A Simply Enchanted Life

The Bridge of Peace by Cindy Woodsmall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



'The Bridge of Peace' is Woodsmall's second book in the Ada House series and follows the story of Lena Kauffman. Lena is in her early twenties and is an Old Order Amish schoolteacher with a visible birthmark on her cheek, which she feels is the reason that she has never been courted. Taunted mercilessly as a child, she is unable to see her own beauty.

Grey Graber grew up with Lena and always admired her. However, being 7 years older, he never pursued a relationship with her. Instead he married Elsie, a beautiful Amish girl with a dark cloud over her soul. Their first child, Ivan, was born with a birth defect. This causes
Elsie to become withdrawn and depressed. The stillbirth of their second child sent her into a downward spiral of bitterness and hate. When tragedy strikes, Lena and Grey's lives seem to draw them to each other.  But Lena feels as if no man could truly love her and Grey has his own issues that he must work through.

Meanwhile, storylines from the first book are being explored and developed. Cara and Ephraim are still working on their upcoming marriage and Cara's conversion to the Amish. Deborah is coming to terms with Mahlon leaving and learning how to move forward with life. Also, there are some new characters that are introduced, including Dwayne, a troubled Amish boy who has a dangerous obsession with Lena.

I'm giving the book 5 stars because the characters were so real. I loved Lena's spunk, Grey's faith in his son, Cara's blunt ways, Deborah's journey to healing. I feel as if Woodsmall captured their very soul and brought them to life. It would be hard to dislike the characters in this series!



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