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A Winter Heart
A WINTER HEART, A Sexy Amish Historical Novella
Hannah Peachy has nurtured a winter heart since she lost her family in a carriage accident she caused. Caleb Skylar struggles with the horror of his wife’s suspicious death, and his six-year-old daughter’s memory-induced nightmares. When Caleb aimlessly pulls up stakes and leaves his home forever, Anyah Peachy, the spirit of Hannah’s earthbound twin, leads him straight to Hannah. But how can two bruised souls accept love as a reward for their transgressions?
First appeared in the anthology The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance under the title "Jonquils in the Snow"
Hannah Peachy has nurtured a winter heart since she lost her family in a carriage accident she caused. Caleb Skylar struggles with the horror of his wife’s suspicious death, and his six-year-old daughter’s memory-induced nightmares. When Caleb aimlessly pulls up stakes and leaves his home forever, Anyah Peachy, the spirit of Hannah’s earthbound twin, leads him straight to Hannah. But how can two bruised souls accept love as a reward for their transgressions?
First appeared in the anthology The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance under the title "Jonquils in the Snow"
89 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
88 people are currently reading
356 people want to read
About the author
Annette Blair
43 books1,007 followersAnnette Blair's romantic comedies owe their beginnings to a root canal and a reluctant trip to Salem Massachusetts. Though she had once proclaimed she'd never write a contemporary, she stumbled into the serendipitous role of Accidental Witch Writer on that trip. Funny how she managed to eat her words even with an aching jaw. Magic or destiny; Annette's Bewitching Romantic Comedies became her first National Bestsellers.
Her August '07 release, SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, the first in her Triplet Witch Trilogy, hit the #1 bestselling spot for contemporary romance-humorous on Barnes & Noble. It also hit B & N's overall bestseller lists for mass market and fiction mass market and #7 for romance mass market, topping Nielsen BookScan and Borders Bestseller lists as well.
Her August '07 release, SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, the first in her Triplet Witch Trilogy, hit the #1 bestselling spot for contemporary romance-humorous on Barnes & Noble. It also hit B & N's overall bestseller lists for mass market and fiction mass market and #7 for romance mass market, topping Nielsen BookScan and Borders Bestseller lists as well.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 29, 2014
This is a novella book and I now know that if I ever see the word "Sensual" along with Amish to skip and not read.
According to the author she "researched" the Amish, "interviewed" the Amish, "walked with them", ... All the verbs were past tense. She also writes "I didn't know about the Christian Romance Market, so I wrote Sensual Amish Historical Romances, where love between a man and a woman is expressed." I believe you get what she means by expressed .
I had skipped over several free temporarily books on Amazon marked Amish Sensual Romance but finally decided to try one. I won't be trying another.
Be aware that below is a spoiler.
I give it two stars because she writes pretty well. I liked the idea of these main characters in the book and it wasn't until Caleb, supposedly a strong Amish man of faith who would do anything for his daughter, came up with how he will persuade Hannah to marry him. Actually he has to come up with a way to get her father, the Bishop, to okay the marriage.
The idea is so anti-Amish, I wonder who Ms.Blair talked to in the Amish community. He tells her father on a Sunday when the church service is about to be held that Hannah is pregnant. By him. Hannah has to do a kneeling confession. I really had a big problem with this solution as this is one sin that can definitely can be called for a shunning of both parties. And Caleb is new to the community. Hannah's father is so strict and always has been. Caleb knows this. It's just a stupid thought that a strict parent is going to overlook this.
In the same service where they are "forgiven" and then MARRIED without bans. Her big punishment. She can't have a wedding dinner.Really???
She & Caleb with his daughter drive home with just a little stop on the way where Caleb does a frontal "grabbie" WITH HIS DAUGHTER IN THE BUGGY! Oh please! Then they team up to get this little girl who hasn't slept through the night for two years go fall asleep. Hannah is going to show her how to make cookies, cook a great big wedding feast, and clean house.
ALL THIS ON A SUNDAY! The Amish do not work on Sunday. They do not cook on Sunday. By this time I was skimming the rest of the novella.
What the author has done is write a standard heavy sensual romance novel and use the Amish as her characters. Apparently she thinks using some German words, putting Hannah as the one-room Amish schoolteacher, driving in buggies. Writing an Amish romance book is more than that. These two people are Amish. Both have taken their "vows". Both have been hurt tremendously by the death of their prior spouses who never loved them.
That does NOT mean they've thrown out the Ordung with the dirty dish water.
According to the author she "researched" the Amish, "interviewed" the Amish, "walked with them", ... All the verbs were past tense. She also writes "I didn't know about the Christian Romance Market, so I wrote Sensual Amish Historical Romances, where love between a man and a woman is expressed." I believe you get what she means by expressed .
I had skipped over several free temporarily books on Amazon marked Amish Sensual Romance but finally decided to try one. I won't be trying another.
Be aware that below is a spoiler.
I give it two stars because she writes pretty well. I liked the idea of these main characters in the book and it wasn't until Caleb, supposedly a strong Amish man of faith who would do anything for his daughter, came up with how he will persuade Hannah to marry him. Actually he has to come up with a way to get her father, the Bishop, to okay the marriage.
The idea is so anti-Amish, I wonder who Ms.Blair talked to in the Amish community. He tells her father on a Sunday when the church service is about to be held that Hannah is pregnant. By him. Hannah has to do a kneeling confession. I really had a big problem with this solution as this is one sin that can definitely can be called for a shunning of both parties. And Caleb is new to the community. Hannah's father is so strict and always has been. Caleb knows this. It's just a stupid thought that a strict parent is going to overlook this.
In the same service where they are "forgiven" and then MARRIED without bans. Her big punishment. She can't have a wedding dinner.Really???
She & Caleb with his daughter drive home with just a little stop on the way where Caleb does a frontal "grabbie" WITH HIS DAUGHTER IN THE BUGGY! Oh please! Then they team up to get this little girl who hasn't slept through the night for two years go fall asleep. Hannah is going to show her how to make cookies, cook a great big wedding feast, and clean house.
ALL THIS ON A SUNDAY! The Amish do not work on Sunday. They do not cook on Sunday. By this time I was skimming the rest of the novella.
What the author has done is write a standard heavy sensual romance novel and use the Amish as her characters. Apparently she thinks using some German words, putting Hannah as the one-room Amish schoolteacher, driving in buggies. Writing an Amish romance book is more than that. These two people are Amish. Both have taken their "vows". Both have been hurt tremendously by the death of their prior spouses who never loved them.
That does NOT mean they've thrown out the Ordung with the dirty dish water.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2014
Caleb Skylar fleas with his daughter Susie after the death of his wife as the memories and ghosts of the past become too much for him. He is being guided by the mysterious vision of a prancing and twirling young girl. He doesn’t understand the apparition but is nevertheless comforted by it. She leads him westward from his abandoned home in Pennsylvania to (hopefully) a new one in Ohio. When his hallucination stopped at Dovercrest Farm, he knew this would be their new home. Hannah Peachy, also of the Amish, wants to sell her farm for the same reasons Caleb fled from his; bad memories. She too had recently buried the two only worthwhile people and the farm (indeed the entire community) served as a constant daily reminder of her loss. When Caleb and Hannah meet, the reader is in no doubt that the two are meant for each other; the only task yet remaining is to convince them of the obvious. The mystery, wholesomeness and old world values of the Amish are tastefully exposed and presented. Love, loss and guilt are the driving forces behind this beautiful domestic story. In the time setting of the tale (1873) the lifestyle differences with the outside world are not as radical as today. The same can be said for the family values. I find the story both refreshing and inspirational and feel sure many others will share my opinion. A Winter Heart is sure to work its magic on all that read it.
March 13, 2017
This is the first story I've read by Annette Blair, and I really liked it. It is listed as an Amish historical because it is set in 1873. After the tragic death of his wife, Caleb Skylar pulls up stakes and travels from Pennsylvania to Ohio with his six year old daughter who has terrible nightmares about losing her mother. Hoping to start a new life and put aside bad memories, Caleb arrives at a farm house where he feels led to stop. After knocking on the door and getting no answer, he sees a woman kneeling in a graveyard across the way. There he meets Hannah Peachy who has suffered the loss of her family in a carriage accident that she feels she caused. Hannah is selling the farm and has moved to a small house down the hill. Caleb is so drawn to this home that he immediately offers to buy it. So begins the relationship of two people struggling to overcome personal tragedy, forgive themselves, and find hope in the future.
Although this was a short novella, Blair quickly brings the reader into the story and makes you care about these characters. Their story is simply, but believably told with heartfelt emotion. I didn't want to put it down. One annoying aspect was the mix up of names and times on a number of occasions - examples : Hannah's last name and two weeks for two months. It happened enough to be bothersome, but was easily corrected in my mind. I would encourage better editing and hope such errors are not indicative of Blair's work, as I would like to read more by her. I did not let these mistakes affect my rating.
Although this was a short novella, Blair quickly brings the reader into the story and makes you care about these characters. Their story is simply, but believably told with heartfelt emotion. I didn't want to put it down. One annoying aspect was the mix up of names and times on a number of occasions - examples : Hannah's last name and two weeks for two months. It happened enough to be bothersome, but was easily corrected in my mind. I would encourage better editing and hope such errors are not indicative of Blair's work, as I would like to read more by her. I did not let these mistakes affect my rating.
November 15, 2019
I truly enjoyed reading this Book.
Hannah Peachy & Caleb Skyler's Journey to HEA was a Wonderful, Beautiful & Romantic.
I never paid attention to anything that was said about the Amish. To hear the language they speak & read a little about how their lives was Intriguing. I actually looked up more information about the Amish. I still don't understand why they live the way they do. I can understand being faithful to God, albeit I don't understand why they live without electricity or plumbing.
Hannah Peachy & Caleb Skyler's Journey to HEA was a Wonderful, Beautiful & Romantic.
I never paid attention to anything that was said about the Amish. To hear the language they speak & read a little about how their lives was Intriguing. I actually looked up more information about the Amish. I still don't understand why they live the way they do. I can understand being faithful to God, albeit I don't understand why they live without electricity or plumbing.
February 12, 2018
This is the third book of the author's I have read, and each one of her books make me enjoy her writing more.
April 13, 2021
Fast paced
This fast paced, sensual Amish romance is what a great book is all about! I look forward to more of Annette Blair's other books. The excerpts included are intriguing.
This fast paced, sensual Amish romance is what a great book is all about! I look forward to more of Annette Blair's other books. The excerpts included are intriguing.
September 19, 2021
A Winter Heart
I love this book although it was short and sweet it was very romantic this author really knows how to write a romantic story of the Amish people.
I love this book although it was short and sweet it was very romantic this author really knows how to write a romantic story of the Amish people.
February 10, 2022
Very sweet story line. Two broken hearts, finding each other to heal.
September 13, 2022
Love
I loved these stories so much. They made me cry. The only problem was I didn't get to read the ending of them.
I loved these stories so much. They made me cry. The only problem was I didn't get to read the ending of them.
November 30, 2015
A short novella that I couldn't put down. Living near the Amish, and knowing several as friends, this book shows more than what most people think about them. A warm, loving romance, while sensual shows the Amish do have wonderful marriages, despite the strict life they live. There are exceptions, some times, but you wouldn't know it. Being a reader of Amish fiction, I really enjoyed reading Annette Blair's book, and look forward to others. A gentle and heart-warming read!
From Amazon:
A WINTER HEART, A Sensual Amish Historical Novella.
1873, Ohio Amish Settlement, Sugarcreek. The ghostly spirit of Hannah Peachy’s identical twin leads a lost widower and his child to her sad sister's door. Hannah Peachy has nurtured a winter heart since her family died in a buggy accident she believes she caused. Caleb Skylar struggles with guilt over his wife’s death and his six-year-old daughter’s memory-induced nightmares. Can two bruised souls accept love as a reward for their transgressions?
From Amazon:
A WINTER HEART, A Sensual Amish Historical Novella.
1873, Ohio Amish Settlement, Sugarcreek. The ghostly spirit of Hannah Peachy’s identical twin leads a lost widower and his child to her sad sister's door. Hannah Peachy has nurtured a winter heart since her family died in a buggy accident she believes she caused. Caleb Skylar struggles with guilt over his wife’s death and his six-year-old daughter’s memory-induced nightmares. Can two bruised souls accept love as a reward for their transgressions?
July 19, 2016
**I received this book as an ARC of the "Once Upon a Bride" Anthology in exchange for my honest review**
Caleb Skylar is running from his past. He pulls up stakes and moves to the small town of Sugar Creek Ohio with his young daughter. Hannah Peachy has been mourning the loss of her family for two years. Can these two people find redemption and love?
I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first. After all, how many "sensual Amish romances" are there really? How many of those are truly enjoyable? This author tells a convincing story. I give it 3/5 stars only because the storyline could have used a little more development. I would've liked to have read more about these characters. This story could've easily been adapted for a full length novel.
Caleb Skylar is running from his past. He pulls up stakes and moves to the small town of Sugar Creek Ohio with his young daughter. Hannah Peachy has been mourning the loss of her family for two years. Can these two people find redemption and love?
I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first. After all, how many "sensual Amish romances" are there really? How many of those are truly enjoyable? This author tells a convincing story. I give it 3/5 stars only because the storyline could have used a little more development. I would've liked to have read more about these characters. This story could've easily been adapted for a full length novel.
May 1, 2015
What I enjoyed the most in A Winter Heart was the way the author dealt with the grief of both main characters and Susie. Yes they were Amish and had certain beliefs but they were also two people that had suffered the anguish of the death of a spouse and in her case her twin sister and unborn child. Caleb was dealing with the way his child of five deals with grief from the loss of her mother.
When they started talking about the people that had passed and the guilt caused by the deaths; they found they could help each other, as they understood what the other one felt and had suffered. Add the ghost of Hannah's twin, her angry father, the bishop and lots of love for a good story.
When they started talking about the people that had passed and the guilt caused by the deaths; they found they could help each other, as they understood what the other one felt and had suffered. Add the ghost of Hannah's twin, her angry father, the bishop and lots of love for a good story.
August 26, 2014
The actual story ended at about 65% on my kindle, making this more of a short story than a novella, I think. And, for once, I think it could have used a bit more space --- everything happened awfully quickly.
That said, I really enjoyed what was there. Just like many of us wouldn't want to read historical fiction that hasn't had the racism and other issues of the day removed, most Amish books are too Christian for my taste. (Yes, you can laugh now, Heather.) This more mainstream version was much enjoyed.
That said, I really enjoyed what was there. Just like many of us wouldn't want to read historical fiction that hasn't had the racism and other issues of the day removed, most Amish books are too Christian for my taste. (Yes, you can laugh now, Heather.) This more mainstream version was much enjoyed.
November 13, 2014
Annette Blair. Amish
A Winter Heart.
This religion has always intrigued me why? I don't know maybe because of their simple way of life and the fact that they help each other through the hard times. Hannah has lost her husband and the rest of her family, she meets up with Caleb and his daughter Susie, he lost his wife in mysterious circumstances . Can these two lost souls have a future together, can Hannah bring up Calebs six year old daughter. This story will brighten up your heart and soul.
4 stars. 13 November 2014.
A Winter Heart.
This religion has always intrigued me why? I don't know maybe because of their simple way of life and the fact that they help each other through the hard times. Hannah has lost her husband and the rest of her family, she meets up with Caleb and his daughter Susie, he lost his wife in mysterious circumstances . Can these two lost souls have a future together, can Hannah bring up Calebs six year old daughter. This story will brighten up your heart and soul.
4 stars. 13 November 2014.
June 17, 2016
This was my first Amish read. I enjoyed the story and the depth of the characters. I liked the love and care that Caleb and Hannah showed toward Susie and each other. Both having experienced loss, they were able to grasp the emotions and needs of the other. I got a little irritated with the choppiness of some of the conversations, especially in the first chapter. It seemed to smooth out a little towards the end. Maybe it's the dialect?
I received a free review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2014
This story was really too short to feel a strong attachment to either Caleb or Hannah. Their past marriages were certainly tragic and made them understandably shy of committing again but the relationship wasn't well developed at all--clearly rushed. Nothing was ever clearly resolved with Susie's nightmares/screaming tendencies nor was there any explanation on Hannah's father's kindness at the end.
April 26, 2013
This book was good as a novella however would have been great had it been a full length novel. I think this book would have been incredibly good if it had been longer, giving the author more time for character development and the storyline. Nevertheless I did enjoy this book. It was a sweet romance with an equally sweet HEA ending.
April 10, 2016
I liked the story, I did. What I didn't like was the setting. This did not need to be Amish. It needed to be set in the 1800's or something like that. I did not think the characters spoke (most of the time) like Amish.
If you want a quick love story this is it. There is a sex scene, just so you know.
If you want a quick love story this is it. There is a sex scene, just so you know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2016
Poignant, beautiful story of love and loss
Simply, but beautifully written in keeping with the Amish background and the period I which this takes place. I liked the easy way this story unfolds, but felt the sadness and guilt of both characters. I think I will look for more books in this genre and by this author.
Simply, but beautifully written in keeping with the Amish background and the period I which this takes place. I liked the easy way this story unfolds, but felt the sadness and guilt of both characters. I think I will look for more books in this genre and by this author.
January 4, 2015
Love, loss, guilt and a new-found love is the theme behind this sweet story. Some of the more negative reviews have been about the "sensual" aspect of the story. It was tastefully done and without it, I feel it would have been a very poor and boring storyline.
January 29, 2015
3 stars because it's a short story. Another very well written romance. The story really tugs at your heart strings, very soul searching. Calab, His daughter Susie and Hannah help each other in their respective grief. A lovely HEA
December 12, 2015
A romance novel.
The story line of the book was very interesting. I did not like how she wrote in-depth about the sexual aspects of it. I do not feel that this is how the Amish feel about it.
The story line of the book was very interesting. I did not like how she wrote in-depth about the sexual aspects of it. I do not feel that this is how the Amish feel about it.
February 24, 2013
As a novella it was good. But as novella's go they are short and have no depth. Did still have all that it needed. Hannah & Xaleb do get their stories out and we can feel their connection.
April 18, 2013
Good,short and fast read. Little sappy at times. But shows the real Amish ways. Loved it and would have liked more.
November 13, 2014
Not a big fan of Amish romances, it wasn't a bad story just not one of my favorites.
June 17, 2014
A quick and easy read. More of a review to come.
Want to read
June 20, 2014Free 06-20-14 (Romance Short)
http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Heart-Am...
http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Heart-Am...
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July 21, 2014This is the first Amish Romance novel I've ever read. I liked it!
September 9, 2014
Somehow I missed that this was a "sexy" historical novella when I downloaded it for free. I didn't wanna read an Amish sex scene. It was just awkward.
August 16, 2014
Loved this Amish love story!! Nice surprise to read a sensual story so well-done. Short, and sweet!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews