Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio by Serena Miller~~A Litfuse Publicity Group Book Review, Blog Tour and Giveaway

Love and Mystery in Sugarcreek

Rachel Troyer, lives in the middle of Sugarcreek, Ohio's Amish community. Although she is not Amish, her father was, before he chose to leave the Amish faith. After she was left orphaned when she was eleven years old, her three Amish aunts (Bertha, Lydia, and Anna) had taken her in and raised her. Now an adult, she is a police officer in the small town of Sugarcreek, and feels that it is her responsibility to take care of her elderly aunts. The problem is, they are not cooperating with her plan. They own and run a bed and breakfast style inn and they do not understand why Rachel insists they stop taking in guests.
After an accident leaves Aunt Bertha injured, Rachel insists no more guests, and they agree, but because they are strong believers in Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)  -- Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. -- they insist that they will continue to provide shelter to those that they feel that the Lord has brought to their door.

When Joe Mathews and his young son, Bobby, appear on their doorstep they desperately seem to need the help of the aunts. They allow them to stay in one of the cabins, much to Rachel's consternation. In exchange for room and board,  Joe makes himself very useful, by doing much of the work that has been needing to be done. Because of this the aunts ask him to stay and continue to work for them.

Rachel feels uneasy about Joe, and senses that something is not right about him, but just can't put her finger on what it is. Although she intends to find out. Her investigation turns up nothing and as she spends time with him she discovers that she likes Joe and his son. When she finally figures out who Joe really is, she knows her world is going to be turned upside down, and to make matters worse she has fallen in love with Joe.

The book is full of forgiveness, love, hope, romance and mystery. There were even a few surprises thrown in. Now that I have finished reading the book, I really would like to see the movie.

About the Book:

Guideposts Books is excited to announce the premiere of a new film based on the book Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (Summerside Press) by Serena Miller.

A mysterious outsider casts a long shadow on Ohio’s Amish country. Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel – Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts’ doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son, Rachel is suspicious.

Will she be able to uncover Joe’s secrets despite her aunts’ – and her own – growing affection for him?

Would you like to purchase the book?

Meet Serena:

 

 

 

Prior to writing novels, Serena Miller wrote for many periodicals, including Woman’s World, Guideposts, Billy Graham’s Decision Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Focus on the Family, Christian Woman, and The Detroit Free Press Magazine. She has spent many years partnering with her husband in full-time ministry and lives on a farm in southern Ohio near a thriving Amish community.

Serena invites you to visit her website to learn more.

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Guideposts Books is excited to announce the premiere of a new film based on the book Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (Summerside Press) by Serena Miller. The movie, produced by Mission Pictures International and filmed last fall in the actual town of Sugarcreek, will premiere on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at 7:00 PM EDT on Up TV (formerly the Gospel Music Channel). Visit the movie website for more information.

Serena and Guideposts will be celebrating with a Facebook viewing party!

Join Serena and readers on Facebook while you tune in to watch Love Finds You in Sugarcreek to share your thoughts about the movie, chat with other viewers, and win fun prizes. Just use hashtag #LFYSugarcreek to join the discussion on June 1st.

Check your local listing for UpTV (http://up.viewerlink.tv) to find out when it airs in your timezone.

Excited? Help me spread the word! Just share this link and information on your social media along with the hashtag #LFYSugarcreek! Plus, we'll be tracking the hashtag and giving away Amazon & Starbucks cards to people at random who help to promote all throughout the month of May. Winners announced at the Love Finds You in Sugarcreek viewing party on June 1st.
 

"This is so exciting for Serena Miller and Guideposts! We are thrilled that Up TV has chosen Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio to make into a movie,” said Lenore Lelah Person, vice president and editorial director of Guideposts Books and Inspirational Media. “With Serena’s wonderful story and a beautiful backdrop in Ohio Amish country, fans of the story and the series will enjoy seeing it on screen. For more information read the media release.

For those who are not familiar with the Love Finds You™ series, this will be a great opportunity to introduce them to these uplifting and engaging romances." Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio is one of more than 50 releases in the popular Love Finds You™ series uniquely titled after actual American towns with unusual but intriguing names and combines travel, romance and faith in one package. The series includes both historical and contemporary releases, and each fictional story draws on compelling history or the unique character of a real place. Stories center on romances kindled in small towns, old loves lost and found again on the high plains, and new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways. Mission Pictures has purchased the movie rights to the entire series and plans to produce additional films based on the series in the future.

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Blessings,

**Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio by Serena Miller was provided for me free by Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah's Wish by Jim Baumgardner

Come meet Sarah Smith, an amazing young lady who was orphaned after her mother's death. Granny Evans who becomes Sarah's guardian, and Dr. Baum (modeled after the author's great, great grandfather), in Sarah's Wish a Historical Novel that was written with the author's grandchildren in mind.


Set in pre-Civil War 1858 Ohio, Sarah is left with a secret too big for her to keep alone, but she must if the "packages" her mother was to deliver, gets to their destination. Sarah discovers she isn't alone with her secret, when the Pastor takes Sarah aside after church and asks about the "packages". The reader is introduced to a small portion of the Underground Railroad, experiences the fear of being questioned by slave catchers, and the joy of helping God's "least of them".

Sarah's wish? Sarah longs for a family to call her own. Will her wish come true? She wonders, hopes, and prays that it will. Then the letter arrives, and a new adventure begins, as Sarah, Granny, and Dr. Baum travels to Kentucky on a riverboat. Does Sarah get adopted into a new family? I'll let you find out when you read the book for yourself.

This book is available through through Mr.Baumgardner's website.
Sarah's Wish retails for $10.99, but the authors price is $9.99 and the shipping and handling is free.

I enjoyed working with Mr. Baumgardner. He has a wonderful personality that shines through not only his stories, but his e-mail correspondence as well.

About the Author

Born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, Jim Baumgardner resides quite literally on the old Chisholm Trail that ran from the Red River, north through Indian Territory, to the cattle towns of Kansas. Wichita is one of the original cow towns of the old west, and Jim helps keep that history alive by volunteering at the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita. His volunteer work extends both into schools and homeschool groups where he gives various programs on writing, the Underground Railroad, cowboys and trail drives, and early Wichita history.

Although Jim’s roots sink deep into Kansas, his family’s early beginnings were in Western Ohio where his great, great grandparents, John and Elizabeth were married in 1856. In 1879 their son, John Jr., left Ohio for the life of a Kansas ranch hand and cowboy. John Jr.’s son, James, after whom the author is named, followed the same course by working the land and raising cattle. Commenting on the Baumgardners Jim stated: “I’m proud of my German heritage and the work ethic passed on to me by my father and grandfathers. I come from a long line of storytellers, and it has always been fun trying to figure where the truth left off and the fiction began.”

Around age ten Jim began writing poems and songs. After reading some of Jim’s work, his father encouraged him to continue his writing. At nineteen he had his first article printed in a magazine. Forty years later at age fifty-nine his first novel, Sarah’s Wish, was published.

Mr. Baumgardner continues to reside in Wichita where he loves to stroll the dusty streets of Old Cowtown. It is there he can walk back into the Nineteenth Century and for a short time catch a glimpse of life as experienced by his grandfathers. It becomes a time to remember his roots, glean new story ideas, and never forget the hard working pioneers who contributed so much to the making of America.

~Tammi