An entertaining, heart-felt read: My review of "Courting Cate" by Leslie Gould

about the book...

When This Couple Gets to Courting, Sparks Will Fly!

In Paradise, Pennsylvania, Cate Miller is known more for her sharp tongue and fiery temper than her striking appearance. Her sweet and flirty sister, Betsy, on the other hand, seems to have attracted most of the bachelors in Lancaster County!

But the sisters' wealthy father has made one hard-and-fast rule: older Cate must marry first, before younger Betsy can even start courting. Unfortunately, untamable Cate has driven away every suitor--until Pete Treger comes to town, that is.

Prodded by the men of the area, Pete turns his attention to winning Cate's hand. But is his interest true or is there a scheme at play?

my review....

Courting Cate is a wonderful addition to the Amish fiction genre. Within a few sentences, Cate Miller had already won my sympathies with the scene of being caught reading in bed as a child. Likely this is because I was the male version of Cate, forever being caught by my parents reading at night – without the candle, of course, as in Cate’s case! Cate is a complex character, shaped by a childhood that had very difficult moments as she was forced to become a mother to her younger sibling at a young age. Though my own story is of course much different, I resonated with Cate’s struggles to become comfortable with who God made her to be, to find her own place among people who haven’t always embraced her. I enjoyed the tremendous growth Cate experienced throughout the story as she learned to rely on God for all of her needs instead of on others. Courting Cate surprised me as a story, because though I was indeed expecting to enjoy the novel, I wasn't expecting the level of emotional depth I encountered, leading me to examine my own life and where I derive my identity.

Leslie Gould is a talented author, and I grew to really care about all of the different characters, faults and all. The romance that unfolds between Cate and Pete is often a fun one to follow, and readers are sure to cheer the outcome! I enjoyed the wonderful settings, the humorous moments, the family drama, all of which combined to make an entertaining, heart-felt read. I’m looking forward to where this series goes next under the guidance of the talented pen of Leslie Gould. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

about the author...

Leslie Gould is the coauthor, 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.

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