Book Review: When the Soul Mends

I have mentioned to you before that I am very blessed to be a part of Blogging for Books. This is a place where I am given free books in return for my honest review.

My latest novel was When the Soul Mends by Cindy Woodsmall. I was excited to read this book because I had recently read other work by Condy Woodsmall about the ties between the Old Order Amish and those of us that are not.

I am going to be completely honest with you in my review. This is the third book in a series call Sister of the Quilt. I have not had the opportunity to read the other two books that came prior to this part of the story. So for me there were tons of characters that I couldn't keep straight and mini stories that I didn't have the background information to guide my reading. So the book was hard for me to grab on to at first.

As I got farther into the book it had a wonderful tale of love, forgiveness, and all of the toils and troubles that happen in our lives. It was very well written and easy to read.

I recommend that anyone that wants to read about the Old Order Amish and the typical American lifestyles colliding to pick up this series. I would just start with the first books in the bunch, When the Heart Cries and When the Morning Comes.

If you are interested here is a brief summary from christianbook.com:

After receiving a desperate and confusing call from her sister, Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community of her Pennsylvania childhood.


Having fled in disgrace more than two years earlier, she finally has settled into a satisfying role in the Englischer world. She also has found love and a new family with the wealthy Martin Palmer and the children she is helping him raise. But almost immediately after her arrival in Owl’s Perch, the disapproval of those who ostracized her, including her headstrong father, reopens old wounds.
As Hannah is thrown together with former fiancé Paul Waddell to work for her sister Sarah’s mental health, hidden truths surface about events during Hannah’s absence, and she faces an agonizing decision. Will she choose the Englischer world and the man who restored her hope, or will she heed the call to return to the Plain Life --- and perhaps to her first love?