The Bridge of Peace

In recieving the book, " The Bridge of Peace" written by author, Cindy Woodsmall, I looked forward to reading yet another fiction read with the Amish flavor, if you will. I have read others , not by this author, but similar " feel " to each story line.. Clean, captivating, and interesting in the useage of the english language, versus the Amish Language.

Never have read any of Cindy Woodsmall's writiing,this book grabbed my attention and can keep me spellbound throughout most of the book. Some of the characters tugged at my heart as I began " seeing " them in my minds eye :

Lena , an Amish schoolteacher who is having serious problems with a " scholar" as the Amish call their students. She faces struggles with this boy/ man whose respect is clearly not taught , and not shown to those in authority.

" Grey ", whose character is struggling in a troubled and loveless marriage, while Deborah grieves deeply over the pain filled desertion of the man she thought she loved.

Cara, whose life is being changed from the Englishscher point of view, to the Amish as she falls in love with a man whose life is much different than her own.

The Bridge of Peace is a book that in my thinking , incorporates events in life as an Amish person, but also as what we are called, " Englishers"..

The book touches on relationships gone sour, mental illness, and how it can keep someone in confusion. There are self esteem issues, and insecurities one feels as the result of one's physical appearance. This part of the book stood out more so for me, because I, too, have birthmarks, and physical scars that often times I try to hide behind. to be honest, reading of Lena's struggle, made me think just how often I do try to hide the scars I have, because I have not accepted them for what they are - Trophies of Grace, and Scars of Beauty.

I did feel parts of the story dragged whenever the focus was on Lena, which was odd as she was the focus of the book, itself.

This is one of those books that I had a hard time putting down , although the ending was as predictable in the Amish sense of the word.
It was still interesting to see how the characters played out in the end, though.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group through their blogging program. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own view of the book.