A Christmas Haven {Review}

Raised Old Order Amish, Ivy Zook dreams of leaving the community.  Although she loves her family, party planning is her passion... one the requires modern conveniences like WIFI and websites.  When she shares her plans with her mother, Ivy finds that her timing can be tricky for her sister Holly's impending wedding.  

At the same time, Arlan and his sister, Magda, arrive in town.  Brother and sister seeking refuge from a strict sect, the two find themselves a haven with the Zooks.  There Magda begins to recover from a difficult pregnancy and Arlan helps on the farm.  While both Arlan and Ivy wrestle with the guidelines of their religion, they also struggle to understand the other's viewpoint.  How can one sect differ so much from another?  And what does God want for both their lives?  

Although this book is written as a sequel to The Christmas Remedy, A Christmas Haven reads well as a stand alone book, the characters beautifully brought to life and the storyline engaging.  Cindy and Erin Woodsmall did a great job illustrating the differences between the Swartzentruber Amish and the Old Order Amish, something that I didn't know about prior to this book.  It was interesting to see how the different orders view life, God, and religion.  I was drawn into the book pretty quickly, especially when I realized what a desperate situation Arlan and Magda were in.  Although there were parts of the story that were predictable, the authors did keep me guessing on a few key points and I thoroughly enjoyed A Christmas Haven right up to the end.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.