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58th out of 153 books
—
130 voters
The Christmas Singing: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country (Apple Ridge #2)
by
Cindy Woodsmall (Goodreads Author)
After Gideon coldly broke her heart, can the warmth of the season revive Mattie’s hopes?
Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve.
Three years later, will learning the truth behind his rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
Spend Christmas with the Amish in this stor...more
Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve.
Three years later, will learning the truth behind his rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
Spend Christmas with the Amish in this stor...more
Hardcover, 208 pages
Published
October 4th 2011
by WaterBrook Press
(first published January 1st 2011)
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Mattie had found her true love.
Until he broke her heart.
She found him in the arms of another woman
and fled her childhood home.
Three years later, Mattie opened up her cake shop,
creating beautiful customized cakes
for Amish and English alike.
She had found a new beau
and was truly happy for the first time in three years.
Until one day, disaster strikes
and Mattie is forced to move home.
There, she runs into her former love.
As Mattie begins to rebuild her life,
old wounds are opened.
She has an inner bat...more
Until he broke her heart.
She found him in the arms of another woman
and fled her childhood home.
Three years later, Mattie opened up her cake shop,
creating beautiful customized cakes
for Amish and English alike.
She had found a new beau
and was truly happy for the first time in three years.
Until one day, disaster strikes
and Mattie is forced to move home.
There, she runs into her former love.
As Mattie begins to rebuild her life,
old wounds are opened.
She has an inner bat...more
I like this novella! It's not the usual lovestory and it doesn't have the same main characters as usual.
Matties passion is baking and decorating cakes. That is another thing I love about this book. The whole Amish world of baking and cooking has my interest. Would have been great if the author added some recipes to this book!
How about the cake with Belgian chocolate and buttercream filling, or and chocolate ganache with vanilla pastry-creamfilling. Or the orange coconut cake with orange syrup an...more
Matties passion is baking and decorating cakes. That is another thing I love about this book. The whole Amish world of baking and cooking has my interest. Would have been great if the author added some recipes to this book!
How about the cake with Belgian chocolate and buttercream filling, or and chocolate ganache with vanilla pastry-creamfilling. Or the orange coconut cake with orange syrup an...more
There are some interesting parts to this story, and that is Gideon. I was usually only interested in reading when it was his character's turn to have the spotlight. Mattie was a bit annoying though. I'm still trying to figure out why her character was, but I couldn't empathize with her even though I could probably relate in some ways.
I think the one part of the story I didn't like the most was the horrible miscommunication. I know that does occur, but the book seemed to do it to annoying propo...more
I think the one part of the story I didn't like the most was the horrible miscommunication. I know that does occur, but the book seemed to do it to annoying propo...more
THE CHRISTMAS SINGING
By Cindy Woodsmall
Three years have passed since Gideon’s betrayal broke Mattie’s heart. Mattie’s moved on leaving her parents, friends, and Gideon behind in Pennsylvania. Living near her older brother in Ohio Mattie’s bakery is successful and she has a new boyfriend, one that will never break her heart! But in a moment of forgetfulness Mattie’s bakery is gone – destroyed by a fire.
As Mattie waits for the insurance to settle up, she returns to Pennsylvania to visit with the f...more
By Cindy Woodsmall
Three years have passed since Gideon’s betrayal broke Mattie’s heart. Mattie’s moved on leaving her parents, friends, and Gideon behind in Pennsylvania. Living near her older brother in Ohio Mattie’s bakery is successful and she has a new boyfriend, one that will never break her heart! But in a moment of forgetfulness Mattie’s bakery is gone – destroyed by a fire.
As Mattie waits for the insurance to settle up, she returns to Pennsylvania to visit with the f...more
THE CHRISTMAS SINGING by Cindy Woodsmall is a heartwarming contemporary inspirational Amish fiction/romance set in Apple Ridge,Pennsylvania. This story a part of the Ada’s House Series,see “The Hope of Refuge”,”The Bridge of Peace”,and “The Harvest of Grace”, but can be read as a stand alone with reappearing characters from the other stories. “The Christmas Singing” is the story of Mattie Eash and Gideon Beiler. Gideon had broken Mattie’s heart by ending their engagement. Mattie brokenhearted mo...more
My Review
What a delightful story author Cindy Woodsmall brings to us this Christmas season - right from the heart of Amish country, from an Amish community in Ohio to one in Pennsylvania. I believe it is because the Amish have intentionally removed themselves from many of the things we use, that they are able to cultivate the closeness of community that we all wish for.
Although this is a novella, Cindy very aptly deals with all the issues you might find in a full length novel, and the characters...more
What a delightful story author Cindy Woodsmall brings to us this Christmas season - right from the heart of Amish country, from an Amish community in Ohio to one in Pennsylvania. I believe it is because the Amish have intentionally removed themselves from many of the things we use, that they are able to cultivate the closeness of community that we all wish for.
Although this is a novella, Cindy very aptly deals with all the issues you might find in a full length novel, and the characters...more
Cozy is the exact and right description for The Christmas Singing. As I read the novella, I envisioned sitting in a comfy fire by the fireplace. I couldn't help it. The romance and mystery themes were evenly paced, and Cindy Woodsmall achieved making this a relaxing read despite the surprises scattered here and there in the story, mainly due to the mystery theme.
I love the way the real reason behind Gideon and Mattie's breakup is slowly revealed. It was like a juicy tidbit is being dangled befor...more
I love the way the real reason behind Gideon and Mattie's breakup is slowly revealed. It was like a juicy tidbit is being dangled befor...more
Chalk it up to yet another hit for author, Cindy Woodsmall ad we once again enter the Amish community, one in Ohio and another in Pennsylvania. Mattie, a young Amish woman who moved to Ohio after her beau broke her heart, runs her own cake business but when tragedy strikes her business she must return to Pennsylvania and the questions of what if? arise.
This is a stand alone book, however it does sort of tie in to the book, The Sound of Sleigh Bells, that tells the story of Jonah and Beth, who ar...more
This is a stand alone book, however it does sort of tie in to the book, The Sound of Sleigh Bells, that tells the story of Jonah and Beth, who ar...more
Cindy Woodsmall takes readers to Ohio and Pennsylvania, to Amish Country for a charming story of love lost and found at Christmastime in The Christmas Singing.
Mattie Eash and Gideon Beiler were best friends in childhood. He was older, and Mattie watched him date other girls, but they had their first date on her birthday, Christmas Eve, at the Christmas singing. Mattie thought they were meant for each other until she caught him in the arms of another woman, an Englischer, and he broke their engag...more
Mattie Eash and Gideon Beiler were best friends in childhood. He was older, and Mattie watched him date other girls, but they had their first date on her birthday, Christmas Eve, at the Christmas singing. Mattie thought they were meant for each other until she caught him in the arms of another woman, an Englischer, and he broke their engag...more
"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. Howev...more
A Christmas Singing: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country
Cindy Woodsmall
This is a book about a young woman who was engaged to her best friend. Prior to the story they broke up and Mattie moved to another state. Through time she has found another suitor that works for her, when another tragedy occurs and this sends Mattie home to recover. This is where she runs into her ex-fiance. Through the community, family and friends she has to rebuild her life and determine if she and Gideon can make p...more
Cindy Woodsmall
This is a book about a young woman who was engaged to her best friend. Prior to the story they broke up and Mattie moved to another state. Through time she has found another suitor that works for her, when another tragedy occurs and this sends Mattie home to recover. This is where she runs into her ex-fiance. Through the community, family and friends she has to rebuild her life and determine if she and Gideon can make p...more
The Christmas Singing is a quiet novel set in the current day. Mattie and Gideon grew up together in their Pennsylvania Amish community, and eventually were engaged. However, Gideon broke Mattie's heart when he broke up with her three years ago. Mattie gathered herself together and moved to live in the same Ohio town as her brother. There, she was able to follow her dream of opening a bakery and built a small, but successful company. She even started to move on and met a new man from the local A...more
The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall
Review by Kara Grant
Spoilers included
This book is cute, but it is not the joyful read I thought it would be. Mattie owns her own cake shop in Ohio where she happily makes creative and festive treats for both family and clients. One day her shop mysteriously burns down and everything she has worked for is gone in an instant. The scary part of that scene is she thinks she sees her little niece inside and runs in to get her out of danger. As a result Mattie e...more
Review by Kara Grant
Spoilers included
This book is cute, but it is not the joyful read I thought it would be. Mattie owns her own cake shop in Ohio where she happily makes creative and festive treats for both family and clients. One day her shop mysteriously burns down and everything she has worked for is gone in an instant. The scary part of that scene is she thinks she sees her little niece inside and runs in to get her out of danger. As a result Mattie e...more
I am a big fan of Cindy Woodsmall so when I got the opportunity to read her latest book I jumped on it! I was a little nervous though with it being a novella because I read her trilogy’s and I am always sad to see them end so I was worried how I would feel after this one ended in under 200 pages!!
I was really satisfied with the length and the story line!! As always with Cindy Woodsmall she creates these deep and meaningful characters that you just can’t help falling in love with!! I especially f...more
I was really satisfied with the length and the story line!! As always with Cindy Woodsmall she creates these deep and meaningful characters that you just can’t help falling in love with!! I especially f...more
Mattie Lane is said to be a journey one encounters during the course of the day when anything extraordinary or magical can happen. It's also the pet name for Mattie Eash, bestowed upon her by Gideon Beiler when they were courting. Now whenever she hears it, it makes her cringe with anger, bitterness and extreme sadness.
Gideon broke up with her after Mattie discovered him in the arms of an English girl named Ashley. Gideon said it was for the best and for the last two years, Mattie has attempted...more
Gideon broke up with her after Mattie discovered him in the arms of an English girl named Ashley. Gideon said it was for the best and for the last two years, Mattie has attempted...more
Lies never bring about the best results, and The Christmas Singing paints an excellent example of the damage they can do.
Mattie Eash and Gideon Beiler have been in love since childhood. When Gideon manufactures a lie to break off their engagement, a crushed Mattie leaves town and starts a business baking and decorating cakes. Three years later, she's forced by circumstances to return to Apple Ridge, and to work in close proximity to her former fiancé. It doesn't take long for her to realize she...more
Mattie Eash and Gideon Beiler have been in love since childhood. When Gideon manufactures a lie to break off their engagement, a crushed Mattie leaves town and starts a business baking and decorating cakes. Three years later, she's forced by circumstances to return to Apple Ridge, and to work in close proximity to her former fiancé. It doesn't take long for her to realize she...more
Mattie and Gideon grew up as best friends in the Amish community of Apple Ridge, PA. As they came into courting age, no one was surprised to see them become a couple and engaged. On one cold Christmas Eve, Mattie went to his home to surprise him with a cake, but she was the one surprised. When Mattie catches him with an "Englischer," he ends their engagement and tells her that they both need to see other people.
Devastated, Mattie moves to Ohio and lives with her older brother and his family. Whi...more
Devastated, Mattie moves to Ohio and lives with her older brother and his family. Whi...more
Mattie has spent the last three years of her life trying to get over her breakup with her best friend and childhood sweetheart. Gideon broke her heart when she found him with an Englischer. Leaving their Amish community, Mattie moved to live with her brother and his family and managed to pick up the pieces of her life and start a successful bakery business just as she had always dreamed of. In time she found a new boyfriend and her life settled down. But unexpected events lead her back home and...more
Mattie, a member of the old amish order, is owner of Mattie's Cakes. She works her magic with delectable cakes and confectionaries. Her shop in Ohio is sought out amongst the amish people as well as the englishers. Sol occupies her time when she is not creating but remembrances of Gideon and the past occupy her thoughts. When a tragedy occurs and she goes back home to Pennsylvania to visit her family, fate brings her and Gideon together once more. Three years ago he had broken up with her and le...more
According to Goodreads:
After Gideon coldly broke her heart, can the warmth of the season revive Mattie’s hopes?
Christmas has always been special to cake decorator Mattie Eash, who was born on the wondrous holiday.
Yet the season has lost its appeal in the three years since then, her childhood sweetheart abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve. Mattie has moved on, left Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania and pursued her dreams of a cake shop in Berlin, Ohio and given her heart to someone new. Some...more
After Gideon coldly broke her heart, can the warmth of the season revive Mattie’s hopes?
Christmas has always been special to cake decorator Mattie Eash, who was born on the wondrous holiday.
Yet the season has lost its appeal in the three years since then, her childhood sweetheart abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve. Mattie has moved on, left Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania and pursued her dreams of a cake shop in Berlin, Ohio and given her heart to someone new. Some...more
This slim little book packs a wallop and proves that Cindy Woodsmall can do concise without losing out on the depth and detail she is known for. Mattie is such a fun character -- and very different from your typical Amish heroine. Love her dreaminess, her klutziness, the way she can turn disaster into something fun and light-hearted. Except for her broken engagement that is. She knows how to harbour a grudge and I honestly can't blame her since she thinks one thing while the reality is far diffe...more
The Christmas Singing is a lovely story about an Amish young woman Mattie who is torn between two beaus, the one that left her heartbroken and the one that would never hurt her. In the end she chooses between the two, but is it the right choice? The character of Mattie was bold and creative. Mattie is a successful cake decorator, a business she started when Gideon broke her heart and she moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio. When Mattie faces a tragedy, she is forced to go back to PA and to face Gide...more
Every once in a while, you open a book, and the characters that emerge from the pages are living, breathing and believable. They take your hand and guide you through a story, making you laugh, making you cry, and always make it hard to turn that last page. Gideon and Mattie from Cindy Woodsmall’s The Christmas Singing are those kinds of characters.
The story opens with Mattie, she’s the equivalent of the Amish Cake Boss. She’s moved to Ohio, after discovering Gideon in the arms of another woman....more
The story opens with Mattie, she’s the equivalent of the Amish Cake Boss. She’s moved to Ohio, after discovering Gideon in the arms of another woman....more
Heart broken from the break-up of her beloved Gideon, Mattie can’t figure out how she failed him so much to betray her. One minute her and Gideon are perfectly fine and happy, and the next he is cheating on her with Englischer girls. Catching him in the act and feeling as if her world crashed down around her she flees her hometown to get away from him and the pain inflicted. She moves to Ohio to live with her brother and his family. Only there does she start to blossom into the cake maker she d...more
***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***
My Look:
THE CHRISTMAS SINGING showcases the Amish in a sweet romance that springs to life from the ashes of disaster.
Mattie relocates to Ohio from Pennsylvania because she needs a fresh start, away from the heartbreak of the worse kind for an Amish woman. She found the man she loves cheating with a fancy English woman.
Fast forward three years later, Mattie grows to enjoy her new life in Ohio. She owns a bakery and finds anoth...more
My Look:
THE CHRISTMAS SINGING showcases the Amish in a sweet romance that springs to life from the ashes of disaster.
Mattie relocates to Ohio from Pennsylvania because she needs a fresh start, away from the heartbreak of the worse kind for an Amish woman. She found the man she loves cheating with a fancy English woman.
Fast forward three years later, Mattie grows to enjoy her new life in Ohio. She owns a bakery and finds anoth...more
Cindy Woodsmall has a wonderful gift that she is sharing in the form of her wonderful Amish books. This one is no exception. Love the pictures she paints in your mind!
Mattie Eash, or Mattie Lane as she is known in the book, has had her heart broken by Giddeon Beiler. They had been long time sweethearts and she found him hugging another woman.
Mattie has now moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and has opened her cake shop. She has a great talent for making wonderful cakes, which seem to be in great...more
Mattie Eash, or Mattie Lane as she is known in the book, has had her heart broken by Giddeon Beiler. They had been long time sweethearts and she found him hugging another woman.
Mattie has now moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and has opened her cake shop. She has a great talent for making wonderful cakes, which seem to be in great...more
Mattie's childhood sweetheart, Gideon, broke off their engagement suddenly. Now, Mattie has started a new life for herself with a new boyfriend, Sol, and her own cake making business. Then, one day, the life she knows is destroyed and she must start over again at her home town. She must face Gideon and learn the secrets of what really happened the night they broke up.
Gideon is still in love with Mattie and when she returns he fights even harder to keep his secrets secret and distancing himself f...more
Gideon is still in love with Mattie and when she returns he fights even harder to keep his secrets secret and distancing himself f...more
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review
Mattie Eash is a cake creator and decorator, and she owns her own little shop ‘Mattie’s Cakes’ in Berlin, Ohio. Three years ago she left Apple Ridge after her Gideon, her childhood heartie, broke her heart when she caught him embracing another woman.
Destiny brings Mattie back to her hometown, but is she ready to face and forgive Gideon for what he did to her?
This is a sweet story about everyday life and love...more
Mattie Eash is a cake creator and decorator, and she owns her own little shop ‘Mattie’s Cakes’ in Berlin, Ohio. Three years ago she left Apple Ridge after her Gideon, her childhood heartie, broke her heart when she caught him embracing another woman.
Destiny brings Mattie back to her hometown, but is she ready to face and forgive Gideon for what he did to her?
This is a sweet story about everyday life and love...more
The Christmas Singing is about a young Amish woman, Mattie, who's thriving cake shop burns to the group sending her home for the Christmas season. While at home she continuously bumps into her ex-fiance, and her feelings for them begin to sprout again. If I say much more I'll give the story away!
While I'm not one for reading specialty holiday novels, I wanted something light-hearted, quick, and fun. This definitely fit the bill. I also knew Cindy Woodsmall wouldn't disappoint, and she didn't! M...more
While I'm not one for reading specialty holiday novels, I wanted something light-hearted, quick, and fun. This definitely fit the bill. I also knew Cindy Woodsmall wouldn't disappoint, and she didn't! M...more
Mattie is a single Amish woman owns her own bakery. She left her home and moved to her brother's town after a misunderstanding with her boyfriend. But she's a bit absent minded and accidentally burns her store down. She returns to her hometown to find out that her relationship with Gideon (her ex-boyfriend) isn't what it seemed. Now she must decide what direction her life is going to take.
I enjoyed this book. I've read several other books by Cindy Woodsmall and have enjoyed them all. I was not a...more
I enjoyed this book. I've read several other books by Cindy Woodsmall and have enjoyed them all. I was not a...more
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Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author who has written six novels, three novellas, and Plain Wisdom, a work of nonfiction coauthored with her dearest Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud. She’s been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and has worked with National Geographic on a documentary concerning Amish life.
She is also a veteran homeschool...more
More about Cindy Woodsmall...
She is also a veteran homeschool...more
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