The Amish Quiltmaker's Unexpected Baby

Jennifer Beckstrand

Feb 2021 · The Amish Quiltmaker Book 1 · Zebra Books

About this ebook

In the first in an engaging new series, an Amish quiltmaker moves from Pennsylvania to a new settlement in Colorado, where adventure, challenges, and love are waiting . . .
 
Esther Zook is starting over after her father’s death, piecing together a new life with as much care as she puts into her intricate quilts. When her wayward sister abandons her baby, it throws all those plans for a fresh start asunder. Esther had accepted her status as an old maid—but a mother? And a single one, at that? Not that she hasn’t noticed Levi Kiem, the eligible young man who’s making repairs in her house. Yet he surely has no interest in Esther as anything other than a friend . . .
 
It’s true that Levi has plenty of marriage prospects. His dat has even offered to send him to Ohio to find a wife. Yet the more time he spends with Esther, the more intrigued he becomes. Feisty and independent, she’s nothing like the wife he once imagined for himself. Yet just as a quilt is crafted from contrasting cloth, they might find that together, they can create a family to cherish . . .
 
Praise for Jennifer Beckstrand and Abraham
 
“This is an endearing romance that fans of Wanda Brunstetter will love.”
—Publishers Weekly
 

Ratings and reviews

The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unexpected Baby by Jennifer Beckstrand is the delightful beginning of The Amish Quiltmaker series. I was drawn into The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unexpected Baby from the very first page. I found myself staying up late so I could finish it (I did not want to stop reading). I thought it was well-written with engaging, developed characters. Esther Zook is thirty years old and has not been married. Her father recently passed away and left her the family farm. Selling the farm allowed Esther to get a new start in Colorado. Esther has an artistic eye and makes beautiful quilts. When her younger sister, Ivy leaves her infant daughter, Winter with her, it throws Esther into a tizzy. Esther has no experience with babies. Esther is a wonderful character. She likes to keep things behind one ear, and you never know what it will be (seam ripper, carrot, chalk). The author shows a realistic view of what it is like to care for an infant (the joys and the frustrations). My favorite line from the book is, “The sound of a baby crying is the most stressful noise in the world.” Levi Kiem is a local handyman in his early twenties. He will be heading to Ohio in a few months to look for a bride since there is a lack of eligible women in their community. Levi puts his foot (and sometimes his whole leg) into his mouth on more than one occasion when chatting with Esther. I laughed often while reading this book. I loved Esther’s keen mind and her interest in learning how to renovate the bathroom. Levi kept trying to keep Esther from using his power tools (it was a losing battle). It sounded like she created a gorgeous bathroom floor. The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unexpected Baby is not all rainbows and sunshine. Esther’s sister, Ivy is a piece of work. She is a manipulative woman. We get to see, though, that there is always two sides to every story. Each person has their own perspective on a situation. Levi’s grandmother, Hannah is another great character. She is a quilter who has a blog with followers all over the world. It was interesting learning about pickleball. I had never heard of it before this book. I liked that the author had the Amish in this story doing things that I have not seen in any other Amish novel. I enjoyed reading this amusing and unique Amish novel. Jennifer Beckstrand did it again with The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unexpected Baby. I was sorry when the story ended. I am eager to read The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unruly In-Law. The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unexpected Baby is a charming Amish tale with quality quilts, a blubbering baby, a scheming sister, power tool turmoil, pickleball play, and a tile tour de force.

got this from my library a while ago and I loved it. I love romance very much enjoy learning about the Amish so this was a win-win

About the author

Jennifer Beckstrand is the RITA-nominated and award-winning author of the Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill and The Honeybee Sisters series, as well as a number of novellas. Novels in her Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series have been RITA® Award and RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award finalists. Huckleberry Hill won the 2014 LIME Award for inspirational fiction and Huckleberry Hearts was named a Booklist Top 10 Inspirational Fiction Book of the Year. Jennifer has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people. She and her husband have been married for thirty-three years, and she has four daughters, two sons, and seven adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten. Please visit her online at www.JenniferBeckstrand.com.