Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall - a book review

This is the first offering in Cindy Woodsmall’s series, The Amish of Summer Grove.  I usually really enjoy her books but this one took me a while to get interested in,  It started out slow and didn’t pick up until about half way through.  The refreshing thing about this book is, unlike some Amish novels, the characters are portrayed as real people, flawed and imperfect. 

As I said, I had read almost half of it before it captured my interest. After that point the plot became more solidified.  The story line incorporates secrets and mysteries, lost loves and new interests.  By the end of the book I was hooked and invested in the lives of the characters.  However, the ending was really a let down for me.  There was no resolution to any of the questions raised.  It was obvious that you would need to read the whole series in order to have all the questions answered and mysteries solved.  I would not call this a stand alone book.  On the other hand, it does make me want to read the next one of the series when it comes out.

This is from the back cover:

“Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish. 

Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.”

As I’ve said before in many of my previous reviews, this is only my opinion based on my likes and dislikes.  Your opinion might be very different.  You should go to the publisher’s website,   and read an excerpt, then judge for yourself.

You can read more about the author and her books here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook Press  through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”