Overview
Mourning the death of her fianc, Beth Hertzler's heart is filled with remorse and loneliness, until she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, and when her beloved Aunt Lizzy sees the changes in her niece, Lizzy hunts down the artist, Jonah, determined that Beth meet the man with the hands that create healing art.

Publishers Description
Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store, and serving as contact of sorts between Amish craftsmen and Englischers who want to sell the Plain people's wares. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart everyday as she still wears the dark garb, indicating mourning of her fiancé. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth's soul responds and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work–including Lizzy's dry goods store. But she doesn't know if her bishop will approve of the gorgeous carving or deem it idolatry.

Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after Lizzy hunts down Jonah, the artist, she is all the more determined that Beth meets this man with the hands that create healing art. But it's not that simple–will Lizzy's elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she's always dreamed of and a second chance at real love–or just more heartbreak?
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 one daughter-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.
The aroma of fresh-baked bread, shepherd's pie, and steamed vegetables filled Lizzy's house, mingling with the sweet smell of baked desserts. In the hearth a bank of embers kept a small fire burning, removing the nip that clung to the early-April air.
The noise of conversations rose and fell around Lizzy's kitchen table as her brother and his large family talked easily throughout the meal. His grown and almost-grown children filled the sides of her fourteen-foot table, and his grandchildren either sat in their mothers' laps or in highchairs.
Nearly four decades ago her oldest brother had put effort into finding an Amish bride.When Stephen found the right girl, he married her. He'd handled life well, and the fruit of it fed her soul. Lizzy had focused on her business and never married. She didn't regret her choices, not for herself, but she'd crawl on her hands and knees the rest of her days to keep her niece from the same fate.
Beth was like a daughter to Lizzy. Not long after the family's dry goods store passed to Lizzy, Beth graduated fromthe eighth grade and started working beside her. Soon she moved in with Lizzy, and they shared the one-bedroom apartment above the shop. When Lizzy had this house built a few years ago, her niece had stayed above Hertzlers' Dry Goods. Lizzy studied the young beauty as she answered her family's endless questions about her decisions in the middleman role between the Amish who made goods and the various Englischer stores who wanted those goods. That was her Beth. Answer what was asked. Do what was right. Always be polite. Offer to help before it was needed. And never let anyone see the grief that hadn't yet let go of her.
Beth had banned even Lizzy from looking into the heartache that held her hostage.
The one-year anniversary of Henry's death had come and gone without any sign from Beth that she might lay aside her mourning, so Lizzy had taken action. She'd prepared this huge meal and planned a social for the afternoon. Maybe all Beth needed was a loving, gentle nudge. If not, Lizzy had a backup plan—one Beth would not appreciate.
Over the din of conversations, the sounds of horses and buggies arriving and the voices of young people drifted through the kitchen window, causing Beth to look at her. Lizzy placed her forearms on the table. "I've invited the young singles of the community for an evening of outdoor games, desserts, and a bonfire when the sun goes down."
Two of Beth's single younger sisters, Fannie and Susie, glowed at the idea. With grace and gentleness, Beth turned to her Mamm and asked if she would need help planting this year's garden. It didn't seem to bother Beth that five of her sisters had married before her, and three of them were younger than she was. All but the most recently wed had children. Lizzy knew what awaited Beth if she didn't find someone—awkward and never-ending loneliness. Maybe she didn't recognize that. It wasn't until Henry came into Beth's life that she even seemed to notice that single men existed. Within a year of meeting, they were making plans to marry.
Now, in an Amish community of dresses in rich, solid hues, Beth wore black.
Through a window Lizzy saw the youngmen bring their rigs to a halt. The drivers as well as the passengers got out of the carriages. The girls soon huddled in groups, talking feverishly, while the guys went into the barn, pulled two wagons with plenty of hay into the field, and tied their horses to them. It was far easier to leave the animals harnessed and grazing on hay than to have to hitch a horse to its buggy in the dark. The young people knew the routine. They would remain
outside playing volleyball, horseshoes, or whatever else suited them until after the sun went down. Then they'd come inside for desserts and hot chocolate or coffee before riding in wagons to the field where they'd start a bonfire.
Fannie and Susie rose and began clearing the table. Beth went to the dessert counter and picked out a pie. She set it on the table beside her Daed, cut a slice, and placed it on his plate. Then she slid a piece onto her Mamm's plate before passing the pie to her brother Emmanuel. She took her seat next to her mother, still chatting about the upcoming spring planting. Lizzy hoped her brother saw what she did—a daughter who continued to shun all possibility of finding new love. Beth clung to the past as if she might wake one day to find her burning desires had changed it.
Fannie began gathering glasses that still held trace amounts of lemonade. "You've got to join us this time, Bethie. It's been too long."
Flatware stopped clinking against the plates as all eyes turned to Beth.
Susie tugged on her sleeve. "Please. Everyone misses you."
Beth poked at the meal she'd barely touched as if she might scoop a forkful of the cold food and eat it. "Not this time. Denki."
"See, Beth," Lizzy said. "Every person here knows you should be out socializing again. Everyone except you."
Beth's face grew taut, and she stood and removed the small stack of plates from Fannie's hands. "Go on. I'll do these."
Fannie glanced to her Daed. He nodded. "Why don't you all finish up and go on out? Emmanuel and Ira, do you mind helping set up the volleyball nets?" Emmanuel wiped his mouth on a cloth napkin. "We can do that."
Chairs screeched against the wood floor as most of the brood stood. Fannie and Susie bolted for the door. Two more of Beth's sisters and two sisters-in-law went to the sink, taking turns rinsing the hands and faces of their little ones before they all went outside. Lizzy longed to see Beth in colored dresses, wearing a smile that radiated from her soul. Instead Beth pasted on smiles, fooling most of those around her into thinking her heart continued to mend. But her quieter, more stoic behavior said things no one else seemed to hear. Lizzy heard, and she'd shared her concerns with Beth's Daed, Stephen. Beth took a stack of dishes to the sink and flicked on the water.
"You can leave that for now," Stephen said.
She turned off the water and remained with her back to them. Beth's Mamm glanced at Lizzy as she ran her finger down a tall glass of lemonade. "Beth, honey—"
Beth turned. "I'm fine, Mamm."
Stephen got up and piled more plates together. "Of course you are. And I'll throw my favorite pie at anyone who says otherwise." He stuck his finger into his half-eaten piece of chocolate pie, placed it in his mouth, and winked at Beth.
She smiled, an expression that probably looked real to her Daed but reminded Lizzy of fine silk flowers—only beautiful to those who aren't gardeners.
"Beth, sweetheart," Stephen said, "you know how me and your Mamm feel. We love you. It's no secret that you're different from our other girls. You've always had more of a head for business than a heart to find a beau, but now…well, we just want to make sure you're doing okay. Since you don't live with us, that's a bit hard to know sometimes." He set the dirty dishes beside the already full sink before he rinsed his hands and dried them. "Officially, your period of mourning was over nearly six months ago, but you haven't joined the young people for a single event. You've not left the store for your usual buying trips. You eat half of what you should. You continue to wear black. And those are things a stranger would notice."
"I…I could plan a buying-and-selling trip. It'll take me most of the summer to get completely organized for it, but I can be ready by August. I know I should have sooner, but…"
Lizzy hoped Stephen didn't fall for the diversion tactic Beth had just thrown his way, but since Beth was listening to him without getting defensive, Lizzy wouldn't interfere.
"Good. If that's where you feel like beginning, I'm glad to hear it. I know the community will be too, because without you they can't sell near as many of their goods." He walked to the table, took a seat, and motioned for Beth.
She moved to the chair beside him.
"But other people's financial needs are not what this is about. Tell me something good and hopeful about you—something I'll know in my gut is true—and I'll end this conversation right now."
The four of them remained silent as shouts and roars of laughter echoed from outside. If anyone could touch Beth's heart and cause her to change, her Daed could. But the silence continued, and Beth's inability to think of anything hopeful to say made Lizzy sick with worry.
The grandfather clock chimed the half hour, startling Lizzy, but no one spoke. Long shadows filled the room, and she lit a kerosene lamp and set it in the middle of the table. Whatever happened the night Henry died consumed Beth. When Lizzy arrived on the scene, her niece didn't even acknowledge her. The only words Beth spoke were the ones she whispered for days—God,
forgive me. Lizzy had tried to talk to her about it, but Beth never broke her polite silence on the topic. Beth's Daed cleared his throat. "I'll wait all night for an answer if I need to, Beth."
Her eyes filled with tears, but it was another five minutes before she uttered a word. "I don't trust my feelings about…certain things anymore, Daed."
"Then can you trust mine?" her Daed asked.
"Always, but I don't want to be one of the single girls looking for a husband. Not ever again. Is that such a horrible thing?"
"It's not what we'd figured on, but we can adjust."
Lizzy repositioned her glass of lemonade. During church the singles sat separately from the married couples. Lizzy's memory of growing too old for the singles and removing herself from them still stung. From that day on she'd carried the title of alt Maedel—old maid. She'd been older than Beth's twenty-six years, and her prospects of finding someone had faded into nothingness. If Beth thought navigating life after Henry was difficult, Lizzy dreaded the pain that lay ahead for Beth when she openly admitted to the Amish world that she didn't fit—not with the single folk and not with the married ones. Stephen had yet to mention anything about the color of mourning Beth still wore. If she would wear something besides black, young men would gravitate to her, and she stood a chance of finding someone. He covered Beth's hand with his and bowed his head, silently praying for her. He lifted his head. "There's somewhere you'd like to be tonight other than washing dishes or working in that stuffy office in the store. Am I right?"
"Ya."
"Then go."
Beth kissed her Daed's cheek, told her Mamm and Lizzy she'd see them later, and left.
Lizzy moved to the window and watched as her niece walked past small groups of young people. She overheard both women and men asking Beth to stay. Beth shook her head, smiled, and waved
Before making her way across the road and into the pasture near their store.
"You said nothing that will nudge her to change how she's handling life," Lizzy said.
Stephen placed his hands on her shoulders. "Henry's death is the hardest thing this family has faced. Pressuring Beth isn't the answer. Trusting God is."
Lizzy stood in silence as Beth harnessed her mare to a carriage. She knew where Beth was going. The cemetery. Again. And again. And again.
"Please, dear God, move a mountain for her." Stephen squeezed her shoulders. "Amen."

Gift of Grace Books was established to glorify God in thanksgiving for his abundant grace. 2 Corinthians 4:15 "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God."

Item Specifications...

Pages 208
Dimensions: Length: 1" Width: 5.75" Height: 8.75"
Weight: 0.65 lbs.
Binding Hardcover
Release Date Oct 6, 2009
Publisher WaterBrook Press
ISBN 0307446530
EAN 9780307446534

Availability 10 units.
Availability accurate as of May 24, 2012 12:11.
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Reviews - What do our customers think?

	Perfect Winter Reading Mar 11, 2010
We've got snow here in where I live. It makes it the perfect time to read a winter story! The Sound of Sleigh Bells is the latest from Amish fiction author Cindy Woodsmall. If you haven't read Cindy's books then you're missing out, she is, in my opinion, the best for Amish fiction (some of what's out there is just awful!) Cindy has a way of capturing the heart of the character and bringing her to life. This quick read (I finished in just over an hour--while on the treadmill!) will warm your heart. I liked the connection that the main character had with the carving that she discovered while on her trip to Ohio. I'm not going to go into any more because I don't want to give anything away.

	Uplifting and inspirational Mar 3, 2010
Beth Hertzler was still mourning her fiancé, although it had been a year since his death. She shared a tiny apartment above their dry goods store with her Aunt Lizzy. She attempted to convince everyone that she was fine but deep inside she was very sad. On a business trip for the store, she discovered an intricate carving that touched her deep within her soul. She searched for the artist in hopes of helping promote his work. When her aunt saw that the sculpture stirred deep emotions within Beth, she visited Jonah. Lizzy's visit does more harm than good. Can Jonah pull Beth out of her despair? Can the lure of the Sleigh Bells stir the heart once again in Beth? Cindy Woodsmall's books always have a way of drawing the reader deep into the story line. I felt as if I was one of the characters. While this is a Christmas story, it is appropriate for all seasons. This book is uplifting and inspirational.

	The Sound of Sleigh Bells Feb 10, 2010
I thought this was the best book that Woodsmall has written. She is a wonderful storyteller and does a really good job of keeping your interest in the story.

	Great Read Feb 1, 2010
As a "Baby Boomer," I have grown up loving Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau movies. While they each had many good solo movies, together they were a team, a match made in heaven. This book not only talks about each actor, but also tells us about each movie they made together, and the relationship they had with each other. They were good friends from their first movie. In time they grew to love each other and enjoyed working together. They were so in-tuned to each other that at times the directors just let them run with or without the script.I have really enjoyed seeing the pictures in this book and the dialogue that goes with it. I have laughed and felt the sadness also. A high point is the fact that their movie's transcends all ages. My children who are now grown and have children of their own, still want to see the movies I have of Jack and Walter when they come to visit.I feel director John Davis summed it up best-"I will tell you why these guys were so perfect...they're Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Their chemistry is so great that it doesn't matter what they're playing. It could be brain surgeons or Yiddish surfboard salesmen. It's the simple fact that they are Jack and Walter, and nobody can do it like they can." Or as Jack Lemmon would always say before a scene, "its magic time." If it had not been for the outstanding work by the author Ben Costello; most of us would never of had a chance to know the real Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. I can only imagine the many hours of research and interviews he did to create this fascinating book. For those of you who will buy this book, I leave you with these words--from the first page to the last "Its magic time." Whispering Winds Book Reviews

	LOVED it! Jan 7, 2010
I think it's safe to say that I can't wait to get more books by Cindy Woodsmall after ready this little gem. Boy, what a well-crafted book this is! Beth, the main character, is burdened by what she thinks was a mistake that resulted in her fiance's death. You won't believe the ending so I won't spoil it but if you are looking for a quick relief from your day, grab this book and enjoy yourself for about the next 1.5 hours. It's only 194 pages so it's a quick read. Only a talented writer can draw you into the characters with only a short amount of writing space. It's not exactly a Christmas book per se, just set in the timeframe. The meaning of the title is so neat too, just very special. What I love most about these books is that they're reviewed by an Amish person before they're published, for accuracy. Because of that, you can know that what you're reading can actually happen within their community. I have really appreciated how they help one another and stick by each other and how God actually is a part of their lives every day. As Christians or Englishers, we can't always say that we're so quick to depend on God - we try to do it ourselves first. I've just really enjoyed the education into Amish life while reading all these Amish novels (now I'm addicted!) and this one was just one of the sweetest ones I've read yet. I'm going back and ordering a few more! Lastly, if you know someone who has been abused in their life, be sure to get this book. It will help, I'm sure. Highly recommend!

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