What a beautiful story that reflects God’s love and grace. Two people lost in the world looking for a place to stay for Christmas find themselves at the quaint Bed and Breakfast. They were not expected as the family usually don’t have guests during the holidays. I loved how the family welcomed these two strangers and gave them a loving place to stay. At first not everyone is happy they have guests, but the author shows how important it is to not judge others.

Melody is about to deliver a baby and needed to get away from her parents. She isn’t well received in her community and thought it was sad to see how she was treated. Her experience is one she doesn’t want anyone to know about and I think she blames herself for the attack another had because she didn’t step forward. Out of this event a child is soon to be born. Oh how I loved that Melody never once thought of giving this child away. Now she needs to figure out how she will support herself and her baby.

Levi is hoping that he will be able to have a quiet holiday at the B&B but he soon realizes that it is not going to happen. He is still grieving the loss of his wife and child and the last thing he wants is to celebrate Christmas. His emotions are felt as he blames himself for their deaths. Guilt is eating him up and he needs to learn to let go.

I liked how Melody and Levi slowly begin a friendship and start to share their past with each other. Melody worries that Levi will be a little afraid to be around her because she feels danger. Levi is very gentle with Melody and I liked how protective he felt when he hears her story. Melody soon learns about Levi’s past and at first acted a little upset. With emotions running high in this story we witness a miracle that mirrors another very special birth. I loved how the author tied these two stories together. This is a nice book to read to learn about grace and how it heals the broken-hearted. ( )

I hadn't realized I'd read a previous book in this series until I was partway through this book. Probably my biggest complaint is that the plot just seems a bit too pat. Everyone has someone by the end of the book--life's not always like that. There's also a point in the book where Katie is apologizing to Melody and Levi is present and I'm pretty sure the author and editors made a mistake. I had to reread it a few times to make sure but Jonathan (Katie's husband) isn't mentioned in that scene except for the line where "her" hand is in Jonathan's--but the "her" seems to be Melody (which would make it Levi if I read the preceding text correctly).

It's also a little confusing to me because Katie and her family are supposedly Amish, but there is a reference made to a phone at the Inn as well as a few other things that I associate more with Mennonites than Amish.

WARNING: THE REMAINDER OF THE REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. READ ON AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION
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The Inn is normally quiet at Christmas so the family has decided to have a family get together for a week. Katie is looking forward to a shopping outing with her sister-in-law, Anna, and to the family being together alone. I can understand her feelings when the shopping trip gets cancelled at the last minute and when unexpected guests come into the family celebration. I think it's one of the reasons why I rarely let myself look forward to things like that--I seem to get cancelled on at the last minute often enough. Like Katie, it's often hard for me to hide the feeling that come up when plans are changed.

Levi has painful memories of Christmases past and is trying to escape them. His letter requesting a reservation takes a detour or two and arrives at the Inn on the day the shopping excursion was to happen, and since Anna then needs to get a room ready, she can't go on the shopping trip.

Melody is given a gift certificate to the Inn by her employer, who feels she needs to rest, and apparently just makes arrangements to go without ever making a reservation. (As Levi points out, the family should make note on their reservation info. if they plan to not host guests on certain dates.) She's within 3 weeks of her due date, so I'm really not sure she should have traveled that far at all. There are some circumstances that make her feel less than peaceful in her hometown.

Leah is Melody's coworker and friend (though not Amish). She decides to drive up to the Inn to be with Melody during Christmas (leaving her own mom behind in Kentucky). She meets Zach, a police officer, during a pile up on the highway and they have an immediate connection.

So we have the elder Brennermans who have been married for a while; Katie, their daughter, who's recently married to Jonathan Lundy (a widower who has two daughters from his first marriage) and recently gave birth to their first child, Eli--plus she thinks she's pregnant again; Henry, Katie's brother, who's married to Anna (who converted to Amish because of her love for him); Winnie, Jonathan's sister, who's married to Samuel; Melody and Levi, who meet at the Inn and come to care for one another; Leah and Zach who meet and fall in love in the space of a few days--See what I mean when I say everyone has someone?

I don't think Leah and Zach could truly know they are meant for each other in the space of only a few days. It would still be the infatuation stage in real life. And yes, the attraction should be explored to see if it builds into a lifelong love, but . . . well, it's fiction and you know they're going for the happily ever after ending.

I preferred how Melody and Levi went about it a bit more since they each went back to their respective homes (in two different states) and wrote letters to each other to get to know each other better--but Levi going and asking her to marry him still seemed a bit rushed to me as far as length of time. Levi's been in love before but Melody has not--so how does she know this is true love? ( )

I do not really now how I feel about this book. Though I can feel about being afraid of something or for the Mel and Katie in their situation. But I did learned that you do need to let your burrens to the lord and let me guide you and do has is will. I have hoping and praying that he will bring that person to me as well. I do hope you read this series if you have not I would and then again either way I hope you enjoy it. ( )

I do not really now how I feel about this book. Though I can feel about being afraid of something or for the Mel and Katie in their situation. But I did learned that you do need to let your burrens to the lord and let me guide you and do has is will. I have hoping and praying that he will bring that person to me as well. I do hope you read this series if you have not I would and then again either way I hope you enjoy it. ( )

This feel-good Amish Christmas story is not all goodness and light. Though a happy ending is predictable, there are still tragedies and sad happenings that are referenced in the novel. The characters are likable and plot is interesting though not complicated. Still, there are secrets to be revealed and feelings to be explored and acknowledged. An entertaining but not great read. ( )