BOOK REVIEW: The Blessing by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Return to the Troyer farm where, despite stressful changes occurring in their lives, Joel and Heidi once again open their Ohio home up to those seeking to learn about Amish cooking. This time a teenager helping her divorced dad cook for the family, a caterer needing new recipes, a food critic, a hunter looking to impress his buddies, a wife given the class as an unwanted gift, and a mailman lured in by the aroma of good cooking gather around Heidi s table. More than good food is exchanged, though, as friendships form, a romance blossoms, and hearts are healed."

Back with Heidi and Lyle as she gears up for a new cooking class, they revisit (sometimes ever so briefly by letter) with the previous students and we meet an entire new group of students.  Might as well meet them right?  Allie is the wife of a cop with two young children.  Honestly?  She annoyed me a bit.  Lisa, a caterer, is interesting and I'd like to know more about her.  Todd, the restaurant critic, is about as arrogant and self-important as you can imagine he is.  Bill, the head janitor confuses me a bit.  I can't get a good initial read on him.  Nicole, just a teenager with adult responsibilities on her plate, is everything a teenager is.  But she kinda annoys me too.  And a late addition to the class is Lance, the mail carrier, who leaves me a bit confused and I don't really feel the bond with him positive or negative.

I feel like this book may be a smidge better than the first one (The Seekers) but it's a toss up really.  Wanda develops the characters so well and despite the limited time each character truly gets she builds great backstories that merge well into the kitchen.  Kendra is back with a precious baby while Loretta has joined the Amish faith officially.  It was like settling in with old friends again while learning new people and getting glimpses of past people.  I loved seeing how Heidi takes her simple charm, her innocent confidence, and her open heart and opens up the students to herself and each other.  The ending left room for a third book and for that I am super excited to find out about.  Wanda just makes you feel good and this series is a warm hug each time you get to settle in and chat with Heidi and her students.  

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Wanda E. Brunstetter through Barbour Publishing and NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.

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About Wanda E. Brunstetter

Wanda E. Brunstetter is an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of Amish and historical fiction. She's also written Amish cookbooks, Amish-themed devotionals, and several children's books with Amish characters.
Wanda E. Brunstetter writes about the Amish because they live a simple life, which she feels we all need in this day and age.
Wanda and her husband Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, have Amish friends in several Amish communities.
Besides writing books, Wanda's a professional ventriloquist. In her spare time she photography, gardening, knitting, looking for shells and agates on the beach, and spending time with her family.

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