Charlotte Hubbard

Hidden Away at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard is a sweet Amish tale. I always enjoy returning to Promise Lodge. Hidden Away at Promise Lodge is the seventh novel in the Promise Lodge series. I recommend reading the series in order. It allows you to get to know the characters and how each of them came to Promise Lodge. You will also learn who created the town and why they did it. I like that it is a community of Amish and Mennonites. The Mennonites attend Amish weddings and vice versa. I show more like the camaraderie between the residents of the town. It is like they are one big family. They are, though, always happy to welcome new residents. The author has created a delightful cast of characters for this series. Two visitors to Promise Lodge do not fool a soul. Reading about Amish does not give you the knowledge to act Amish. Karen and Andi, the visitors to Promise Lodge, provided some laugh out loud moments. The lady’s knowledge of the lodge, though, may come in handy after a violent storm. Sylvia, a widow, came to Promise Lodge to die peacefully after a terrible diagnosis. Mose, a horse trainer, is glad that his twin sister has found happiness. Sylvia has caught Moses’ eye. While Mose is good with animals, he has trouble with people. Mose is an inspirational character. I enjoyed Mose and Sylvia’s story. It is sweet and inspiring. I like Charlotte Hubbard’s writing style. It is friendly and engaging. I like how faith was incorporated into the story. Prayer is a powerful tool as we see in this story. I like that we get to see how all things come together for those who serve the Lord. I like how the residents of the town worked together to help each other. The descriptions of the food will have your mouth watering. I was sorry when I turned the last page of the story. I am eager for Miracles at Promise Lodge to come out (preview at the end of Hidden Away at Promise Lodge). Hidden Away at Promise Lodge is a touching tale with wedding arrangements, two curious visitors, a devastating storm, driving Clydesdales, the power of prayer, and a favorable future. show less

Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard is the beginning of The Maidels of Morning Star series. Jo Fussner, Regina Miller, Lydianne Christner plus Mariettta and Molly Helfing are five unmarried women living in Morning Star, Missouri. The five independent ladies all have jobs that support them which is unconventional for Amish women. I liked Jo Fussner’s idea of purchasing the Clementi property and turning the run down stable into a marketplace. The community is lucky to have a kind and show more compassionate leader in Bishop Jeremiah Shetler. It is a shame the deacon and ministers are not cut from the same cloth. Regina Miller has been creating art for many years. While taking a class during her rumspringa, Regina discovered her love of watercolors. She creates realistic landscapes and has dozens of them stacked in bins in her attic studio. Regina came up with a plan to rent a stall at The Marketplace. Unfortunately, she did not count on someone figuring out her secret and blurting it out in front of others. I thought Morning Star was well-written with steady pacing. There are some great characters in this story as well as some you want to drop kick into the next county. The problem I had was with the content. We see a woman being condemned for using her God given talents to create art. These few men now attack her for her creativity. I could not stand the belittling and bullying. They want Regina to give up her independence. I just found it all wrong. I know it is a part of the Amish faith, but I found it frustrating and upsetting. If she had painted on usable objects, then it was not sinful (where is the logic in that). Please note that this is just my personal feelings to some of the content in Morning Star. I will be reading First Light in Morning Star when it comes out in December. I enjoyed the references to nearby Willow Ridge from Charlotte Hubbard’s Simple Gifts series and Seasons of the Heart series. My favorite line from Morning Stars is, “Chocolate makes everything feel better, ain’t so?” Morning Star starts off the Maidels of Morning Star series with a bang. Morning Star is an emotional tale with picturesque paintings, merry music, a booming marketplace, firm friends, and a benevolent bishop. show less

This was such a sweet Amish romance, with great characters, and a beautiful setting. I absolutely would not want to be in Lester's shoes! Marlene was such a fun character, and it was clear she and Lester were meant for each other, even if they didn't realize it at first. The rest of the characters were interesting, and I would love to visit Promise Lodge and see it in person, it sounds so beautiful. The story itself moves along smoothly, with moments that will make you smile, and ones that show more will make you giggle. As expected, faith is woven into this story, but it doesn't feel overly heavy despite this being a religious romance. If you're looking for a sweet, clean romance with a charming cast, unforgettable setting, and a bit of faith, you're going to love this one! show less

A Mother’s Love by Charlotte Hubbard is a heartwarming Amish novel. Rose Raber lives in Cedar Creek with her daughter, Gracie and her mother, Lydia. The previous fall Rose lost her father and her husband in a fire at their sawmill. Now, Rose is losing her mother to cancer. Before her mother passes away she tells Rose about a stationery box in her dresser which contains letters addressed to Rose. When Rose reads the letters, she discovers that she was adopted. In the last letter in the box, show more Anne (her birth mother) requests that Rose not look for her. Rose does not know if she can honor that request. Rose and Gracie are at the local mercantile when they run into (literally) Matthias Wagler. Matthias is a widower who is opening a harness shop in nearby Morning Star. Rose is fortunate in obtaining a position as a cook at Morning Star Senior Center. Rose and Matthias spend more time together (thanks to Gracie), and Rose finds Matthias easy to talk to. She ends up confiding in him about her birth mother and how Anne was being courted by Saul Hartzler at the time. This information puts Matthias in a sticky situation. He is familiar with Saul Hartzler of the Hartzler Carriage Company and is entering into a partnership with him. Should he tell Rose that her birth mother is nearby? The decision is taken out of Matthias hands when Anne Hartzler walks into the senior center and encounters Rose. Rose lost one mother, but she is getting a wonderful opportunity to know the woman who gave her life. They must be discrete, so Saul does not discover Anne’s secret. Morning Star is a small town, though, and it is inevitable that Saul will encounter Rose who is the spitting image of her mother. What happens when a thirty-year-old secret springs forth disrupting several lives?

A Mother’s Love is well-written and has a nice steady pace which makes for easy to read and engaging novel. I found A Mother’s Love to be an emotional novel (you might need to keep a tissue handy). I give A Mother’s Love 4 out of 5 stars. The characters are developed and realistic. Rose is going through a rough time and we can feel her emotions (the turmoil, confusion, concern, doubt, love). I did feel that she worried too much about what others would think about her actions. Gracie is a gregarious, curious and active child who easily charms every person she encounters. She will be handful when she is a teenager. A Mother’s Love is full of activity. It is amazing at how much the author packed into one story. I thought A Mother’s Love had several good messages. They include that none of us are perfect (all of us have flaws), God has a plan for our lives, good things come to those that wait (aka God’s timing not our own), and the power of prayer. We see how important it is to forgive a person, to have love in our lives, and the importance of faith. The ending is very special and leaves a person with a good feeling in their heart. A Mother’s Love is a thoughtful and heartfelt novel. show less