First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill

 Title: First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill

Series: The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill #10 (prequel)

Author: Jennifer Beckstrand

Publisher: Zebra

Genre: Amish, Christmas, Christian Fiction, Christian Romance

Source: Net Galley

My Review:

 I loved the unique story line of First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill.

I have never read a story before of an Amish man being called to serve in the war, and then once it was over return to his community.

I love Anna, she is sweet, endearing, and you really can't help but love her. She is a unique character, naive, which lends itself to many funny moments, that should be awkward but aren't. Unfortunately, her sweet, naive nature sets her up for heartache as well.

Felty is also a very unique character that you can't help but love. He has gone to war but still has an even-natured, happy disposition. He truly loves Anna like she is and will go to great lengths to prove it. His character adds a lot of depth and sweetness to the story.

This is a very sweet story with a great cast of characters. It was not at all like I imagined it would be, it was so much more. I appreciated that Anna loved Felty for who he was and he loved her for who she was. Neither one thought they were a great catch, but they did not have to change who they were for each other and they could be completely themselves. Such a great message right there.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who wants a great love story. Fans of Amish fiction, contemporary romance, historical fiction, or just a fan of a good story will enjoy this one!

★★★★/5

Synopsis: 

The endearingly mischievous matchmaking grandparents Anna and Felty Helmuth have helped generations of their Wisconsin community - including many of their own grandchildren - find love over the course of USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Beckstrand's beloved Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series. Now, in this heartwarming prequel set in 1952, Anna and Felty's own love story takes center stage as the young couple spends their first uncertain Christmas together.

Before irrepressible eighty-somethings Anna and Felty Helmuth became Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin's most-beloved matchmakers, they were mismatched young lovers facing seemingly impossible obstacles...

She can't cook, sew, sing, or clean. And no matter how hard young Anna Yoder tries, she'd much rather help people in trouble than be a well-behaved pretty face and properly perfect Amish maidel. So she instantly reaches out to her old schoolmate, Felty Helmuth, when their Amish town ostracizes him for his Korean War army service. He's still the only one who's ever understood Anna--and liked everything from her green Jello carrot salads to her love of books. And this holiday season, she can't help hoping that somehow she and Felty can find a way to be the perfect match...

Felty sensed he was called by Gotte to serve his country, though it went against his community's peaceful ways. Troubled by his wartime experiences, he is resigned to being an outsider avoided by most eligible Amish girls. But lively, intelligent Anna has grown into a warm-hearted generous woman who accepts Felty for who he is. And in the face of family and community opposition, he and Anna will take a leap of faith to prove they are made for each other--and a lifetime of happiness.