The Jam and Jelly Nook by Amy Clipston Review

 Hello Friends :)

I'm Kirby, and I'm so thankful that you took the time to stop by The Preppy Book Princess today for another book review.

If I'm going to be honest, my list of favorite authors seems to grow and grow all the time, with most of them being from the Christian Fiction genre. There is so many talented authors out there, and somedays it's really hard for me to narrow down my favorites.

However, one author who would make this list each and every time is Amy Clipston. I adore her Amish fiction novels, and I'm beyond belief excited that she's releasing a contemporary novel later this year.

Her Amish Marketplace series has become one of my favorite series by her, and honestly one of my favorite series of all time. I've adored the previous three books in the series (reviews here, here and here), and I couldn't wait to dive into the fourth and final book in the series.

Did it live up to my expectations? Did it become a new favorite? Keep reading to find out.

The Jam and Jelly Nook by Amy Clipston:

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: May 4th, 2021

Genre: Christian Fiction/Amish Fiction

Series: Amish Marketplace

Synopsis:

In the final installment of Amy Clipston’s bestselling Amish Marketplace series, a young widow struggling to raise her son dreams of one more chance at love.

Since her husband died seven years ago, Leanna Wengerd has done her best—tending to her son, Chester, and running her Jam and Jelly Nook at the Amish market. Though she enjoys seeing her cousins and customers at the marketplace, she wishes she could find more time for her rebellious teenage boy.

When Chester gets into trouble for trespassing, he winds up at the police station with his friend Maggie, who was riding with him to a youth group gathering. Leanna comes to the police station to fetch Chester and happens to meet Emory, Maggie’s father. Emory is also a widower, raising Maggie alone—and both he and Leanna have similar burdens and problems.

Over time Emory and Leanna become closer friends, discovering how much they have in common. As single parents, they struggle with the limits of what they can provide for their children and feel somewhat responsible for what happened to their respective spouses. The two eventually realize they have feelings for each other—but when they try to date, their children resist. Will God pave a way for them to build a family together, or will hurdles block the path to a second chance at happiness?

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

The Jam and Jelly Nook is truly Amy Clipston at her best. This heartwarming, Amish fiction novel tugs at the heartstrings, brings a smile to the face, and reminds us all that nothing is impossible for our Heavenly Father.

I've been looking forward to this one ever since Leanna's character was first introduced in The Bake Shop. While I've loved every one of the titles in this series, I knew this one was going to be a little bit different. Leanna's story is different than her cousins; her husband died tragically when their son was young, and she's been trying to make it alone with her parent's help ever since. When her son Chester ends up in trouble that lands him at the police station, she ends up meeting an Amish man named Emory who lost his wife a few years earlier, and is currently trying to raise his teenage daughter on his own.

Emory and Leanna have both been deeply hurt, and both are hesitant to move on. Circumstances seem to widen the gap between their chance at a relationship, and I loved how concerned they both are with their children's feelings on the entire matter. It was awesome getting one last visit to the special Amish marketplace, and getting to check in with previous characters from the series. I especially loved how all four cousins remain so close to their grandmother, and that Amy Clipston chose to shed some light on fertility issues through one of the four women.

I picked this one up only meaning to read the first chapter or so as I had other things to get done at the moment, but I ended up almost reading half of it in one sitting. I could barely put it down, and it's one of my favorite of Amy's novels to date. Everything felt so realistic and authentic, and I loved how strong the faith element is throughout. It's the perfect ending to the Amish Marketplace series and it's definitely the finale I was both hoping and waiting for.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Zondervan for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Zondervan) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks so much for reading guys! May the Lord work in amazing ways in your life during this Holy Week. :)