The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston

I am a proud member of the Bakery Bunch, Amy Clipston's street team.  There are so many perks. One of the best parts is I get to read books!!  I must say, this is a book I was really looking forward to getting.  The day it came I grabbed the book and headed to my porch swing.  Granted it was a little cold, but books are just so much better on a front porch swing.

The cover is just gorgeous!  I know the old saying but sometimes the cover really invites the reader inside the story.  From the back:  

Years ago, a picnic basket brought two hearts together. For Rachel and Mike, history may be about to repeat itself.

Rachel Fisher is devastated when the young man she’s loved for years leaves her to date her best friend. Her heart is broken, and she has all but given up on love. Rachel is determined to keep her mind off the pain, and she starts teaching at an Amish school for children with learning disabilities.

Since his father became ill, Mike Lantz has been overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing for his family and caring for his six-year-old brother, John. When John joins Rachel’s class and she learns that his mother is deceased and his father sick, she desperately wants to help the family, even with something as simple as a meal.

With her parents’ old picnic basket, Rachel begins sending food to the Lantz family. As the weeks go by, John’s grades start to improve, and the attraction grows between Rachel and Mike. They can’t deny that their friendship is growing toward something more, but both of them are hesitant to risk a more serious relationship.

The last thing Rachel wants is another heartbreak, and Mike is worried about providing for his loved ones. Will the two be able to reconcile their past hurts with new hope for the future?

I've been reading Amy's books since the beginning and I have enjoyed watching her writing and talent grow with each book she puts out.  Amy really delivered in the second book in the Amish Heirloom Series.  Amy's life has been touched by illness and you see a part of that woven into the story.  

Rachel was a beautiful character in the story and one that I related to.  Having been a teacher to special needs children myself I loved how she cheered John on and refused to give up on him.  Her tenacity keeps her from giving up on Mike, John's big brother as well.  Mike feels that he needs to take care of his family and doesn't have time for a relationship.  Can Rachel change his mind and move past her own hurts? 

The Courtship Basket is a fantastic addition to the series.  It was good to revisit some characters from The Forgotten Recipe and get to know another member of the Fisher family.  Amy brings the characters to life and the mystery of the hope chest deepens.  I'm looking forward to the third book in the series!  Pick up your copy of The Courtship Basket today.  Happy Reading!