A Christmas Courtship (3) (Berlin Bookmobile Series, The)

 

A Christmas Courtship 

(3) (Berlin Bookmobile Series, The) 

October 19, 2021

by Shelley Shepard Gray  (Author)

In this endearing Christmas tale, a bookmobile librarian knows just the novel to help an Amish bachelor woo his next-door neighbor in the latest installment of the “charming” (Carla Laureano, RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye) Berlin Bookmobile series.

A solitary sort, forty-two-year-old Atle Petersheim spends his time hard at work in his wood shop. But as the days get long, he realizes just how lonely he’s become. When his longtime crush, Sadie Mast, a widow and mother of three, asks him to help her build a room in their barn for her son Cale, Atle can’t say no. Eager to pursue Sadie at last, he turns to bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne Miller for courting advice. More than happy to help, Sarah Anne decides the best way to learn about love is through books—romance novels to be precise.

Between completing holiday orders for her flourishing food business, helping Cale navigate a dramatic new relationship with his boss’s daughter, and coming to terms with the trauma her late husband had inflicted upon her and her children—not to mention Atle showing up at her door with flowers—Sadie is in over her head. Though Atle’s efforts are initially clumsy and his declarations a bit awkward, Sadie can’t help but be charmed by him. He’s patient and kind...and at times even seems to know far more about romance than he’s let on.

Another delightful romance about the “transformative powers of love, hope, and faith” (Publishers Weekly), A Christmas Courtship is the perfect holiday read.

 Marilyn's thoughts

 

Shelley Shepard Gray never disappoints with her stories and this last installment of The Berlin Bookmobile Series is now my favorite.  Atle Petersheim is attracted to his neighbor Sadie Mast but knew he needed assistance with his courting skills. The only safe place he felt he could turn was to the bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne, who was a new bride recently and experienced with wisdom with her age.

 

Atle’s and Sadie’s story is a warm quilt filled with a wide range of emotions, disappointments, dreams and hopes all surrounding the wonderful Christmas season. Gray weaved a heartwarming story with the actions, conversations, admiration and hopefulness Atle, Sadie and her children were experiencing in this tale. Each characters is dimensional with their flaws and strengths along with faith and wanting the best for others. Their faith, hope, prayers and romance brought plenty of smiles along with tears when they faced some challenging situations.

 

Amish fans will not want to miss reading the entire Berlin Bookmobile series by Shelley Shepherd Gray filled with heartwarming romance, faith and new hope for life.