Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Christmas Singing Book Review



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 dreamed to be, and opens her own shop called Mattie Cakes. There she finds Sol who is unlike Gideon in every way. Mattie takes comfort in the fact that Sol is reliable, and will never break her heart. She doesn’t care that there is no passion or gusto as there was in her relationship with Gideon as long as she doesn’t get hurt again.
One day Mattie’s shop burns to the ground and she is forced to return to her hometown. While there she finds herself constantly thrown together with none other than Gideon Beiler, her former flame and the man who betrayed her to no ends.
As they try to find ways to work around each other past hurts keep re-surfacing, and Mattie’s former passion for Gideon keeps trying to wiggle it’s way into her heart.
Gideon has been hiding a secret from Mattie about their break-up as well as the whole town. Having joined the Amish faith he can’t afford for anyone to find out what that secret is. It just may be his undoing.
 
This novel had me almost right away. I’m a huge Amish novel fanatic, and there is just something so intriguing about the Plain life. I greatly admire the Amish so I am drawn to novels as such. This was not only a wonderful portrayal of Plain life, but the characters are just so realistic you feel as if you are right inside the pages. There wasn’t one character big or small in this novel that felt unreal. Every character in a sense was a “big” character filled with such life and story. Mattie was so easy for me to identify with. She is so outspoken despite her Amish lifestyle. She is a fiery character that I’m sure every woman can identify with. I felt so many various emotions while reading this novel from compassion, regret, sadness, laughter, understanding, overflowing joy, admiration, etc. I do wish it would have given more background on Sol, even though he wasn’t technically a main character he was a big part of the novel. However it was still a beautifully done job. And it just goes to show that nobody’s life or relationship is perfect whether you be Englischer, Amish, etc. The romance in this book kept me on the edge of my seat, and the wonder at what would eventually happen. It also goes to prove that every relationship and every life has trials and tribulations that we all must overcome. And no matter what happens or what we think will happen what is meant to be will eventually be. A bonus is there are a couple of amazing cake recipes in the back that left me mouth watering, and anxious to try them out! Made from scratch cakes that require few ingredients and seem very simple indeed to make.


If you want more information about this book please visit the following:
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307446541
 
Disclaimer:
Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

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