The Tinderbox {Review}

As part of the Hickory Hollow series, The Tinderbox follows the story of an eighteen year old Sylvia and the secret that she uncovers.  As her father's past comes back to haunt the family, Sylvia wrestles with the role she has played and how it affects her parent's future.  Meanwhile her parents, Rhoda and Earnest, struggle to rebuild trust.  Will their marriage be able to survive the threat of the Bann?  Or will this secret tear apart a family, an engagement, and a community? 

I've always enjoyed Beverly Lewis' work and this book was just as enjoyable.  There are so many layers of story in The Tinderbox... Rhoda's sister struggling with a miscarriage, the romance between Sylvia and her fiancé, the loss of a dear friend and mentor, Earnest's struggle to find his place... and salvage his marriage to Rhoda... all of it wrapped into on beautifully written book.  While the beginning started out slow, once Earnest's secret came to light, I found that I couldn't put the book down.  This is a beautiful story of hope, forgiveness, and the power of commitment.  The Tinderbox left me with a lot of questions and I look forward to reading the sequel this fall.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.