The Sound Of Sleigh Bells-Cindy Woodsmall

The Sound Of Sleigh Bells
Cindy Woodsmall
WaterBrook, Oct 6 2009, $14.99
ISBN: 9780307446534

Since eighth grade Beth Hertzler worked for and with her spinster Aunt Lizzy in the family owned Hertzlers’ Dry Goods store. Beth like Lizzy ignored men while her younger sisters married and have had children; until she met Henry. They became engaged, but he died last year and yet she still wears the mourner’s black as she has not moved on. Lizzy worries about her favorite niece ending up lonely like she is.

Although she insists she is fine, her family and friends in the Amish community worry about Beth. However, to prove she is fine, Beth is going on a business trip accompanied by worker Gloria for the next three weeks to the store’s suppliers. When they miss a turn on their way to All That’s Amish, they stop at the next town where Beth sees an incredible wood carving of Amish children playing. She buys the piece and wants to help the Amish artist “sell” his work to the right families. When Beth returns home, Lizzy notices her niece seems to have come back to life and believes it is the woodcarving. She searches for the artist Jonah Kinsinger as she begins to think God is moving a mountain to bring two Pennsylvania and Ohio young people with emotional scars together to heal one another with love.

This is an engaging Amish romance starring a likable lead couple and two budding in out of love and concern families. Readers will enjoy the SOUND OF SLEIGH BELLS as their respective caring communities nudge (perhaps shove might be more accurate) towards each other in a wonderful Amish Yuletide tale.

Harriet Klausner