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One
Rhoda tiptoed across the dark kitchen. Only the blue flame under the pan on the stove and a lone candle illuminated the room. Electric lights first thing in the morning bothered her. Besides, when she got up before Bob and Camilla, she found comfort in the familiarity of a wavering flame.
She measured out freshly ground cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and mixed it into her apple purée and sugar mixture. The aroma of simmering apple butter filled the air. Since she couldn’t start her days at the farm alongside her sister-in-law Phoebe in the kitchen, this was the second best thing—alone and trying new recipes.
Choose… A female voice sliced through the quietness.
Rhoda’s heart clenched. Had she wakened Camilla? Or was Rhoda hearing her sister again? It had sounded like a real person, and something moved, maybe someone in a dress, near the doorway. She turned off the flame under the pan before easing toward the living room. She saw no one.
Choose! The shriek jolted her like an unexpected clap of thunder, and Rhoda stumbled against a table.
Something fell over, and cold water, a lot of it, splashed on her dress and bare feet. The word choose continued to echo in her ears.
Her heart pounded as she skimmed her hands over the tabletop, searching for what she’d knocked over. Perhaps she felt stems of some kind and what seemed like cool textured glass rolling back and forth. A vase, a large one that apparently had been filled with water. She set it upright. As her eyes adjusted to the soft glow of moonlight, she padded across the wooden floor and reached for the light switch. But she paused mere inches from it. How had it come to this—she, a devout Amish woman, was taking refuge in an Englisch home?
She lowered her hand, leaving herself in the dark.
The easy answer was that Jacob had banished her from living on the farm.
Well, more or less.
He hadn’t made her go. But he’d invited her to leave and then had refused to talk to her. Fresh ache flooded her. Not a minute had gone by that she didn’t miss him. He felt the same way. She knew he did.
Still, here she was. An outcast.
Choose…
The taunting voice was clearer now. It sounded like Emma, her late sister. Although it had been as real as if someone were in the room with her, Rhoda realized it was her own conscience blaring at her.
She had chosen, but Jacob was too wounded to listen to her. Shoving back her frustration and regret, she set her will to get through the coming day. She returned to the kitchen to get a towel. The digital clock on the microwave glared at her: 5:19.
She’d been up for hours, and thankfully it’d be daylight within the hour. Despite feeling out of place in an Englisch home, she was here, in the dark, trying a new recipe for the canning business and hoping she didn’t disturb her hosts.
It wasn’t a disagreeable place, but she would never feel fully at ease inside this house. Sadness tried to rob determination from her. She was no longer a part of the farm’s mealtime discussions about the workday. Or part of the camaraderie, chats, or even disagreements that were vital to running the business.
What was she going to do if Jacob’s anger and hurt didn’t dissolve?
A tapping noise caught her attention. “Rhoda, are you okay?” Camilla’s whisper seemed to come from the front of the house. She was probably outside Rhoda’s bedroom door.
Poor Camilla. Rhoda had to be the most unpleasant houseguest ever, but the Cranfords were too good to ask her to leave. For that she was grateful.
She went in that direction, shielding her eyes from the bright light in the hallway. “I’m in here. So sorry to disturb you.” Rhoda turned around to see long-stemmed white roses scattered and water dripping off the edge of the round mahogany table. Bob had brought home a couple of bouquets a few days ago. “I’m so sorry.” Rhoda hurried back to the spot and spread the kitchen towel over as much of the puddle as she could.
Camilla joined her and picked up the flowers and put them back in the vase. “Neither the mess nor the noise matters.” Her tone was difficult to define at times, usually somewhere between guarded and caring.
Rhoda knelt, and her lone braid fell over her shoulder as she began mopping up the water. “I was trying so hard not to wake you and Bob.”
“We’re fine. It’s you we’re worried about.” Camilla put her hands on her hips, making her short gray ponytail sort of wave. “But it smells wonderful in here. You’re working on recipes again, aren’t you?”
“Ya.” Did Camilla mind?
“So just how long have you been up?”
“A while.”
“You need sleep more than new recipes. Is something keeping you up at night?”
Since Rhoda had arrived on her doorstep two weeks ago in need of a place to stay, Camilla had voiced concerns over why she’d left the farmhouse. She wished Camilla would stop asking, and so far Rhoda had managed to sidestep the questions. Nonetheless, of all the people she had ever known, Camilla was one of her favorites.
Rhoda continued drying the floor. It was tempting to open up…except she couldn’t bear to know what Camilla would think of her once she heard. Truth was, Rhoda had no one else she could talk to right now. Even her brother and sister-in-law were disappointed in her. Since Leah was Samuel and Jacob’s younger sister, Rhoda couldn’t confide in her either. It’d be wrong to put Leah in the middle of this mess.
What had possessed Rhoda to think that two families—the Kings and the Bylers—could live under the same roof while trying to establish a new Amish community?
It had been naive.
Camilla wandered to the couch and picked up Rhoda’s prayer Kapp. Rhoda had placed it there hours ago, meaning to put it on before anyone else was up. Camilla ran her fingers down the long strings of the Kapp. “I read once that Amish women wear these even in their sleep.”
Was she changing the subject or aiming to start an easygoing conversation in hopes Rhoda would open the floodgates?
“Some do.” Rhoda flipped the towel and pushed it across the floor. The women who wore them at night were the kind who might wake and start praying. But lately Rhoda was more the kind who woke and stewed.
She was beyond disappointed in herself over this mess. But what had Samuel been thinking? And Jacob… What kind of a man was he to cut her off the way he had?
She wasn’t sure who she was the angriest with—Samuel, Jacob, or herself. But her frustration with the trio kept her in turmoil.
Camilla put the prayer Kapp back and crouched near her. “Rhoda.” She touched the back of Rhoda’s hands, stopping her from cleaning up the water. “I only want to help you the way I wish someone had helped me when I was your age.”
Rhoda eased from Camilla’s gentle touch and ran the towel in wider circles.
Camilla stood. “Bob and I don’t mind being awakened. But I believe you need to talk about why you’re staying with us.”
“I can’t.” She took the wet towel through the kitchen and into the laundry room. What could she say—that she was a hypocrite, a girl who dressed and lived plainly because she wanted to honor God but had let two good men, devoted brothers no less, each kiss her?
Rhoda was desperate to talk but not to Camilla. If she could get to the one man who could restore some measure of peace to her, she would. But neither brother had any desire to talk to her. She loved Jacob, but she needed to talk to Samuel…after she yelled at him for messing up her life as well as the relationship between the three of them. He would have answers, half-baked ones most likely, but by the time they were finished, she’d at least feel some clarity, enough to start sleeping again.
When she came out of the laundry room, Camilla was in the kitchen with the lights on. “Were you making apple butter by candlelight?”
Rhoda blew out the candle. “Between it and the glow from the gas burner and all the electronic things in the room, I could see well enough.”
Camilla’s wry smile didn’t quite override the hint of bewilderment in her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I need to say what’s on my mind. I didn’t ask why Jacob never accompanied you when you came to visit us or why he disappeared altogether when your legal troubles began. And I let you push Bob and me away during that whole mess of false accusations of drug trafficking. But aren’t you ready to talk?” Camilla moved in closer. “For your sake, child.”
In spite of her desire to keep Amish matters among the Amish, Rhoda’s resolve began to falter. The whole situation was ridiculous. Jacob was finally home after months of being in hiding, and yet Rhoda had never felt so lonely. For her, that was really saying something. She’d spent so much of her life ostracized and alone. Then Jacob swooped in and made the pain of all those days vanish like apples from trees during the harvest.
A faint smile crossed Camilla’s face. “Las Vegas has a motto: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But they have nothing on the Amish or on Rhoda Byler, do they?”
Rhoda leaned against a counter, lost in her heartache. “I don’t know how I got to the place of living with the Englisch. It all happened in the blink of an eye.”
Actually, it’d happened in the length of a kiss.
Samuel.
She ran her cold, damp fingertips across her lips, remembering the power of those few moments. “Do you understand men?”
Camilla set a few dishes in the sink. “It took me a lot of years and many a mile traveling down a rocky path after the wrong men, but eventually…after…”
Rhoda heard the rest of Camilla’s sentence as if she’d spoken it aloud— after my poor decisions caused my son to walk out, never to return.
Rhoda’s heart turned a flip. It was the strongest confirmation she had felt that Camilla did have a son. The day Rhoda moved into the farmhouse, and even before she met Camilla and Bob, she had often sensed a man and a child trying to tell her something. It was eerie, and Rhoda wished it would go away, but since then, whenever she gently hinted about Camilla having children, Camilla denied it, retreating like a stray dog being chased off by a landowner.
Another great book by Cindy, and the third in this series. I loved spending time with these old dear friends. Note: If you have not yet read the other two books, there is information give so you can catch up. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of these great reads.
Samuel and Rhoda are working hard to getting the Orchard ready in Maine. We are with them them with their struggles and trials. Blending in with the families, and bring in some new people to help. I never wanted to leave, wanted to sit down with them at their meals!
Will Jacob and Rhoda finally be able to put the past behind them, and be married? Will their be someone special finally for Samuel? How about Leah, will she stay Amish and not want to go worldly?
Enjoy this next book in this series, you won't be able to put it down! I couldn't.
I received this book from Waterbook Press and their blogger program, and was not required to give a positive review.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Fri Sep 13 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I am an avid reader of Amish books. This is the first series of Cindy Woodsmall I have read and it certainly won't be the last! She makes you fell as you know these characters personally and I am waiting , not so patiently, for the next book! This series is a must read, especially if you like Amish books.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.booksbysteph says "Perfect Ending to Series"
It has been two weeks since the shock heard round the farm. Rhoda Byler and the King brothers, Samuel and Jacob, have barely said a word to each other. Jacob "invited [Rhoda] to leave [the house] and then had refused to talk to her." She moved into the guest bedroom of her Englisch neighbor friends, walking a mile to and from the farm to work. "What had possessed Rhoda to think that two families - the Kings and they Bylers - could live under the same roof while trying to establish a new Amish community?"
Rhoda must prove her love to Jacob by staying away from Samuel. However, nothing is getting done on the farm. Leah knows they need help so she hires Iva Lambright in hopes that she will catch Samuel's eye. It was only upon Iva's arrival that Rhoda and the brothers started speaking to each other - because they had to.
Rhoda starts to see visions of her dead sister again. She had not seen Emma since they left Pennsylvania. Rhoda is also seeing things that have to do with her new roommates, but she cannot figure out what they mean or how to tell her friends.
Jacob decides that the best way to heal their relationship is for he and Rhoda to get married and move back home. He will work as a carpenter while Rhoda has a bit of land to grow her herbs and fruits again. Even though it was Jacob's idea to never keep secrets from each other, he is not telling Rhoda everything from his past in the Englisch world.
I GIVE THIS BOOK: 5 Stars
Cindy Woodsmall has delivered another heart-wrenching Amish story. This book left me stunned with tears pouring from my eyes. It was the perfect ending to this series...until you turn to the last page and see that book 4 comes out in April 2014. Cindy, you are killing me! This series has captivated my heart. While I am happy if the series ended as is, knowing I have to wait 7 months for the next book is pure torture.
As for this book, just because these characters bought a farm in Maine does not mean they left their troubles behind. It is like bad luck follows them. This book deals with the struggles of the heart and what is morally right. The struggles of the Amish and the Englisch. The struggle between money and family. Since the theme of this book is based on struggle, in my opinion, it will touch every reader in a different way. Your heart will be attached to this book the whole way through.
Until next time, live life one page at a time!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.PatGMoore
Posted Fri Sep 06 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Cindy Woodsmall is a favorite author. This is the third in a series and to get the most out of the book I highly recommend you read the first two. A Season for Tending and The Winnowing Season. Cindy brings her characters to life and before you know it you are following the life of Jacob, Samuel and Rhoda. You will find characters that you will feel sympathy, empathy, laugh at their antics and wonder why you haven't read Cindy's books sooner. Cindy Woodsmall always has well developed characters, plot and shows the human faults and how they work through them through love, friendship, caring and most of all through their faith.
The love interests between Rhoda, Samuel and Jacob does cause problems because Samuel and Jacob are brothers. Neither Samuel nor Rhoda wants to do anything to hurt Jacob. Rhoda is promised to Jacob. Follow them with the early spring weather and then a late frost that hits their new apple orchard. The group have moved due to a tornado almost destroying their orchard. They moved to Maine and bought a new one. If it is successful they more Amish from home will join them. The land is cheaper and the community doesn't mind the Amish moving in.
Check the back of her books for Amish recipes. I've tried a couple from previous books and loved them. So did my family. Then there is new budding romance between Leah and Landon. Landon is not Amish but his grandmother lives close to the orchard and he works with Rhoda. I love this series and hope that there will be another one soon. I would love to follow the lives of the remaining characters that I've loved reading about.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.amoore1981
Posted Thu Sep 05 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I’ve read the first two books, A Season for Tending and The Winnowing Season and now with the third book I feel like I’ve come back to visit some old friends and see as their orchard improves with lots of hard work. This picks up right where book 2 left off but now there is some fear of frost killing off the early budding apple trees so Samuel, Jacob, Rhoda and the others begin round the clock vigils to keep the trees from losing their fruitlings. Of course it’s not all about the apple trees and the orchard, we get to meet a new character, Iva, say good-bye (for now) to two characters, Sandra and her daughter all the while with intrigue, romance and some whimsy thrown in.
The love triangle between Jacob, Samuel and Rhoda continues as the brothers try to mend their relationship and Rhoda tries to deny her feelings for the brother she truly loves – this does come to an abrupt end, but if one has read the whole series from the beginning it’s easy to see that Rhoda has struggled with this and while it seems abrupt at first it really wasn’t. I loved seeing how strong Leah has grown over the course of this series so far and that Landon is there beside no matter what she decides. I also have enjoyed seeing the new Amish settlement really start to bear fruit, both figuratively and literally, as new Amish come to see if they want to be a part of the new settlement.
If you enjoy Amish fiction then this is one book and series you won’t want to miss, Cindy’s writing is excellent and she has a way of making the reader feel as if they were there, looking at the sunset over the fields or at night keeping fires stoked to protect the trees – it’ll feel like you’re right there with all the characters. Also in the back of this one are some recipes that sound really delicious, although I’d love to have one for that 6 layer casserole that was mentioned for dinner one evening in the book!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Fri Aug 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This is one of the best series I have read. It was hard to put down. My favorite young man by far was Samuel in both books. Jacob turned out to be a decent man in the end. Rhoda is so deep but I wanted to shake her sometimes. The ending was so exciting I almost jumped out of my chair. As usual I wanted a few more chapters but will have to wait until next year. Thanks Cindy
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2014
Becareful, Rider is trying to move in for your spot as my boyfriend lol.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Laura_Pol
Posted Mon Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 2014
I had very mixed feelings about this latest novel in the Amish Vines and Orchards series! I didn't dislike it, but I also felt slightly lost due to the ending circumstances! My feelings for Jacob and Samuel did a 360 because I now found myself cheering for the opposite man of who I cheered for at the end of book 2. Yet when the man I wanted to truly have claim to Rhoda's heart, I was heartbroken for the other. I felt the same agony Rhoda did in watching the other man walk away!
As I did in the second novel it was still interesting to see Rhoda's gift and the way it affected her neighbor Camilla! I'm so glad that she finally came to peace with her unique gift even if frightened her at times! Also it was awesome to see Samuel encourage her to embrace it rather then avoid it because that's what she did growing up.
I really enjoyed Leah in book 2 and I am so glad that Cindy gave her and her relationship with Landon a big part! I enjoy Landon's mature insight while being a perfect gentlemen to Leah! I'm looking forward to reading more of their future, but I have a feeling that things might get a little more complicated in the upcoming novel!
Overall I enjoyed this third novel even if it left me in a whirlwind of emotions! I'm looking forward to reading book 4 to see where the latest character Iva will end up and the future concerning this new Amish community!
I give "For Every Season" a 4.5 out of 5 stars!
Anonymous
Posted Sat Jan 18 00:00:00 EST 2014
She giggled (no worries)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Dec 24 00:00:00 EST 2013
Vincent smiled "Wow, that defiantly describes the both of us." He looks at sage and smiles (gtg bbl or tomorrow.)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Struggling relationships, secrets and restlessness of the heart continue to plague all of the characters in Cindy Woodsmall's third book in the Amish Vines and Orchards series. Because I had read the first and second book, I went into this one with high hopes of having some questions about the characters answered! Cindy does an incredible job of describing the Amish day to day life and I find myself wanting to read more and more. That's a good indication of an excellent writer in my opinion!
To be completely honest, I really had a hard time getting into For Every Season. But once I forced myself to pick it up, I was pleasantly surprised at how the story unfolded. Rhoda, Samuel and Jacob continue to struggle until the inevitable happens and Cindy was able to stay true to the kind of people she created them to be from the beginning.
If you are an Amish Fiction fan, I think you'd really enjoy this series! And stay tuned because book number four is due to come out in April of 2014!
chriscma
Posted Sun Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2013
This is the third book in the Amish Vines and Orchards series. I thought the story ended with this volume but there is a 4th book due out in April of 2014.
Some of the King family, Rhoda Byler and Landon Olsen have moved to Maine to establish an orchard and a new Amish community. There is a love triangle between King brothers Samuel and Jacob with Rhoda. Much of this book deals with people not talking things over and trying to do what they believe is right. Part of doing what is right deals with Jacob going to lawyers to clean up the mess from his life working construction. Rhoda must deal with the special gift she has and a past secret she sees about her neighbors.
In this book Leah King and Landon Olsen are dealing with their relationship. Leah will have to leave the Amish to continue this relationship. However her family and Rhoda are depending on her to stay with them and help with the orchard.
A new character, Iva, comes from Indiana to work at the orchard. She helps Jacob’s friend and her daughter. She does not want to return to Indiana but the King family are not sure about being able to hire anyone at this time. In addition to personal struggles there is still a lot to do to get the orchard established. They need to build a canning kitchen for Rhoda’s products and deal with the weather.
I have really enjoyed some of Cindy Woodsmall’s books but this series has not been my favorite. There just seems to be too much going on. Major problems are resolved with a rushed conclusion and the tension between Rhoda and the two brothers drags.
I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review
Bookworm_Debbie
Posted Fri Dec 06 00:00:00 EST 2013
I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads, First Reads giveaway in exchange for my honest opinion.
An in-depth look as how relationships develop.
A small group of Amish has moved to an orchard outside of Unity, Maine. They are trying to get a new Amish settlement going while also trying to rehabilitate an old orchard. Rhoda Byler is established as an expert in caring for plants and trees. Her business partner Samuel King grew up on the family orchard and has moved to Maine after the family orchard was nearly completely destroyed. They are both fully committed to making King Orchards Maine a success. But an impulsive decision has created an unexpected strain in the relationship with her beau, Samuel’s brother Jacob, threatening plans for the orchard. Yet amidst the mounting tension between the three of them, Rhoda finds that this fledging settlement feels like the home she has long hoped for and she begins to embrace the God-given, heightened intuition that has always felt like a burden to her. She longs for Jacob to fully be free of his past, so they can work toward the future together.
As Rhoda uses her gift to unpack an old secret with her Englisch neighbors, it is not her beau but the unlikely ally who cheers her on. With the orchard on shaky ground and Jacob’s plans in question, Rhoda is determined to see things through to harvest. But can she trust her insight to direct her path in matters of the heart?
This is the first book that I have ever read by Cindy Woodsmall. I enjoyed this book very much. One thing that she does that I really appreciated, since I had not read either of the previous books in this series, was the short synopsis she had at the beginning about each of the first 2 books. It helped me immensely in understanding what had happened previously.
Her characters were very well developed and learning each one’s personality was very enjoyable. There was a wide variety of people just as there are in real life. Each one had something in their life to deal with. This was very realistic yet in the bounds of a book, at times, I was having a little trouble keeping people and issues straight in my mind. This is the reason that I’m giving this book 4 instead of 5 stars.
I do want to go back and read books 1 and 2 for this series. Then I will re-read this one and see if knowing the backstory more fully will help with this. I do recommend this book for those who enjoy Amish fiction. I would suggest that you read the first two books before reading this one though.
Anonymous
Posted Wed Nov 06 00:00:00 EST 2013
Might want to move somewhere else
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Sun Jan 05 00:00:00 EST 2014
He smiled and followed Sky, James, and the waitress
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Posted Tue Nov 05 00:00:00 EST 2013
They head of to find someone to kill.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.NanceeMarchinowski
Posted Wed Oct 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
For Every Season
Rhoda Byler has a heightened intuition causing her to have premonitions, visions and hearing the voice of her sister Emma, who was murdered a few years earlier. In a new chapter in her life helping restore an abandoned apple orchard and establish a new Amish community in Maine, Rhoda hopes to escape the ghosts of her past. Rhoda has had an ongoing relationship with Jacob King, who is drawn out of her life more often than into it due to serious troubles as a result of his past. His brother, Samuel, and Rhoda have trouble meeting eye to eye where business decisions regarding the orchard come into play, but Samuel's respect and admiration for Rhoda has turned his head, and as he succumbs to kissing Rhoda, Jacob appears once again. Jacob is infuriated with his brother for kissing Rhoda, and throughout the story the brothers are at odds with each other. When an Indiana Amish girl is hired to help with the paperwork at the farm Rhoda is forced to move in with an Englisch couple. Rhoda loves the peace and beauty of her surroundings in the orchard, and looks forward to canning the fruits of her labors, but her future there is threatened by Jacob's jealousy over the kiss that Samuel and Rhoda shared. His jealous accusations and insecurities cause continuing stress for Rhoda.
Numerous characters are involved in this book, the third in a series. I received the book without having the opportunity to read the two previous books in the series, and found it hard to sort out all of the characters at first. Cindy Woodsmall is an artist at depicting a beautiful portrait of the locale in this book, and I easily envisioned the beautiful countryside with the orchard developing throughout the spring and summer months as the story develops. The main characters are very well defined to the point that I was constantly frustrated with Jacob and his penchant for running off to "take care of his self-imposed issues" at Rhoda's expense. I became irritated with Rhoda for her indecisive and spineless nature in her relationship with Jacob, dropping everything at Jacob's insistence in order to please him. This book is well written, but I would not recommend it as a stand-alone novel. There is too much information based on the previous books in the series, and the story ends rather abruptly as a sequel is to follow. I would love to read the entire series of books in order to have the advantage of the long-range advancement of character development and evolving plot developments.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
JamieLittle
Posted Tue Oct 29 00:00:00 EDT 2013
For Every Season is the third book in Cindy Woodsmall’s Amish Vines and Orchards series. In this book we once again meet up with Rhoda, Samuel and Jacob who are trying hard to establish a new community and revitalize a run down orchard just outside of Unity, Maine. Rhoda and Jacob are a couple headed in the direction of marriage, but one impulsive decision has left them in an odd place with a mountain of emotions to work through. Just when Rhoda is beginning to feel at peace and feeling at home in the new orchard, Jacob admits that his feelings are not the same. Rhoda is faced with the decision of following the desires of her heart or the desires of her beau.
I enjoyed catching up with the King and Byler families, that is one of the things I love about reading books in a series. I enjoyed the way the relationships between the characters evolved even if I was shocked by them a time or two. Even though I’ve been trying to get away from the Amish fiction genre, I find myself continually coming back to this series so that I can get another glimpse into the story – much like picking up on a new season of a TV show. I enjoy Woodsmall’s writing and am looking forward to the fourth installment in the series, Seasons of Tomorrow, due out in April 2014. I’m hoping we get to learn a little more about some of the other characters, especially Leah and Landon. :)
Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for this review. All thoughts are my own.
Anonymous
Posted Mon Oct 21 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This third book in Cindy Woodsmall's series, Amish Vines and Orchard's, is about faith, family and community, togetherness, devotion, and loyalty yet also heartache and pain, struggle and choices. Everything that makes a life all that it can be, experiences full of the grey that make one's life so worthwhile.
I was able to easily read the book in about 2 1/2 days, without being consumed but remaining interested. There were turns in the story that kept me wondering about the outcome and the choices that would be made. There were also points in the story where I could almost feel the feelings and struggle of the characters.
Anonymous
Posted Thu Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Rhoda has my heart torn....some moments, I want her with Jacob and some moments, I am sure she belongs with Samuel. Even Rhoda doesn't really seem to know her own heart. The two brothers are certainly at odds over the beautiful intuitive "seer". Can you imagine being given the gift of "seeing and knowing things" by God? Many in her own family and certainly her former community have rejected her because of this gift.
Can Rhoda ever see it as a true gift or calling from God, instead of the curse it seems to be for her? Can she ever reconcile her feelings for the men in her life? I agonized with her as I read, for I wanted her to be happy and to have the wonderful Amish husband, children, and home that she so desires.
So many people say that they value the Amish lifestyle because of its simplicity and peace. Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob have everything except simplicity and peace in their daily dealings on the orchard and in their personal lives. And just as I get to the last page, I think with relief that all the problems will be resolved, and they are NOT!!! I find out that I have to wait for book 4 in the series to come out in 2014. Seriously, Cindy Woodsmall, you are going to make me WAIT to find out what happens for my favorite characters?? sigh, I guess I have no choice, do I, for I am hopelessly hooked!
I received a free copy of this book from bloggingforbooks and Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers in exchange for my honest review. submitted by, Rhonda Nash-Hall
Overview