A Simply Enchanted Life

The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"The Christmas Singing," by Cindy Woodsmall is the best Christmas book I have read so far this season. She is my favorite author in the Amish genre, so I may be a bit biased. She certainly met all of my expectations for a wonderful Christmas story with this title.

The book starts out with the story of a twenty-some-year-old Mattie, who has had her heart broken but has learned to move on. She's the owner of a very successful "Mattie Cakes" business and is a very accomplished cake decorator.

However, her success comes after heartbreak. The man she loved more than anything broke up with her for reasons she never fully understood. She's now with Sol - she cares for him, but largely because he doesn't hold the key to her heart. We then meet Gideon, the man who has broken Mattie's heart. He is keeping a grim secret that may either push Mattie further away or draw her closer.

As the story unfolds around the pair we also see a glimpse at a few other beloved characters from within Mrs. Woodsmall's community of Amish tales. Namely Jonah, Beth and Lizzie from The Sound of Sleigh bells, another wonderful Christmas novel.

I won't ruin the entire plot for those that have yet to read it, but I will say that at one point I literally teared up while reading this story. It's a reminder that no matter how much we wish to shield our loved ones from painful events, sometimes the best we can do is simply be there for them, or let them be there for us.

Lovingly set into a Christmas setting, with festive foods and some holiday weddings, this book will have you dabbing your eyes, humming Christmas music and cheering the characters along. Mrs. Woodsmall has once again pulled me into her world of characters and I can't wait to visit with them in the future.



The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall (ch. 1 excerpt)

I received The Christmas Singing as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

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