The Farmer’s Bride by Kathleen Fuller
Publisher & Release: Zondervan, June 4, 2019
Time and setting: Present Day, Birch Creek
Genre: Amish Romance
Book Length: 304 Pages
Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart
Rating: 4 Gold Crowns
Book Description:
They promised to keep each other’s secrets . . . not realizing they were about to make some of their own.
Martha Detweiler has a problem many Amish women her age would envy: she’s the only single woman in a community of young men, and they’re all competing for her favor. Overwhelmed by the unwanted attention, Martha finds herself constantly fleeing from her would-be suitors, dismayed at what her life has come to.
Birch Creek’s resident matchmaker, Cevilla Schlabach, suggests a solution: Martha and the bishop’s son, Seth Yoder, should pretend they are dating. What better way to keep the other young men away?
But Seth is the only man around not interested in Martha. He has a secret hobby that keeps him away from social gatherings: woodcarving. Having grown up in poverty, he’s determined to keep his father’s farm successful, even if it means he has no time for dating. Then Delilah Stoll, a new resident of Birch Creek, eyes Seth as the perfect man for her granddaughter. Suddenly Cevilla’s proposition doesn’t seem all that ludicrous. Can Seth and Martha convince their family and friends to leave them alone?
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Vikki’s Musings
Kathleen Fuller is one of my favorite Amish fiction authors, so when I discovered The Farmer’s Bride on Net-Galley, I eagerly requested it. Thanks goes to the publisher for allowing me to read and review, prior to publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.
The Farmer’s Bride is a lovely romance with engaging characters and an interesting and unique plot. The pacing is nice and steady, keeping me reading, wanting to find out what would happen next.
Martha Detweiler’s character is enchanting. Her love of family is apparent from the first page. She has a dilemma since she’s the only single female in Birch Creek. When her friend, Cevilla suggests a plan, she hesitates. Pretending to enter into a courtship with Seth Yoder is deceitful, but desperate to have the other men in the district leave her be, she reluctantly agrees. They quickly learn that they have a mutual desire, when she stumbles on his shed.
Seth loves woodcarving and hopes to turn it into more than a hobby. He’s kept it from his family, so when Martha discovers his hobby, and expresses the desire to learn, he agrees to teach her what he knows, so she’ll keep his secret. Seth is a man of his word, but soon realizes there is an attraction between him and Martha. I enjoyed his conflict between his duty to his father and his passion for woodcarving. I also enjoyed the tug of war he has over his feelings for Martha.
Both Martha and Seth are strong in their faith, which is admirable, and neither have any desire for the world beyond their Amish community, so there is no struggle there. The primary conflict is the emotions they are developing for each other. Seth believes he has no time for courting, even if he does feel Martha would make him a fine frau.
Martha’s struggle involves a past young man and his treatment of her when she tells him she’s not interested. She tired of evading the young men in the area. Since Seth clearly tells her he’s not interested, he’s perfect for the plan. The only problem––she is falling for him.
I thoroughly enjoyed the back and forth between this couple. It made the book a good read. It’s clear from the start, they like each other, and as the story progresses, they form a firm friendship. I truly wanted them to find their happy ending.
If you are a fan of Amish romance with charming characters and a plot that is different than what is found in this genre, then you will enjoy The Farmer’s Bride. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Happy reading!
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