The Warmth of Sunshine by Kelly Irvin is a beautifully written story about hope and love and what it means to be a family. Abigail has always been a bit clumsy and a little awkward. She is ready to move forward and hopes that she will be doing so with Owen, her long time friend who has become something more in recent months. When she finds a strange woman in her house, she finds out that she was adopted by her Amish parents at birth, but never told. Her birth mother, Heather, wants to get to know her. Abigail is torn. She is committed to her faith, but what if she is missing something by not knowing her birth family. As she struggles to make the right choices and see where she fits, we see a portrait of hope and innocence. It paints a picture for us of the love that we have in our families, even the ones that don't look as we would expect. Highly recommend. It may be one of my favorite of the year. Thanks to Kelly Irvin, NetGalley, and the publisher. I am blessed to be allowed to read and review these stories.

Kelly Irvin does a great job telling the story of an Amish girl who finds out she was adopted. She maintains a good pace and the feel of the Amish. Her writing is very good and she does not repeat herself and phrases like you see many writers of this genre do. It's a good book and one that I would recommend. I plan to read more of her books. There are some formatting errors that I assume will be fixed by the publisher before release. but as to Ms. Irvin, she has done a great job!

Set in Kansas, The Warmth of Sunshine is a charming addition to the Amish Blessings series. The story centers around Amish couple Abigail Bontrager and Owen Kurtz. A startling, painful revelation leaves Abigail struggling to discover where she belongs—in the Amish world or in the Englisch world. A favorite quote: “The future was full of shadowy ifs, shifting maybes, and uncertain probabilities.” Owen struggles to reconcile his desire to be a farmer with his father’s wishes for him to be in the construction business. These struggles result in a heartwarming story of identity, faith, and family. A well-structured plot, engaging characters, sweet romance, and a strong faith element combine to create an enjoyable, satisfying read. Even though this book is part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone. I recommend this book for fans of Amish fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

How many Amish romances will I read during the pandemic? The answer seems to be all of them. This wasn't my favourite of the books - a little complicated, but generally a fun easy read again.

This is the second book in this series. The first was a nice stor of a famil coming together to do what is best for one another. Comparatively the characters in this book were selfish.

Abigail's parents never told her she was adopted so she is thrown for a loop when her birth mother shows up. Her birth mother arrives even though she was asked not too but her parents still didn't tell her she was adopted. But then her birth mother wants Abigail to come spend time with her and her kids. Abigail's parents and deacon want her to never speak to the woman.

All in all everyone spent so much time thinking about themselves I couldn't get into the story.

The writing was superb and Kelly Irvin is a knowledgeable author.

The Warmth of Sunshine stirred up strong emotions as I read. I felt so sorry for Abigail and the situation she found herself in. I disliked Heather immensely, finding her selfish and shallow. I worried for Owen, agonizing over his want to both please his father and go his own way. My heart broke for Abigail's parents, as they waited for Abigail's decision.

The Warmth of Sunshine is the second release in Kelly Irvin's Amish Blessings series, and I appreciated the fact that it could be read as a stand alone since I didn't personally get the the chance to read the first title before starting this one. I've read a lot of Amish fiction titles over the years, since this genre is one of my all time favorites, and I've honestly never really read something like this one before.

In this beautiful story, we meet Abigail Bontrager, a woman who struggles to feel like she fits in within the rest of the Amish country. Her pie crusts could be paper weights, and she's constantly dumping drinks on the customers at the restaurant she waitresses at. Her life takes a turn she never could have seen coming when she finds out that she was born to a plain teenage couple who ended up giving her up for adoption. Now as she's a young adult, they've decided they want to get to know her, and she's struggling to find her place between the Amish world she knows and the English world that seems to be calling to her. Her Amish beau Owen doesn't understand her need to know, but how can Abigail commit to a future with him, if she never finds out if the Amish world is truly where she's meant to be.

This story truly captivated me right from the start, and I enjoyed it immensely. Kelly Irvin has a lovely writing style that pulled me into the story right from the start, and I was really rooting for both Abigail and Owen, and felt for them having to dive into situations that neither of them could have ever expected.

It was also really interesting to read about a young Amish woman being thrust into the English world of social media, pop music, and crop tops during a time where she was already confused and more easily influenced.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one, and I look forward to going back and reading book one, as I really did enjoy this particular Amish community, and also continuing on with book three in the future.

Final Rating: 4/5.

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

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

Abigail is confused when she steps into her home after work one evening and sees a stranger there. The twenty year old is devastated to learn that the Englisher who is standing in the house is her biological mother. She was adopted by her Amish parents.
Kelly Irvin has Abigail tell her story as she deals with overwhelming thoughts of, who am I, why didn't anyone tell me, why now? Is she Amish or is she English? Will she lose Owen who has shown interest in courting her?
This is an excellent story when two worlds collide for this young woman and her two families. The author did a good job presenting Abigail's inner battle dealing with the life she thought was meant to be and the strange world offered as what could be.
I enjoyed this book and want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced readers copy. This is my unsolicited opinion. I recommend it to readers who like Amish stories.

This is the second in the author’s Amish Blessing series, but can be read as a stand alone book.

Stunning life changes abruptly come into Abigail Bontrager’s life making her question everything about her life and upbringing. How will this affect her upbringing as an Amish woman, her wants and desires? Will she give up everything she knows in her life to accept a surprising change? What about her special friend Owen? How will he react and accept her now?

This was a very good book that I could not put down until I read how all these issues would be resolved. I highly recommend this book to lovers of Amish romance.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Zondervan. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Zondervan Fiction for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of The Warmth of Sunshine by Kelly Irvin from Zondervan through NetGally. I was not required to leave a positive review. Release day for this book is July 5, 2022.

This is the second book in the Amish Blessings series, and is truly a unique book that will keep you interested and guessing from beginning to end.
The main character, Abigail Bontrager finds out she is adopted and has an English family that she knows nothing about, as well as her Amish family she has grown up with. There is also Owen, who she hopes one day to build a life around.
When Abigail ask for time to explore her English roots, Owen agrees to wait, but her mother, father, Bishop and other family members reluctantly give her permission to go.
In her attempt to discover this family she has never known, this already not too confident, twenty year old basically goes through a new rumspringa. She is pushed to discover who Abigail really is so she can decide who she believes God to want her to be.
It was a joy to watch Abigail’s life unfold as she and Owen desides the best path for their lives.
In my opinion, this is a 5-star addition to this series, but could easily be read as a standalone. Kelly has truly given us a unique Amish book.

An already not-too-confident young Amish woman’s life is turned upside down when she learns her biological parents are Englisch. I got a bit impatient with Abigail as she goes through what amounts to a second rumspringa, staying a month with her worldly, unsaved relatives. I really couldn’t understand her her tolerance for such shallow and immature people, especially knowing the character of the Amish family and friends she left behind. Her “special friend” Owen is going through changes of his own. He wants to trade his construction job for farming, while dealing with the upheaval of his daed’s remarriage. Both want to do what is right - Gott’s will” - if only they can figure that out. Bishop Bryan is a big help to them both in what he says and does (or doesn’t!) do. He was probably my favorite character in this story because of his insights and groundedness. I would’ve liked to read more of mudder Lorene’s thoughts as she prayed for Abigail’s return and repented the secret she’d kept for twenty years. This second book in the Kansas-based Amish Blessings series can be read as a stand-alone novel, though I enjoyed a peek at how Mason and Cassie Keim’s new household was coming along since book #1 ended (Love’s Dwelling). I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was not required to post a review.

Beautiful And captivating Amish Romance that warmed my heart. I was completely drawn into this story and just didn’t want to stop reading it once I started the book. I loved the Author’s writing style that made the story line seem so real. The Characters were engaging and made the story seem so realistic . I thought the book was entertaining, easy to read, inspirational and romantic. I will make it a point to read more of this author’s books.

Abigail Bontrager is a twenty year old Amish lady that can’t cook or sew and she would rather hunt and fish then do house work any day. Lately she has been riding home from Sunday night signings with Owen Kurtz in his courting buggy. They both attended school together and have been friends for years but recently have become smitten with each other. Abigail lived a normal happy Amish life with her parents, siblings and her dog Do-Little but then in the blink of an eye and not of her own doing her life changed and was never to be the same again. Abigail needed time away from Owen and her family to decide how she wanted to live the rest of her life. Would her faith be strong enough to get her through this life changing situation? Would Owen move on with his life or wait for Abigail to sort things out?

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Amish stories and fans of Kelly Irvin. This book can be read as a standalone. It is scheduled to be released on 7/5/22.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed here in this review are completely my own.

#TheWarmthofSunshine#NetGalley

I loved watching Abigail's journey unfold...from finding out about her English birth mother and living an English lifestyle for a short time to figure out just where she belonged...to going back home again. I can really appreciate how Owen, the man who cares deeply for her, is willing to step back and let her find out who she really is.

Such a sweet love story and a great second book in Kelly's Amish Blessings series. Book 3, Every Good Gift, is available February 2023 and you can bet I'll be reading that one as soon as it's available. I am now a die-hard Kelly Irvin fan and will continue to read all her books!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publishes 5 July 2022.

Title: The Warmth of Sunshine
Series: Amish Blessings, #2
Author: Kelly Irvin
Genre: Amish
Publisher: Zondervan Fiction
Release Date: July 5, 2022
Format: Kindle (read), Audiobook
Pages: Unknown
Source: NetGalley
Cover: Quietly beautiful & totally in keeping with the story.

Description:
Ever feel like a square peg in a round hole? That’s how Abigail feels. Hard pie crusts. Spilled drinks. Can’t sew. Not good for an Amish girl wanting to be a wife if Owen ever asks.

Owen has an idea for a money-making crop but his father wants to sell the farm since their metal shed construction business is doing well.

And then both their worlds turn upside down — Abigail’s, by an ‘Englisch’ woman who announces she is Abigail’s mother. And Owen’s, by a neighboring widow who his father has been “visiting” … often.

Review:
Kelly Irvin is known to Amish readers, and book two of the series, Amish Blessings, has several “learning situations” for adults and young men and women.

I think all of us if we are of any age have had that “square peg in a round hole” feeling. It’s pretty awful. I can look back now and laugh at one of mine. But it wasn’t funny then. Being teased about it for literally years didn’t help. Sorry, Abigail, I had to laugh out loud at two of yours.

Author Kelly Irvin does a great job of describing people. Loved the description of Abigail’s father who would get his “woodshed-whipping look”. Can’t you see it?! Irvin keeps us guessing about Heather, Abigail’s birth mother.
- Don’t like her.
- Well, she’s not so bad.
- Oh, good grief, surely she didn’t do that!!

The Warmth of Sunshine is quite an enjoyable read. The pacing was a little slow — for me — as Abigail dealt with her birth mother over a period of time. But I loved how it resolved. Rating: 4.5 stars.

I received a complimentary e-ARC copy of The Warmth of Sunshine via NetGalley from the publisher, Zondervan Fiction. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#TheWarmthofSunshine #NetGalley #KellyIrvin

I WILL POST TO SEVERAL FACEBOOK AMISH READER FACEBOOK GROUPS & ADDED LINKS BELOW WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. LINKS WILL BE ADDED BELOW.

Abigail learns she is adopted by an Amish family when she comes home one day to find an English woman sitting in her house claiming to be her birth mother. To add to her confusion, she and her boyfriend had plans to get married, but now Abigail feels torn between two worlds-the Amish world and the English world. Will she give everything up that she has known all her life including Owen to become a part of the English world? Read about a young woman who struggles to figure out who she really is and which world she would rather remain a part of.

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

Abigail Bontrager receives the shock of her life when learns she is actually adopted from an English teenager. Abigail struggles to find her identity. Is she Amish, or is she English? Owen, the man she is courting, tries to help her see that she is still Plain. When Abigail leaves to try her biological mother's world, what will bring her back to her family and true love?

I wanted this book because I love Amish fiction. I did enjoy it but I found it went a little long in some of the descriptions of what was going on. I did not really enjoy the story line, I don't really know why but for some reason it did not ring true to me.

Abigail Bontrager's life is suddenly turned upside down when a woman shows up claiming to be her birthmother. The parents who raised her are Amish, but this woman in English. Owen is her best friend and they had hopes of getting married but now she wants to get acquainted with the family she didn't know she had. This is an interesting story that explores family, traditions, beliefs and cultural differences. But it all comes down to the individual person and what is right for them. This was an engaging tale and not just a run of the mill Amish romance.

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

Abigail is a young lady who is thrown for a loop when she meets an English woman at her home and she reveals a secret to her.



I really enjoyed seeing the English world through the eyes of an Amish person!



It took me a little while to get in to the story but I am so glad that I continued reading.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.



Love's Dwelling (Amish Blessings #1 review can be found here: https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/8389805168206511453/6846451959486833054

Beautiful story. This is a story about Abigail Bontrager a Amish girl that always felt she did not fit. She was clumsy and she could not sew. She wasn't a good baker. She came home from her job and found a English lady sitting with her mother. The women told Abigail she was her birth mother. Abigail's Amish family never told her that she was adopted and her parents were English. Abigail was torn between English and Amish. This is a nice story that shows Abigail's struggle to find out who she really is. I loved the storyline and the characters in the book. Will Abigail stay Amish or will she leave to live the English way?