July 2011

Award winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and their five children make their home in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom and home-schools. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor.

Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House: Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series, Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards). Surrendered Love and Awakened Love followed by her first Christmas novel, A White Christmas in Webster County, as well as the Amish of Jamesport series, The Snow Globe, The Postcard, and The Birdhouse. Other credits include Swept Away from Abingdon Press’ Quilts of Love series. Laura is contracted for another three book Amish series set in the Jamesport area, with the first book, The Amish Firefighter releasing in May 2016, followed by two more Amish books and a Christmas story releasing in Fall 2016, Spring 2017 and Fall 2017 respectively.

She has self-published a Christmas novella, Christmas Mittens.

Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer and blogs for Putting on the New and Seriously Write.

 

Read more about Laura Hilton.

Title: A Time to Love (Quilts of Lancaster County Series One)
Author: Barbara Cameron
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 978-1426707636
Genre: Amish
Release date: October 2010
Review by: Laura V. Hilton

If you love Amish fiction, then A Time to Love is a good one to consider.

A car bomb explodes, injuring Jennie King while on assignment as a war correspondent in a foreign country. She suffers devastating injuries that may leave her without even her job. Recovering at her Amish grandmother’s house, Jennie struggles to regain the most basic tasks, such as walking, talking, and eating.

Matthew Bontrager and Jennie used to be friends when they were younger, though she is English and he, Amish. He has since married and has three children. When his wife dies, Matthew is crushed, but doesn’t let his grief stop him—he has to keep going.

When Jennie renews her acquaintance with Matthew, she wonders if God has a different plan for her life. Will Jennie and Matthew bridge the culture gap between them?

Jennie, struggling to find her place as she heals from her injuries, and scared about going out in public with the scars on her face, also suffers from nightmares caused by her experience. Matthew is a sweet, kind hero, who goes beyond her expectations in trying to help her.

A Time to Love is the first full-length Amish novel by Barbara Cameron I’ve read, though I’ve read two of her Amish novellas published by Thomas Nelson. The story is written well, but the characters felt a bit flat to me. I think she does better on her shorter stories, but this is still an enjoyable read.

If you love Amish fiction, then A Time to Love is a good one to consider. Discussion questions, a preview of Cameron’s second Amish novel, and a glossary are included. She also includes yummy Amish recipes.