A Love Undone
An Amish Novel of Shattered Dreams and God’s Unfailing Grace
Cindy Woodsmall

WaterBrook Press
September 2014 / ISBN 978-0307730008
Contemporary Romance

Reviewed by Leslie C. Halpern

In this contemporary Amish romance, New York Times best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall creates three characters who have suffered terrible losses. On the brink of marriage and a move to a more permissive district that would allow her to paint, 19-year-old Jolene Keim endures the sudden death of her parents, who drown in a creek when their buggy is hit by a car during a fierce thunderstorm at night. Unwilling to allow her five younger siblings to be divided into different families, Jolene sacrifices her future with her intended husband for the next ten years so she can stay home and care for the children.

Now 29 years old with her siblings mostly grown and independent, Jolene meets Andy Fisher during a brief stint taming wild horses. He is a “grass widower” whose wife has deserted the family, which leaves him to raise his young son on his own because Amish may not divorce, and can only remarry when the spouse is dead. Assuming that Andy is available, Jolene develops feelings for him before learning the truth of his situation. She also becomes the subject of gossip around the district as people suspect them both of breaking Amish law. Now Andy finds himself having to distance himself from the very woman he wants to be close to for the rest of his life.

In keeping with the tradition of Amish romances, this book focuses on work ethic, Amish law, faith in God, and duty to family. All of the physical and most of the emotional elements of romantic love and lust are left to the reader’s imagination. This leaves more room for the author to develop other characters, such as Ray, one of Jolene’s younger brothers. Struck by lightning as a young child, Ray never fully recovered and has grown up with low self-esteem, having been bullied at school and mistreated by his mother, then later by his boss. Ray plays a prominent part in this story, developing from a boy who lost his parents and reasoning skills into a young man who strives for love and independence.

The writing style of this novel is plain and simple, like the characters. Readers seeking a sweet, gentle, squeaky-clean romance in keeping with the Old Order Amish should be delighted with Woodsmall’s latest work.