catches fire and at first everyone thinks it’s from the inverter ( though the reader later learns the source of the fire). When Christiana’s father learns about what happened to Jeff and he might be the reason behind Jeff’s predicament, he eventually changes his mind.

In this book, love abounds, romance and food aplenty, as with any Amish romance books. Would recommend

Thank you to Amy Clipston, NetGalley, and Zondervan for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found this a charming and sweet story about a young Amish couple running their market stalls and falling in love slowly as they get to know each other. It's the first time I've read an Amish romance and I was pleasantly surprised how engaging it was and how much it made me smile. It was interesting to read about their type of lifestyle as well. The story is dialogue driven which I enjoyed and you really felt Christiana's and Jeff's connection. In my opinion it's a nice, simple, uncomplicated romance that is very well written. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. 3.5 uplifting stars.