By The Book

As love restores Rhoda, a sudden tragedy is the test of faith she never saw coming.

More settled in her heart than ever before, Rhoda Byler feels a newfound confidence living in the Old Order Amish settlement she helped establish in Orchard Bend, Maine. Time has helped to heal the wounds of Rhoda’s recent severed relationship, and she finds that even her unusual gift of profound intuition is less of a burden as she continues to seek God’s wisdom for her future. She is happy to be working alongside the King family and the love of her life as they tend and nurture the settlement’s orchard.

Yet when Leah King’s involvement with Englischer Landon Olson becomes known outside of the Maine community, her disregard of the Ordnung could threaten all the Orchard Bend Amish are building. In the midst of addressing the discord, a shocking tragedy challenges the young settlement like never before, threatening to uproot Rhoda’s peace and the future of everything she holds dear.

When several members of Orchard Bend Farms are displaced, the estranged King brother is called upon to return. Can those who founded the new Amish community in Maine unite Or will the lingering pain of past hurts and present struggles result in the end of their dreams?

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author who has written a dozen (and counting!) works of fiction and one of nonfiction. She and her dearest Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud, coauthored the nonfiction, Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women. Cindy’s been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and has worked with National Geographic on a documentary concerning Amish life. In June of 2013, the Wall Street Journal listed Cindy as the second most popular author of Amish fiction, following Beverly Lewis.

She is also a veteran homeschool mom who no longer holds that position. As her children progressed in age, her desire to write grew stronger. After working through reservations whether this desire was something she should pursue, she began her writing journey. Her husband was her staunchest supporter as she aimed for what seemed impossible.

She’s won Fiction Book of the Year, Reviewer’s Choice Awards, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, as well as one of Crossings’ Best Books of the Year. She’s been a finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards, Christian Book of the Year, and Christian Retailers Choice Awards.

Her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity. Though she didn’t realize it at the time, seeds were sown years ago that began preparing Cindy to write these books. At the age of ten, while living in the dairy country of Maryland, she became best friends with Luann, a Plain Mennonite girl. Luann, like all the females in her family, wore the prayer Kapp and cape dresses. Her parents didn’t allow television or radios, and many other modern conveniences were frowned upon. During the numerous times Luann came to Cindy’s house to spend the night, her rules came with her and the two were careful to obey them—afraid that if they didn’t, the adults would end their friendship. Although the rules were much easier to keep when they spent the night at Luann’s because her family didn’t own any of the forbidden items, both sets of parents were uncomfortable with the relationship and a small infraction of any kind would have been enough reason for the parents to end the relationship. While navigating around the adults’ disapproval and the obstacles in each other’s lifestyle, the two girls bonded in true friendship that lasted into their teen years, until Cindy’s family moved to another region of the US.

As an adult, Cindy became friends with a wonderful Old Order Amish family who opened their home to her. Although the two women, Miriam and Cindy, live seven hundred miles apart geographically, and a century apart by customs, when they come together they never lack for commonality, laughter, and dreams of what only God can accomplish through His children. Over the years Cindy has continued to make wonderful friendships with those inside the Amish and Mennonite communities—from the most conservative ones to the most liberal.

Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in their now empty nest.

My Impressions:

My book club met last night to discuss the fourth and final book in the Amish Vines and Orchards series by Cindy Woodsmall. We have been anticipating Seasons of Tomorrow for months and were not disappointed in the conclusion of this great series. The novel got a unanimous thumbs-up and generated lots of good discussion. We highly recommend all the books in this series.

The King and Byler families have faced numerous hardships and heartbreaks since establishing an Amish community in Maine. Now with a good harvest finally in, perhaps they can relax a bit. But life proceeds and its physical and emotional struggles continue. But there is hope in the new love, new life and strengthened relationships for all the characters in Seasons of Tomorrow.

The characters are what my book club liked most about this series, and Seasons of Tomorrow continued to develop old and new favorites. We all loved the introduction of Esther. She was a breath of fresh air. We also were pleased with the tracks that Jacob, Landon and Leah took. As one of our members stated “it ended exactly the way I wanted it to”. Hope and freedom were expressed as the characters fought to break free from past regrets and guilt to step into futures that pointed towards God’s will for their lives.

Seasons of Tomorrow is set in an Old Amish Order and part of our discussion revolved around the restrictions that the man-made Ordnung placed on church members. That discussion led us into how our own denominations keep believers from the true freedom which is in Christ.

All in all, Seasons of Tomorrow was a sure winner for us. If you have not read any of the books in this series, make sure to start with book 1, A Season for Tending. The books build upon each other and are not intended for stand alone reading.

Recommended.

(Thanks to Waterbrook Press for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine and my book club’s.)

To purchase this book, click on the image below.

GIVEAWAY:

Would you like a copy of Seasons of Tomorrow? Leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway. The winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator no later than June 23.

Tags: Amish fiction, Cindy Woodsmall

Working hard to develop a new Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is fully committed to rehabilitating an orchard with business partner Samuel King. But an impulsive decision has created an unexpected strain in her relationship with her beau, Samuel’s brother, Jacob, threatening plans for the orchard. Amidst mounting tension in matters of the heart and business, Rhoda finds that this fledging settlement feels like the home she has always longed 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 towards the future together.

But as Rhoda uses her gift to unpack an old secret with her Englisch neighbors, it is not her beau but an unlikely ally that 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?

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author who has written a dozen (and counting!) works of fiction and one of nonfiction. She and her dearest Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud, coauthored the nonfiction, Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women. Cindy’s been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and has worked with National Geographic on a documentary concerning Amish life. In June of 2013, the Wall Street Journal listed Cindy as the second most popular author of Amish fiction, following Beverly Lewis.

She is also a veteran homeschool mom who no longer holds that position. As her children progressed in age, her desire to write grew stronger. After working through reservations whether this desire was something she should pursue, she began her writing journey. Her husband was her staunchest supporter as she aimed for what seemed impossible.

She’s won Fiction Book of the Year, Reviewer’s Choice Awards, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, as well as one of Crossings’ Best Books of the Year. She’s been a finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards, Christian Book of the Year, and Christian Retailers Choice Awards.

My Impressions:

My book club has been anxiously waiting for this book. We just had to know who Rhoda would pick! Well we got the answer and more in book 3 of Cindy Woodsmall’s Amish Vines and Orchards series. For Every Season finds the new Amish community in Maine still struggling to get the business established. Strife between Rhoda and the King brothers has put a strain on other relationships and on the fledgling orchard. Feelings must be sorted out and decisions made for the future of the community.

I really like the characters in this series. The struggle of finding their place within their community and in God’s plan is realistically portrayed. In For Every Season, a new character is introduced who adds spice to the mix. Some conflicts are resolved, but new story threads are introduced that will lead to book 4! I look forward to finding out just where Leah and Landon’s relationship will take them.

I am looking forward to my group’s discussion on Thursday. If you have read For Every Season, please let us know what you think.

Recommended.

(Thanks to LibraryThing for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Review of A Season for Tending.

Review of The Winnowing Season.

To purchase For Every Season, click on the image below.

A Taste of For Every Season — Rhoda experiments with various apple recipes, including salsa, for her canning business. Here is a recipe for apple salsa and the accompanying cinnamon chips from Taste of Home — Apple Salsa with Cinnamon Chips.

Tags: Amish fiction, Cindy Woodsmall

The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?
 
On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.
 
Jacob King won’t be swayed by community speculation. He loves Rhoda, believes in her, and wants to build a future with her in Maine. But when the ghosts of his past come calling and require him to fulfill a great debt, can he shake their hold before it destroys what he has with Rhoda? Samuel has a secret of his own—one he’ll go to great lengths to keep hidden, even if it means alienating those closest to him. Throwing himself into rehabilitating the once-abandoned orchard, Samuel turns to a surprising new ally.
 
Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series asks: can the three faithfully follow God’s leading and build a new home and orchard in Maine? Or will this new beginning lead to more ruin and heartbreak?

Excerpt

*************

*************

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author who has written a dozen (and counting!) works of fiction and one of nonfiction. She and her dearest Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud, coauthored the nonfiction, Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women. Cindy’s been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and has worked with National Geographic on a documentary concerning Amish life.

She is also a veteran homeschool mom who no longer holds that position. As her children progressed in age, her desire to write grew stronger. After working through reservations whether this desire was something she should pursue, she began her writing journey. Her husband was her staunchest supporter as she aimed for what seemed impossible.

She’s won Fiction Book of the Year, Reviewer’s Choice Awards, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, as well as one of Crossings’ Best Books of the Year. She’s been a finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards, Christian Book of the Year, and Christian Retailers Choice Awards.

Her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity. Though she didn’t realize it at the time, seeds were sown years ago that began preparing Cindy to write these books. At the age of ten, while living in the dairy country of Maryland, she became best friends with Luann, a Plain Mennonite girl. Luann, like all the females in her family, wore the prayer Kapp and cape dresses. Her parents didn’t allow television or radios, and many other modern conveniences were frowned upon. During the numerous times Luann came to Cindy’s house to spend the night, her rules came with her and the two were careful to obey them—afraid that if they didn’t, the adults would end their friendship. Although the rules were much easier to keep when they spent the night at Luann’s because her family didn’t own any of the forbidden items, both sets of parents were uncomfortable with the relationship and a small infraction of any kind would have been enough reason for the parents to end the relationship. While navigating around the adults’ disapproval and the obstacles in each other’s lifestyle, the two girls bonded in true friendship that lasted into their teen years, until Cindy’s family moved to another region of the US.

As an adult, Cindy became friends with a wonderful Old Order Amish family who opened their home to her. Although the two women, Miriam and Cindy, live seven hundred miles apart geographically, and a century apart by customs, when they come together they never lack for commonality, laughter, and dreams of what only God can accomplish through His children. Over the years Cindy has continued to make wonderful friendships with those inside the Amish and Mennonite communities—from the most conservative ones to the most liberal.

Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in their now empty nest.

My Impressions:

The Winnowing Season by Cindy Woodsmall is book 2 of 3 of the Amish Vines And Orchards series. This book is not a standalone; you really need to read book one first. (See my review of A Season for Tending HERE.) Book 2 continues the story of Rhoda Byler and the King family as they move to Maine to establish a new Amish community and to revitalize an apple orchard and their businesses. They are all eager to start a new chapter in their lives, but trouble seems to follow Rhoda and soon their determination to start afresh and live apart is disrupted. There are also secrets from the past that just won’t relinquish their hold.

I really enjoyed The Winnowing Season, as I have all of Woodsmall’s books. My book club, By The Book, will be discussing it in a few days, and I anticipate a good discussion of the Amish way of life, the lure of the world for a Christian, and the destructive nature of secrets. The book is a bridge of sorts. It advanced the story begun in book 1, but little is resolved. There are still plenty of loose strings for Woodsmall to tie up in book 3, For Every Season. Of course, that one will be on our schedule as soon as it’s published.

My group does not regularly read Amish fiction, and Woodsmall is the only author in that genre that we have read. She appeals to the die-hard suspense junkies, the romance lovers and to all of us who love a good story. If you have not read any of her books, pick up A Season for Tending and The Winnowing Season. You won’t be disappointed.

Recommended.

(I purchased this book for my Kindle. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase the books in this series, click on the images below.

Tags: Amish fiction, Cindy Woodsmall