Blog? Want Free Books? Let's Chat.

Book Review Cindy Woodsmall

by Tanya Carlisle-Brown

October 13, 2012

@readingramble

Book review A Season for Tending, Cindy Woodsmall A Season for Tending by Cindy Woodsmall A Season for Tending: Book One in the Amish Vines and Orchards Series (Paperback) MMM MMM MMM Cindy WoodSmall I think I love you. Yes, You did it again!

I love Amish Fiction and have read quite a few of Woodsmall`s books. This is the first in her new series The Amish Vines.

You will simply fall in love with the quirky, and edgy characters of this book. From Rhoda Byler a recluse gardener with an uncanny ability to know when someone is in need, to the King family who are equally complex and dynamic characters. These people will soon become your life until you finally finish the book. A warning here though, you will be disappointed because the book it is done, and you are so not! Rhonda loves gardening and ever since her Daed gives her her very first blueberry bush as a 7th birthday gift she is hooked, over the years she fills every inch of the yard with plants.And her father gives her a new plant every year, for her birthday. Her passion for herbs and their healing properties, coupled with her intuition, lands her in trouble with the community, Amish and English alike. They believe her "powers" to be a form of witch craft. This leaves her at odds with her community, and some family members. Meanwhile Rhonda continues to operate her business Rhode Side Stands, selling home canned goods by mail and in store order, with the help of and good employee / friend. Rhoda is living with the guilt of her sister's death, she is not able to move past it and live her life to the fullest.

The King family comes to know Rhoda because Leah King after partying all night finds her self lost and seprated from her friends, she ends up sleeping in Rhoda's garden. Samuel, Leah's brother, comes to get his little sister, and shows an interest in Rhoda's garden and canning business. When the brothers run into trouble with King's Orchard apple trees, Samuel remembers Rhoda, and her business. He and his brothers, Jacob and Eli, go to Rhoda and discuss opportunities together. A partnership ensues bringing Rhoda's canning skills and Samuel King's apple orchard together. Will we see a romance budding in the orchard?

One night when the family is away, someone comes and runs over all of her berry's and ruins the rest of her garden. Will this act of violence cause a change of heart for Rhoda and what will happen when a tornado hits King's Orchard? The end of the book will surprise you and leave you begging for Cindy to get busy and write, write, write!

You will just have to pick your self up a copy and dive in, but as I said before, be ready to give up your farm chores for the day because you will not be able to put this book down! The chickens will just have to wait!

I received this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) free from the publisher through the BloggingforBooks.org for review purposes. Thank you so much for the opportunity to review for you! About the Author,

Appearances

Biography Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author who has written six novels, three novellas, and Plain Wisdom, a work of nonfiction coauthored with her dearest Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud. She’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 lives in Georgia with her husband, three sons, two daughters-in-law, and a new granddaughter.