Book Review - The Hope of Refuge

Another review by Kelly.

Publisher’s Summary.
Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start. She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it’s no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God–“Be me to her”– despite how it threatens his way of life.

Completely opposite of the hard, untrusting Cara, Ephraim’s sister Deborah also finds her dreams crumbling when the man she has pledged to build a life with begins withdrawing from Deborah and his community, including his mother, Ada Stoltzfus. Can the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose–or push Mahlon away forever? While Ephraim is trying to do what he believes is right, will he be shunned and lose everything–including the guarded single mother who simply longs for a better life?

Author Bio
Cindy Woodsmall is the author of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and The New York Times Best-Seller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. A mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.

Kelly’s Thoughts
This was a great book. I really enjoy reading books about the Amish. I think that the author does a great job of telling how life is with the Amish. She makes it easy to fall in love with the characters and their seemingly more simple lifestyle. I enjoyed how reading how the two cultures mixed and resolved conflict within the story. It ends with room to continue the story and I would love to see if there is a sequel someday. I felt like the characters were so real and would like to know what happens in their lives. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this type of fiction. I know I will be watching for other books by Cindy Woodsmall in the future.

Check it out on Amazon.com.