New Beginnings at
Promise Lodge
by Charlotte Hubbard
My Rating: 5 Stars
Promise Lodge, Book 4
Spring blossoms with new life and new beginnings for the flourishing Amish community of Promise Lodge. And as a just-opened bakery sweetens the air with fresh-baked goodness, residents will find that change can be a most joyous test . . .
Recently widowed after twenty years of marriage, Frances Lehman is only just tasting the freedom and opportunity that her Promise Lodge friends enjoy. So she’s not about to be pressured into marriage by her widowed brother-in-law, even if she and her daughter have no real means of support. Much more promising is her new friendship with Preacher Marlin Kurtz, though their respective families don’t see their relationship as proper . . .
When Frances suffers a serious injury, she’s determined to prove she can recover—and remain independent—without burdening Marlin. Now, with his steadfast belief in real love tested, Marlin’s hope is that Promise Lodge’s irrepressible residents can help him restore Frances’s joy—and that faith will show them a way to turn their fragile second chance into a blessed and abiding future together . . .
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Another sweet trip to the Ladies of Promise Lodge. It’s exciting to see many others who have joined this special group,all having their own unique thing to bring to the community. There is a lot going on in this beautiful story. I love the beautiful book cover, and yes there is a pie story, even a pie business run by two Promise Lodge ladies. This is one of the many businesses in the unique community. I think my favorite is the tiny houses, and you can read all about them in this book.
Much of this book centers around Frances Lehman, her pushy and determined brother in law, and Preacher Marlin Kurtz. Frances lost her Bishop husband just a few short months ago and she is enjoying her freedom. Not that she didnt love her husband, but he was set in his own ways with his strong opinions. Bit now two men seemed to be after her hand in marriage. But Frances doesn’t make it easy for them. There are other budding romances floating around the Lodge and community, but I’ll save then for your reading enjoyment. As well as the other exciting things happening in this Promise Lodge story.
Author Charlotte Hubbard gives her readers another fun and entertaining story from her Promise Lodge Series. It seems each book gets better and better, and I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I love and appreciate Ms. Hubbard’s unique writing and the characters in this story are wonderfully created and develop so well as the story unfolds. This is a beautifully written story that will give readers several hours of entertainment, enjoyment and lots of fun. If you love Amish stories, this book is a must for you. If you haven’t read anything from Charlotte Hubbard, this would be a great book to start with! You just can’t go wrong with this author.
A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
A UNIQUE PROMISE LODGE
RECIPE TO TRY
Sweet Banana Cornbread
This makes enough batter for an 8×8” pan or about 10 large muffins. Moist and tender! Yummy! Double the recipe to make a 9×13” pan.
2 ½ cups of Cornmeal Bulk Mix
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T vanilla
¾ cup mashed banana
½ cup milk
½ cup oil
2 eggs
Spray or butter an 8×8” pan or a 12-cup muffin tin. Preheat oven to 350º. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal bulk mix, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon, making a well in the center. In a large glass measuring cup or deep bowl, whisk the vanilla, mashed banana, milk, oil, and eggs until well blended. Pour the liquid mixture into the well of dry ingredients, stirring only until the batter is blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake an 8×8” pan for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Bake muffins 12-15 minutes, or until tops are domed and firm. Don’t overbake! Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack. After about 5 minutes, lift the muffins out of the tin.
Kitchen Hint: For a 9×13” pan of cornbread, double the recipe. Freezes well (use wax paper between layers).
And to find more delicious recipes from the Ladies of Promise Lodge go here: https://www.charlottehubbard.com/whats-cookin-at-the-sweet-seasons-bakery-cafe/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The next big step was selling my first historical romance in 1990, a Zebra Heartfire called Colorado Captive. I quickly sold five more in that genre. They’re all out of print now, but available from used bookstores or at Amazon.com and BN.com. I’ve brought them back in digital format with beautiful new covers, which you can see on my Historical Romances page.
After a long dry spell that entailed major changes in the publishing industry, I resurfaced in a new genre, with a new publisher, editor, and agent who were so excited about my Angels of Mercy series! These four faith-and-family stories are also out of print now, but available at Amazon as Kindle e-books. With Law of Attraction (The Love Secret), I moved into new territory once again—and once again the setting is a place I love to spend time: the Oregon Coast.
Being an author is great fun when you’re selling, but it’s best to have a hide like a rhinoceros and a spouse who gets a regular paycheck! Patience, persistence and just flat-out luck have given me this opportunity to reinvent myself yet again. Those angels I write about keep pulling me through, and are often my friends and family—but I owe a lot to the heavenly beings who bear me up on their wings, as well!
My stories invariably take on a life of their own, different from the way I’ve proposed them: I love it when unforeseen characters and plot twists come along, because they keep me guessing right along with my readers!
I often present workshops at conferences. I belong to Novelists, Inc. and American Christian Fiction Writers.
I love touring historic homes, trying new recipes, crocheting, and playing with my Border collie, Vera—although it’s humbling, having a dog smarter than I am! I’m an ordained Presbyterian deacon, and I devote a lot of time to singing in my church choir, ringing in bell choir, and being a substitute organist. I’m celebrating more than forty-two years with my husband, who—bless him—has never once suggested I get a real job!