Interview with Patricia Johns: Writing Amish Romance, Family Legacy, and Choosing Faith

Interview with Patricia Johns: Writing Amish Romance, Family Legacy, and Choosing Faith

In this heartfelt episode of The Christian Romance Podcast, Kelly chats with Publishers Weekly bestselling author Patricia Johns about her latest release, Still Waters—the second book in her Amish of Shepherd’s Hill series. Patricia shares her rich family history rooted in Mennonite pacifism, her journey into writing Amish romance, and the inspiration behind the powerful themes of identity, legacy, and love in her novels.

From touching on how trauma shaped her family’s faith, to addressing misconceptions about Amish women, Patricia offers both personal stories and thoughtful commentary that enrich the storytelling behind her books. With themes of second chances, deep community ties, and choosing faith in the face of generational hardship, this episode is packed with wisdom, warmth, and a reminder that we can all say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Listen to the episode here.

Meet Patricia Johns

Patricia Johns is the author of over 56 inspirational, Amish, and sweet romance novels published through Harlequin and Bethany House. A Publishers Weekly bestselling author, her first romance released in 2013, and she’s been blessing readers with faith-filled love stories ever since. She writes from Alberta, Canada, where she lives with her husband and son.

Visit her website here

Follow Patricia

Bible Verse for Encouragement

Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Patricia Johns’ New Book: Still Waters

Their hidden past brings questions about their future . . . together.

Unsure of her future within the Amish community, Beth Peachy arrives in Lancaster County for the summer to care for her ailing grandmother. Yet with dementia threatening to steal away Mammi’s memories, Beth’s visit quickly evolves into an urgent search for answers to questions that her relatives seem determined to avoid. How can Beth possibly make a lifelong vow to the Amish church when her own family is concealing so much of the past from her?

Beth’s childhood friend Danny Lapp faces his own dilemma as his ex-Amish older brother turns his back on their family upbringing, dishonoring his Plain heritage. Struggling to find some sort of connection with his brother despite their deep difference of opinion, Danny is determined to find a solution before church leadership becomes involved. As Beth and Danny reconnect and seek to help each other in their search for answers, they find themselves stirring up not only surprising revelations about the past, but questions about a possible future–together.

💞 Tropes in Still Waters

  • Second Chance Romance
  • Friends to More
  • Strong Hero with Deep Faith
  • Forbidden Love (divorced heroine in Amish culture)
  • Family Secrets / Mystery
  • Small Town / Close-Knit Amish Community
  • Old Flame Rekindled
  • Legacy and Generational Healing

Get your copy today!

Amazon

Baker Book House

Get updates on our themed book giveaways

Enter the most current book giveaway on ChristianRomancePodcast.com and sign up for our email list.

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Kelly’s Personal Update

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me during the Kickstarter! I’m so grateful for you!

Finding Forevermore Novel

Finding Forevermore is available today!

Her family secrets. His guilt. One road trip that changes everything.

Raven Cunningham has built a quiet life between the shelves of a small-town bookshop, ghostwriting stories for others while hiding her own. She’s long believed her father abandoned her, until a letter from her late grandmother reveals a shocking truth.

Convinced the reclusive author J.C. Nevermore is her father, Raven sets out to uncover the real story. When her childhood friend Cole Walker, a former Army medic wrestling with his own scars, offers to help, she’s not sure if she can trust him . . . or herself.

As they chase clues and revisit old memories, what begins as a search for answers becomes a journey toward something deeper.

Finding Forevermore is a heartfelt story about faith, family, and the kind of love that’s anchored in God’s unfailing grace.

For Kindle Unlimited lovers, Finding Forevermore is ready for you to check out.

You’ll get updates by joining my free email list.

Visit my website here to sign up

Follow me for updates

Interview with Mollie Rushmeyer: Whimsy, Mr. Darcy Dreams, and Trusting God in the Unexpected

Interview with Mollie Rushmeyer: Whimsy, Mr. Darcy Dreams, and Trusting God in the Unexpected

In this charming and laughter-filled episode of The Christian Romance Podcast, Kelly chats with award-nominated author Mollie Rushmeyer about her newest rom-com release, The Rules of Falling for You. With a heart for Regency romance and a love for whimsical storytelling, Mollie shares how her real-life obsessions with Jane Austen, list-making, and her cousin’s matchmaking escapades all inspired this delightful novel.

Together, they dive into the themes of control, trust in God, and how the unexpected often leads to the best kind of love stories. If you’re into best friend’s brother tropes, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, or anything involving a Regency-themed singles retreat (yes, really!), this is the episode for you. Plus, you’ll hear the hilarious inspiration behind one of the book’s funniest scenes (spoiler-free, promise)!

Listen to the episode here.

Meet Mollie Rushmeyer

Mollie Rushmeyer writes whimsical romance with heart and humor. She has a deep and abiding love for all things British, bookish, and filled with history and mystery. A modern girl herself–she wouldn’t want to go a day without modern plumbing and central air!—she’s always felt a special connection to the past and anything with a happily ever after. Her debut novel, The Bookshop of Secrets, was a finalist for a 2023 Carol Award. A born and bred Midwestern gal, Mollie makes her home in central Minnesota with her husband and two spunky, beautiful daughters.

Visit Mollie’s website here

Follow Mollie

Bible Verse for Encouragement

Psalm 56:3–4 (NKJV)

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

Mollie Rushmeyer’s New Book: The Rules of Falling For You

She thought she knew the rules of love. Turns out, love makes its own.

The perfect match can’t be far–certainly not at a Regency-themed singles’ retreat–or so podcaster Zoe Dufour believes. After years of creating content for her relationship podcast inspired by Regency etiquette and era-appropriate rules for romance, she knows her listeners have anticipated this retreat. But she also attends with expectations of her own: finding the ideal modern-day gentleman who can meet every one of the non-negotiables on her checklist.

Harrison Lundquist, Zoe’s podcast producer and best friend’s brother, reluctantly agrees to tag along on the retreat to capture footage while seeking a career-advancing promotion. He views the retreat as ridiculous. And Zoe’s methods for finding her real-life Mr. Darcy? Downright absurd! But as he films her whirlwind dates, his growing feelings for her are sidelined by suitors vying for her attention. When Zoe realizes her checklist for the man of her dreams might be holding her back, she must decide if she’s willing to rewrite her rules and take a chance on the person who has been there all along.

“The writing is smart and sassy with humor and touching moments sure to please lovers of rom-coms, Regency romance, or Jane Austen period dramas.”–JULIE KLASSEN, bestselling author

This clean and wholesome romance presents a Regency-infused spin on a contemporary rom-com with the grumpy/sunshine, he falls first, and best friend’s brother tropes. Readers of Melissa Ferguson, Pepper Basham, and Julie Klassen will find this read delightful.

💞 Tropes in The Rules of Falling For You

  • Best friend’s brother
  • Friends to lovers
  • Opposites attract
  • Grumpy sunshine
  • Fake historical retreat / Regency cosplay setting
  • Modern Mr. Darcy hunt
  • Forced proximity (podcast + retreat)
  • Slow burn with mutual pining
  • Hero secretly in love first
  • List-making heroine / Type A heroine

Get your copy today!

Amazon

Baker Book House

Get updates on our themed book giveaways

Enter the most current book giveaway on ChristianRomancePodcast.com and sign up for our email list.

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Kelly’s Personal Update

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me during the Kickstarter! I’m so grateful for you!

Finding Forevermore Novel

Finding Forevermore is available for preorder today on Amazon!

Her family secrets. His guilt. One road trip that changes everything.

Raven Cunningham has built a quiet life between the shelves of a small-town bookshop, ghostwriting stories for others while hiding her own. She’s long believed her father abandoned her, until a letter from her late grandmother reveals a shocking truth.

Convinced the reclusive author J.C. Nevermore is her father, Raven sets out to uncover the real story. When her childhood friend Cole Walker, an Army medic wrestling with his own scars, offers to help, she’s not sure if she can trust him . . . or herself.

As they chase clues and revisit old memories, what begins as a search for answers becomes a journey toward something deeper.

Finding Forevermore is a heartfelt story about faith, family, and the kind of love that’s anchored in God’s unfailing grace.

Finding Forevermore will be available October 25th, 2025.

You’ll get updates by joining my free email list.

Visit my website here to sign up

Follow me for updates

Interview with Suzanne Woods Fisher: Medical Mishaps, Amish Wisdom, and Hidden Hopes

Interview with Suzanne Woods Fisher: Medical Mishaps, Amish Wisdom, and Hidden Hopes

In this heartwarming episode of The Christian Romance Podcast, Kelly chats with award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher about her newest release, A Hidden Hope. Blending the charm of Amish life with modern medical drama, Suzanne takes us inside the unique world of Dr. Stoltzfus—a physician navigating small-town expectations, overflowing patient demand, and two mismatched medical residents. Together, they unpack deep emotional themes like postpartum depression, community care, and second chances. Suzanne also shares delightful behind-the-scenes tidbits about her guide dog-raising adventures, her long-time publishing journey, and how she finds God’s peace even in life’s chaos. This episode is filled with warmth, wisdom, and the reminder that hope often hides in the most unexpected places.

Listen to the episode here.

Meet Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the award-winning, bestselling author of fifty books, including A Healing Touch, Capture the Moment, and many other beloved contemporary romance and Amish romance series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California.

Visit Suzanne’s Website here

Follow Suzanne

Bible Verse for Encouragement

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Suzanne Woods Fisher’s New Book: A Hidden Hope

With the arrival of three unexpected newcomers to Stoney Ridge comes an array of secrets and emotions brewing just beneath the surface.

Supervising two newly minted medical residents might be the toughest challenge Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus has ever faced. Wren Baker, sharp and ambitious, graduated at the top of medical school with a hidden agenda in tow. Charlie King, at the bottom of the class, is determined to succeed–though Dok isn’t convinced he’s got what it takes. Then there’s traveling nurse Evie Miller, whose quiet love for Charlie doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by Wren.

Boarding at Windmill Farm, the trio struggles to balance modern medicine with Plain living. Between medical emergencies, cultural misunderstandings, and brewing romantic tensions, Dok finds herself juggling far more than she bargained for. Soon the stage is set in the small Amish community of Stoney Ridge for plenty of professional and personal complications.

PRAISE FOR A HEALING TOUCH
“The author perceptively sketches her characters’ emotional arcs as life’s challenges yield unexpected gifts, speaking to the power of second chances, faith, and love.”–Publishers Weekly

“An original, truly engaging, and memorable Amish romance.”–Midwest Book Review

Step into the perfect blend of inspiration, community, and heartfelt emotion in this Amish romance set in a peaceful small town in Lancaster County. Fans of Beverly Lewis and Shelley Shepard Gray will savor this read.

💞 Tropes in A Hidden Hope

  • Love triangle
  • Grumpy but protective mentor
  • Fish out of water (city residents in Amish country)
  • Found family/workplace family
  • Slow burn romance
  • Return to small town
  • Healing through community
  • Secret long-time crush
  • Strong female protagonist (doctor)
  • Second chance at calling/purpose

Get your copy today!

Amazon

Baker Book House

Get updates on our themed book giveaways

Enter the most current book giveaway on ChristianRomancePodcast.com and sign up for our email list.

[convertkit form=6900532]


Kelly’s Personal Update

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me during the Kickstarter! I’m so grateful for you!

Finding Forevermore Novel

Finding Forevermore is available for preorder today on Amazon!

Her family secrets. His guilt. One road trip that changes everything.

Raven Cunningham has built a quiet life between the shelves of a small-town bookshop, ghostwriting stories for others while hiding her own. She’s long believed her father abandoned her, until a letter from her late grandmother reveals a shocking truth.

Convinced the reclusive author J.C. Nevermore is her father, Raven sets out to uncover the real story. When her childhood friend Cole Walker, a former Army medic wrestling with his own scars, offers to help, she’s not sure if she can trust him . . . or herself.

As they chase clues and revisit old memories, what begins as a search for answers becomes a journey toward something deeper.

Finding Forevermore is a heartfelt story about faith, family, and the kind of love that’s anchored in God’s unfailing grace.

For Kindle Unlimited lovers, Finding Forevermore will be available starting October 25th 2025!

You’ll get updates by joining my free email list.

Visit my website here to sign up

Follow me for updates