3-Star Review of "Mennonite on the Edge"

Review of Mennonite on the Edge: An Unlikely Romance

by Cynthia Yoder

She's a newlywed...twenty-four...and desperate to know why she's so unhappy. 

Though a country-girl at heart, MaryJo wants to ditch her identity as a Mennonite in marrying Adam and living a life of adventure in Manhattan. But news from home kicks up memories she’d tried to forget. While she begins to question her choices, Adam lands a high-profile job, making a move seem impossible. MaryJo must make peace with her past and her current situation so that she can live the life of her dreams with Adam. But can she reconcile her craving for serenity in the City that Never Sleeps? 

MY REVIEW:   This is not your average Amish/Mennonite fiction.  In fact, MaryJo wants to leave behind her Mennonite roots and discover adventure.  While she does discover quite a bit of adventure, she is not happy.   

         This book was well-written but it just did not completely capture my rapt attention.   I felt that the past issues did not seem to be fully explained or dealt with by MaryJo.  It did speak clearly to me though that the highly restricted environment of the Mennonite faith leaves many young people confused and desiring more from life.   MaryJo tries desperately to love New York but she misses the tranquility of her home in Pennsylvania. This book did not fully address issues to my thinking and left me feeling confused and needing more detail in many places.    

        I rated this book 3 stars.   

        I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review. 

About the Author:

from goodreads author bio:
I write memoir and fiction. My first novel, Mennonite on the Edge: An Unlikely Romance, was published in December, 2015. My first book, Crazy Quilt: Pieces of a Mennonite Life was one of the first Mennonite memoirs published (in 2003). My second book, Divine Purpose: Find the Passion Within, was inspired by working as a life purpose coach for people who wanted to follow their dreams.

I live and work in New Jersey.