Susanna's Christmas Wish by Jerry S Eicher - Review

Susanna Keim married Herman Wagler after being jilted by Matthew Yoder who happened to be her sisters brother-in-law. Matthew and Susanna had been going out for two years and were engaged when he decieded to leave the Amish. He wanted Susanna to go with him but she refused so the engagement was broken since he is under the bann.

After a few months she finally agreed to let Herman take her home and since his Mamm agreed, he asked Susanna to marry him. She agreed even though she wasn't as in love with him as she'd been with Matthew, she thought she could grow to love him just as deeply.

Thanksgiving is around the corner and then there will be Christmas, she could hardly wait until Christmas day to spend with her family at her Mamm and Daedt's house. They always had a large family breakfast with everyone then spent the day enjoying the visiting and snacking before everyone would leave to go home. She knew that the Wagler's didn't celebrate new Christmas, they kept with the old Christmas, but she didn't think it would be a problem. Herman finally told her that they would not be going to her parents home because their family tradition would be as the Wagler tradition was always celebrated, the old Christmas. Susanna just didn't know how she would tell her family this and how she was going to get through this holiday season.

To make things worse, when she goes to her sister Mary's house to help prepare for Thanksgiving dinner she sees an Englisch car parked by the barn, she doesn't think too much about it until Mary meets her at the door and tells her that Matthew showed up the night before. Now she has to tell Herman that Matthew is back just after they'd had their first argument. When they return to Mary's for Thanksgiving dinner, Matthew still hasn't left like he said that he would, making the day very stressful for them. Not only is he there, he wants to talk privately to Susanna, she refuses, but he does catch Herman as he's getting the buggy ready to leave.

On the way home Susanna and Herman have quite the conversation and all does not go well. Herman stays out in the snowstorm until early morning making himself sick. Matthew has talked to the preacher stirring up trouble, and meddling Ivy, Herman's mother, comes over and stirs up more problems. This marriage doesn't seem to be going too well at this point.

I really did enjoy this short story! It gives you a glimpse into how, what I get the impression of anyway, a lot of Amish marriages start out. The bride and groom are just friends, marry for convenience (marrying a widow or widower to help with children for example), or because they are getting past the 'marrying age' and want to hurry and do so. Some couples grow to love one another and some don't, but they stay married regardless. Herman and Susanna have a lot of things working against them at a time that is supposed to be happy, being newlyweds and the holiday season. You'll have to read to find out what happens.

I would recommend that you get this book to read this holiday season, you won't be sorry.

I received this book from Harvest House Publishers for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley <http://www.netgalley.com/> book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”