I love books that are a collection of short stories, it’s a great way to have several short reads and find new authors. I typically pick them because because at least one favorite author is in the mix, in this case Shelley Shepard Gray, and then find a couple of new authors to love. This book was checked out from the library so it’s not part of my permanent collection but is a part of a collection for anyone to enjoy.

Amish Love Letters by Shelley Shepard Gray, Charlotte Hubbard, Rosalind Lauer 
Published by: Kensington Books
Publication Date: December 26, 2023
Series: Amish Calling
Genres: Amish Romance / Christian Romance / Novellas & Short Stories
Pages: 352
Format: hardcover
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A heartfelt note, a loving message, a letter filled with secret hopes—this trio of sweet Amish romances celebrates how the right words can spark a lifetime of joy especially on Valentine’s Day.

Fill your heart with the jubilant promise of Amish courtships begun through handwritten love letters in this heartwarming, faith-affirming collection headlined by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray.

Love Letter Courtship * Shelley Shepard Gray
After six months of courtship, Jennie Miller has refused Matthew Lapp’s proposal. Though he visits regularly, they never seem to talk deeply, and Jennie longs for real connection and romance. So she offers a solution. For one month, they’ll share letters filled with their hopes and dreams. Soon, Jennie is falling for Matt in earnest . . . but will he ever propose again?

S.W.A.K * Charlotte Hubbard
Quiet, gentle Fannie Kurtz knows that fun-loving Eddie Brubaker is the man she wants to marry someday. When he starts receiving letters in pink envelopes, she realizes she has some competition. Maybe it’s time she wrote a love note or two of her own? But a mix-up could jeopardize this romance before it starts, unless she keeps faith in God’s plan . .

The Wrong Valentine * Rosalind Lauer
Young widow Martha Lambright is grateful to be working at her mother-in-law’s restaurant, even if seeing the kitchen gals giggle over valentine cards gives her a pang. But when Mose Troyer, the former bad boy who drives Martha to and from work each day, finds a valentine he mistakenly believes is for him, it begins a tender exchange that could lead to a wonderful future . . .

Love Letter Courtship by Shelley Shepard Gray

After rejecting Matthew Lapp’s proposal, Jennie Miller suggests they exchange letters for a month to build a deeper connection, and as she falls for him, she wonders if he will ever propose again.

This short and sweet story was cute and personal. Jennie’s wants to feel connection and love and what she was feeling from Matthew seemed more like it was a marriage of convenience. After all, Matthew is her brother’s best friend. At first Matthew doesn’t understand the rejection but after agreeing to Jennie’s proposal of writing letters to get to know each other, he starts to see where she was coming from. I like that Shelley Shepard Gray includes families in her Amish stories that aren’t perfect and have the same sort of messed up lives that families in all communities have. This one is no exception. Because of this, I really liked the story.

S.W.A.K. by Charlotte Hubbard

Fannie Kurtz, determined to win the heart of Eddie Brubaker, faces unexpected competition when he receives mysterious pink letters, prompting her to write her own, but a mix-up threatens their budding romance unless she trusts in God’s plan.

At first, I didn’t think I would care for this story because it is about a teenage romance. Although I loved teenage romance as a teenager, as a …. hmmmm…. we’ll say, more mature, woman I don’t care for them as much. However, this started to grow on me after seeing the changes in Eddie who, as an almost twenty-something, is learning some valuable life lessons about love and being upfront with people about his feelings. There is a little bit of an unexpected twist in this one but I won’t ruin it for anyone. I did find myself wondering if there will be a book later once Fannie and Eddie are older. I would read that.

The Wrong Valentine by Rosalind Lauer

Young widow Martha Lambright’s routine at her mother-in-law’s restaurant takes a sweet turn when Mose Troyer, the former bad boy who drives her to work, mistakenly thinks a valentine is for him, sparking a tender exchange that could blossom into love.

This story is so sweet and pure. I love that Rosalind shows that not all people, Amish included, still judge people for their past and sometimes it’s hard to remember that people change. The little mix-up with the Valentine’s card was a really cute idea for the story. I, honestly, thought she was going to go somewhere else with this so it was nice that the story wasn’t predictable. The only thing about the story, is that at first I was a little concerned that there would be too much Pennsylvania Dutch (when it’s overdone, it feels like the authors are trying too hard) but it did smooth out and I was able to really get into the story.

All three short stories are ones that I would love to see more of. I have it on my to-do to see if there are others by these authors with these characters or their secondary characters which is often the case in these collections.

How do you feel about writing letters by hand?
What role do you think the tradition of pen-and-paper correspondence plays in today’s digital world?