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The Dawn of Christmas: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country
The Dawn of Christmas: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country
The Dawn of Christmas: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country
Audiobook5 hours

The Dawn of Christmas: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country

Written by Cindy Woodsmall

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

This Christmas, experience learning to trust alongside the Plain folk of Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania in this heart-warming tale of second chances. Sadie enjoys her freedom away from home and her mission trips to Peru, but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it' s time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan-- but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together?
LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 15, 2013
ISBN9781470379834
The Dawn of Christmas: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country

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Reviews for The Dawn of Christmas

Rating: 4.388888888888889 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

36 ratings17 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed reading this book, as it had a well thought out storyline.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    First of all I must say that I am a TOTAL fan of Cindy Woodsmall. I have never read any of her books that I didn't love, and she always makes you want to follow the characters thru their whole lives! This book is equally well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday setting, It is a tale of forgiveness and love. I think anyone who enjoys Amish fiction will love this one as much as I did.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was very well written and the characters were very believeable. This is the best book I have read on the current Holiday Season. The ending is interesting and leaves us wondering if there might be a sequel. It was really fun to see what cake she would come up with next.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    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 before us readers so that we will want to read more and more. That made reading this book even more exciting than it already is. The story is simple enough, but what clinches it is the breakup and tension.While I like the Gideon and Mattie characters equally the same, Sol was my favorite character and I couldn't help pitying him many times. He has this soft side that makes him endearing. Gideon and Mattie's conversations were my favorite parts in The Christmas Singing. I enjoyed analyzing them. There is much to think about and rationalize in the conversations.I don't know how Cindy managed to turn out a piece of work that is both relaxing, exciting, mysterious and romantic, but she certainly makes it turn out all good. The elements are all juggled well, and the ending leaves you feeling contented. This is just the type of book I'd sit back and read after those tense and complicated books (not that I don't love them too, though!). The Christmas Singing is one of the best Amish books I've read to date!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Sweet. This is the word I would use to describe this story- sweet. It is a shorter story- it comes right around 200 pages and is easily read in one sitting. The pacing in the story was excellent and the story was well told. I found myself rooting for all of the characters. I loved that Mattie was a cake decorator- that doesn't seem to be a typical Amish character (from what I read). It was fun to read about all the cakes that she made. I especially enjoyed the recipes from the cakes mentioned in the story.Cindy Woodsmall does a wonderful job creating an excellent story in so few pages. The characters are likable and although the story was predictable- that didn't take away from how enjoyable it was. This would make an excellent stocking stuffer or present for a family member or friend.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    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 moves away from Apple Ridge to Ohio,but has to return. "The Christmas Singing" has romance,love,secrets,lies,the Amish culture,community,second changes,heartache,redemptation,forgiveness and restoration. It has strong characters and a wonderful plot. "The Christmas Singing" is a wonderful,heartwarming of restoration and the warmth of Christmas.A must read for any who enjoys inspirational reads that is not "preachy",Amish,romance,and the power of love. Received for an honest review from Library Thing and the publisher. Details can be found at WaterBrook Press and mybookaddictionreviews.wordpress.com.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This is a simple, sweet Amish love story, with little depth orcomplexity of plot.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Although somewhat predictable, this was an enjoyable read. I enjoy Amish settings in Christian fiction so this was my kind of book. I read it in two sittings. Short and sweet, it focuses on a young Amish woman and her misconceptions about the reasons her longtime boyfriend broke up with her. He was protecting her but all she felt was hurt and betrayal. She moves near one of her brothers in another state to begin a new life for herself. All is going rather well until her bakery burns to the ground. She must return home for the holidays and her ex happens to be working on the building of her cousin's new home. They run into each other and things get a little complicated before it's all over.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was OK, it was sweet, a nice clean Amish book. Normally I love Cindy Woodsmall and have always rated her books very high. This one was just a little slow for me. It was nicely done. It had great Characters. For some reason this time I really connected with the male character of Gideon, I really loved him and felt sorry for him at times. I kept want him to get his emotion act together and go get the girl!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Christmas Singing is a quick, G-rated romance. It's a predictable however enjoyable story. Can old wounds be healed? Mattie & Gideon were together but she moved away after they broke up. Mattie returns home later and sparks between to fly between her & Gideon however Mattie is already promised to another.Looking for a good, light, Christmas-themed story to start the season? I would recommend this one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Gideon Beiler and Mattie Eash have been in love with each other since they were children and many assumed they would eventually marry. However, when Gideon gets devastating news he finds an excuse to break up with Mattie. Mattie’s heart is broken but she moves on, opening her own cake decorating business and dating Sol Bender. Gideon too has gone on with his life but has never really stopped loving Mattie. Unfortunate circumstances have brought Mattie back home and into Gideon’s life – will her return rekindle their romance or is it too late?Set in the Amish community, “The Christmas Singing” is a nicely done, at times poignant, novel about someone who loves his girlfriend so much he is willing to do whatever it takes to save her from hurt, even if it means ending their relationship. This would make an excellent novel for book clubs as Gideon’s actions, while noble, are ripe for discussion. Author Cindy Woodsmall does an excellent job of showing just how much not only the reason for Gideon’s decision has cost him but how the decision itself has hurt him. Woodsmall also does an excellent job with Mattie’s character. She is a bit scatterbrained (at times devastatingly so), a talented cake decorator, and worried about her mother’s health. People, including Gideon, seem to want to protect her and don’t realize how strong she is – Woodsmall does an excellent job of developing that aspect of her character. Also well done, if a bit sad, are the reasons Mattie is dating Sol. Again, all of this would make a good book for a book club discussion. Finally, having the novel set at Christmas adds a lot of magic to the story.“The Christmas Singing” is a nice romance.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a small Christmas book by author Cindy Woodsmall that tells the story of Mattie and Gideon, who were childhood sweethearts but who are currently estranged. As with many Amish fiction books, communication problems have caused the rift. Mattie moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio after her split with Gideon. He broke up with her, and she subsequently caught him with an English girl. However, the split was actually the result of a deliberate deception on Gideon's part to force it to occur. Now, Mattie is promised to Sol, who is steady and reliable but who does not make her heart sing. After a fire in her bakery causes Mattie to return to Pennsylvania for awhile, sparks start to fly between her and Gideon. Can the rift be repaired? Read the book and find out. It's a step above many of these ever-popular Amish novels.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When Sadie sees the man she intends to wed in a compromised position with her cousin, she calls off the next day's nuptials. She embarks on a mission trip to Peru and then returns to work in a store in another town. When the family calls her home, she is torn between being obedient and her desire to return to Peru. But circumstances force her to move back home at least until she can gather the necessary funds for the trip. In the midst, she meets Levi, a man new to the area, who saw his brother's wife walk and leave him and their young child. He distrusts women as much as she distrusts men.I listened to this in audio format. The narrator was good, but not exceptional. The story itself is a nice, clean romance that Amish fiction lovers and those who enjoy gentle Christmas reads will enjoy. It's a typical Amish romance plot with enough of a twist to make it enjoyable.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sadie sees with her eyes that her fiancé may not be as perfect as she thought, and isn’t the man she wants to marry. People close to her think she has lied, or have been “seeing” things that wasn’t there between her future husband, and the other girl. Sadie was crushed, and thought marriage would never be something to think about again.Sadie meets Levi when she found his horse, and later found him. Levi was hurt badly, and Sadie saved his life. Sadie and Levi become friends, they decided they would “date” to keep their families quiet about the dating/ courtship life.Sadie wants to go into Mission work, but her family wants her to marry into the Amish faith, get married and raise a family of her own.I recommend you grab this easy, fun read. Find out for yourself what happens, and how the story plays out. You won’t be disappointed, and neither was I.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Dawn of ChristmasCindy WoodsmallBook Summary: Sadie enjoys her freedom away from home and her mission trips to Peru, but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it's time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan-but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together?Review: I loved Sadie and Levi. It was great to see all the previous Christmas Novella characters back. The story line was great and fun to read with great dialog going between Sadie and Levi. Like every Cindy Woodsmall book it has some teary eyed moments that were quite worth it. I can’t wait for the next book!. I enjoyed the off beat traits that Sadie had and Levi was a great companion to her. It is a rare gem of a story and look forward to visiting them in the future. I would like to thank Waterbrook Press and Blogging for Books for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Cindy Woodsmall takes us back to The Amish community of Apple Ridge. The Dawn of Christmas is a wonderful story about allowing yourself to love and trust again. Sadie and Daniel were to marry until Sadie caught him kissing her cousin. The story they told was one of innocence, making Sadie out to be hysterical and simply jumping to conclusions. Sadie knows what she saw and her father, a member of the Old Order Community, allowed Sadie to travel to Peru with Mennonite missionaries. But now he demands that Sadie come home, which she agrees to do, but only for a short time. Then she meets Levi and suddenly she is unsure of herself. Both have vowed never to fall in love, yet they finds themselves falling for each other. Until Levi's friend Daniel begins to tell Levi about his former fiancée.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Dawn of Christmas by Cindy Woodsmall is a wonderful story dealing with second chances and learning to trust. Sadie was engaged to Daniel and shortly before the wedding she caught him kissing her cousin but he tried to convince her that she did not see what she thought she saw. In fact, most people in the community did not believe Sadie. Her family decided that it would be best if shemoved away and this gives her the opportunity to spend time in Peru as a missionary. After four years, Sadie is ready to go back home and her family welcomes her back. Soon after Sadie arrived back home she is out walking and finds Levi lying in the snow seriously injured after being thrown from his horse. He distrusts women after watching his brother suffer when his wife left him with a young son to rear alone. Their families and friends begin to meddle in their lives by trying to get them romantically interested in each other. To keep the peace, Sadie and Levi decide to pretend that they are courting and this leads to lots of interesting situations..This story was very well written and all the characters were so well developed that they came to life. Through the dialogue of the characters I could feel their pain and sorrow. All the scenes were so descriptive that I was right in the middle of the action. Both main characters had suffered from the actions of others and I really liked the way the author had them turning to God for guidance and for the ability to forgive the ones who wronged them. It was interesting to follow Sadie and Levi in their journey of learning to trust again.I definitely recommend this book to all readers who are lovers of Amish fiction that involves a great romance.I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers through their Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.