When the Morning Comes (Sisters of the Quilt, Book 2)

Rich with authentic details of Amish community and powerful in its theme of hope beyond measure, When the Morning Comes, succeeds as a compelling follow-up to Cindy Woodsmall's best-selling debut novel, When the Heart Cries.

Demonstrating both the sweetness of God's grace and the agony of living within a fallen world, When the Morning Comes, offers a look at several entwined families and the consequences for choices made.

Hannah is the main female character in this novel. However, multiple dramas woven through her story are as compelling as hers. Mary holds a secret that eats away at her. Sarah's thoughts consume her and are possibly beginning to consume others in her community.

Well-written with rich details and an abundance of God's sovereignty, When the Morning Comes, offers much to book lovers. I did not read When the Heart Cries, but didn't feel lost in attempting to understand Hannah's story. I would like to go back and pick up Heart Cries while I wait for book three.

In Owl's Perch, Pennsylvania following the break up with her beloved Mennonite fiancé Paul Wadell after his betrayal left her reputation in ruins, Hannah Lapp leaves her family behind to live with her outcast Aunt Zabeth in Ohio. Her Amish father considers Hannah dead and her sister Sarah struggles with what she has done to her sibling. Paul wallows in guilt because he knows his actions not only destroyed Hannah's reputation, but their chance for a life together.

In Ohio, as Hannah tries to adapt to life amongst the English, Paul pleads with her brother Luke and her best friend Mary to inform him where she went so that he can atone for his sin. Meanwhile, Hannah begins to move on with help from her aunt and from handsome Martin Palmer.

The second Sisters of the Quilt tale is a fantastic tale that leads the audience to deeply feel for Hannah, but to a lesser degree the other Lapp family members and Paul. The story line is a tear jerker as readers will be so hooked they will want to offer solace and assistance to the heroine. Although it would help a bit to read Hannah's first tale (see WHEN THE HEART CRIES) to better understand the secondary characters like jealous Sarah, fans of modern day Amish tales will appreciate Cindy Woodsmall's fine character driven sequel.

Harriet Klausner

Book two in the Sisters of the Quilt series, When Morning Comes is the perfect sequel to When the Heart Cries. As Hannah comes of age in this journey of faith, she's exposed to a new world of opportunity. A world where many of her dreams can come true. Woodsmall is a gifted writer who once again turned off my inner editor, enabling me to suspend disbelief and experience Hannah's life-changing challenges.

Have you ever read a sequel to a book you loved, and the author took the story in a direction you didn't want it to go? I was surprised with the end of When Morning Comes, yet it had a certain rightness to it, a satisfying end. But it isn't the end. There's more to Hannah's story to come. I for one, can't wait to read it.

If you loved When the Heart Cries, you are really going to love this sequel. The story begins with Hannah searching for her Aunt. She ends up all alone, cold and hungry. You can't help but feel for her since the ending of the last book brought out the many injustices she faced at the hands of people who were supposed to be there for her. Of course, she does finally find her aunt and her life starts to finally turn around.

Meanwhile, Paul hasn't forgotten Hannah, and her sister Sarah is completely losing her mind as a result of Hannah's disappearance. There is drama with other members of Owl's Perch, too, but I won't spoil it by sharing the details. In short, this story was just as hard to put down as the first book in the series. I personally think it was even more romantic. But you start to feel torn. Of course, the author resolves just enough of the issues that you aren't freaking out when the story ends, but she leaves some loose ends that make you crave the next installment. I can't wait to read the third book in this series to find out what Hannah decides to do with her life.