A Reluctant Bride

Written by Kathleen Fuller

Narrated by Lauren Berst

She never wanted to marry. He hopes to make amends for past wrongs. Can love find a way to heal both of their hearts?

Sadie Schrock swore she would never marry. All of her other Amish friends could court and marry—she was content to manage the family business and eventually take it over when her parents are ready to retire. But all of that changes when a reckless driver kills both of her parents and seriously injures her younger sister. With mounting hospital bills adding to the pile of debt her parents left behind, Sadie is left with no choice: she must marry. And not just any man—the man who saw her at her weakest and walked away.

Aden knows what his brother did to Sadie years ago was inexcusable. And every day since that incident, Aden has lived with the guilt for not intervening sooner. When he is faced with the chance to protect Sadie once again, he can’t let her down—even if it means living with the scorn of the woman he loves for the rest of his life.

Working alongside Aden at the store, Sadie realizes he isn’t the same boy who once betrayed her. Just when Sadie starts to let her guard down and perhaps develop feelings for her new husband, dangerous secrets are revealed. Now everything Sadie has worked so hard to protect is threatened, and she must find a way to save her family—and herself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Jan 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9780785241300

Kathleen Fuller

With over two million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the USA TODAY bestselling author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, and the Amish Letters series as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield. Visit her online at KathleenFuller.com; Instagram: @kf_booksandhooks; Facebook: @WriterKathleenFuller; Twitter: @TheKatJam.

Reviews for A Reluctant Bride

[beverlyl-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I highly recommend this powerful and captivating story by Kathleen Fuller. She never fails to present a well-written book with great character development and fresh ideas and themes.Amish fiction is typically filled with faith, great cooking, and strong family values. However, you will find the author has dug deeper into the subject matters of today’s world to show that no one, not even the Amish, is exempt from Satan’s pull when we allow him to creep into our hearts and lives. Although it is a work of fiction, this book serves as a strong reminder of the reality of the pain endured by many who are victims of; mental and physical abuse, deceitfulness, misrepresentation by church leadership, alcoholism, and hidden secrets.As difficult as those subjects are, I admire how Ms Fuller handles them with sensitivity, grace, and skill. You will find them coupled with kindness, forgiveness, trust, grace, and second chances, bringing to life the goodness of God even in the worst of circumstances.Thank you to the publisher, Thomas-Nelson, for the opportunity to review this work of Christian fiction.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

“The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children.”This was a very difficult book for me to read. It deals with all sort of abuse -mental as well a physical abuse, a nearly forced marriage and lies on too of lies, theft etc.The characters are pretty much unlikable no matter what sort of horrors they have encountered in their lives. I expect something a little different than this sort of horror when I read an Amish novel. Granted, the Amish have just as much horror in their lives as the non-Amish do - but I expected to have been engaged and riveted in this book, not horrified; wanting to hit these people. This book really has no conclusion except for Sadie and Aden finally consummating their marriage. Therefore you will have to buy the following books to find out what happens with the bigger plot line.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller is the first book in her An Amish of Birch Creek series. Sadie Schrock is sixteen years old (in the very beginning) living in Birch Creek. It was her turn to go get ice for their family store. On her way home she encounters Sol Troyer. He is always pushing himself at Sadie and she keeps rebuffing him. Sol drags Sadie into the cornfield and insists upon a kiss (and then he will let her go). Aden, Sol’s brother, tries to intercede, but he is unsuccessful (and then he leaves Sadie). Sol gets very fresh so Sadie knees him where he is most vulnerable. Sadie runs home (and tells no one).Six years later Sadie is devoted to working in her parent’s store, Schrock Grocery and Tools. Her mother keeps trying to get her to find a man and get married. Her two sisters, Abigail and Joanna want to go to the singing that evening, but their mother will not let them go unless Sadie goes with them. Sadie eventually agrees to go and then wishes she had not when she finds out it is being held at Bishop Troyer’s (Sol and Aden’s father). Sadie cannot stand being there for very long especially when Sol shows up. Soon, though, the unthinkable happens. Sadie’s parents and Joanna are in a buggy accident (a car hit them). Her parents are both gone and Joanna is severely hurt. Joanna will need weeks of rehabilitation (Abigail will stay with a relative near the rehab center to help Joanna). When Sadie goes over the finances for the store, she finds out that they do not have much money. She will need help from the community fund to pay the hospital bills (which is what it is for). When Sadie goes to ask Bishop Troyer, the bishop refuses to give her the money (sounds suspicious). Bishop Troyer sees this as a golden opportunity (he is up to something). He tells Sadie that she has to marry his son, Sol. Thankfully, Aden intervenes (you will have to read the book to find out how). They are married within days.Aden and Sadie are going to have to find a way to live together. Sadie will have to forgive Aden for what happened six years previously. Can these two find a way to overcome the past and move forward to their future? Then they find out why the bishop wanted them to marry (I do not want to spoil it for you). Then there is the issue of Sol. Why does Sol drink? There is a lot going on in A Reluctant Bride, but it all ties together. I give A Reluctant Bride 4 out of 5 stars. For me this was a hard book to read because of the bullying (brought up bad memories). It is a nicely written book and I like the ending. One thing I am noticing lately in many Christian and Amish fiction books is the problem of lack of communication. People keep storming off or stewing about an issue instead of talking about it (or praying about it). I received a complimentary copy of A Reluctant Bride from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.