The Gift Review and Blog Tour

I was so thrilled to become a part of the Litfuse Blog Tour for The Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray. I just love her books – all of them. So it was no surprise when I reached the end of this one and found myself putting another one of her books near the top of my favorite list. Make sure to visit the blog tour at Litfuse to see what others thought!

About the Book

A special Christmas story about love and blessings in the next book in the Amish of Hart County series

The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that causes her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into the icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous “accidents” that someone wants them gone.

Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it’s not the Schwartz family’s fault, but he can’t help but be resentful. Until he meets Susanna. She is kind-hearted and bold, and Neil can’t stop thinking about her pretty green eyes.

Neil thinks the accidents are just that, but Susanna’s father is convinced the Vance family is responsible. Susanna refuses to believe Neil would do anything to harm her. She’s fallen in love with him and knows he is a good man. But her family is ready to pack up and move, and time is running out to uncover the truth before someone gets hurt . . . or worse.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

My Perspective

Shelley Shepard Gray has found a way to combine three of my favorite genres into one beautifully written story – amish fiction, clean light romance, and mystery! I have been a fan of Shelley’s for a long time, and I think this style of writing has been my favorite of hers to date. She easily blends the three genres together as if they always belong together – just like a perfectly finished puzzle. Her stories leave readers wanting more, and I hope there is more stories such as this in the future.

Susanna and Neil were wonderful characters. And while I liked them together, I have to admit that there were parts that I preferred them alone. Neil struggles were my favorite to read about. The back and forth of resentment and love pulled at my heart strings. His thoughts and actions were realistic, and I found myself kind of expanding on his thoughts throughout the day. How would I react in that situation? Would I find it in my heart to let go and move on?

With a powerful message of hope, consequences, and love, this book has a little something for everything. Readers will find themselves falling for Susanna and Neil, while trying to solve the whodunit mystery to bring peace between the families. They may even find themselves unable to put the book down until the mystery is solved.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to leave a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Shelley Shepard Gray is a “New York Times” and “USA Today” bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.