Hope of Refuge
Cindy Woodsmall
PRG Rating: 8.6 – A Really Clean Read
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Date: August 11, 2009
Date: August 11, 2009
Book Genre: Amish
Audience: 13+ (Teens, Adults)
Cara Moore is a single mother who lives in New York. A dangerous encounter as a foster kid has led Cara to a life on the run. When the situation gets out of hand, Cara and her daughter Lori set out to find refuge in a place Cara isn’t sure even exists - An Amish community. There Cara meets an old childhood friend - Ephraim Mast. Ephraim Mast is a member of good standing in his Amish community yet finds himself drawn to this reserved woman. Ephraim feels compelled to follow the Lord's voice which tells him to 'Be me to her'. He is determined to do it even if it tears him away from his community. Deborah Mast, a young woman in the Amish community deals with heartache and loss as her fiancé leaves the community. In addition, the secrets of Cara's mother ripple beneath the surface. When these come to light, will Cara find the refuge she's been seeking? Is there hope for Cara and Lori to find peace among the disapproving community? Will she find out why her mother left? Will her heart finally start to heal?
We found the Hope of Refuge to be quite a wonderful and refreshing read. The character's conflicts were so realistic; it was like watching a movie. The plot had so many twists in it, we weren't too sure how it would turn out. But it all turned out quite well. Reading this book was eye-opening and we felt we had made some new friends. We're definitely looking forward to finishing the rest of the series. If you are unsure about trying Cindy Woodsmall - we recommend reading her books - this one's a good start too(You could also try Sisters of the Quilt - her first series).You won't regret it.
Nala's thoughts: I had thoroughly enjoyed Sisters of the Quilt series. I wasn't sure how would like Cindy's new series, but wasn't I surprised? I really enjoyed this read - it's definitely one of my favorites. The characters are all so loveable =)
Jo's thoughts: Hope of refuge had some big boots to fill after the Sisters of the Quilt series. Boy, didn’t it fill them. I really felt the characters were well explored and I felt like I knew them. They were like old friends. A keeper? Definitely!
Content Review
Score: 8.6
Themes/Topics Explored:
· The effects of living in foster care
· Dealing with Stalkers
· Marriage for convenience
· Betrayal by loved ones
· Single Motherhood
· Reaching out to those who need support
· Standing up for what's right even though it's considered wrong
· True Friendship
· Rejection
· Excommunication
· Family Secrets/ Problems
Violence - (Score 1.8):
- A woman hits a man.
Profanity/Swearing - (Score 2): None
Sexual Content - (Score 1.6):
· 3 kisses in the entire book
· Mentions of harasser trying to "get into a woman's bed"
· Mentions of family planning
· A woman's midriff shows in couple of scenes in the book
· A man caresses a woman's cheek
· A woman in her midriff top dances in front of a man.
· A woman mentions 'inviting her husband into her bed'
Alcohol/Drugs - (Score 1.5):
· A woman often has cravings to smoke
· A woman works at a bar, there are mentions of drinking.
· A mention of a woman using drugs
· A man smokes
Disrespectfulness/Wrong Attitudes - (Score 1.7):
· A Woman often comes off as rude
· A man refuses to listen to authority
· A woman steals on several occasions
Total Points Out of 10: 8.6
*Special Note: This is a Christian Fiction. So there are mentions of Jesus Christ, Prayer, Relying on God, Attending Church and reading the Bible.
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