The More the Merrier: An Amish Christmas Romance by Linda Byler

The More the Merrier: An Amish Christmas Romance by Linda Byler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A Heartwarming Christmas Romance Set During the Great Depression
It’s 1931, and times are tough for the Miller family, who are raising eight children in the midst of the Great Depression. When Eli Miller passes away unexpectedly, and then a fire destroys their barn, Annie has no idea how she’ll make ends meet. The Amish community rallies around her and the children, as is their custom, but as days turn into weeks and then into months, Annie’s friends and neighbors return to their own routines and seem to expect Annie to do the same. Annie knows she needs to stay strong for the children and figure out a way to keep everyone warm and clothed and fed, but she is heartbroken and exhausted. She reminds herself that God will provide, but every day feels like an uphill battle.
When Annie receives a letter from a widower with six children of his own, she tries to put it out of her mind. Her critical mother reminds her that it's too soon to start a new friendship with a man, and warns her that blending a family will be complicated. In the weeks and months to follow, Annie must learn to make her own decisions—and accept the consequences, good and bad—face her past, and embark on a new journey that will transform her and her large, complicated family. When life seems especially complicated one summer, she finds herself saying that by Christmas everything will start to come together, but she has no idea the challenges—and ultimately blessings—headed her way. 

REVIEW:

I would suggest that this writer do a little more research before taking pen to paper. I also suggest that she send her books to Beta readers before going to an editor or at least using an editor. The misspellings, added words and other grammatical errors made for a difficult read...(what exactly is "sie" when introducing a new character BTW?). It would have helped to have the dictionary of Amish Words at the beginning of the book instead of the end.


There were too many historical inconsistencies and inaccuracies in this book. The writing was flat and very much unlike anything else I've ever read or experienced with the Amish. I understand that their faith was a bit more liberal than usual---but this went a little too far for the typical reader to grasp. Do Amish children really go to a school that has multiple grade levels that isn't a one-room schoolhouse? Did the author research just exactly what a single dollar was worth during the Great Depression? No American would have paid a dollar for a dozen eggs. A dollar back then was the equivalent of over 14 dollars. RESEARCH!!! Make it believable.


It's nice to know that the author is/was Amish and writes her novels with pen and paper, but the tools don't matter when the story is flat and difficult to read and believe.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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