Ties That Bind ~ Cindy Woodsmall

• Series: The Amish of Summer Grove
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press (September 8, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601426992
• ISBN-13: 978-1601426994

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Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?
Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach. 
 
Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.  
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Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.      
 
Ties That Bind is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove series.

My take on this book:

I always look forward to starting a new Amish series, especially when the author is Cindy Woodsmall, and with Ties That Bind we begin the Amish of Summer Grove Series. Ariana Brenneman grew up in the Old Order Amish and has always been quite content, sure she aspires to open a bakery in the town of Summer Grove, that is if she can get the money together to do it, but that's so she can help out with her family. It had been five years since Quill Schlabach had left the Amish community with a teen girl, and if truth be told Ariana hadn't really ever gotten over it, and now he is back, but can they rebuild their friendship? Thing is Quill has always had feelings for Ariana, but he also knows something that would change her life forever and he wants to help her any way he can even if only she will let him.

I found myself struggling to get involved in this book and I think the reason might have been because there were so many characters and their stories to learn,that I felt like I was getting bounced back and forth to much. As the book progressed though I found myself being drawn into the storyline. There was a few plot twists that provided just the right amount of ummph to make me want to read on and I am glad that I did! Overall, I didn't connect to this book right away but I am glad that I continued to read, because I have become hooked and can't wait to read the next book in the series! 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.