This charming and gentle Christmas love story in the “swoon-worthy” ( Woman’s World ) Berlin Bookmobile series follows a librarian determined to help an Amish bachelor woo his neighbor. A solitary sort, forty-two-year-old Atle Petersheim spends his time hard at work in his wood shop. But as the days get longer, he realizes just how lonely he’s become. When his longtime crush, Sadie Mast, a widow and mother of three, asks him to help her build a room in their barn for her son, Atle can’t say no. Eager to pursue Sadie at last, he turns to bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne Miller for courting advice. More than happy to help, Sarah Anne decides the best way to learn about love is through books—romance novels to be precise. Between completing holiday orders for her flourishing food business, helping Cale navigate a dramatic new relationship with his boss’s daughter, and coming to terms with the trauma her late husband had inflicted upon her and her children—not to mention Atle showing up at her door with flowers—Sadie is in over her head. Though Atle’s efforts are initially clumsy and his declarations a bit awkward, Sadie can’t help but be charmed by her patient and kind neighbor. But is she ready for love? Another delightful romance about the “transformative powers of love, hope, and faith” ( Publishers Weekly ), A Christmas Courtship is the perfect holiday read. A practicing Lutheran, Shelley Shepard Gray is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than one hundred novels, translated into multiple languages. In her years of researching the Amish community, she depends on her Amish friends for gossip, advice, and cinnamon rolls. She lives in Colorado with her family and writes full time. Chapter One one If Sarah Anne Miller Canon ever decided to write down a list of things she thought would never happen, being a newlywed at age sixty-two would be at the top. Of course, after a twenty-eight-year career at a major accounting firm, she never would have imagined that she’d have a whole new career as a bookmobile driver, either. It seemed the Lord was giving her surprises when she least expected them. After she and Pete had had their small ceremony, they’d gone to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon. Pete’s daughter had been appalled and had even come up with other options for them. But while both Paris and Mackinac Island did sound lovely, Sarah Anne and Pete had decided months ago to stop listening to everyone’s well-intentioned advice and make their choice based on what they wanted. Sixty years of living meant they’d earned that right. Their honeymoon had been wonderful, and they were settling into married life. To Sarah Anne’s surprise, they’d also experienced a few bumps along the way. It turned out that when two independent people decided to move in together, a period of adjustment had to take place. She hadn’t known that her new husband loved to watch so much football, and Pete hadn’t known that she was such a messy cook. She was slowly learning that marriage the second time around meant even more compromises than it had with the first. When the door of the bookmobile clicked open for the first time since she’d parked on Mill Street forty minutes ago, all thoughts of her life evaporated. Because Atle Petersheim had just arrived, bringing in a burst of cold air with him. Pleased to see the shy, stalwart, handsome man for the second time in two weeks, Sarah Anne walked over to greet him. “ Gut meiyah , Atle. How are you on this chilly morning?” As it often happened, his cheeks turned pink when he turned to face her. “I’m all right. And you, Miss Miller?” That reply was typical Atle. His voice was always controlled, and he always spoke to her in a formal way. She’d given up attempting to make their conversations more personal. But she couldn’t resist teasing him a little bit, either. “I’m all right as well. Though I am Mrs. Canon now, remember?” “Ack!” He rubbed a hand across his scruffy jaw. “ Jah . Forgive me. I don’t know why I keep forgetting you got married.” “You know I’m just joking. Is there anything I may help you with?” “ Nee . I just came in to look around for a spell.” “That sounds like a nice plan. Would you care for a cup of coffee?” She pointed to her trusty Keurig machine. “It is a bit chilly out this morning, you know.” It was now near the end of November, and the brisk mornings never failed to make her yearn for a second or third cup of coffee. Atle gazed at the coffee maker for a long moment before nodding. “ Danke . I will take you up on your offer this morning.” “You will?” She tried to cover up her shock, since this was truly a first. “I’m so glad. Do you take it black or with cream and sugar?” “Black, with one cube of sugar, please.” “I’ll bring it to you as soon as it’s ready.” “That’s kind of you.” “It’s no bother,” she said as she watched Atle wander around the bookmobile, every so often running a finger along the ti