Title: The Teacher’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller
Amish Brides of Birch Creek Series Book One
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary, Christian, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Beloved and bestselling author of Amish romance Kathleen Fuller reminds us that sometimes opposites really do attract.
If there is one thing Christian Ropp will not allow in his classroom—or his life—it is chaos. So why is he drawn to Ruby Glick, a woman who seems to bring mayhem wherever she goes?
Christian Ropp moves to Birch Creek to accept a teaching position in the rapidly growing Amish community. He’s determined to put the rambunctious school in order as well as check another task off his list: finding a wife. Of course, that would be much easier if women were like textbooks, straightforward and logical.
When an accident puts Christian out of commission, a new community member named Ruby Glick takes over his classroom. But Ruby’s exuberant teaching style clashes with Christian’s careful methods and he worries his students will never be the same.
With a track record of catastrophe, Ruby always feels too clumsy, too distracted, too . . . much. Desperate for a chance to prove that she can do more than make mistakes in her life, she throws herself into her new teaching position. But when Christian can’t seem to stay out of her way, she finds herself slipping into old, chaotic tendencies.
What she doesn’t anticipate is that Christian’s heart is slowly catching up with his mind—and she, too, must decide whether to follow logic or love.
Review:
The first installment in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series, The Teacher’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller is a very heartwarming and entertaining romance.
Twenty year old Ruby Glick decides to move from her hometown of Lancaster to Birch Creek where her brother Timothy and his wife Patience live. Unsure of what she wants to do other than settle down and marry, she is delighted to discover several single men to choose from. Ruby is upbeat, positive and kind-hearted but she finds it difficult to talk to the young man she is interested in. Beset by nerves, her attempt to catch his eye ends in a bit of disaster which is unfortunately, not an unusual occurrence for her. Thankfully, Ruby’s attention is diverted to school teacher Christian Ropp, whom she has agreed to help figure out how to get to get to know the young woman he is would like to date.
Christian is meticulous, socially awkward and quite reserved. He runs a well-ordered classroom and he is trying very hard to engage his students and foster a love of learning. Like Ruby, Christian is ready to wed and with a dearth of marriageable young women, he has set his sights on his sister Selah’s friend, Martha Detweiler. Unfortunately, Christian cannot quite work up the nerve to talk to her. So when Ruby offers to give him tips about getting to know women, he eagerly accepts her help.
Christian and Ruby are complete opposites but they perfectly complement one another. Christian is introverted and finds it difficult to express his feelings. Ruby is rather impulsive and although her heart is in the right place, she fails to think about the consequences of her actions. Christian finds it easy to talk to Ruby and she does not hesitate to point out when his social skills are lacking. Christian can be a bit oblivious at times, but he quickly picks up on Ruby’s lack of self-confidence and he gently encourages her. They are a surprisingly perfect fit for each other but Christian’s inability to express his feelings jeopardizes their chance at happiness.
The Teacher’s Bride is a fast-paced romance with winsome characters and an endearing storyline. Ruby is a charming, lively young woman who is very easy to like. Christian’s reserve is a bit off-putting initially, but it does not take long to warm up to him as he interacts with his students and Ruby. Although their romance is a bit unorthodox, it completely fits with their personalities. The conflict that arises between them leaves their future together looking rather rocky and uncertain. Kathleen Fuller brings the novel to a uplifting conclusion that is incredibly sweet. A sneak peek at the next book in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series will leave readers impatiently awaiting its release.
