January Book Give-Away: “Hope of Refuge” by Cindy Woodsmall

January Book Give-Away 

The Hope of Refuge

by Cindy Woodsmall

Raised in foster care and now a widowed single parent, New Yorker Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and her daughter, Lori, away from the city toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers to mysteries from her past and a fresh start. She quickly discovers that Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, is no place for an outsider.

But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God – “Be me to her” – despite how it threatens his way of life. Ephraim’s sister Deborah is fearful of the strange Englischer woman causing turmoil for her family, but keeps focused on the marriage and home she longs to begin with Mahlon Stolzfus. Her dreams are threatened when Mahlon begins behaving oddly, withdrawing, and causing concern for Deborah and Mahlon’s mother, Ada.

Will the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose – or push Mahlon away forever? As Ephraim is torn between trying to do what he believes is right and the requirements of his community, he risks losing everything, including a developing friendship with the guarded single mother. And he knows that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake – secrets with the power to tear apart the home Cara is desperately trying to find.

If you would like to enter the January Book Give-Away at Ruby for Women, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post, including your email address. You will be contacted for your mailing address if you are the winner. The drawing will take place on February 1, 2011.