Welcome! I hope you have had lovely and productive week. I picked up some new books this week that will be coming out in the fall. Meet Isabel Puddles by M.V. Byrne is the debut of A Mitten State Mystery series. It publishes on November 24. A Page Marked for Murder by Lauren Elliott comes out October 27. It is the 5th A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery. Christmas Card Murder contains three Christmas novellas by Leslie Meier, Peggy Ehrhart, and Lee Hollis and it will be out on October 27. Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott is out on October 20. It is novel in the 2nd American Wonders Collection. An Amish Cookie Club Courtship by Sarah Price releases October 20. It is the 3rd book in The Amish Cookie Club series. I like reading a variety of genre to keep things fresh. What types of books do you like to read?
The Amish School Teacher by Jerry Eicher has Mary Wagler accepting a position to teach in West Union, Ohio. She sees it as an opportunity to get away
from her three well-meaning but interfering sisters. Mary sisters are encouraging her to marry
like they did after teaching for two years.
Mary has yet to meet a man in her hometown with whom she would want to wed. Marcus Yoder is asked by Elmer Miller, the head
of the school board, to pick up Mary from the bus station. Mary is expecting the wives of the school
board members to pick her up and is surprised to see Marcus. She thinks he is
trying to get a leg up on the other men in the community. Marcus has been told that it is time for him
to find a wife. He has been running the
family farm since he was sixteen which leaves little time for socializing. Unfortunately, Marcus and Mary get off on the
wrong foot. Marcus finds Mary beautiful
and everything he says comes out wrong especially his comments about her shiny
blue suitcase. This first meeting sets the tone for their future
encounters. It is soon apparent to Mary
that the community feels she is the perfect match for Marcus and Mary’s
protests fall on deaf ears. Marcus has kept feelings of grief bottled up
since his father’s death. Mary wants to
help him, but Marcus is resistant. When a crisis hits the school, Mary gets to
see a different side of Marcus. She begins to wonder if maybe there is a future
for them.
The Amish School Teacher by Jerry Eicher is a sweet Amish romance. I
thought this story contained good writing and the story moved along
steadily. I liked the variety of
characters. Mary who is a woman of deep
faith. She is not afraid to express her
feelings about God in public or share them with others. Mary loves being a schoolteacher. She is a warm and friendly woman as well
unless you get her dander up. Marcus
made the mistake of criticizing her new pretty blue suitcase right after
meeting Mary. Marcus has been responsible
for his family and the farm since his father died when he was sixteen. That is a lot of responsibility for a teenager. Marcus had to step into his father’s shoes
which never gave him the opportunity to grieve or have rumspringa. Marcus had hope that Mary might be the one
for him until he saw her suitcase (too flighty). As you can see, misunderstandings and
miscommunication abound in this story.
There are also some warm, tender moments. I liked the Amish community in Adams County,
Ohio. They are there for each through
the good times and the bad. There are
work parties to help provide wood for the schoolhouse, make food for weddings,
and even to move the new bride to her home.
The people are friendly and welcoming.
I liked Lavina and Leon Hochstetler with whom Mary boarded. They were a loving couple with strong faith. I liked how God was celebrated in this
story. There are good scripture passages
along with prayer. My one complaint is
that the story is unsurprising. The
relationship of Marcus and Mary moves along an expected path. The Amish School Teacher is a charming Amish
romance that is a nice break from reality.
The Amish School Teacher can be obtained from Amazon* as well as Jerry Eicher's other Amish novels (click here). Thank you for reading my summary and review today. The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howes (available on Kindle Unlimited) is scheduled for tomorrow. It is the first novel in The Bryant Sisters series. I hope you have a joyful day. Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
*This
post contains affiliate links.
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