Do you believe in Christmas miracles? Anna Mae McDonough is hoping to get her Christmas miracle this year, raised Amish, she left home three years ago to marry her English husband. Now, 8 months pregnant with their first child, Anna Mae dreams about reuniting with her family. She knows this will be very difficult because once she left, she became shunned.
Anna decides to write her sister in law, her brother’s wife, Kathryn to ask for her assistance. Kathryn’s husband is against this idea. He doesn’t want Christmas to be ruined for his parents. Going against her husband’s wishes, she arranges this meeting anyway, believing this is what God wants her to do.
Arriving in Lancaster, Anne didn’t receive the “open arms” she was hoping to. Her mother was ever so happy to see her; however her father wouldn’t even look at her. Now, Anne is wondering if she made a mistake. She is beginning to question her place in her family. Will she receive the Christmas miracle that she is hoping for or will her dreams come crashing down?
I couldn’t put this book down. It was shorter than other books I read, however just as enjoyable. I can’t imagine having to choose between the one you love and the family and way you were raised. In this case, Anne didn’t choose one or the other. You can’t help who you fall in love with. She was shunned because she left.
I was so excited for Anne to reunite with the rest of her family. I was a little worried about how it was going to go to be honest. The first encounter with her brother and sister in law, Kathryn went well so I thought. Her brother seemed to open up as soon as her saw her.
I wish I could say that the second encounter with her family went just as well but I can’t. The next night her parents were there. Her mother took her in with open arms; however her father couldn’t stand to look at her. In fact, he ordered his wife to get in the buggy. Anne was ready to throw in the towel but Kathryn said to give it one more chance and come the next day for Christmas Eve dinner.
That is exactly what they did. However, that didn’t go as planned either. I was so upset with Anne’s father. I don’t understand how he can just act as if his daughter wasn’t there. It took Anne’s husband confronting the man to change anything.
Who would have thought that Anne would give birth in her parent’s home? Who would have thought that her father would apologize for his behavior and welcome them back into their lives? Not only did Anne receive a Christmas miracle, but she received two! She was reunited with her family and gave birth to their first son.
This story was an emotional roller coaster of emotions. I found myself yelling at my book one minute and crying a river the next. Family is extremely important. The bond between a parent and their child should never be broken.
I rate this book 5/5!
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