I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cozy, heartwarming Christmas novel. I enjoyed it a lot!

This was a wonderful, heartfelt, and well-written collection of sweet romances set around or on Christmas. The stories were engaging and heartwarming. Absolutely perfect for the Christmas season. I also appreciated how clean each story was and how they focused on the true reason for the season - Jesus.

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Rating: 3 stars ~ Genres: Amish, Christmas ~ Pages: 286 ~ Publish Date: 24 Sep 2024

A CHRISTMAS REUNION by Shelley Shepard Gray ~ Rating: 4.5 stars

I loved this novella. It made me chuckle. Smile. It has all the things that make a pleasant story good. Did I have issues? Yeah, I did. The acceptance of Tricia’s parents of Brandt (an Englisher’) was a little too smooth. The Amish proverb given before this first story applies very well. “Pleasant days are just ordinary days made better by good people.”

WE GATHER TOGETHER by Lenora Worth ~ Rating: 2.5 stars

A short story has to have good characters and a meaningful plot. This one had too many characters. And when that happens, the plot gets lost. And with no story — well, I was glad it was a novella.

HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Rachel J. Good ~ Rating: 3 stars

Here’s where my personal knowledge bangs against the plot … the part where Andrew is offered a job teaching piano. I have had two major careers in my life and one is a piano teacher. Just because you can play piano beautifully does not mean you can teach it. I had good teachers. A couple of awful ones. Who didn’t know HOW to teach so most of what I learned was wrong. I was a good teacher, a very good teacher but I worked hard at it and studied how to teach music concepts rather than just notes.

Overall rating: 3 stars ~ not a great recommendation. If you do decide to read this Christmas trilogy, read #2 first followed by #3, and finish with #1.

I received a complimentary DRC of “The Christmas Gathering” via NetGalley from the publisher, Kensington Publishing | Kensington. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Rating: 3 stars
Cover: Pretty but maybe too ornate for the Amish
Pages: 286
Publish Date: 24 September 2024
#TheChristmasGathering #NetGalley

So many sweet Christmas stories! I love compilation books that all move off of one theme, Beautiful stories of love, and of the birth of the Savior.

“The Christmas Gathering” features three Amish Christmas Romances by Shelley Shepard Gray, Lenora Worth, and Rachel J. Good

A CHRISTMAS REUNION by Shelley Shepard Gray

Englischer Brandt Holden is thrilled to be spending Christmas with the family of his Amish friend Mark, especially Mark’s cousin Tricia. The two have been writing to each other since last Christmas and are clearly attracted to each other but there’s one huge issue – Mark is not Amish and cannot marry Tricia unless she leaves the Amish faith. Will their love conquer all?

I usually like Shelley Shepard Gray’s works but this was my least favorite in this collection. I think it might have worked better as a full length novel where we could see the romance between the two develop from their first meeting, through their letters, and then to their next meeting. Also, I thought the Amish were way too accepting of the developments in the story. I did like some things like the scavenger hunt but even that could have been developed more.

WE GATHER TOGETHER by Lenora Worth

Lucas Myer and Kayla Hollinger meet when both of their families are staying at the same inn and become quick friends and perhaps a bit more. However, their relationship seems doomed because of a longtime feud between the two families. Lucas and Kayla have a week to reconcile their families and hopefully embark on a future together but it will take a Christmas miracle to pull it off!

This was my favorite of the three stories! It was fun, it was cute, it was romantic, and even a touch humorous. I love Lucas and Kayla as a couple and I loved the efforts of the two of them to bring their families together. Again, because it is a novella, the romance seemed a bit rushed (taking place over a week) but I still very much enjoyed it.

HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Rachel J. Good

Years ago, Mark left his Amish family for a career in music. He had some success, but his luck changed and now he needs a job. He not only finds a job but a romance with Joline, an Amish girl who has been a fan of his for years. Mark needs to search his heart in order to do the right thing but will Joline be part of his plans?

I enjoyed this novella which was a bit different than most Amish romances. It is short but actually takes place over a number of years and we get to see Mark and Joline develop as characters. Their romance was nicely done and not too rushed except maybe for a bit at the end. Still, I really enjoyed this story.

“The Christmas Gathering” is a nice collection of stories that are perfect to read during the holiday season.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

A good book of three great authors. I enjoyed this book, each story was written wonderful and sure to put you in the Christmas mood. I have read each of these authors before and always love their books, so it was great reading a book with the three together each writing their own story. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I love a good Christmas gathering. In this book, we find three. Each of the these authors are a joy to read while the stories left me ready for the "magic" season. God's blessings abound as each story outlines forgiveness, understanding and miracles from the season. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

This 3 novella collection centers around the Christmas holidays:

A Christmas Reunion by Shelley Shepard Gray--Tricia Troyer is excited to spend the Christmas reunion with her family and just as excited to see Brandt Holden. Their connection is obvious to everyone. However, they come from different worlds, with Brandt living as an Englisher and Tricia living in an Amish family. Can they find a way to bring their worlds together?

We Gather Together by Lenora Worth--When Lucas and Kayla meet on the shores of Lake Erie, they discover an old family fued. Their grandfathers once fought over the same woman, resulting in wounds that never healed. Lucas and Kayla decide to create opportunities where the families can interact, but it seems to just create a deeper divide. Will they succeed or will the family feud continue on to Lucas and Kayla as well?

Hitting All the Right Notes by Rachel J. Good--Four years after leaving the Amish for his music career, Mark returns to his hometown when the band manager disappears. Suddenly broke and homeless, Mark finds himself teaching music at a teen center where he runs into an old fan... who quickly becomes a new flame. However, Joline has a rebellious streak of her own and has a lot of growing up to do before entering a relationship. Can these two work through their past? Or will their old rebellion destroy their future?

All three novellas are clean, short, and heartfelt. They are brief for small chunks of time, making them an easy holiday read for the busy season. Characters are not fully developed, but that's to be expected with short stories. So going into this book with the right mindset is important. Readers do have to suspend some disbelief when it comes to the Amish elements of these stories. The Amish invididuals in these novellas are often unrealistically forward and outspoken. However, the second novella by Lenora Worth was definitely my favorite and seemed to be the most focused on the themes of holidays and romance. A quick holiday read for savoring the season.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Christmas Gathering is a collection of three novellas by three popular Amish fiction authors. Each story contains a story of hope and love at Christmas time. Follow three couples as they discover a new life and a new love. You will laugh and enjoy it. All three were sweet!

This set of three novellas is a great way to put yourself in the Christmas mood. They are sweet encouraging stories. Faith is a strong theme throughout demonstrating the strength of Amish families.
A Christmas Reunion, written by Shelley Shepard Gray is about an Amish family, the Troyers. They are unique in that they associate closely with non Amish friends, or Englishers. Mark Troyer invites his friend, an Englisher, Brandt, to spend Christmas with them. I had to forget what I know of the Amish that live in my area. My limited knowledge of the Amish is that they like to keep separate from the Englishers. The Troyers also have relatives who are Englishers. Brandt has discovered a new faith in God and his family has distanced themselves from him because of it. The closeness of Mark’s family and their acceptance of him brings him peace. Mark’s cousin, Tricia and Brandt develop a close friendship as they celebrate the season together. Will her family approve of their newfound relationship and will they be accepted?
The second novella is We Gather Together, by Lenora Worth. This story is about a large Amish family reunion held at an Inn owned by an Amish family. Lucas and his family are there for their family reunion while Kayla and her family are there for her sister’s wedding. Problems arise because of an old family feud between the two families. The two grandfathers courted the same girl. When she made her choice, the feud began between the one time friends. Kayla and Lucas try to bring the families together and their friendship grows. They both depend strongly on their faith in God. Can they overcome and resist being drawn into the feud?
Hitting all the Right Notes by Rachel J Good, is the third and last story of this collection. Mark, a young Amish boy, loves to listen to his English neighbors, the Musselmans, when they play their instruments and sing. As he grows older he helps Mrs. Musselman, now a widow, with various chores. Unknown to his parents, she gives him music lessons and he discovers he is very talented. Mark’s Amish friends are from the “wild” young men who don’t conform to all the rules. Some drive cars and have cell phones. They decide to form a band and call themselves, ”The Amish Rebels”
Joline is a young Amish woman who also is drawn to the English music. She comes from a large family and is responsible for looking after her siblings. She has made friends with some Englisher girls and they take her to hear Mark’s band. Mark’s parents find out about his activities and are shocked and disappointed. When he refuses to stop, they kick him out. He ends up staying at the center where Joline works. One by one, Mark’s friends decide to join the Amish church and drop out of the band. Joline fills in as a band member and their friendship grows. When it becomes clear that she will not give up singing, her family sends her to live with a relative. Will they find their way back to each other?
This is an easy and lighthearted collection.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

A Christmas Reunion by Shelley Shepard Gray

Shelley Shepard Gray’s novella in The Christmas Gathering anthology is A Christmas Reunion. In A Christmas Reunion Englischer Brandt joins his Amish friend Mark for a Christmas gathering. Unbeknownst to most of the group, after meeting at last year’s Christmas gathering, Brandt and Mark’s cousin, Tricia (who is also Amish) have been writing each other for the last year. With each letter, Brandt and Tricia have gotten closer. Looking forward to reuniting at Christmas, Brandt and Tricia are using the gathering to consider taking their friendship to the next level so that they can be reunited forever.

Shelley Shepard Gray has become an instant go-to Author for me for anything she writes, especially when it comes to Christmas books. A Christmas Reunion is a sweet read. I loved meeting Brandt and Tricia! I thought it was an interesting twist that Brandt and Tricia had “secretly” been writing one another. I loved the other characters in the story as well–especially Uncle Abel and Aunt Annie. I loved the aspect of the Christmas Scavenger Hunt and how Uncle Abel and Aunt Annie created a new one every year. I want to do Uncle Abel and Aunt Annie’s Christmas Scavenger Hunt myself! A Christmas Reunion is a sweet story from beginning to end. While A Christmas Reunion was a complete story for The Christmas Gathering anthology, as a reader I was wanting more of Brandt and Tricia’s story–wanting more of a glimpse of how their friendship evolved during the letter writing phase and wanting to know what’s going to happen to their relationship after the story is over. Even though I want more of the story, it doesn’t take away from A Christmas Reunion being an excellent story and edition to The Christmas Gathering anthology.

We Gather Together by Lenora Worth

Lenora Worth has been on my TBR list for a long time and I’m thankful that I was finally able to read her work in The Christmas Gathering anthology by way of We Gather Together. We Gather Together tells the story of a long standing family feud between the Myer and Hollinger families. Unbeknownst to both families, the Hollinger’s scheduled a Christmas Wedding at the Shadow Lake Inn while the Myer’s Family scheduled a Family Reunion at the Shadow Lake Inn. When Kayla Hollinger and Lucas Myer meet, they each find a instant friend that slowly turns into something more. Lucas and Kayla know that their friendship cannot continue unless both families can forgive and trust. Teaming up, Lucas and Kayla come up with ideas to get their families together in hopes of reconciling.

I love We Gather Together by Lenora Worth from beginning to end! I love the family feud aspect to the story, because, to me, it gave Kayla and Lucas’ story a type of Romeo and Juliet spin to it. I love how the theme of forgiveness and trust and how important those attributes are are woven through out the story. I love how Kayla and Lucas did their best to follow what they believe God wanted them to do and follow God’s Word. I love meeting the King Sisters and their families (and I am looking forward to reading their stories). The King Sisters and other family members always seem to be around to offer sage advice and Godly Wisdom to Kayla and Lucas and help them out when they needed it. I love the powerful story and lesson of forgiveness and trust that We Gather Together gave The Christmas Gathering anthology.

Hitting All The Right Notes by Rachel J. Good

Rachel J. Good hits very unique notes with her contribution in The Christmas Gathering anthology with Hitting All The Right Notes. Hitting All The Right Notes is the story of Amish Rocker (yes, you read that right–Amish Rocker) Mark of the hit group Amish Rebels, a band that consists of young men that are on their Rumspringa before they decide to join their Amish Community, and Joline, a Amish Groupie who is the Amish Rebels No. 1 fan and has a musical gift herself. While the music the way the Amish Rebels create it went against Amish rules, singing in and of itself wasn’t bad–but putting it before God and what His Word says is. The Amish Rebels and Joline during this season of their lives, fail to see the heart of the matter until what they have held dear regarding music begins falling apart, causing them to see clearly what God meant for them all along.

Rachel J. Good’s plot in Hitting All The Right Notes was genius, not to mention very unique for the Amish Genre! I have never read a plot like it in Amish fiction before! I wasn’t sure what to expect from Hitting All The Right Notes and if I would consider it a full novella, but it exceeded my expectations. Hitting All The Right Notes covered a lot of ground for a novella to where it felt like it was a full fledge story at times. I love Mark as a character and my heart broke for him as he struggled with love for the music he made and the love he developed for God and his Amish Faith. With Mark’s struggles at the same time came Wisdom and Strength to do what he believed what God wanted him to do. I must admit at the beginning, when I met Joline, she got under my skin a little bit because, to me, Joline came across as very immature for her age and, later on, portrayed stalker-like tendencies when it came to Joline constantly trying to be around Mark. As Joline grew, I myself, grew to like her. I’m thankful that Joline opened up her heart to God and saw how she was coming across to others. I love how Joline and Mark saw what God was trying to show them in how to live and treat others and how the theme of honoring family and forgiving others was woven through out the story. Despite my hesitations with parts of the story, I love Hitting All The Right Notes and it’s characters–especially Ms. Vandenberg (read A Christmas Gathering to find out about her). Rachel J. Good’s Hitting All The Right Notes is a wonderful story in The Christmas Gathering anthology.

The Christmas Gathering (As A Whole)

I really enjoyed The Christmas Gathering from beginning to end! Shelley Shephard Gray, Leonora Worth, and Rachel J. Good each wrote a unique and wonderful story. I love the twists that the Authors brought to their stories and the Amish Genre. I love how each story is full of characters that are real, spunky, and have flaws. I love how each story brought out different Biblical Themes that we all learn and deal with in our lives–Trusting God for the Plans He has for us, Forgiveness, and Honoring Our Families. If you are looking for a fun Christmas read to read during the Season, then I highly recommend The Christmas Gathering by Shelley Shephard Gray, Leonora Worth, and Rachel J. Good! I cannot wait to see what these Authors create next!

Have you read The Christmas Gathering? What did you think of these stories?

Thank you to Jean for giving me a copy of The Christmas Gathering via NetGalley and the Publisher to review, letting me be on Shelley’s Street Team, and for giving me the information I needed for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My review is also on Amazon, Goodreads, and my blog Leslie's Library Escape..

This is a 3 stories in 1 book all dealing with families at Christmastime.

A Christmas Reunion by Shelly Shepard Gray is a story about an Amish girl being attracted to an Englisher who was invited to her Uncle and Aunt’ place over Christmas the year before and started writing letters over the year. They meet up again at the Christmas gathering and they end up in the same group for a scavenger hunt and continue to learn more about each other.

We Gather Together by Lenora Worth is a story about Lucas and Kayla whose families have held a grudge against each other since their grandfathers were teenagers. Both families end up at the same Inn, one for a wedding the other for a family reunion. Lucas and Kayla work together to get their grandfathers to make up.

Hitting All The Right Notes by Rachel J. Good is a story about a teenage Amish boy named Mark who gets kicked out of home when he starts up a band with some of his friends. They travel around but one thing leads to another and they end up back in their hometown and all have to decide if they want to go back home and join the church.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. The review expressed here is my honest opinion.

This book contains three separate stories of Amish holiday time. They are sweet stories and each is different than the others. I enjoyed each of the stories. The stories were all good and I think my favorite was The Christmas Reunion. In some ways reminded me of family holiday get-togethers and there is often a "stray" person as a guest. In this case it was a non-Amish young man and how he related to the family members. The second story was about a long-standing family feud of two Amish families. It's interesting how it continues through time until...a new romance blossoms between the feuding families. The last story was about "Rebel Amish" and the problems that occurred as a group of young Amish youth start a band, which is not abiding by the Amish rules. I enjoyed all the stories and they were fun holiday reads.
I received an ARC of this book through netGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Merry Amish Christmas 2024!
The beautiful cover of this book is a sweet introduction to the collection of three stories for the holiday season. Three of my favorite authors and Kensington Books offer this set of Amish novellas.
I received an advanced reader's copy through NetGalley and this is my own unsolicited opinion.

A Christmas Reunion by Shelley Shepard Gray is an interesting story surrounding a special party hosted by an Amish couple for their family and friends, including English. The Troyer's son, Mark, has invited his friend, Brandt Holden. The school guidance counselor looks forward to the gathering where he feels part of a family after taking part the year before. Mark's cousin Tricia is anxious to see if Brandt will come back. Can the two have any chance at more than a friendship? This was an interesting and different idea for a weekend party, especially with the mix of fifty Amish and English people.

We Gather Together by Lenora Worth takes us to the Shadow Lake Inn and the meeting of Kayla Hollinger and Lucas Myers. He is at the in for a reunion with his family. Kayla is there for her sister's dream wedding. The attraction between the two is heartbreakingly challenged when they realize that they are on opposing sides of their grandfather's decades long sworn enemies battle. This is quite the scenario, a family feud with an Amish Romeo and Juliet without fatal drama. Who better to help them than the King sisters and their parents? It's a cute story with strong faith at the center. The stubborn men show the reality that Amish are human, far from perfect. I really liked it.

Hitting all the Right Notes by Rachel J. Good shines a light on the strict way of life for an Amish boy who absolutely loves music. The novella does a great job of traveling over a few years' time as Mark Troyer becomes enamored with the music his English neighbors thrive on. Over time he makes decisions that separate him from his family and send him on a journey that eventually leads him to beloved series character, Mrs. Vandenberg. Rebellious Joline Lapp is a main character in this story. She is continuing on her path sneaking around her parents who run the STAR center to make her own music dream come true. This is such a good story.

I feel that this is a nice way to incorporate some quick-read Amish stories into a reader's busy Christmas season. I give the collection a 4 out of 5 stars.

This is a book with three novellas, connected by the holiday, family and faith.

The Christmas Reunion by Shelley Shepard Gray
This story is a sweet romance about two people who don’t seem to totally fit in. Brandt was rejected by his parents when he was a senior in high school, so he goes to the Troyer family reunion since he has nowhere else to spend Christmas. His first year there, he met Tricia and they began a correspondence by letter that led to love for him, and he hoped for Tricia, too. The family reunion activities are fun-filled, especially the Scavenger Hunt and the family love that is evident is heartwarming. Good, well-paced story with lovable characters.

We Gather Together by Lenora Worth
This is a story of a longstanding feud and two families who end up at the same BNB for Christmas. One family is there for a reunion while the other is there for a wedding. Kayla meets Lucas there, and they are attracted to each other, but unfortunately, their families hate each other. So the two of them plan to set up activities that forces the families to be together, in the hope that the feud will end. The plot is cleverly written and well paced, and the characters are endearing and believable.

Hitting All the Right Notes by Rachel J. Good

This is the story of two young people who choose music and rebellion over God and family, at least until an elderly lady advises them and helps them to see the truth. Mark is a talented musician who dreams of having his own band and even brings his dream to reality, but he loses his family in the process. Joline is a young Amish woman who has a crush on Mark from the first time she sees him. Their story of how God works things out for the best for both of them is heartwarming and realistic. The plot is well paced and the characters are well developed and relatable. This would be a great story of young adults who are facing tough choices in life to read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

3 Great Stories

These are three wonderful stories that are connected by the Christmas theme, but that is the only similarity. Each one is unique and wonderful read.

The Christmas Gathering by Shelley Shepard Gray
Tricia and Brandt have a special connection, but there's just one small problem. Brandt is English, and Tricia is not. Theirs is a fun and engaging story of what can happen when love is at the center of everything.

We Gather Together by Lenora Worth
What do you do when you meet someone that you click with but find out that your family will never let you pursue a relationship? When Luke and Kayla find themselves in this predicament, they hatch a plan. However, obstacles come up at every turn, making it seem like an impossible feat. But love turns things around in a surprising way.

Hitting All the Right Notes by Rachel J. Good
Andrew thinks he has things all figured out with his music career. Joline thinks her plan for pursuing music, and Andrew is perfect. However, when each one's plans come to a halt, they are left thinking of what is next. As unexpected help comes, along with some turn of events, love ends up coming through in a very sweet and special way.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All comments and opinions are voluntary and completely my own.

I enjoy Christmas stories, and especially novellas since that means I can read more stories. I even read them year round. And I will re-read this one, I’m sure.

All 3 authors have written Christmas tales of family and friends. And even enemies. With drama, forgiveness, and holiday cheer, these are satisfyingly Christmas.

As the way with novellas, they are a bit rushed and a few of the details I question, but I still enjoyed each one and recommend them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Great reads! 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 has one of my favorite tropes - interfaith romance. I like that Brandt and Tricia’s love story blossomed over time, not in a week or less. The ending was a little surprising for me but that’s one of the things I love about Gray’s books.

𝙒𝙚 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 was a sweet story about Lucas Myer and Kayla Hollinger who had a chance meeting when both families stayed at an inn on Lake Erie. This story is my least favorite trope, feuding families. This meant there were a lot of characters but Worth does a good job of writing in character reminders without being obvious.

𝙃𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 was my favorite of the bunch. This bad boy, Mark, was after my heart when he fell in love with music. Being Amish, this was strictly a no, so of course he was thrown out of his house when it was discovered that not only had he chosen music, he had formed a rock band. This story was so good, I literally clapped at the end.

Thank you NetGalley and every one else that helped with giving me this ARC book.

Total overview:

Language: None

Faith: There is a lot about the Amish faith. The last two were more Amish then the first one as that one had more of a Christianity that I know of.

Romance/Sex: The most was a few kisses and saying the ladys are pretty.

Action/Adventure: None

<b>A Christmas Reunion<b>
Five Stars
Brandt and Tricia must navigate their feeling as they meet once again at the rambunctious Christmas party that Tricia's uncle and aunt have hosted for several years.
The only thing that might be an inconsistencie would be this:

“When my Annie and I decided fifteen years ago to start this gathering.... “And now, here we are. Five years later with a full bus.”

This might not be an inconsistencie but I don’t think it would take ten years to plan a gathering.

The writing was very enjoyable me, and there were no parts that dragged for me.

<b>We Gather Together<b>
Four Stars
Despite the long family fude between Kayla. and Lucas' familys the two of them struggle to get their family to forgive.
No inconsistencies
The writing seemed stilted and awkward, but the story line was very interesting.

<b>Hitting All the Right Notes<b>
Four Stars
Mark's love of music pushed him from his family. Joliene's love of music is about to do the same
No inconsistencies
The writing was very well done with no dull parts that I can think of, though the style was slightly different in the sense that the story took place over several years.