Author: Patricia Davids
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Publication Date: March 2020
Taking a schoolteacher position in another
district is just the change Amish spinster Eva Coblentz needs. And with her new
neighbor, blacksmith Willis Gingrich, struggling to raise his three orphaned
siblings, Eva is determined to help them heal. But when her relatives insist
she come home, Eva must choose between the life she left…and the one she’s
growing to love.
My thoughts:
The Amish Teacher's Dilemma is a quick, sweet and clean Amish romance that takes place in Maine. Eva has taken a position as the new community teacher. The school just happens to be across the street from Willis who is suddenly raising his three younger siblings. As I said, this is a really sweet story about two people who don't feel good enough, but find strength and worthiness in each other. Willis and Eva were so cute together. I loved that they built a friendship first. My heart broke for Willis because of the secret he lived with for so long. Eva was just what he needed.
One of the things I enjoyed about the book beside the romance was the Amish community setting. I felt like the author really captured their way of life and the sense of community. I love how they all pulled together to help those in need among their community. I also loved the secondary characters. Maddie was so fun with her imaginary friend "Bubble". I'm not sure of this is a part of a series, but I would love to visit with this community again. Maybe Danny will get a story?
Enjoy this excerpt:
Willis thought he had enough time to fix the new teacher’s
chair, put four shoes on Jesse Crump’s buggy horse and get supper on the table
by six o’clock. It was seven-thirty by the time he came in to find his family
gathered around the kitchen table with a scowl on every face. Thankfully, he
couldn’t see Bubble but he was sure she was scowling, too.
“I know I’m late. One of Jesse’s horses had a problem hoof and I
had to make special shoes for him. I’ll fix us something to eat right away.”
He went to the refrigerator and opened the door. There wasn’t
much to see. “I meant to set some hamburger out of the freezer to thaw this
morning but forgot to do it.”
“You should leave yourself a note,” Harley said. He was paging
through a magazine about horses. He was always reading. Willis fought down the
stab of envy.
If Willis could write a note, then he’d be able to read one. He
couldn’t do either. The most he could manage was to write his name. No one in
New Covenant knew his shameful secret. Children as young as Maddie learned to
read every day but he couldn’t. No matter how hard he’d tried. There was
something wrong with him.
He hid his deficiency from everyone although it wasn’t easy.
He’d been made a laughingstock by the one person he’d confided in years ago.
He’d never been able to trust another person with his secret. The bitter memory
wormed its way to the front of his mind.
He’d been twenty at the time and hopelessly in love with a
non-Amish girl. She was the only person he had told that he couldn’t read. He
hadn’t wanted to keep secrets from her. She claimed to love him, too. He had
trusted her.
Later, when they were out with a bunch of her friends, she told
everyone. They all laughed. He laughed, too, and pretended it didn’t matter but
the hurt and shame had gone bone deep. He didn’t think anything could hurt
worse than Dalene’s betrayal, but he’d been wrong. She and her friends had much
more humiliation in store for him.
He pushed those memories back into the dark corner of his mind
where they belonged. He had to find something to feed the children gathered at
his table. “I guess I can scramble us some eggs.”
“Again?” Otto wrinkled his nose.
“Bubble says to be thankful we have chickens.” Maddie beamed a
bright smile at Otto.
“Bubble can’t say anything because she isn’t real, stupid.” Otto
pushed his plate away.
Willis rounded on him. “Never call your sister or anyone else stupid,
Otto. You know better than that. Apologize or go to bed without supper.”
“Sorry,” Otto murmured. He didn’t sound apologetic.
A knock at the door stopped Willis from continuing the
conversation. Who needed a blacksmith at this hour? He pulled open the door and
took a step back. Eva Coblentz stood on his porch with a large basket over her
arm.
She flashed a nervous grin. “I’m used to cooking for more than
just myself and I made too much tonight. I thought perhaps you could make use
of it for lunch tomorrow. It’s only chicken and dumplings.”
Willis was
speechless. Maddie came to stand beside him. “Teacher, how nice to see you.”
Eva smiled at Maddie. “It’s nice to see you again, too. How is
Bubble?”
Maddie stuck her tongue out at Otto. “She’s fine but kinda
hungry. We haven’t had our supper yet. Willis had to give Jesse Crump special
shoes so he was going to make scrambled eggs again, but Otto isn’t thankful for
our chickens.”
Eva blinked her lovely green eyes. “I see.”
“Do you?” Willis couldn’t help smiling at her perplexed
expression. “Then you’re ahead of me most of the time.”
Harley came to the door. “Let me help you with that.” He took
the basket from her and carried it to the table. He began setting out the
contents.
Otto pulled his plate back in front of him. “That smells great.”
Harley dished up his own and then passed the plastic bowls
along. Willis thought his siblings were acting like starving animals. He could
hardly blame them. He was going to have to learn to cook for more than himself.
Normally, he didn’t care what he ate or when he ate it. That had changed when
the children arrived, and change was something he didn’t handle well.
Eva folded her arms across her middle. “I will be going so you
can enjoy your meal in peace. Have a wonderful night, everyone.”
He didn’t want her to go. He stepped out onto the porch and
closed the door from the prying eyes of his family. “How’s your head?”
She touched it gingerly. “Better.”
“I fixed the chair. You won’t have to worry about tipping over
again.”
“I appreciate that.” She turned to go.
“The school board hired me to supply and install the hardware in
the new building. I’ll get the rest of the coat hooks, cabinets and drawer
pulls installed tomorrow. Have you had your supper? You are welcome to join
us.”
“I have eaten. Danki. Don’t forget to feed Bubble. She’s
much too thin.”
Willis raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t know why Maddie
makes things up.”
She gave him a soft, kind smile. “Don’t worry about it. A lot of
children have imaginary friends.”
“Really?” He wanted to believe her. When she smiled he forgot
his worries and his ignorance.
“Absolutely. She will outgrow her invisible friend someday soon.
Until then, enjoy her imagination.”
“I reckon you have seen a lot of things like this in your
teaching career.” It made him feel better to know Maddie wasn’t the only child
who had a pretend companion.
“This will be my first year as a teacher. I was actually
surprised that the position didn’t go to someone with more experience. Perhaps
my enthusiasm won the school board over.”
“I think you were the only applicant.”
She laughed and clasped a hand over her heart. “You have
returned my ego to its normal size. How can I ever thank you?”
He smiled along with her. “We are blessed to have you.”
She leaned toward him slightly. “We will have to wait until we
have Bubble’s assessment of my teaching skills before jumping to any
conclusions. Guten nacht, Willis Gingrich.”
“Good night,
Teacher.”
She walked away into the darkness. He watched until he saw her
enter her house across the way. There was something attractive about Eva
Coblentz that had nothing to do with her face or her figure. She was the first
woman in a long time who made him want to smile.
He went back inside the house. The children were still eating.
He took his place at the head of the table, bowed his head for a silent prayer,
then reached for a bread roll. It was still warm. He looked at Maddie. “What
did you say to your teacher that made her bring food here tonight?”
Maddie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“You must have said something.” He took a bite of his roll.
Maddie had a whispered conversation with the empty chair next to
her. She looked up and grinned at him. “Bubble says that she told teacher you
need a wife who is a good cook.”
He started coughing. Otto pounded on his back while Harley rushed
to give him a glass of water. When he could catch his breath, Willis stared at
Maddie in shock. “Eva thinks I’m looking for a wife?”
Maddie nodded.
Willis hung his head. Nothing could be further from the truth.
There was no way he could keep his secret from a wife. Even if he found the
courage to reveal his handicap to a woman again, there was still one pressing
reason he had to remain single.
Amish ministers and bishops were chosen by lot from the married
men of the congregation. At baptism every Amish fellow vowed to accept the
responsibility of becoming a minister of the faith if he should be chosen.
What kind of preacher would he make if he couldn’t read the Word of God? The
humiliation didn’t bear thinking about. He would remain a single fellow his
entire life. That was God’s plan for him.
He turned his attention back to Maddie. “You were wrong to tell
your teacher that I’m looking for a wife. I’m not. Now what am I supposed to
do?”
Maddie lifted both hands. “Just tell her you don’t want a wife. How
hard can that be?”
About PATRICIA DAVIDS:
USA TODAY best-selling
author Patricia Davids was born and raised in Kansas. After forty years as an
NICU nurse, Pat switched careers to become an inspirational writer. She enjoys
spending time with her daughter and grandchildren, traveling and playing with
her dogs, who think fetch should be a twenty-four hour a day game. When not on
the road or throwing a ball, Pat is happily dreaming up new stories.
