What a wonderful Christmas book, it was hard to put down. Well worth the read. The way that Jerry writes you can picture yourself right in the story along side the characters.

Susanna and Herman are newly weds and Susanna's ex beau Matthew who left the Amish to become English arrives just before Thanksgiving. He wants to get back together with Susanna not knowing that she is married. Matthew goes and talks with the bishop and that in turns brings the Deacon to Susanna and Herman's door to find out some of the details of Matthew and Susanna's relationship.

Susanna has to learn how to get along with her mother-in-law and also how to take care of Herman when he gets sick. When they first got married Herman said that will would not be spending Christmas morning with Susanna's family since he grew up doing something in January. But through all that happened between Thanksgiving and Christmas he changed his mind and they had a wonderful time with Susanna's family on Christmas morning

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.

Newly married Herman and Susanna Wagler face adjustments as they learn to know each other better and to trust and accept each other, despite intrusion from the past that threatens their love and happy home. Why would Susanna's former beau, Matthew Yoder, return to the Amish community he left and cast aspersions on her with his confessions? Will her future be ruined because of the doubts planted in people's minds?

This moving novella is a swift read that tugs at the heart. Set around Thanksgiving time and leading up to Christmas, now is the perfect season to read the touching tale. The slice of Amish life in Iowa offers well-developed characters the reader can't help but care about. Their growth brings hope and expectation for Herman and Susanna as well as all who read the story.

Great story! Susanna was dating a guy before he left Amish community, and only few weeks after her marriage to another - who truly loves her, does this guy come back and wants to win her for himself. I really like how she battles with herself for what is right and ends up truly loving the man she married!! loved this book.

Susanna's Christmas Wish is an interesting book which keeps you reading to find out how it ends. Susanna's Amish boyfriend,Matthew, leaves her after many years of being in love, and becomes an English person. Her heart is broken, but she eventually marries Herman, a kind Amish man. Then her former boyfriend returns to see if he can make peace about certain things. This brings a lot of suspense...