Title: Courting Cate by Leslie Gould
The Courtships of Lancaster County
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Fiction
Length: 352 page
Book Rating: B+
Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
A retelling of “The Taming of the Shrew”
#1 Bestselling Author Leslie Gould Delivers a New Amish Romance Series
In Paradise Township live two sisters, Cate and Betsy Miller. Both are beautiful, but older sister Cate is known more for her sharp tongue and fiery temper than her striking appearance. Betsy, on the other hand, is sweet and flirty—and seems to have attracted most of the bachelors in Lancaster County!
However, the sisters’ wealthy father has made one hard and fast rule: elder sister must marry first. Unfortunately for poor Betsy, and for the men who want to court her, her older sister, Cate, doesn’t have any suitors—until Pete Treger comes to town.
Though he finds both sisters attractive, something about Cate’s feisty demeanor appeals to him. Soon the other bachelors in the district convince Pete to court Cate. She hardly seems receptive to his overtures, though. Instead, she’s immediately suspicious of his interest.
The Review:
Courting Cate by Leslie Gould is an absolutely charming novel that is entertaining and heartwarming.
Unlike the typical Amish woman, Cate Miller would rather pursue a career than marry. However, her younger sister, Betsy, is quite the accomplished homemaker and she is eager to marry her suitor, Levi. Wanting his eldest daughter married and settled down, Bob Miller issues an edict to the sisters: Cate must marry first. The only problem? The bachelors of Lancaster County are more interested in the pretty and fun loving Betsy. But then Pete Treger moves to town and well, things are definitely looking up for Cate. Has spunky Cate finally met her match?
Cate is a prickly young woman who has a penchant for speaking her mind. She has an insatiable appetite for knowledge and her love of books expands her world well past the boundaries of the Amish community. Cate is close to her father and she is a surrogate mother for Betsy. Betrayed be a past love, she fiercely guards her heart and she finds it difficult to trust men. Her loyalty to her family proves to be her downfall and she will do anything to protect them.
Pete Treger is carrying the scars of his own broken heart. He is a hard working and compassionate man who finds a kindred spirit in Cate. He recognizes the reasons behind Cate’s bristly attitude and instead of pushing her to change, he patiently bides his time until she figures out what motivates her reactions to certain people and situations.
Betsy is a difficult character to like. She is spoiled, selfish and extremely manipulative. She only thinks of herself and I cannot help but wonder if some of her actions were innocent mistakes or if they were deliberately calculated to achieve her own goals. She did not appreciate Cate’s sacrifices for her and the way she hurt Cate in the end of the novel was unnecessarily cruel.
Cate and Pete are delightful characters who undergo tremendous growth together and unexpectedly find love. Their relationship has its share of miscommunications and it is Cate’s stubbornness that almost destroys them. The lessons she learns from an unexpected source provide the foundation for her spiritual growth.
Courting Cate is an engaging novel that puts a unique spin on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. It is a beautiful and understated lesson in not judging others or their relationships. It also stresses the importance of not letting other people’s perceptions of you define who you are.
I greatly enjoyed this first installment of Leslie Gould’s The Courtships of Lancaster County series and I cannot wait for the next story!
Author Bio:
Leslie Gould is the co-author, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 bestselling The Amish Midwife and The Amish Nanny. She is also the author of numerous novels, including Garden of Dreams, Beyond the Blue (winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice for Best Inspirational Novel, 2006), and Scrap Everything. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She resides with her husband and four children in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at www.lesliegould.com.
A retelling of the Taming of the Shrew! Leslie Gould is celebrating the release of Courting Cate with a fun Kindle Fire Giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat Party (11/20)!
One lucky winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire
- Courting Cate by Leslie Gould
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 19th. Winner will be announced at the “Courting Cate” Author Chat Facebook Party on 11/20. Connect with Leslie, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at an Amish trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!
So grab your copy of Courting Cate and join Leslie on the evening of the November 20th for a chance to connect with Leslie and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book – don’t let that stop you from coming!)
Love to win Courting Cate or the Kindle Fire. Thanks for the opportunity! Love your review.
I like the sound of this book-thanks Kathy!
Looks good. Thanks also for a chance to win some great prizes.
Chris
ceagles48218@yahoo.com
I love Amish books and this is a new series.
Thank you SO much for the chance to win your great book and the Kindle!