Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here. We’re just 15 days away from the release of my next Amish romance – An Amish Christmas Match! This is the first book in my new Sweetbrier Creek series, featuring the six Beiler brothers.
Seth Beiler, the oldest of the brothers, is actually a half brother to the other five. And he’s been more or less responsible for raising his five brothers for the last 14 years, ever since he was 16 years old. He takes this responsibility very seriously and his only escape is the time he spends in his workshop handcrafting wooden chess sets.
Phoebe Kropf has been living with undiagnosed dyslexia and is tired of the low expectations her well-meaning family and friends have for her. When she receives a request to spend 5 weeks as housekeeper for the Beilers she jumps at the chance to try to prove herself to a group of people who don’t know her and have no idea of her ‘failings’
I loved writing about these two individuals who were weighted down by their pasts and looking for a way to be recognized and appreciated for who they truly are.
Below is an excerpt from the middle of the book where Phoebe and Seth’s relationship is starting to change. The setup here is Phoebe is calling her mother for some information and she has asked Seth to accompany her to write it all down for her.
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Phoebe’s irritation faded. Mamm might think of her as a kinner, but she was patient and loving still. “Danke, but that won’t be necessary. I have someone here who will write it down for me. His name is Seth Beiler and I’m going to give him the phone now so you can speak directly to him.” And with that she passed the receiver to Seth.
As soon as Seth began speaking to her mamm Phoebe realized she should have swapped places with him and stepped outside the shanty, no matter how cold and windy it was. With him drawing closer to be able to hear her mamm and write the information down, the shanty quickly felt crowded. They weren’t touching exactly, but his presence seemed to fill the small space and she had nowhere to go.
She was surrounded by the scent of wood and stain and him, by the sound of his rich voice, by the sight of his strong hands flowing fluidly across the paper as he wrote down the addresses. Where the shanty had felt cold a moment ago, Phoebe now found it almost uncomfortably warm. She had to fight to control her breathing, to not let it turn into gasps.
These feelings were new, unexpected, unsettling. What was wrong with her?
Seth finally turned back to her and held the receiver out. “I have all the information written down. Your mamm would like to speak to you again.”
It took Phoebe a moment to react, then she quickly nodded and accepted the handset, fumbling it a moment before recovering. To her relief Seth stepped back and gave her some space. But she found she now missed his presence.
The cold air cleared her head, and she focused on the telephone. “Hello.”
From the corner of her eye she saw Seth walk off. No doubt he was in a hurry to get back to work. Hopefully he hadn’t noticed too much out of the ordinary in her reaction.
***
Seth left her to say her goodbyes and headed back to his workshop. He’d wait to address her Christmas cards for her when he went back to the house for lunch.
Right now he needed to put some distance between them.
There’d been a moment back there in the shanty when he’d felt…something. He wasn’t ready to put a name to it yet. The hitch in Phoebe’s breathing hadn’t helped things either.
But now that he’d stepped away, had had the blast of cold wind to clear his senses, he realized it had been no more than the unexpected intimacy of that small shanty. It had been inappropriate of him to step in so close and he wouldn’t make such a mistake again.
Phoebe was under his care while she was here. As he’d told Levi, she was a guest of Edna’s and her eldre had entrusted her to his care. While she was here, she was a member of his household and should be treated as such.
With that bracing thought, he had himself back under control and continued on to his workshop.
But a niggling voice in his head said he wasn’t as in control as he was telling himself he was.
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AN AMISH CHRISTMAS MATCH – Releases September 24
Can one Amish woman give a struggling widower with five rowdy brothers a helping hand—and chance at love—this Christmas season?
Phoebe Kropf knows everyone thinks she’s a bit odd—and more than a little accident-prone. She doesn’t understand why they fuss over her at home rather than see her as a bright, independent Amish woman. So when a friend asks Phoebe to help care for a house full of young men in nearby Sweetbrier Creek, she leaps at the chance to prove she’s more than her shortcomings . . .
Widower Seth Beiler is in over his head with his five orphaned brothers to care for and all the Christmas orders his woodworking shop needs to fulfill. When he asked for help with some cooking and cleaning, he wasn’t expecting a housekeeper as unconventional—or lovely—as Phoebe. Yet her warm care and fun holiday traditions win the brothers’ hearts one by one. And soon the farmhouse finally starts to feel like home again. When the Christmas season and Phoebe’s time there is nearly at an end, will Seth convince her that the greatest gift would be her staying . . . as part of their family?
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Winnie Griggs is the author of Historical (and occasionally Contemporary) romances that focus on Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace. She is also a list maker, a lover of dragonflies and holds an advanced degree in the art of procrastination.
Three of Winnie’s books have been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and one of those nominations resulted in a win.
Winnie loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her on facebook at www.facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author or email her at winnie@winniegriggs.com.
Loved the excerpt. Sounds like a lovely story.
Thanks!
Did opthalmologists/optometrists know about dyslexia during the time of this story? That’s a hard burden even now. The novel sounds intriguing.
Hi Mary. This is an Amish story set in the current day.
Where is the book set?
In Ohio in the fictional town of Sweetbrier Creek
Ooh! That story sounds wonderful!
Thanks!
I loved the excerpt. People tend to judge too harshly others who are not “normal”. Compassion goes a long way.
Thanks for those kind words about the excerpt. And yes people can be very judgmental, but people can also be very kind and forgiving
interesting
Thanks for stopping by
Sounds exactly like a book I want to read.
Is this your first Amish book, that you have written? Did you visit Amish villages as research?
Hi Diane. No this is my fourth Amish book, but it’s the first in a new series. And no I’ve tried a couple of times to get away to visit an Amish community but so far haven’t been able to make it work
This sounds wonderful with two people in need of some love.
It’s my favorite kind of story to write 🙂
It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks! And you’re quite welcome
This book sounds absolutely amazing. It is going to be a very interesting and exciting one to read. Love Amish books that are set in Ohio and Pennsylvania, because I have visited both. Thank you.
Oh, I’m more than a little jealous that you’ve been able to visit that area. And thanks for those kind words
It sounds wonderful and such a beautiful cover too!
Thanks!
It sounds like an amazing story. Looking forward to reading it.
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy!
This sounds like an interesting story, would love to read it.
Thank you for those kind words
Sounds like a lovely story, will definitely keep my eyes open for it when it releases 🙂
Thank you
The book sounds amazing. I can’t wait to read it.
I appreciate those kind words
Oh, this sounds good!!! I LOVE your books!
I appreciate the encouragement
Good afternoon, your book sounds and looks very intriguing, Thank you for the chance.
You’re quite welcome!
Can’t wait. Sounds like a really good book. I love it when people who have seemingly been overlooked, or looked down upon by their families, find that one who lifts them up and fills those empty places.
Oh Sarah you’re speaking my language now 🙂
Thanks for the excerpt. It sounds like it’s going to be a great read.
You’re quite welcome and thank you for those kind words
Sounds very intriguing. I have two brothers who are dyslexic, one taught himself to read as an adult. Also I have two daughters who are dyslexic. I pulled them out of public school and taught both of them to read using a dyslexic reading program. One of them loves to read and her favorite books are Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre.
Oh how interesting. I have a friend who’s dyslexic and she helped me quite a bit as I was writing this.
Sounds like a great story!
Thanks!
Your new Christmas book sounds fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
You’re quite welcome and I appreciate those kind words
Hi Winnie, Your new book sounds like a Awesome story, just what we need at Christmas. Seth & Phoebe sound like they are made for each other. Will add this book to my TBR list. Thanks, for the chance to win a copy.
I truly enjoyed getting to write Seth and Phoebe’s story. So glad you think it sounds like an interesting read
I am so glad dyslexia is now recognized for what it is. Our daughter is dyslexic and ADD. In the early 1980’s, neither were easily diagnosed or treated. Teachers would lose patience and get angry, not understanding why she had issues. Thankfully her piano teacher recognized what her issue was. People with this problem are as intelligent as anyone else, but when you look at a page with writing on it and it looks like shotgun scatter, it is difficult to make sense of it.
This sounds like a sweet story. Every person needs to be able to prove their worth and be accepted. Those who are overwhelmed need to know they are no alone and can accept help and affection.
I agree with everything you said. I hope I did this story Justice.
This sounds like a story that I would like to read.
SO glad you found the excerpt interesting 🙂
I love Amish fiction and the cover of your new book. Thanks for the chance to win a prize.
Thank YOU!
Just finished. Posting reviews. It is Wonderful.
Thank you!!!!