The Scent of Cherry Blossoms by Cindy Woodsmall

I have always enjoyed Cindy Woodsmall's books.  She always gives her readers such a beautiful picture of the Amish life.  This book was just as beautiful and brought two different worlds together.  It wasn't the world of the Amish and the Englischer, like so many of the Amish fiction books tend to lean towards.  She takes a different relationship and lets them find their way together. 

The lives of an Amish man and an Old Order Mennonite vary in many ways and neither group looks favorably upon marrying into the other group.  When the Amish or the Mennonites join the church, they are making a solemn vow between them and God and that isn't taken lightly.  So you can imagine what might happen if an Amish and a Mennonite fall in love with each other.

This is the main tension throughout this book.  Annie Martin loves being an Old Order Mennonite.  Ever since her mother became a single mom, she has let her brothers get away things that most Mennonites would completely disagree with.  Annie's grandfather, Daadi Moses, lives in Apple Ridge and co-owns a restaurant with an Amish family.  Annie's mom decides that Annie needs to go live with her Daadi Moses for a little bit since they can't get along at the moment.

Annie has visited her Daadi Moses before and helped in restaurant that the Zooks co-own with them.  The Zooks have faced many hardships with Aden's twin brother being injured and havng to learn to walk again and his father being injured in the same accident.  Aden has a stutter and just can't imagine that someone would want him because of his speech impediment.  But who can resist a bright Annie who steps through the door to help out just when Aden's brother needs to be at a relative's farm?

As they begin to realize that they just might love each other, Aden is threatened by Annie's Daadi Moses of some terrible consequences should Aden keep seeing his granddaugther.  Will Aden let that stop him?  If they are to be together, who will become Amish or who will switch to be a Mennonite?  Will their families be happy?  Will they be accepted as a couple?

This book mentions a few characters in her Christmas book, A Christmas Singing.  However, you don't have to have read it to know what is going on.  this is a stand alone novel, but I did enjoy hearing an update from her previous book!

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I received this book free from Blogging from Books, which is part of Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.