The Dawn of Christmas
Cindy Woodsmall
In the interest of full disclosure, and as means of a
personal mea culpa, I must make a confession before I begin reviewing The
Dawn of Christmas. I read Cindy Woodsmall’s most recent Christmas
novella as soon as it was in my hands, and loved it. I did not, however, take
the time to sit down and write a review until now, months later. Without going
into detail, the Christmas season and subsequent New Year have proved
challenging in far too many ways, and as a result, many things that I had on my
to-do list found themselves waiting indefinitely to be done, this review among
them. So, that being said, coupled with my sincerest apology to Cindy Woodsmall
as well as the fine people at WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, and the
folks at Blogging for Books (Ashley
and Chris) in particular, I give you my review . . .
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?
Cindy Woodsmall crafts stories that draw readers into
fictional worlds where they meet characters who become like friends. She’s done
it again in her novella, The Dawn of Christmas. From the
first lines of chapter one, we feel the panic and pain that threaten to
suffocate our protagonist. Sadie is humiliated and devastated by the actions of
her fiancé and her own cousin. Worse, these two characters lie to the family
and friends who surround Sadie, creating doubt and innuendo. Thanks to Sadie’s
loving and understanding father, she is allowed the freedom to move to a
different community, far enough away from her family’s home that she can move
forward with her life without her past getting in the way.
Dawn of Christmas weaves Sadie’s life with another character named
Levi. They form a friendship based on a respect and appreciation for each other’s
strengths. Sadie and Levi face obstacles to their friendship, not the least of
which are the pressures from their families for them to find mates and settle
down. And nothing could be further from their thoughts.
Woodsmall’s characters are rich and realistic. The reader
roots for the main characters while wishing to punch the antagonist right in
the kisser. Ironic, I suppose, since we’re talking about Amish fiction here.
This author’s ability to craft believable and beloved works of fiction is what
brings me back time and again to her books. Whether it’s December or April,
reading The Dawn of Christmas will satisfy someone who is looking to
make new fictional friends and share a bit of their life’s journey.
I
received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this
review.
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