When an Old Order Amish woman takes a job at a small-town pharmacy struggling to survive in a world of "big box" stores, her motive is to help her Plain community. But the advent of the holiday season brings an unusual mystery to the surface--and possibly love.

Twenty-four-year-old Holly Zook lives a unique life for a young Amish woman. Years ago, her bishop allowed her to continue her education and become the lead technician for Greene's Pharmacy, an old-timey drugstore that looks out for the Amish community--a group largely without secure healthcare plans. She knows she can't marry and hold onto her professional job. She's Amish, and she can only have one or the other, so she spurns love and works toward addressing treatable diseases--like the one that claimed her father's life.

As long as Holly continues to avoid Joshua Smucker, the one man who draws her like a warm hearth in winter, she should be fine. When something unexpected threatens Greene's Pharmacy, Holly and Joshua must work together to unravel what's happened and find the "missing" patient before the Board of Pharmacy shuts them down. As the snows of December arrive, with Christmas in the air, will Holly succumb to the generous spirit of the season?

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The Good:
This is a sweet story told in a way that you end up feeling as if you know the characters. I was pulled in and read this in one sitting.

The Bad:
Honestly? I can't think of anything. The characters are likable, the book moves at a nice pace and while short, I didn't feel as if it were cut off or that things were left out.

The Summary:
If you like sweet Amish stories, then I can't recommend this book enough. It's full of characters that the reader connects with, each in their own way. The pacing is great...and who can resist a good mystery?

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"Experience the holidays with the Plain folk of Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania, in these touching novellas centered around love, romance, heartache, and restoration from best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall.

The Sound of Sleigh Bells
Beth Hertzler is unable to let go of a past tragedy, but when she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds. Determined that her niece meet the gifted artist, her aunt tracks him down, but it’s not that simple – will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love?

The Christmas Singing
Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve. Brokenhearted, Mattie moves away and pursues her longtime dream of becoming a cake decorator, and even finds a new beau. But when Mattie is forced to return home three years later, will learning the truth behind Gideon’s rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
 
The Dawn of Christmas
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?"

As you probably know by now, I have fallen in love with Amish romance and this book has only served to feed that love. I had already read and reviewed The Dawn of Christmas, so for me, it was all about the first two books within the book. It was a joy to read the backstories of characters that I had already met. It was like seeing an old friend, popping into a local cafe to catch up and not leaving for hours. Honestly, I have to say that Cindy Woodsmall has become one of my new favorite authors. Whenever I see one of her books in a review stack, I can't help but keep my fingers crossed that I'm going to get it. Her characters have depth and feel like people you might actually meet. I never have any problem visualizing the scenes. Honestly, there's not a single bad thing that comes to mind when it comes to her books. If you love Amish Romance or just a really good read, I cannot recommend enough that you go out and find one of her books. This one is a great one because it really is three good books all in one and not one of those skimpy books you see claiming to be.




I received a copy of this book through the Blogging For Books program. All thoughts, comments and opinions are 100% mine.
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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?

If you've been here a while, you know I have a soft spot for Amish stories. This one has proven to be no exception! I fell in love with Sadie and Levi and their struggles as they each had to come to terms with their past in order to have any sort of future, together or apart. Cindy Woodsmall does a fantastic job of drawing you into the story and before you know it, you're closing the back cover with a small sigh and looking for the next story. In this book, you not only get Sadie and Levi's stories, but if you're familiar with Apple Ridge, you'll recognize other characters and get to see more of their lives, as well. Honestly, I can't find a single thing that I didn't like about this book other than wishing that as soon as I closed that cover, I had others from the series to read next!



I received a copy of this book through the Blogging for Books program. All opinions, thoughts and comments ...and tiny desires to live a simpler life...are 100% mine.

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