Sisters of the Quilt (books 2 & 3) by Cindy Woodsmall

It didn’t take me long to finish books 2 and 3 by Cindy Woodsmall. I really had a very hard time putting them down. Staying up (VERY) late to finish books (for several nights in a row!) is really quite foolish of me when my one-year old likes to wake up at 5 AM!!

When the Morning Comes begins with Hannah Lapp heading to Ohio, in search of an aunt she’s not even sure exists. Numb with grief over her countless losses, Hannah is also physically ill from the events that caused her to leave her home in Owl’s Perch.

Ending up in the ER, under the care of Dr. Lehman, Hannah begins to find healing and direction. Dr. Lehman helps Hannah find her aunt and a gives her a job.

Believing that no one from home, not even Paul, has tried to contact her or cares, Hannah forges a new life in Ohio, working on a nursing degree and spending more and more time with Englischer Martin Palmer.

When the Morning Comes ends with a marriage proposal and Hannah being summoned back to Pennsylvania by her unstable sister Sarah.

When the Soul Mends continues Hannah’s story as she arrives back in Owl’s Perch, dreading the conflict with the Old Order family and community that she once fled and yet hoping to help her sister Sarah.

Returning to her old home brings back much of Hannah’s fear, anger, and guilt.

And then there’s Paul.

Ahh. The conflict. The miscommunication. The emotions. Makings of a great book!

I must admit that I felt like I hurried through book 2, When the Morning Comes. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know I don’t enjoy books with a contemporary time setting. (So why did I read this one…well, I didn’t know it was in today’s time period!! It was “Amish”)!!

Anyway, When the Morning Comes deals very much with Hannah adjusting to the Englischer world. Because my beliefs and convictions are probably more conservative than most, the mentioning of Rascal Flatts and praise bands only make me cringe.

I wanted to hurry through book 2 and see if Hannah would return home. If she would stay “English” or remain “Plain.”

I hoped Hannah would remain Plain.

I didn’t like Martin.

I didn’t like Dorcas and hoped her deceit would be revealed.

When the Soul Mends follows Hannah as she continues on the difficult path to healing.

I will tell you no more. You’ll have to read the books to find out…

Published by Waterbrook.

Recommend: YES




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Tags: Cindy Woodsmall When the Morning Comes Christian fiction When the Soul Mends book reviews Amish fiction Sisters of the Quilt Old Order Amish Lancaster, PA

When the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall

Cindy Woodsmall’s very first novel, When the Heart Cries, is a success! Cindy wrote a book that kept me reading until midnight, which is a highly unusual occurrence for the mama of two young toddlers!

When the Heart Cries tells the story of young Hannah Lapp, an Old Order Amish girl who accepts the proposal of Mennonite Paul Waddell. Because of their conflicting traditions, the engagement is kept secret with Paul planning to work at the family farm to win Hannah’s family’s acceptance of him and their future marriage.

However, before any of these plans have a chance to take place, Hannah suffers the unthinkable and must endure, not only her own personal pain and guilt, but also all of the guilt and restrictions of her strict Amish father and community.

Like Beverly Lewis’ The Secret, When The Heart Cries is written in a more contemporary setting. However, the modern backdrop didn’t seem as obvious to me; so despite my dislike of more contemporary settings, I enjoyed the entire book.

I could not put the book down. I had to keep turning the pages, feeling deeply for the characters, and hoping for a good ending.

If you decide to read this book, be sure to have books 2 and 3 on hand as well! When you finish When the Heart Cries, you won’t want to be waiting around for book 2, When the Morning Comes, to arrive at your door!

In fact, it took quite a bit of willpower for me to write this review instead of first grabbing When the Morning Comes! :-)

Congratulations to Cindy on her first novel, which is a wonderful read. If the other two books in the Sisters of the Quilt series, When the Morning Comes and When the Soul Mends are as good as book one and you enjoy the Amish genre, you won’t be disappointed in this new author!!

323 pages from Waterbrook.

Recommend: YES




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Tags: Cindy Woodsmall When the Heart Cries Christian fiction Amish fiction book reviews Old Order Amish Sisters of the Quilt Waterbrook Press Random House