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Apple Ridge #2
The Christmas Singing: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country
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. Someone unlike Gideon Beiler. Someone safe.
Then an unforeseen setback forces her home and into painful proximity to Gideon. Will learning the truth behind his rejection restore her Christmas joy—or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
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. Someone unlike Gideon Beiler. Someone safe.
Then an unforeseen setback forces her home and into painful proximity to Gideon. Will learning the truth behind his rejection restore her Christmas joy—or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
65 people are currently reading
1344 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Woodsmall
69 books1,118 followersCINDY WOODSMALL is an award-winning, New York Times, and CBA best-selling author of twenty-five works of fiction and one nonfiction book. Coverage of Cindy’s Amish connections and her novels has been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. She lives in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
September 15, 2022
An Amish romance of misunderstandings and second chances. Mattie runs a bakery after she was jilted by her boyfriend Gideon years ago. She now dates another man, but they are very so so about one another. When Mattie is injured in a fire and Gideon comes back into her life, can they work out their misunderstanding in time for Christmas? This had some interesting twists and quirky personalities. Lots of sleigh rides!
November 23, 2018
Mattie has a pretty fulfilling life. She has her own cake shop and she enjoys making special cakes for people, but there is something - and someone - she avoids even thinking about. She came to this town to start her shop, where she had relatives, running away from her home when the love of her life broke up with her. Dire circumstances forced Mattie to return home, and she must face Gideon once again. But Gideon has not been truthful with Mattie, and he, too, must account for what he did and for what he didn’t say. Author Cindy Woodsmall has penned a short but meaningful tale about relationships and forgiveness. Good intentions to protect someone sometimes backfire, and you end up hurting the one you wanted to spare. A cautionary tale yet entertaining.
December 28, 2023
Another heartwarming, second-chance story I reread every Christmas! I don’t love it *quite* as much as the first book, but it’s still sweet, and always brings a smile to my face.
October 23, 2024
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 different.
I spent my time being alternately irritated and enamoured with Gideon. Honestly --he's...he's...just like a man!!!! Thinks like a man, acts like a man and believe me that isn't always a good thing! So there's fireworks at times, angst a plenty, but Woodsmall weaves it all together with some wonderfully heart-warming, light-hearted moments as well. A great combination for a Christmas read -- though there's not a lot of Christmas in the read. LOL. It's not as seasonal as I thought it would be, but that didn't detract from the story at all. In fact it makes it more universally appealing. Definitely not a book that has to be read only at Christmas.
https://kavsbestreads.ca/2024/10/23/t...
I spent my time being alternately irritated and enamoured with Gideon. Honestly --he's...he's...just like a man!!!! Thinks like a man, acts like a man and believe me that isn't always a good thing! So there's fireworks at times, angst a plenty, but Woodsmall weaves it all together with some wonderfully heart-warming, light-hearted moments as well. A great combination for a Christmas read -- though there's not a lot of Christmas in the read. LOL. It's not as seasonal as I thought it would be, but that didn't detract from the story at all. In fact it makes it more universally appealing. Definitely not a book that has to be read only at Christmas.
https://kavsbestreads.ca/2024/10/23/t...
February 1, 2021
The Christmas Singing is an emotional read with heartache and struggles for Mattie and Gideon. Returning to Apple Ridge was not what Mattie anticipated or seeing Gideon often. Mattie’s love for baking and Gideon wanting her to have some original sketches of her cake designs brought tears. Will they be able to discover their love once again when truth is revealed about Gideon’s initial breakup?
This is a book I purchased at a sale, thus a review was not required. It’s fun to read Christmas stories any time of the year.
This is a book I purchased at a sale, thus a review was not required. It’s fun to read Christmas stories any time of the year.
November 25, 2020
This is book number 2 in the Christmas In Apple Ridge Trilogy, and I enjoyed it more than the first book in the trilogy. I learned more about the characters that were introduced in the first book, and I enjoyed meeting the new ones, too. I enjoyed another glimpse into the Amish culture and learned a bit more about who they are and how they think. Yes, I will read the last book, too.
December 15, 2021
Well I guess that’s what you get listening to the first available Christmas book the library has. Altho I do want to listen to a podcast on the Amish now because after this book I have questions…😳
December 8, 2011
GENRE: AMISH ROMANCE
PULISHER: WATERBROOK
PUBLICATION DATE: NOVEMBER 4, 2011
RATING: 7 OUT OF 10
Believing that her boyfriend Gideon Beiler had betrayed her, Mattie Eash had fled from Pennsylvania to Ohio one Christmas. Now settled into her new life with her Ohio relatives, she has opened a cake shop and has a successful career as a cake-decorator, and a lukewarm relationship with reliable Sol Bender. But when a catastrophe drives her back to her home community in Pennsylvania, she finds herself face to face with Gideon again. As she prepares cakes for two of her friends’ upcoming weddings, she’s forced to spend time with her old boyfriend, who is building the home that one of the couples will move into once they’re married. Their encounters make Gideon wonder why he gave Mattie up all those years ago, and whether now would be the good time to tell her the truth about why he broke up with her. Will Mattie be content to reconcile with Gideon, or have past hurts hardened her heart too much to allow her to forgive him?
This is your typical Christmas novel. The storyline has been done many times before, which makes it comfortable and reliable for the reader, but Cindy Woodsmall inserts a few changes here and there to make the story fresh and original. This has to be the first time that I've read a novel in which an Amish character makes and decorates cakes for a living, and I was equally surprised to read about another character that frequently went on hunting trips. I found it particularly refreshing to read about Mattie making a living for herself as a single woman. Most Amish novels don't go into much detail about the lives of the women who have to support themselves because they don’t marry young and don’t wish to stay at home and be a burden to their parents. Often crafts are shown to be hobbies that Amish women indulge in when they’ve finished with the day-to-day tasks of cooking, cleaning and raising a family, but there are many Amish women who do make their living from crafts such as quilting, sewing and in Mattie’s case, baking and decorating cakes. So it was encouraging to see Cindy revealing this often forgotten aspect of the lives of Amish women, and single women in particular.
I’m not going to deny that the story of a couple who have been separated for years being brought back together by a great catastrophe isn’t somewhat predictable and sometimes over-done. I’m not a massive fan of storylines that are created out of a lack of communication between a couple, but this is partly because I’m fortunate to be a relationship in which there is a lot of communication between both partners. The reason why communication-driven plots are so popular in the romance genre is that it is one of the simplest and most common causes of problems between couples. Mattie and Gideon’s story also contained another plot point that I’ve witnessed a few times recently in romantic fiction; that of one person discovering that they have some sort of medical problem and breaking up with their significant-other in an attempt to protect them from suffering alongside them in their illness. While I struggled to relate to Gideon and Mattie’s relationship problems in this story, I’m certain that the issues of keeping secrets and failing to communicate over misunderstandings will strike a chord with many other readers. If anything, I hope that someone will read this book and come out of it with the revelation and understanding that secrets should never be kept between two people who love each other, and that no matter how difficult it is, communication is key in order for a relationship to survive.
In all honesty, I wish this novella could have been longer. In discussing this book with my book group a lot of us felt that the shortness of the book limited the amount of time that Mattie and Gideon spent together on the page, and we really wished that we could have read about the day that they spent in each other’s company towards the end of the book. But this is the general issue with novellas – they’re short and sweet, but sometimes it just feels like there’s something missing. One thing’s for sure with The Christmas Singing, and that’s that I’ll be looking out for more of Cindy’s novels now that I know what her writing is like. A novella isn’t always the best example of an author’s work, but it’s often a good indication of whether you’ll like their books.
So if you’ve never read any of Cindy Woodsmall’s novels before, The Christmas Singing may be a good place to start. It does contain a well-used storyline, but the characters refresh it and make it into something new and original. This is the perfect book to get you in the Christmas mood, especially if you enjoy romantic tales of reconciliation.
Review title provided courtesy of Waterbrook.
PULISHER: WATERBROOK
PUBLICATION DATE: NOVEMBER 4, 2011
RATING: 7 OUT OF 10
Believing that her boyfriend Gideon Beiler had betrayed her, Mattie Eash had fled from Pennsylvania to Ohio one Christmas. Now settled into her new life with her Ohio relatives, she has opened a cake shop and has a successful career as a cake-decorator, and a lukewarm relationship with reliable Sol Bender. But when a catastrophe drives her back to her home community in Pennsylvania, she finds herself face to face with Gideon again. As she prepares cakes for two of her friends’ upcoming weddings, she’s forced to spend time with her old boyfriend, who is building the home that one of the couples will move into once they’re married. Their encounters make Gideon wonder why he gave Mattie up all those years ago, and whether now would be the good time to tell her the truth about why he broke up with her. Will Mattie be content to reconcile with Gideon, or have past hurts hardened her heart too much to allow her to forgive him?
This is your typical Christmas novel. The storyline has been done many times before, which makes it comfortable and reliable for the reader, but Cindy Woodsmall inserts a few changes here and there to make the story fresh and original. This has to be the first time that I've read a novel in which an Amish character makes and decorates cakes for a living, and I was equally surprised to read about another character that frequently went on hunting trips. I found it particularly refreshing to read about Mattie making a living for herself as a single woman. Most Amish novels don't go into much detail about the lives of the women who have to support themselves because they don’t marry young and don’t wish to stay at home and be a burden to their parents. Often crafts are shown to be hobbies that Amish women indulge in when they’ve finished with the day-to-day tasks of cooking, cleaning and raising a family, but there are many Amish women who do make their living from crafts such as quilting, sewing and in Mattie’s case, baking and decorating cakes. So it was encouraging to see Cindy revealing this often forgotten aspect of the lives of Amish women, and single women in particular.
I’m not going to deny that the story of a couple who have been separated for years being brought back together by a great catastrophe isn’t somewhat predictable and sometimes over-done. I’m not a massive fan of storylines that are created out of a lack of communication between a couple, but this is partly because I’m fortunate to be a relationship in which there is a lot of communication between both partners. The reason why communication-driven plots are so popular in the romance genre is that it is one of the simplest and most common causes of problems between couples. Mattie and Gideon’s story also contained another plot point that I’ve witnessed a few times recently in romantic fiction; that of one person discovering that they have some sort of medical problem and breaking up with their significant-other in an attempt to protect them from suffering alongside them in their illness. While I struggled to relate to Gideon and Mattie’s relationship problems in this story, I’m certain that the issues of keeping secrets and failing to communicate over misunderstandings will strike a chord with many other readers. If anything, I hope that someone will read this book and come out of it with the revelation and understanding that secrets should never be kept between two people who love each other, and that no matter how difficult it is, communication is key in order for a relationship to survive.
In all honesty, I wish this novella could have been longer. In discussing this book with my book group a lot of us felt that the shortness of the book limited the amount of time that Mattie and Gideon spent together on the page, and we really wished that we could have read about the day that they spent in each other’s company towards the end of the book. But this is the general issue with novellas – they’re short and sweet, but sometimes it just feels like there’s something missing. One thing’s for sure with The Christmas Singing, and that’s that I’ll be looking out for more of Cindy’s novels now that I know what her writing is like. A novella isn’t always the best example of an author’s work, but it’s often a good indication of whether you’ll like their books.
So if you’ve never read any of Cindy Woodsmall’s novels before, The Christmas Singing may be a good place to start. It does contain a well-used storyline, but the characters refresh it and make it into something new and original. This is the perfect book to get you in the Christmas mood, especially if you enjoy romantic tales of reconciliation.
Review title provided courtesy of Waterbrook.
February 2, 2022
Such a wonderful Amish Audiobook from the library. Mattie's heart was broken several years ago by Gideon. When she comes back home after a fire to her bakery, will she finally find out the real reason for the break up? This book went a tiny bit long in the characters learning the truth, but it was still a good book. If you like Amish Books, this one is for you.
January 10, 2012
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 family that she left behind. But it seems that everywhere Mattie goes Gideon is there too. Mattie is conflicted by her feelings for Gideon – she’s still drawn to her childhood friend and yet angry at the way he broke off their relationship.
Gideon is still drawn to Mattie, but he knew that she couldn’t handle learning the true reason he broke up with her. Gideon felt lying would be kinder to Mattie than telling her that he had Leukemia and he may not survive.
When Mattie learns the truth she loses her temper with Gideon, he didn’t trust her enough to make her own choices because he thought she was fragile. Because of Gideon’s deception Mattie chose Sol. But Mattie realizes that she chose Sol because he was safe and that she didn’t love him. But because of her commitment to Sol Mattie feels she must return to Ohio.
Is it too late for love? Will Mattie follow her heart or will she choose safety?
The Christmas Singing is a lesson in truth. We cannot protect the ones we love with a lie. Lies always hurt and the hurt is worse when the truth is made known. Truth is the most important foundation for any relationship!
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
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 family that she left behind. But it seems that everywhere Mattie goes Gideon is there too. Mattie is conflicted by her feelings for Gideon – she’s still drawn to her childhood friend and yet angry at the way he broke off their relationship.
Gideon is still drawn to Mattie, but he knew that she couldn’t handle learning the true reason he broke up with her. Gideon felt lying would be kinder to Mattie than telling her that he had Leukemia and he may not survive.
When Mattie learns the truth she loses her temper with Gideon, he didn’t trust her enough to make her own choices because he thought she was fragile. Because of Gideon’s deception Mattie chose Sol. But Mattie realizes that she chose Sol because he was safe and that she didn’t love him. But because of her commitment to Sol Mattie feels she must return to Ohio.
Is it too late for love? Will Mattie follow her heart or will she choose safety?
The Christmas Singing is a lesson in truth. We cannot protect the ones we love with a lie. Lies always hurt and the hurt is worse when the truth is made known. Truth is the most important foundation for any relationship!
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
October 25, 2011
An Amish romance from Cindy Woodsmall, just in time for Christmas!
Short and sweet, yet not sappily so, The Christmas Singing is sure to please. I read this sweet story in less than a day and enjoyed every minute of it. The pages turned steadily as I found myself fascinated and entertained with Mattie Eash's world.
Mattie Eash is a young Amish woman with a gift for decorating cakes. But after her bakery burns to the ground and she goes home for the holidays, she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, Gideon Beiler. Gideon broke her heart years before when she found him with another woman--an English woman. But Gideon has his secrets. Meanwhile Mattie plans her life with her current flame, Sol, a solid young man, who is an avid hunter. Lovers of Amish romance will eat up Ms. Woosmall's charming tale of love in Amish country.
I really enjoyed reading about Mattie's beautiful cakes, I could almost taste them they sounded so good! Not to mention the fact that there are recipes in the back of the book!
Cindy Woodsmall is a gifted writer, who brings all of the Amish charm, while also including the real feelings and struggles. I like to say that when I read Ms. Woodsmall's books, I relax but never fall alseep!
Overall a very well done Amish romance that I highly recommend. The pages turned steadily for me and I completed it in less than a day :) A very well written book indeed.
Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I received this book from the publisher free of charge in exchange for an honest review :)
If you could please head over to my blog and rank my review, it would be much appreciated :)
Short and sweet, yet not sappily so, The Christmas Singing is sure to please. I read this sweet story in less than a day and enjoyed every minute of it. The pages turned steadily as I found myself fascinated and entertained with Mattie Eash's world.
Mattie Eash is a young Amish woman with a gift for decorating cakes. But after her bakery burns to the ground and she goes home for the holidays, she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, Gideon Beiler. Gideon broke her heart years before when she found him with another woman--an English woman. But Gideon has his secrets. Meanwhile Mattie plans her life with her current flame, Sol, a solid young man, who is an avid hunter. Lovers of Amish romance will eat up Ms. Woosmall's charming tale of love in Amish country.
I really enjoyed reading about Mattie's beautiful cakes, I could almost taste them they sounded so good! Not to mention the fact that there are recipes in the back of the book!
Cindy Woodsmall is a gifted writer, who brings all of the Amish charm, while also including the real feelings and struggles. I like to say that when I read Ms. Woodsmall's books, I relax but never fall alseep!
Overall a very well done Amish romance that I highly recommend. The pages turned steadily for me and I completed it in less than a day :) A very well written book indeed.
Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I received this book from the publisher free of charge in exchange for an honest review :)
If you could please head over to my blog and rank my review, it would be much appreciated :)
November 4, 2011
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. Her life with him had once been filled with “passion and gusto”, but now her shattered heart is on the mend. She’s the successful owner of a cake shop, and is involved in a “comfortable” relationship with Sol.
But then tragedy strikes, and her store is burned down. She heads back to Ohio for the Holidays and is forced to confront Gideon. As the truth of his betrayal comes to light, will it mend the hurt, or bring more pain?
I give this book five stars, and it is a must for your bookshelf this holiday season. One cold afternoon, curl up under a blanket and let the warmth of Gideon and Mattie’s story warm your heart. It is a quick and easy read that will bring a little joy to your day.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
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. Her life with him had once been filled with “passion and gusto”, but now her shattered heart is on the mend. She’s the successful owner of a cake shop, and is involved in a “comfortable” relationship with Sol.
But then tragedy strikes, and her store is burned down. She heads back to Ohio for the Holidays and is forced to confront Gideon. As the truth of his betrayal comes to light, will it mend the hurt, or bring more pain?
I give this book five stars, and it is a must for your bookshelf this holiday season. One cold afternoon, curl up under a blanket and let the warmth of Gideon and Mattie’s story warm your heart. It is a quick and easy read that will bring a little joy to your day.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
December 28, 2011
Mattie had finally picked up the pieces of her life, the life she had broken by her first love Gideon. or that is what she's been telling herself. Life is comfortable for Mattie, in which she's just too content too mess with at this point in her life. She moves to Ohio, in which she lives with her brother and his family at first. She gets her business, "Mattie Cakes" off and running, her dreams are coming true. She's doing really well, her business is booming til one day an accident forces her to return home and face her past.
This was my first Amish-Fiction book, I received the ebook version and read it on My Kindle Fire. I received it in exchange of an honest review. I really liked this book was a very easy for me to pick up and read,really light & fun. if it wasn't fir being a busy mom I could if easily finished in a day or so. but instead since I'm a busy mom it took me about a week. I liked this book and hope to read more of Cindy's books among other Amish related fiction.
This was my first Amish-Fiction book, I received the ebook version and read it on My Kindle Fire. I received it in exchange of an honest review. I really liked this book was a very easy for me to pick up and read,really light & fun. if it wasn't fir being a busy mom I could if easily finished in a day or so. but instead since I'm a busy mom it took me about a week. I liked this book and hope to read more of Cindy's books among other Amish related fiction.
November 3, 2011
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.
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.
February 3, 2012
A heartwarming Amish romance!
November 19, 2016
I really enjoyed this book! Great story of love and courage.
November 24, 2014
This is a beautiful Amish holiday love story!
March 31, 2019
Cindy Woodsmall does not disappoint in this lovely Christmas Romance. Gideon and Mattie are childhood friends and teenage sweethearts. Their hearts beat together as they enjoy all the wonders that wholesome youthful activities can bring. Until suddenly, Gideon shuts Mattie out. After Gideon goes home early after a Christmas Eve singing, Mattie visits him on Christmas day. She finds him with an Englisher woman in his arms. He breaks their relationship off abruptly.
The story picks up in Mattie Cakes, where Mattie has built a business and a life for herself six hours away from her hometown. She has taken the craft of cake baking and turned into an art with countless hours of experimenting, planning, and implementing. Everyone loves a Mattie Cake. She has a new man in her life, Sol, a quiet man who has a passion for hunting. He lets her do her thing; she lets him do his thing. Convenient companionship, I'd call it. She still struggles with the anger and hurt that Gideon brought to her heart when he broke it three years later. What will happen when there is a sudden tragedy that sends her back to her hometown?
Will her love for Sol survive seeing Gideon face to face again?
Mrs. Woodsmall's relationships with women within the Amish community give her an insight into customs and details that many Amish genre novels do not include. I always feel like I'm right there; and, I'm part of things. The characters are not stiff and odd. They exhibit true to life emotions, fear, fatigue, exhilaration, tenderness, anger, hope, and love. I enjoy her books because I do not have to fear that there will be inappropriate themes or language. I feel safe. I'm a G rated reader.
The backdrop of snow, sleigh rides, weddings, and Christmas makes this is an excellent book to slip into during the holiday rush for a relaxing read on a cool Autumn or Winter night.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Happy Autumn!
The story picks up in Mattie Cakes, where Mattie has built a business and a life for herself six hours away from her hometown. She has taken the craft of cake baking and turned into an art with countless hours of experimenting, planning, and implementing. Everyone loves a Mattie Cake. She has a new man in her life, Sol, a quiet man who has a passion for hunting. He lets her do her thing; she lets him do his thing. Convenient companionship, I'd call it. She still struggles with the anger and hurt that Gideon brought to her heart when he broke it three years later. What will happen when there is a sudden tragedy that sends her back to her hometown?
Will her love for Sol survive seeing Gideon face to face again?
Mrs. Woodsmall's relationships with women within the Amish community give her an insight into customs and details that many Amish genre novels do not include. I always feel like I'm right there; and, I'm part of things. The characters are not stiff and odd. They exhibit true to life emotions, fear, fatigue, exhilaration, tenderness, anger, hope, and love. I enjoy her books because I do not have to fear that there will be inappropriate themes or language. I feel safe. I'm a G rated reader.
The backdrop of snow, sleigh rides, weddings, and Christmas makes this is an excellent book to slip into during the holiday rush for a relaxing read on a cool Autumn or Winter night.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Happy Autumn!
December 5, 2025
I do want to state the title of this book is misleading to me. The singings aren't even brought up in this book until the last 75 pages or so, but it is an important factor. While reading this, I was waiting to hear about why it was called that and it just took a long time.
Mattie loves her cake making business. She has her own shop in Ohio. When it comes to love, she had a sincere amazing love three years earlier with Gideon. Since then, she has found a boyfriend named Sol who loves hunting and gives her lots of space. Many people question their relationship because they don't seem to have any affection. They don't argue and get along. They have a pretty good understanding between them. They've been together for two years now and maybe one day they'll marry. It doesn't really seem like something important.
Gideon lied to Mattie about why they broke up. He has kept the real reason private all these years, but it was to protect Mattie from pain. He didn't consider how she would really feel in his decision of breaking up with her. He still loves her and hears about her boyfriend and just wants her to be happy. Mattie has lived the past three years thinking something is wrong with her and it weighs on her.
This is a great story about why it is important to communicate, understanding your own heart, and loving doing what you do (like baking cakes in Mattie's case).
It was a tender book that tugged at my emotions a bit.
Mattie loves her cake making business. She has her own shop in Ohio. When it comes to love, she had a sincere amazing love three years earlier with Gideon. Since then, she has found a boyfriend named Sol who loves hunting and gives her lots of space. Many people question their relationship because they don't seem to have any affection. They don't argue and get along. They have a pretty good understanding between them. They've been together for two years now and maybe one day they'll marry. It doesn't really seem like something important.
Gideon lied to Mattie about why they broke up. He has kept the real reason private all these years, but it was to protect Mattie from pain. He didn't consider how she would really feel in his decision of breaking up with her. He still loves her and hears about her boyfriend and just wants her to be happy. Mattie has lived the past three years thinking something is wrong with her and it weighs on her.
This is a great story about why it is important to communicate, understanding your own heart, and loving doing what you do (like baking cakes in Mattie's case).
It was a tender book that tugged at my emotions a bit.
November 29, 2021
While looking for a new Christmas themed book to read I came across "The Christmas Singing". I quickly found out that this book is a part of a series. I didn't feel like I was missing much by not reading any previous books so that was nice.
The story was a good, sweet, love story taking place in the Amish Community. Maddie's heart was broken 3 years prior by the one man she trusted. She thought they were building a life but suddenly it was ripped out from under her. She makes a move to live with her brothers family and opens a cake bakery. Maddie is very successful with her business. After an accident forces Mattie to return home she must face Gideon and their past.
I enjoyed the book but it was not a page turner. Pretty easy to read and I may look for the others in the series to see more of this communities story.
The story was a good, sweet, love story taking place in the Amish Community. Maddie's heart was broken 3 years prior by the one man she trusted. She thought they were building a life but suddenly it was ripped out from under her. She makes a move to live with her brothers family and opens a cake bakery. Maddie is very successful with her business. After an accident forces Mattie to return home she must face Gideon and their past.
I enjoyed the book but it was not a page turner. Pretty easy to read and I may look for the others in the series to see more of this communities story.
December 26, 2023
This felt as stand alone in the series, as I didn't feel I was missing anything. From the book jacket and the story, I was versed in any backstory.
Mattie has moved to her brother's Amish community in Ohio from Pennsylvania because of a broken heart. When a misinterpretation leaves Mattie believing Gideon is cheating on her, he lets her believe it for her own good.
Mattie is a baker and opens Mattie Cakes, and has a new love interest in Sol. However, he's not the great love of her life and are just comfortable with each other. But when an accident occurs, she's left to return back home.
Can her and Gideon live in the same town? Will they reconcile and rekindle anything that's left of their relationship, and where does that leave Sol?
Mattie has moved to her brother's Amish community in Ohio from Pennsylvania because of a broken heart. When a misinterpretation leaves Mattie believing Gideon is cheating on her, he lets her believe it for her own good.
Mattie is a baker and opens Mattie Cakes, and has a new love interest in Sol. However, he's not the great love of her life and are just comfortable with each other. But when an accident occurs, she's left to return back home.
Can her and Gideon live in the same town? Will they reconcile and rekindle anything that's left of their relationship, and where does that leave Sol?
May 17, 2017
Hmm, never read an Amish story before; I'm not much into romances of any type, but felt attracted to read this one. I work in a library and know quite a few women who enjoy these stories, so I thought I'd take a look. I don't know any Amish personally, but having visited Amish shops, I'm hard pressed to believe an Amish bakery would produce such fancy creations as in the book. Mostly I've found tasty, but plain pies. Story line was ok, just didn't strike me as plausible either. The Amish community is so tight it's difficult to imagine there being any secrets from anyone....Eh, it's going to be read by it's loyal readers!
January 2, 2023
This is an Amish love story. When communication fails between Maddie and Gideon, they separate with so much hurt buried inside that Maddie can’t imagine seeing him again. She moves on and finds a stable and calm romance with Saul. It’s not love exactly but she enjoys his company and they both can enjoy their own interests separately. However Gideon runs into Maddie again and old feelings are stirring in her heart, causing her to wonder if settling for a steady marriage is enough. Read this sweet story for a magical Amish romance.
December 26, 2025
I loved the fact that I had just recently been to Berlin so I understood the characteristics of the area. Having also traveled before to the opposite far reach in the story, Harrisburg I felt I could connect to the places of the story. However, the timeline didn't work for me with all the Englischers stopping what they were doing on a regular basis to drive the Amish around especially on Christmas. All the characters were really selfish in my opinion and that was at the heart of the message and the growth needed but it was just too much for me.
August 3, 2018
The Christmas Singing gives the reader exactly what they would expect - a heart warming story that is perfect for reading during the Christmas season. I needed a heartwarming story to curl up with, and believe me, it didn't disappoint. I found myself both charmed and captivated and was happy with the ending - it turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. If you love Amish or Christmas stories, add this one to your reading list. You won't be disappointed!
December 30, 2018
This is the second novella in the Apple Ridge series. Mattie Eash, cousin to Beth Hertzler (co-owner of the dry good store in Apple Ridge), now lives in Ohio with her brother and his family. Her cake shop is doing well, and she is courting a local Amish man. However, when a disaster causes her to return home to Apple Ridge where she left behind a major heartbreak, Mattie's heart becomes more confused.
This is a good story of love, forgiveness, and understanding.
This is a good story of love, forgiveness, and understanding.
December 14, 2019
Another typical Cindy Woodsmall novel. It was nice to listen to the audio version close to Christmas time. But this was a lot like a Hallmark Christmas Movie: it was obvious how the story was going to end. I do find myself getting very frustrated with all the misunderstandings between the main characters. But, in the end, I'm usually glad that I've stuck with the book and finished it.
Clean readers: yes, this one is 100% clean and much appreciated.
Clean readers: yes, this one is 100% clean and much appreciated.
October 26, 2016
This was a sweet Christmas story. I liked the main characters in this story, and I liked that the main characters from the first book were in this one too. I was surprised by his, Gideon's, secret, and the ending was sweet. It made me smile. Also, I enjoyed reading about all the cakes that Mattie baked. They all sounded so delicious.
December 21, 2018
I enjoy all Cindy Woodsmall books. I must say that this book was enjoyable only one could figure out everything that would happen in this book from the first couple of pages. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters better and learning more about their lives. The book kept my interest because of the other town folks, only sorry, the main characters were just too predictable.
July 23, 2019
I like Amish stories a bunch and this was not a Christmas story despite the name. Christmas was on the calendar but not a major part of the story.
This was not a typical Amish thread and I loved how the man for once made a mistake. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone but a cute shorter story not novella but not 300 pages. Enjoy
This was not a typical Amish thread and I loved how the man for once made a mistake. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone but a cute shorter story not novella but not 300 pages. Enjoy
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