Book Review: Under the Blue Skies by Elly Gilbert and Tricia Goyer

Under the Blue Skies JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Under the Blue Skies by Elly Gilbert & Tricia Goyer hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Under the Blue Skies
Series: Big Sky Amish #3
Authors: Elly Gilbert & Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Amish Romance

Thomas Smucker moved to West Kootenai for a fresh start—one where he could make his own decisions and build a life away from his deceased father’s harsh reputation. But when a tragedy occurs, he finds his five-year-old niece in his care. Now, he has to build a life he didn’t want and face a past that he longed to escape.

Lovina Graber dreams of a husband and family of her own, but a lifelong limp and disfigured face have her doubting it will ever happen. Instead, she’s content working as a scribe for The Budget and spending her days helping her parents and the less fortunate in her community. Well, mostly content. And then there’s that secret anonymous column she’s been writing too … When a newly arrived bachelor becomes an instant father, Lovina feels compelled to come to the rescue, helping Thomas care for his Englisch niece as he works toward gaining custody. Although Thomas and his niece clash at every turn, Lovina finds herself building a bond with the girl. Could this be the family she’s longed for? Afraid he’s too much like his anger-driven father, Thomas has no plans to ever marry or have children, despite the sparks between him and Lovina, and his growing fondness for his niece. When he finds out Lovina’s secret—and believes she’s perhaps not the person he thought—he strikes out in caring for Emily on his own. But when his custody is threatened, he must do what’s best for his niece. The only problem is he’s not sure what that is. Can he and Lovina work together to fight the lies they’ve believed all their lives—and fight the system to get back their girl? Find out in this third installment of the Big Sky Amish Collection.

More Books in this Series

See what inspired Tricia Goyer to write Amish Fiction

Guest Post: The True Stories That Inspired My Amish Fiction by Tricia Goyer

An Author Interview with Christen Krumm

Book review of Under the Blue Skies by Elly Gilbert and Tricia Goyer

Under the Blue Skies by Elly Gilbert and Tricia Gilbert is a wonderful story.

I have really enjoyed reading the Big Sky Amish series, it has a wonderful small-town feel with interesting circumstances in each book. Plus, the characters are well laid out and believable.

Amish fiction is not a genre I typically read, however, I loved the cover and decided to give it a try. In Under the Blue Skies, Elly Gilbert and Tricia Goyer take some interesting principles and apply them to their characters in an intriguing way. Both Thomas and Lovina had to see past what other people told them to discover the truth. I thought it was a strong presentation and I did enjoy the presentation of the concept since I think it is a reminder that we do need to be very careful about who we let influence our life choices.

They both also had to deal with some unpleasant people, something many of us do in our day-to-day lives. Which I thought was a great connecting point.

Overall, this was a sweet story, it is the third book in this series, but I don’t think anyone would have a problem picking it up as a standalone book.

My thanks to Justread Tours for letting me read it.

3.5 stars.

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback.

About the Authors

Elly Gilbert lives in central Kentucky with her husband, daughter, and twin sons. A lifelong bookworm, she finds joy in reading and writing inspirational fiction and devotions for adults and teens. When she’s away from her desk, you can find her scoping out the nearest nacho joint with her family or snuggled up with her rescue dogs, Gus and Bella. She adores leopard print, never turns down dessert, and believes that when it comes to earrings, bigger is always better.

Connect with Elly by visiting ellygilbert.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tricia Goyer writes out of her passion for God and her love for family and others. The author of more than 70 books, she writes both historical fiction and nonfiction related to family and parenting.

This USA Today best-selling author has won two Carol Awards and a Retailer’s Best Award. She was also an ECPA Gold Medallion Nominee and a Christy Award Nominee and won Writer of the Year from the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Tricia’s contemporary and historical novels feature strong women overcoming great challenges. She is a beloved author of Amish fiction, having written the Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series. Whether for fiction or nonfiction, Tricia’s writing style is vivid and heartwarming, allowing readers to take home more than engaging stories, but also messages that inspire faith and hope. Her goal is to write stories that matter. Connect with Tricia by visiting triciagoyer.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Under the Blue Skies and a $10 Sunrise Shop gift voucher!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule is linked below. Giveaway began at midnight on August 16, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on August 23, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!