The Christmas Remedy
An Amish Christmas Romance
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4.5 • 33 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
When an Old Order Amish woman takes a job at a small-town pharmacy struggling to survive in a world of "big box" stores, her motive is to help her Plain community. But the advent of the holiday season brings an unusual mystery to the surface--and possibly love.
Twenty-four-year-old Holly Zook lives a unique life for a young Amish woman. Years ago, her bishop allowed her to continue her education and become the lead technician for Greene's Pharmacy, an old-timey drugstore that looks out for the Amish community--a group largely without secure healthcare plans. She knows she can't marry and hold onto her professional job. She's Amish, and she can only have one or the other, so she spurns love and works toward addressing treatable diseases--like the one that claimed her father's life.
As long as Holly continues to avoid Joshua Smucker, the one man who draws her like a warm hearth in winter, she should be fine. When something unexpected threatens Greene's Pharmacy, Holly and Joshua must work together to unravel what's happened and find the "missing" patient before the Board of Pharmacy shuts them down. As the snows of December arrive, with Christmas in the air, will Holly succumb to the generous spirit of the season?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The Woodsmall mother- and daughter-in-law writing duo (As the Tide Comes In) explore the tension between Amish traditions and contemporary feminism in this strong tale of small-town corruption. Holly Zook, motivated by her father's premature death, did something unusual among Amish women: she became a pharmacist with the goal of helping her Amish community understand and afford care for their aging population, a growing concern in the community. She also decides that her attraction to Josh Smucker needs to be squashed, since there could be no long-term future for a romantic relationship: married Amish women can't work, and Holly won't consider giving up her career. Then receipts start mysteriously going missing from the pharmacy. When Holly takes her concerns to Josh, whom she has started to trust as a confidante, the two suspect malpractice that could bankrupt the only pharmacy in town. As Christmas approaches, Holly and Josh must trust their tight-knit community to help them solve the crime. The Woodsmalls' unusual combination of details about Amish living and the nefarious practices of doctors and pharmaceutical companies adds zing to a romance filled with faithful devotion and second chances. Fans of Amish fiction and traditional romance readers alike should enjoy this cozy holiday story.
Customer Reviews
Pretty good
The Christmas Remedy is a sweet Amish romance with a touch of mystery. Holly feels a calling to help her Amish people with medical care, via earning her License as a Pracitcal Nurse, and continuing to serve them through her pharmacy work. But in the Amish faith, women are not allowed to have both a job and a family, which leads her to try to resist her growing love for Joshua. Will she choose her career, her love for this man - or will she possibly be able to find a way to combine the two? Woodsmall is a good writer; however, there was too much polictics for me. Perhaps if I hadn't read it in 2020, I might have not felt so strongly, and I know that some people do enjoy that!
Unique Amish story!
The Christmas Remedy by Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall is An Amish Christmas Romance. Holly Noelle Zook has an unusual profession for an Amish woman. She is a pharmacy technician at Greene’s Pharmacy in Raysburg, Pennsylvania and studying for admission to nursing school. Holly wants to bring better health care to the people in her community. She wants to make sure they have access to medication and doctors. Holly is determined that what happened to her father ten years ago will not happen to anyone else. Holly is aware that to achieve her goals she must sacrifice having a husband and children since Amish woman quit working once they get married. Holly returns to Greene’s one morning after her deliveries to find Joshua Smucker standing outside. She enjoyed socials and other youth events with him for six months until he began to get serious. Holly is attracted to him, but she will not give up her goals. Inside the pharmacy, they find Lyle Greene on the ground after suffering a stroke. Lyle’s son, Brandon, who is close to becoming a licensed pharmacist, moves home to help care for his father until he is back on his feet again. Lyle and Brandon do not have the best relationship, and Brandon does not plan on working at Greene’s after graduation. He wants to work at a large chain pharmacy where he can earn more money. Then the pharmacy board inspector pays a visit bringing a serious matter to their attention. Holly and Joshua with help from Brandon and Graham have six weeks to resolve the problem. If they do not succeed, the community could lose Greene’s Pharmacy forever.
The Christmas Remedy is a unique Amish story. Holly Zook is a spunky, intelligent and determined woman with one goal in mind. She is a progressive thinker for a baptized Amish woman. Holly is willing to give up a future with Joshua to achieve it. But is there another way? Brandon is estranged from his father, and he plans on working at a large chain pharmacy to earn a bigger paycheck. Time at Greene’s Pharmacy and in Raysburg gives Brandon a different perspective. I found The Christmas Remedy to be well-written with with a lovely small town. The thoughtful characters suited the story. The author explained Holly and Brandon’s motivations, and we see how circumstances as well as time can alter their viewpoint. I like the mystery that is included. It adds more interest and depth to The Christmas Remedy. Readers get to see how the Amish view healthcare and how they manage without insurance. I have insurance and can still barely afford to visit a doctor with the high co-pays. Many Amish prefer herbal remedies over modern medicine. Holly wants to educate the Amish on their options and know when to visit a doctor. Preventative care is important to staying healthy and finding a serious illness in time. Readers also get to learn more about pharmacy operations. They are governed by rules and regulations just like any business except they have more oversight and reporting (the laws vary from state to state as well). There is Christmas tidings and romance as well in The Christmas Remedy. I hope we see more Amish books like The Christmas Remedy with females in unique professions. Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall created an intriguing Amish novel in The Christmas Remedy.