Friday, March 23, 2012

Review # 126: The Scent of Cherry Blossoms by Cindy Woodsmall

Description:
     Annie Martin, an old order Mennonite, has always been faithful to the Plain ways of her ancestors, but when a mother-daughter spat sends her to live with her grandfather, a new "distraction" begins to test her faith. Aden Zook is Old Order Amish, and has stolen Annie's heart. Can Annie and Aden find a way to be together even though their faiths' prohibit it? Or will their love only last as long as the cherry blossoms are in season?
Review:

     I live near Lancaster, Pennsylvania so I am no stranger to horse-and-buggy travel in the area, but besides what I have seen and read about the Amish population, I don't really know much about their beliefs or daily life. So when Doubleday Publishing Group offered me a copy of The Scent of Cherry Blossoms, I was excited to learn more about Amish culture. The book is short, but I found out that it is part of a "seasonal" series of novellas by Cindy Woodsmall, (so I know I will be heading to the library soon to find the other ones). I loved the characters, especially Annie, Aden, and Roman; their thoughts as well as their dialogue were detailed and full of emotion. Their relationships and interactions with the community were fun to read about - as was the book as a whole. The plot was good, and I enjoyed the innocent romance as well as the back-story. My only qualm was that it was so short, but that was intended; I will definitely be reading more books by Cindy Woodsmall now that I have discovered her craft for words. I was amazed by the amount of information and feeling that she managed to fit into this tiny book! Highly recommended for fans of Christian and Amish/Mennonite fiction. Off to the library I go to find more in the series!

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from the author (The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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