Amish Cooking Class - The Blessing

THE BLESSING by Wanda Brunsetter Amish Cooking Class book 2
Heidi dreams of having a baby, and then she would quit teaching cooking class to raise the baby. Kendra moves back home and with help of parents she is keeping. Heidi did love teaching, has 5 that signed up. Interesting mixture , of who they are, and why they are taking the class. This was a rich description of them in the story, and the support of how the Amish gives to other so freely. These people got so much more then just cooking. Given ARC copy from Net Galley for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

I loved getting to visit with Heidi and Lyle Troyer again. I thoroughly enjoy this couple because they have a strong marriage in which they support and encourage each other. Their marriage is the strong foundation for how the interact with the students in Heidi’s cooking class.

The new batch of students is varied and very entertaining to get to know. Each one has their own set of problems to work through over the course of the six classes. Even while she is trying to encourage her students Heidi herself is dealing with personal heartbreak.

I loved the appearances of Kendra and some of the other people who were in the first set of classes Heidi held. Their lives have progressed and it is a lot of fun to check in on them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

The Blessing by Wanda Brunstetter is the second Amish Cooking Class novel. Heidi Troyer is married to Lyle, an auctioneer, and they are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Kendra’s baby. Kendra is living with the couple (after her father threw her out when he discovered she was pregnant), and she has agreed to let Heidi and Lyle adopt her baby. When things do not go as planned, Lyle suggests Heidi hold another cooking class (keep her busy). Six people join Heidi in her home and each of them have a different reason. Lance is a postal carrier who has lost his wife, Nicole is a high school student who has struggling since her mother left, Todd is a food critic who is going to write an article about the class, Allie is a housewife with two kids who worries about her policeman husband and their marriage, Lisa is a local caterer who is hoping to learn new dishes for her business, and Bill who wishes to learn new dishes to impress his camping buddies. Heidi will teach them Amish dishes and share some of God’s wisdom with them through Bible verses. Heidi knows this group of people were brought together for a reason, and she looks forward to the experience. It will help Heidi deal with her own heartbreak. See what God has planned for each of these individuals and what the future hold for the Troyer’s in The Blessing.

The Blessing is well-written and engaging. I was immediately drawn into the story and I did not want it to end. I was captivated by this novel (which rarely happens). The Blessing contains characters that could be my own neighbor, relative, or mail carrier. Each of them have problems or situations that individuals experience every day. I thought the characters were well-developed and thought out by the author. I like seeing how each of the characters change over the course of the cooking classes. I was glad that the author updated readers on the individuals from The Seekers (they are nicely woven into the story). My rating for The Blessing is 5 out of 5 stars. I do recommend reading The Seekers before starting The Blessing (you will not regret reading either book). I found The Seekers to be heartwarming and uplifting. It is the type of novel that fills me with hope (which is desperately needed in our mixed-up society). I really appreciated the Bible verses the author included in the book. The enhanced the story and were meaningful. There are recipes and discussion questions at the end of the book. If you like to read Amish or Christian novels, I recommend reading The Blessing. I cannot wait to read the next book in the Amish Cooking Class series.