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Book Review: The Scent of Cherry Blossoms by Cindy Woodsmall

by Leah Colson

August 17, 2012

@blue4t

Annie Martin is a Mennonite not getting along with her mother or her wayward brothers. Her mother sends her to spend some time with her grandfather who lives near and is business partners with the Amish. Going back she rekindles a friendship with an Amish boy, Aden Zook, as she helps him with the diner his father co-owns with Annie's grandfather.

Mennonites and Amish are not allowed to date each other, especially if they made a vow to their church as Annie has. Annie and Aden have to keep their relationship a secret lest her grandfather find out and pull his funding from the diner.

The Amish cannot use electricity. State code does not allow a restaurant to be open without electricity. The only way the Zooks can have the diner is if they partner with a Mennonite. If Moses, Annie's Daadi (grandfather), pulls out from the diner, the diner loses electricity and the Zooks lose the diner.

Will Annie and Aden find a way to be together and not lose the diner? Will Aden's brother, Roman, learn to get past the accident that left him in a wheelchair? Where do the cherry blossoms play into all this?

Cindy Woodsmall has created a short, sweet, romantic story of two people from the same side of the tracks and yet so far away. The side story of Roman (whom I kept wanting to call Ronan) was appealing as well. A farming accident caused him to not be able to properly use his legs. He used to feel higher than his brother, but now he feels unworthy. His struggle was very real and honest.

Usually with stories like these it's an Amish girl and an English boy (English is what they call non-Plain folks). It was refreshing for both of them to be Plain, but just different faiths: Amish and Mennonite.