Naomi Dawn Musch

Overview:

     New Yorker Cara Moore has lead a hard knocks life. Raised in foster care, now a widowed, single parent stuggling against poverty, fear, and being pursued by a relentless stalker, to say that she is hardened and untrusting of others would be an understatement. That is, until fragments of memory lead her back to her roots in the Amish settlement of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania. There, childhood friend Ephraim Mast, dares to respond to God's still, small voice telling him to "Be me to her", despite the fact that his community is determined to view Cara as a trouble-maker to be rid of. Ephraim risks losing everything to help Cara uncover the long lost secrets of her past and to build a hope for refuge and a future.

Looking Closer:

     I continue to be surprised at the ongoing interest in Amish romance stories that have cropped up all over the CBA marketplace. The plot is usually woven around the same theme of Englischer / Amish conflicts of interests. Will she join the faith? Will he leave the faith? and so on.

     But I have to commend Cindy, because she has accomplished what editors and agents keep telling us, "Go ahead and tell the same story, but in a fresh, new way." Frankly, I didn't know how the story was going to turn out. Would he leave? Would she stay? The fact that Cindy gave an honest, no-sugar-coating depiction of the Amish as real people with real prejudices and human struggles, was very good to see. The fact that none of the choices that the characters faced came easy struck me as good, honest story-telling.

     Subplots about community members and family strife were seamlessly woven into the story as well, allowing the reader to wonder if we'll get to read their stories. The best kind of teasers.

     I guess the lesson is that just because someone has written something before - you know - been there, done that, there's no reason why we can't tackle the same subject matter if that's what we are passionate about. We just need to strike a fresh angle; go at it with a new twist. Hmmm... maybe there is hope for that manuscript of Beauty and the Beast I have stored in my files.

     Well done, Cindy!