The Scent of Cherry Blossoms
By: Cindy Woodsmall
Synopsis: Annie Martin's strong Old Order Mennonite convictions drive her to take a break from her mother's looser household to visit her beloved Daadi Moses in Apple Ridge. Upon arriving to Apple Ridge, Annie discovers her childhood friend, Aden Zook, and his family need help running their diner. Among the dishes and plates of food, Annie and Aden both discover their childhood camaraderie is making way to a deeper romantic attraction. As they walk through the groves of Daadi Mose's cherry trees, their love blossoms along with the blooms. Annie is able to help Aden feel confidence and speak up and Aden is able to make Annie feel cherished and important. All would be perfect if Aden was not an Old Order Amish.
Annie and Aden are devoted to their religion and they have been taught there is a deep divide between Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite. Will their blooming love be enough to bridge the divide?
Romance Characteristics:
Pace: The pacing of the novel is fast. Annie is already falling in love with Aden after day one! Woodsmall keeps things moving along and breaks up the already fast-paced main narrative of Annie and Aden with another side love story involving Aden's twin, Roman.
Characterization: A classic archetypal pair of lovers, from two families sworn to never mix, think Romeo and Juliet. Torn between their convictions and their love, these main characters face a dilemma common in Romance novels. Annie is a sweet helper, bubbly and generous set out to "open up" the shy, mysterious Aden and convince him to talk despite his speech impediment.
Tone: The tone is hopeful and emotional. Both characters face many hardships in their family, perhaps more than most readers would expect from a short romance novel. However, the emphasis is on the saving power of love. There is a classic happy ending, essential to true romance novels, that ties the book together in a happy and heartwarming tone.
Read-a-likes:
Seeing Your Face Again by Jerry Eicher
Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long
Annie's Truth by Beth Shriver
The summary and the characteristics are spot on. Great annotation, full points!
ReplyDeleteDarcy, you got me wanting to read Amish romance! Whenever I come across fictional depictions of 'closed communities' (e.g. the Amish, the ultra-orthodox, etc.), I wonder about the author/creator's connection to that community. I also wonder about the audience for which these books or movies or whatever are created. I totally get why 'outsiders' are fascinated to catch a glimpse into these communities, but I wonder if 'insiders' read these books, too. Like, what might a young Amish person today think about this book?!
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