Monday, November 26, 2012

A SEASON FOR TENDING (Amish Vines & Orchards - Book #1) CINDY WOODSMALL

 
 
Story Description: 
 
WaterBrook Press|September 18, 2012|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-307-73002-2 
 
In a community where conformity flourishes, seeds of Rhoda’s odd behaviour were planted long ago.  Can she cultivate her relationships with the same care and tenderness that she gives her beloved garden?  Old Order Amish Rhoda Byler’s unusual gift and her remarkable abilities to grow herbs and berries have caused many to think her odd.  As rumors mount that Rhoda’s “gift” is a detriment to the community, she chooses isolation, spending her time in her fruit garden and on her thriving canning business.
 
Miles away in Harvest Mills, Samuel King struggles to keep his family’s apple orchard profitable.  As the eldest son, Samuel farms with his brothers, the irrepressible Jacob and brash Eli, while his longtime girlfriend, Catherine remains hopeful that Samuel will marry her when he feels financially stable. 
 
Meanwhile, Samuel’s younger sister Leah is testing all the boundaries during her rumschpringe, and finds herself far from home in Rhoda’s garden after a night of partying gone badly.  But Leah’s poor choices serve as a bridge between Rhoda and the King family when a tragic mistake in the orchard leaves Samuel searching for solutions.  Rhoda’s expertise in canning could be the answer, but she struggles with the guilt over the tragic death of her sister and doesn’t trust herself outside her garden walls.  As the lines between business, love, and family begin to blur, can Rhoda finally open up to a new life?  And what effect will this odd, amazing woman have on the entire King family? 
 
My Review: 
 
Rhoda Byler is a gardener who grows herbs and flowers.  She uses the herbs to help people suffering from various ills and ailments.  However, not everyone in her Amish community believe in her practice of healing.  One Rueben Glick is a constant thorn in her side who is quickly turning people away from her. 
 
Rhoda also possesses a special “gift” of having “premonitions”.  She sees and feels things before they happen and this fuels Rueben’s vendetta against Rhoda all the more and he tells people she is practicing witchcraft.  This leaves her at odds with her entire community as well as some family members. 
 
Rhoda is also living with immense guilt over the death of her beloved sister.  She is having a very difficult time moving past this part of her life in order to live her own life to the fullest. 
 
Then she meets the King family and things begin to change for Rhoda.  When the King brothers run into difficulty with their apple orchard, they approach Rhoda with a deal that they feel will benefit themselves and Rhoda. 
 
Will Rhoda strike up a deal with this family?  Is it possible she might even find a love interest too?
 
You won’t be able to put this one down.  I was so upset when the book ended and now have to wait until the Spring of 2013 for Book #2.
 


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