I was given an ARC by Kensington Books through Netgalley of Marry Me, Millie by Amy Lillard. All options are mine, and I was not required to give a positive review.

Millie Batman suddenly becomes a widow due to an accident. She moves to Paradise Valley to help her Aunt Sylvia run a B &B and wait the birth of her child.

Aunt Sylvia is Whoopie queen and member of the Whoopie Widows Club in Paradise Valley.

Henry King Comes to Paradise Valley to help his grandfather, Vern, prepare to move from Paradise Valley so Vern’s family can better care for him.

Millie and Henry’s paths cross and Sylvia and Vern plot to keep them together.

This is a delightful story that is worth a read. 5-stars all the way.

Publication Date 28 Dec 2021. Just in time for reading after the busy holiday season.

This was my first ever Amish romance, and although I liked the novel, I expected/wanted it to be more rural than it actually was.

The beginning was hard because there had been a lot of name dumps - and there really isn't a reason why there were so many names. But eventually it hooked me and I let go of the names and focused on the main four characters and I liked the romance for how sweet and clean it was.
I also had no idea what a whoopie pie was before I started reading this novel (which has 200+ mentions of whoopie pies), but I was excited to find out there was a recipe in the end of the novel.

I thought that both Millie and Henry should have thought of the baby more before the engagement? I found it weird that Henry didn't think much about him accepting not only Millie but also becoming a father to a baby that wasn't his, and Millie didn't think much about her being in the third trimester (with her first!) nor worried about the upcoming birth.

However, I loved the Christian morals in this book. I get that Christianity is the basis of the Amish, but still I have never read a book before where the main characters strongly leaned on God and not doubted him for a moment. I could learn smth from that!

Amy Lillard begins another wonderful series set in Missouri. Millie Bauman looses her husband then finds herself pregnant. Wanting a new start, she moves to Missouri to help her Aunt with her B&B while mending her life. Two things she decides in the beginning are: She won't join the local Widow's club nor will she ever remarry. Well one can guess how that turns out. Meanwhile, Henry Kings moves to town to help his Grandfather then move him home with family in the fall. However, he is also recovering from his own heartache. When the community busybodies decide that Millie and Henry would make a wonderful couple, hold on while they play matchmaker. Will Millie and Henry be able to resist their efforts? Or will the draw towards one another be stronger?

The characters in this book are so fun. They are loving and supportive but just a little bit meddlesome. Aunt Sylvie and her "Whoopie pie" Widow club bring us some wonderful smelling aromas as they try to find the winning recipe. Yes, the reader can almost smell the different flavors coming from the oven. Millie and Henry must learn to love again. Life does go on. I look forward to the rest of the series. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

Amy Lillard's Marry Me, Millie is a great start to the Paradise Valley series. I am giving it four stars.

Recently widowed and finding herself pregnant, Millie moves to her aunt Sylvia’s bed and breakfast to help her out and decides never to marry again. Henry was about to get married when his girlfriend suddenly leaves him. Due to the painful breakup, Henry vows to never get married. Little does Millie and Henry realize what a matchmaker Sylvie is. Will her aunt’s skills as a matchmaker bring the two together and help them overcome their past and put their faith and trust in God to help lead them in the direction they need to go? I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book
In the series.

I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest opinion and review.

Millie has moved to Paradise Valley to help her aunt with her Bed and Breakfast. Millie was recently widowed and realized very soon after that she was pregnant. Henry King has come to Paradise Valley to help his grandfather on his farm and also get his grandfather ready to move to Oklahoma with the family and sell his house. Throw in a local whoopie pie baking contest for fun and you have a great story. I have to say all the whoopie pie flavors the ladies tried made me hungry. I can't wait for the next book in this new series.

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

by Amy Lillard
This delightful read is the first book in Amy Lillard’s new “Widows Club” series which is set in fictitious Paradise Valley, Missouri. This reviewer grew up in Missouri a few miles from what is now the largest Old Order Amish Settlement west of the Mississippi River. So, a Missouri setting was especially inviting.

Millie is pregnant which she learned just after her husband died suddenly. She moved after his death and now lives with her Aunt Sylvie who owns a Bed & Breakfast. Aunt Sylvie is a member of the Widows Club having been a widow for a long time. The club’s signature food is a Whoopie Pie. Lots of Whoopie Pies. All flavors. And Aunt Sylvie has won first place for several years presenting a new Whoopie Pie combination each year. By the way, a Whoopie Pie is two pieces of cake with a cream filling between.

Aunt Sylvie tries new recipes one after the other, but Millie’s favorite filling is … vanilla. Millie is determined at the beginning of the story to do two things. The first is to not join the Widows Club and the second is to raise her child alone and never marry again.

But she had not counted on Henry King, a visitor to Paradise Valley, who has been sent by his father to move Vern, Henry’s grandfather, to Oklahoma. Something that was proving to be a challenge. By the way, Vern loves Whoopie Pies–all flavors.

Henry is not only good-looking, but he is also single. The Widows Club ladies are quick to point out both attributes despite Millie is now six months along in her pregnancy. Millie agrees with both points but remember her determination to not marry again? Henry is not searching for a wife having had his own heart severely bruised.

Aunt Sylvie and Vern decide that Millie and Henry definitely are a match and plot how to throw the two of them together. Often.

The author develops the story at a pleasing pace, and it is quite an enjoyable read. The supporting characters and scenes are well done. I highly recommend this book and personally look forward to the second book in the series.

One aspect of the story did bother me. Millie is described more than once as “very pregnant” at six months in such a way, I expected twins. At six-months of pregnancy, one is definitely and noticeably pregnant but very pregnant???

A wonderful addition at the end are recipes! Baked Beignets, Vanilla Whoopie Pies and decadent-sounding Brownie Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Buttercream Filling. Which one would you want to make? I think I gained weight just reading the recipes.

A thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Kensington Books, for the opportunity to read and review an ARC (advanced reader’s copy) of this book. The opinions expressed in my review are my own.

Rating: 5 stars.
Cover: Very attractive but since Millie is pregnant throughout much of this story, maybe the Amish woman in the chair should be noticeably pregnant and working on a baby blanket or quilt.
Expected publish date: 28 Dec 2021

#MarryMeMillie #NetGalley #AmyLillard

Now a young widow, expecting a baby in a few months, Millie has come to stay with her aunt at her B&B. Meeting handsome Henry was not what she planned. When her aunt, and his grandfather decide they will be the perfect match the game is on. I did enjoy this one and do highly recommend it, although didn't like her attitude after the hospital, as she kept pushing him away. Still though, good read.

Rating 3.5 stars

All was fair when it came to love and whoopie pies. And this was both.

Where I live in Missouri, we have several big Amish communities so I loved that this was set in Missouri. A connection if you will. Love and whoopie pies are at the center of this romance. Millie Bauman has recently lost her husband and she is now living with her Aunt Sylvie who runs a B&B and makes the best whoopie pies in the state. She loves her niece and is worried that Millie will do life alone. Millie is expecting and has accepted the will of God in her life. She is determined not to marry and raise her child alone while helping her single aunt run the B&B. Aunt Sylvie has a different ideal when Henry King is sent to help his grandfather. A long time member of the Amish Community in Paradise Valley.

Aunt Sylvie becomes a match maker with the help of Henry's grandfather. Bringing the two together has its obstacles and its blessings. The whoopie pies connect the two who have had heart ache and bring an unexpected romance to Paradise. With all Amish romances there is always a spiritual lesson to learn and this was identity. We can build our identity in good things and in doing so, it can turn ugly quick. Each of the main characters had done that to a degree in different ways and discovered that the best identity is faith in Christ. It is something that we can lose sight of easily enough but in losing it, it brings us back closer to God's presence. In his presence, we have a true blessing of family, love and community.

A special thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest revie

A Fun and Inspirational Amish Romance

Marry Me, Millie, a fun and inspirational Amish romance, is the first book in Amy Lillard's Paradise Valley series. In it the reader is introduced to the community of Paradise Valley, Missouri. One of its members is Millie Bauman. She recently had to deal with two major life changing events back to back: the unexpected death of her husband and finding out that she was with child. As a result, Millie makes plans to never remarry and thus raise her child alone.

Henry King, a recent newcomer to Paradise Valley, is dealing with his own major life changing event: a recent painful, broken engagement that he is still recovering from. As a result, he also has no plans to marry. Ah, but as the proverb says, we make plans, but God has the final word.

There are so many things I loved about this book. One was getting to know the characters. The author's descriptions of the characters, as well as the characters' conversations and interactions with each other, helped me feel completely connected to them. Those elements also helped me better understand and appreciate what they were feeling and going through. Many of their interactions had me reflecting, others had me laughing out loud, and still others had me feeling like my heart was breaking into pieces. The deep connection I felt with the characters, along with the romance, inspiration and laughs, are what made this wonderful story so special, and also what have me looking forward to upcoming books in this series. I highly recommend you read it for yourself, because it's just that good.

***I received a copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. All comments and opinions are strictly my own.