Customer Reviews

Christmas in Sugarcreek: A Christmas Seasons of Sugarcreek Novel

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Judith Garber has always been there to help her family whenever they needed her and little thought was given to what Judith really needed. Love, attention and a man of her own. Well less then two weeks before Christmas Ben Knox who had disappeared from Sugarcreek suddenly returns and with ten days left till Christmas winds up working in the store with Judith and her father and other family members. Thru those ten days we learn about the life the loves and the events that take place in there family and with other relatives.

Christmas is a time for thanks and this is one year Judith will not only give thanks but truly appreciate the true meaning of the season and not only for Jesus' birth. Now she will have all the things she always wanted plus a feeling of belonging and having found love the town and people of Sugarland look even better and to make the story even more interesting there is a Gift of the Magi story intertwined a truly enjoyable book and hopefully you wont have to wait till Christmas to read it.

I have not read any of the Sugarcreek novels before, so this is my first. The writing is simple. I know that many people reading this will not specifically care about the writing style but as an educator, that is one of the first things that I notice.
The story is also a sweet love story. The only thing off-putting for this reader is the use of the Amish dialect that makes some of the reading a bit difficult. Many books use language as it is spoken in a certain community or country and often times I find this makes the reading a bit "hard going" at times. Maybe the word "tedious" might be more appropriate.
There is only one innuendo that is of an adult nature in that there is a reference that makes one think that one of the characters had a baby out of wedlock. Otherwise, the story of somewhat innocent love and the details of Amish everyday life are enchanting. I think that this would be a good book for anyone regardless of age from tweens on up. Even my 74 year old mother enjoyed the story.

Christmas In Sugarcreek is a most predictable story line. Boy meets girl. Boy and Girl fall in love. As predictable as the story is, insight into the Amish values and way of life is shown through the Christmas holiday season. Amazon made this book possible for me in my search to better understand the Amish community.Christmas in Sugarcreek: A Christmas Seasons of Sugarcreek Novel

"Christmas in Sugarcreek" is the last book of the Sugarcreek series - something I didn't know before reading it. There are many references to the back stories of the characters, but I feel I really didn't miss much, creating an enjoyable story as it stands.

This light read is sweet, cozy and predictable - something I expect from a Christmas story. Covering two budding romances in the same Amish family, it touches on some interesting themes: pride, shame, grudges, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Recommended for the Amish fiction or Christmas fiction reader, this book will appeal to ages teen through adult.

A lovely little story of the Graber family with two children dealing with their first loves. Judith has always been obedient; helps mother at home with children, housework and cooking plus works all day in the family store. When her father hires Ben Knox, a confused and broken young man, Knox worries he is too undisciplined for Judith and she feels she is too plain. Sparks fly anyway.

Caleb thought of leaving his faith(Amish) but stayed with his family and now works at a brick factory. He has fallen in love with the beautiful, Rebecca, who hides secrets of shame.

Robert is Amish and Lilly is an Englisher. When they marry they compromise by becoming Mennonites. Huge changes to live out and Lilly worries constantly. Their storyline is "borrowed" from O'Henry's, "The Gift of the Magi." Sweet, but I love the O'Henry's version. One of my favorite Christmas stories ever.

I got this book for a Christmas read but realized I plopped down into a well read series. I felt a bit uncomfortable; won't go back and read the others that came first and come after. Enjoyed the read, but don't feel totally invested.

Cozy, sweet, comfortable. Relaxing for the holiday season.

I liked this book more than I thought I would. As someone who reads more hard-core romance novels, like those of Rachel Gibson or Lori Foster, an Amish book is going to seem ridiculously tame. But I found the story to be sweet. I've always liked to read Christmas themed stories, usually a little closer to Christmas to get in the mood.

Like some other reviewers, I get annoyed with the Amish words sprinkled in this and other Amish stories I've read. There's just no reason for it. If the intent is to teach us some basic words, the author could include a little glossary in the back.

My other criticism is the so-called obstacle that keeps the hero and heroine apart, which is basically non-existent. It's just Ben's feelings of not being a good enough man. Ben and Judith are both single, he owns a house, they have known each other for years - there's really nothing for the reader to root to for them to overcome.

On the positive side, all the characters are likable. I liked that there were three stories going on simultaneously. Judith's brother is also falling in love, and we get to watch that unfold. The other couple is already married and adjusting to each other's different backgrounds. I'm not sure, but I think their story may have been told in a previous book in the series.

All in all, I would recommend this wholesome story to anyone.

Judith Graber has always done what her family wants whether it is working in the family store, cooking, cleaning the house, or babysitting her younger siblings. But she sometimes thinks that no one cares about what she wants - which is to find someone she loves. Ben Knox, long considered a "bad boy" in the Amish community, is back in Sugarcreek - just long enough to sell his family's home. However, his plans may change as he grows closer to Judith and her family. Will both Ben and Judith find the love they've been looking for?

"Christmas in Sugarcreek" is the first book I've read in Shelley Shepard Gray's Seasons of Sugarcreek series, but it won't be the last. Although this is part of a series, I never felt lost and I quickly became caught up with the various characters. Set in the Amish and Mennonite communities, the novel has several plot lines. Newly married Lilly Miller is determined to be the perfect wife (even if she can't cook) and is searching for just the right gift for her husband Robert. Judith's brother Caleb loves Rebecca Yoder but wonders what secrets she is keeping from him. And there is the main plotline involving Judith and Ben. All of these are nicely done as three people - Ben, Lilly, and Rebecca - all struggle with feeling that they don't deserve love. Rebecca and Ben's story lines are especially moving. Ben is a particularly interesting character, not as "bad" as he pretends to be and it interesting to read as Gray slowly reveals various aspects of his character. The romance between Ben and Judith is very sweet. The Christmas setting is nice (Gray starts the book ten days before Christmas and ends it the day after) and it is always interesting to read how the Amish celebrate Christmas. The whole Amish setting is very nicely done.

"Christmas in Sugarcreek" is a nicely done novel and a perfect read for the holidays.

My wife read this book, enjoyed it and asked me to post this review to encourage others to read it.

Although this is the first book in the Sugarcreek series I have read, reading the others is not necessary to fully enjoy the book.

Although the story is somewhat typical:

* Boy [Ben]leaves town amid rumors
* Returns years later after parents are gone to sell the homestead
* Goes to work in a family own store in Sugarcreek 2 weeks before Christmas
* Falls for daughter of the owner [Judith](whom he knew in high school)
* Judith realizes that Ben was not the trouble maker people thought he was
* And, of course -- Ben and Judith fall in love

I loved the plot and enjoyed how the author wove other characters in and out of the story to show the importance of family in the Amish community.

My only criticism is that I did not care for the Amish dialect intertwined within the book. It didn't add value to the book and -- instead -- made a good book a bit harder to read. That said, most readers will find it to be a very enjoyable book, one that will help get them in the mood for a joyous and loving Christmas season.

Sheila B. Scott

I love visiting Sugarcreek!

The characters are so believable, you can cry along with them and feel their joy, too. Shelley has a way of letting you really get to know everyone in the story, whether they're a main character or a side character. Everyone in her stories has a vital role in the entire novel. Oh and reading about Christmas in the middle of August was a JOY! It's been 100 degrees here and reading about snow and Christmas and the Birth of our Lord just made me anxious for December. I've read most of Shelley's books and LOVE them all - keep on writing, Shelley!

There have been tons of these Amish books to hit the market in the past few years and in my own local Amish market I have picked up a few and read the back, but this is the first one I've actually read. And being this is the first, it's hard to review it being I have suddenly discovered I am not a big fan of these Amish books. If you do like these books, love this style and type of book don't read on, but if this is your first time keep going.

Ok, well, I disliked the massive use of German peppered throughout the book. I would just assume that when these characters are talking to themselves they are speaking in German and only speak in English when speaking to "English" or anyone non-Amish. The problems of these people are very very small, house work, having to go home alone, etc and even the problems that are big, like issues of leaving the faith, abusive parents the are handled in a way that makes them not seem like real problems. Maybe if I have not spent so much time around real Amish people I would be interested in this but the whole thing just seems sugar coated. This tells you about Amish people as much as McDonald's tells you about American food. There is nothing intrinsically wrong about this sweet sugar coated tale with it's small problems and easy answers but it just isn't for me. I am sure that someone younger or totally devoid of knowledge about the Amish might be interested but I would rather have a story about real characters instead of these idealized cardboard cut outs.

3 Stars.