My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing
As love restores Rhoda, a sudden tragedy is the test of faith she never saw coming...
More settled in her heart than ever before, Rhoda Byler feels a newfound confidence living in the Old Order Amish settlement she helped establish in Orchard Bend, Maine. Though it has been almost a year since one brother left, Rhoda is happy to be working alongside the other brother as they tend and nurture the settlement's orchard. Time has helped to heal Rhoda's wounds, and she finds that even her unusual gift of profound intuition is less of a burden as she continues to seek God's wisdom and purpose for her life.
But when an Englischer friend's grandchild is taken deeper into hiding from her grandmother, can Rhoda's gift make a difference or will it simply be a catalyst to another season of doubt and misunderstanding? As she resolves to stay on course, suddenly a shocking tragedy challenges the young settlement like never before, threatening to uproot Rhoda's peace and the future of everything she holds dear.
My Review
This is the fourth and final book in the Amish Vines and Orchards series. The first three are on my to-read list, but since I had the opportunity to read and review this one, I just started with it. At the beginning there is a synopsis of each of the previous books with pertinent information to help readers understand the relationships and events in this book, which I definitely appreciated... but it also contains spoilers, so if you plan on reading all the books, I'd recommend reading them in order.
The novel is told from several characters' points of view, so there are many themes and story lines to follow. The author weaves them in and around each other seamlessly, and they complement and tie together wonderfully. There is such richness and fullness to her writing- the characters are thoughtful and contemplative with their hopes and struggles, and there is also enough drama and change going on to keep the pace moving forward. While I missed seeing Rhoda and Samuel fall in love (which happens in book three I believe), it was just as sweet to experience their courtship. Jacob's story was probably my favorite, since he was working on overcoming anger, accepting, and forgiving. The friendship he develops with Esther is unique and special, and their banter is enjoyable. Seasons of Tomorrow is a fabulously well-written book, but I would recommend reading the whole series to get the fullest satisfaction of this saga.
(ARC provided via Blogging for Books for unbiased review)
Heidi, I saw that this was still available on Blogging for Books. I'm almost neurotic about reading series in order, but love Amish fiction and wondered if I would have a hard time following this one without having read the previous three. I just did the same thing with Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series; enjoyed it, but want to go back and read the others!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this series! It was so good and I was shocked how Cindy was able to turn me around and cheer for Samuel! I barely liked him until halfway through book three! I had always cheered for Jacob and am so glad that he still had a happy ending despite the great trials he went through! Great review!
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