A Hand to Hold by Kathleen Fuller Series: Hearts of Middlefield #3
Published by Thomas Nelson on September 13, 2010
Genres: Christian, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 268
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Ruth Byler has never failed at anything in her life, but Zach Bender is going to test thelimits of her heart.
A student at heart, Ruth is finally a teacher at the Amish schoolhouse. But after her first day, she wonders if she's made a mistake. The students want nothing to do with learning. Deflated, she makes a promise to herself to not give up--not yet.
When Zach comes to fix a repair at the schoolhouse, he notices the young Amish teacher and the disorderly students. After seeing enough, he storms into the classroom and demands the students show Ruth respect. Satisfied he's done a good deed, he waits around so Ruth can thank him. Instead she's furious he interfered. Zach leaves, thinking she's still the snobby, bookworm he knew from school.He doesn't have much use for learning. And now he has little use for Ruth.
There's more to Zach's story and when Ruth finds out the truth to whyhe hated school, the consequences leave them seeing each other in a different light. Ruth can help Zach if he'll let her. But to do so, he'll need to offer her his hand.
Our last time visiting the Byler family in Middlefield with Kathleen Fuller. It was nice getting the opportunity to catch back up with the other couples that have found their future from ‘A Man of His Word‘ and ‘An Honest Love‘. All Byler siblings with a few other couples thrown in because, well each book is a twofer – two couples figuring out life and finding love. It’s been fun, for me at least, dipping my toes into some of Kathleen’s earlier books. I enjoy her writing style and the way she blends deeper topics into feel good cozy stories. The flip side of that is though that I think it’s time to lay off the romances for a minute.
Let me tell ya why. Ruth Byler is the quintessential ‘good girl’. The youngest child she finds pleasure in learning and books and is chomping at the bit to dive head first into her new job as teacher. She’s not so great at social and people-y things. I get that. Zachariah Bender is the quintessential bad boy. School was never his strong suit, poor choices out weigh his good decisions exponentially, and he can’t seem to find his grove and grow up. At the same time we have Deborah (back from her own poor choices with life long ramifications) and Stephen who are trying to figure out their own futures. But guess what? Yup, what has quickly become my second top pet peeve behind insta-love, lack of words. I am starting to believe that people suddenly forget how to communicate and share thoughts and actual words with people they find themselves caring for in a deeper way. Suddenly every conversation is almost exclusively in their own heads and well, I mean I get it words hard but. . . I mean there was some insta-love too but it didn’t annoy me like words hard did. Just a smidge.
Despite all of that I loved this book. The depth of the characters, the carefully woven interlocking stories that built on previous books while still being completely available as a standalone, and the bits of depth that were woven in. No one was perfect, I mean Deborah has a son (that whole life long ramifications thing I mentioned earlier) and Zach is a bad boy. Despite all their faults, and lack of words, they manage to weave together relationship and futures that are based on mutual respect and love. Both these couples, and those that came before them in Middlefield, found their forever after. They found their hand to hold. I loved this series. I loved going back in time with Kathleen and discovering that her older books are just as engaging as her newer books. Gotta say, she’s yet to disappoint me.
About Kathleen Fuller
Kathleen Fuller is the best-selling author of over thirty books, including the Hearts of Middlefield series.
1. I started writing January 1, 2000. New year, new millenium, new career.
2. I’m a former special education teacher, specializing in teaching the blind and visually impaired.
3. I was born in New Orleans, LA, raised in Little Rock, AR, and call Geneva, OH my home.
4. On June 12, 2013, my husband and I will celebrate twenty years of marriage.
5. We have three awesome kids.
6. I love chocolate. ‘Nuff said.
7. I’ve written and published over twenty-five novels and novellas.
8. I also write nonfiction–interviews, devotionals, Bible studies, essays, blog posts…
9. We have three dogs–Biscuit, Mollie, and Chief. And one cat, creatively named Kitty.
10. If I could go anywhere in the world I would go to Ireland.
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