Annie and Levi have very different dreams and are at odds with each other. That’s all right when they are barely friends, but happens when they fall in love? This story illustrates the conflicts that occur when each tries to hold on to their dreams, and what happens when an accident nearly snatches those dreams away. Who will make the sacrifice, and if it’s true love, is it really a sacrifice? It’s a lovely romance, even if the ending is a bit contrived, and no one should complain about a happy ending. ( )

The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman is the fourth novel in Indiana Amish Brides series. Each book in this series can be read on its own, but I have found each one a pleasure to read. I thought The Amish Christmas Matchmaker was a unique and creative story. Annie Kauffmann co-owns Plain & Simple Weddings with Englischer, Priscilla. They provide the wedding meal for Amish weddings with their portable kitchen and are quite successful. Then Levi Lapp wearing his cowboy boots and hat comes to town and starts touting Texas to recruit Amish families for a new settlement. When Annie sees that gleam in her father’s eye, she knows he is considering the move. Annie sets out to derail Levi by convincing him to go out on dates with some of her friends. Annie hopes he will fall in love and forget about faraway Texas. I had to laugh at Levi with his cowboy hat and boots spouting numerous facts about Texas. Thanks to Vannetta Chapman’s word imagery, I could picture him in my head. This is such a cute story featuring two very different people, but they do say that opposites attract. We see the importance of praying for guidance and listening to God. Sometimes we get so caught up in an idea, that we forget to see if it is what God wants for us. The Amish Christmas Matchmaker is an engaging story that will hold your attention until you turn the very last page. I appreciated the epilogue which nicely wrapped up this cute story. The only thing I felt was lacking from this charming tale was the feeling of Christmas. The Amish Christmas Matchmaker is an amusing Amish romance with Texas trivia, wondrous weddings, fabulous food along with one willful woman and a fanciful fellow. ( )

Good story about two people who have very definite and very different dreams for their futures. Annie has her booming wedding business in the town where she grew up, close to friends and family. She loves helping others achieve their happily-ever-afters even if she has given up on one of her own. Levi is a visitor to their community. He wants to start an Amish community in Texas, fulfilling a dream he's had since he was a child. Being a romance, you know how the story will end, but the journey on this one was full of ups and downs.

I liked both Annie and Levi, though there were times that both of them irritated me. Annie is kind, giving, loves her family, and is more than a little bit stubborn. Her roots go deep in her family's land, its branches extending to her nearby brothers and sisters and their families, as well as the people she's known all her life. I loved her friendship with her Englisch business partner and the unexpected side of Annie that Priscilla reveals later in the book. Annie is not at all pleased with the arrival of Levi Lapp, in his ridiculous boots and silly cowboy hat, with his plans to recruit members of her community to start a new settlement in Texas. She's furious when he turns his sights on her father and brother. Levi is a hard worker, cheerful and charming, and focused on the future. He dreamed of returning to Texas since he was fourteen and his family moved from there to Indiana then to Pennsylvania. When his relative Old Simon in Indiana agrees to be a minister for the new community, Levi knows the time is right. He arrives in Goshen full of confidence and big plans, only to run into a brick wall named Annie.

There were sparks between Annie and Levi from the beginning. Annie made no secret of her disapproval of his plan to tempt people away from Goshen to Texas; she was nearly rude about it. I was impressed by Levi's patience with her attitude. Though it visibly amused him most of the time, there were a few times that it didn't, such as the meeting with the local bishop. Levi doesn't let it get him down for long, which leads Annie to more desperate measures. She talks him into going out with a friend of hers, hoping that he'll fall in love and give up on going to Texas. It backfires a bit when everyone around them sees the sparks and assumes that Levi and Annie are interested in each other. They decide to go on a few fake dates to show everyone how wrong they are for each other, but even that doesn't go as planned. Except for their visions for the future, Annie and Levi find that they like each other quite a lot. I enjoyed their lively banter and seeing them eventually stop fighting. It's easy to see the feelings grow between them, but the main obstacle is still there. It takes a near tragedy to make them look at what is possible if they both want to make it happen. The scene in the hospital room was incredibly emotional as they realize any problem can be overcome if they do it together. The three-years-later epilogue was great.

My only real complaint in the story was that there were several mentions of troubles between Levi and his family, but no details. I got the feeling that those problems were a big part of what drove Levi's dreams, and some details would have helped in understanding his determination. ( )

This is a different twist on an Amish story, and yes, I enjoyed it. That being said I knew the ending early on, but it was an interesting journey getting there, and a few surprises.
When the person you love is almost taken from you, sometimes you wake up and realize what is really important!
I did love the epilogue at the end of the book, it really makes me want to carry on in the lives of these characters.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )

“The Amish Christmas Matchmaker” relates the story of two people who are quite determined not to become attracted to each other. Other strong themes include starting a new Amish settlement in a distant location, and Amish business women and their businesses. I thoroughly enjoyed the byplay between the two main characters. The plot moves along logically and quickly, with an ending that wraps everything up nicely. The Christian aspect is an integral part of the story, and quite naturally woven through the decisions being made by the characters.

The title might be somewhat misleading, since the Christmas and matchmaker ideas form a small part of the novel. There is definitely more focus on the business and relocating aspects.

Readers who enjoy a rollicking good, humorous story with great characterizations will enjoy this novel.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )