The Sound of Sleigh Bells - A Book Review

Cindy Woodsmall's new book "The Sound of Sleigh Bells" is a fantastic book for the upcoming Christmas season. Snuggle in with some hot cocoa. The characters are so well done, the story so moving, and such a wonderful ending! :-)

Beth Hertzler works for her Aunt Lizzy at her dry goods store as a contact between the Enlischer retailers and the Amish craftsmen. She enjoys her job and people she meets. But, ever since her fiance died over a year ago, she's been unable to rise above the sorrow and remorse of that day. She continues wearing her black mourning clothing, and doesn't want to discuss anything personal.

Duty calls and Beth needs to make a buying-and-selling trip. On her trip she discovers a wood carving that catches her heart. Unable to meet the carver, and discouraged by her bishop to pursue this kind of product, she is left with enjoying the one piece she owns. The piece tugs at her heart and she encourages her Aunt to meet the old woodcarver and see what options might open for them. Her Aunt wonders at her love of the carving, but encouraged by a ray of hope in her neice's bleak outlook, she decides to meet the woodcarver and see what happens.

Meeting the young-looking woodcarver who has dealt with a loss of his own, opens a plan that Lizzy is afraid will fail, but is worth the risk to try. She lets the woodcarver think she is Beth and asks him to keep in touch by mail. Puzzled, he agrees.

The next few months are filled with letters back and forth from Beth and Jonah (the woodcarver). Lizzy's well-intentioned deceit requires her to open Beth's letters from Jonah and black out any lines that reveal Jonah has met her before. Beth starts opening up to the "old" woodcarver and starts growing out of the depression she has been in. Would Jonah be safe enough to share the unbearable burden weighing on her heart? If she just shared her secret, would it help the burden to lift?

I know you know that Beth and Jonah eventually connect. Would it be a great story if they didn't? But it is such a twist to hear how it happens. Each one needs to face a "fear". In our lives, we each have fears and difficulties we deal with. God knows how to orchestrate our lives to help us deal with those issues that we need to, but eventually we have to decide to co-operate and do our part for the healing and growing that needs to happen.

Author Bio: Cindy Woodsmall is the author of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and The New York Times Best-Seller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. A mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.

To purchase your own book, visit:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307446534

You can also purchase the book at waterbrookmultnomah.com

Would you like to win your own copy? Maybe you need a gift for Christmas? One you have time to read before you wrap. :-) Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing on October 25th.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.