A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand is the eighth installment in The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series. Anna and Felty Helmuth lives in Bonduel, Wisconsin on Huckleberry Hill. Anna has had great success in finding the perfect mates for her grandchildren. She has found the perfect match for her granddaughter, Elsie Stutzman. Now she just needs to find a way to get them together. Elsie has signed on as the local schoolteacher. Elsie is known for being outspoken (which has gotten her into trouble in the recent past) along with being determined and stubborn (feisty). She loves teaching, but Elsie has been having trouble with fourteen-year-old Wally Sensenig. Wally only has one full leg and is missing fingers on one hand (threshing accident), but Elsie will not let Wally use that as an excuse for not working up to his full potential. Wally has been using his disability to manipulate people and to get what he wants. But he has finally met his match in Elsie Stutzman. Elsie is also trying to convince her grandmother to wait on matching her up with an eligible bachelor. Elsie’s last relationship did not end well, and she is not ready to try again.

Sam Sensenig, Wally’s older brother, takes care of the family farm, his ill mother and his siblings. He feels guilty for Wally’s accident and gives into to Wally’s “requests” (had electricity installed in Wally’s bedroom, purchased him an Xbox along with games, and does not require him to do chores). Wally tells Sam that the teacher is picking on him. A riled Sam goes to the school to confront Elsie about picking on his disabled brother. Elsie tries to explain to Sam what she wishes to accomplish with Wally, but she meets with resistance. It will take time for Sam to realize that Elsie only wants what is best for Wally. Sam is also dealing with Anna Felty and her numerous attempts to get him to meet her granddaughter, Elizabeth. She keeps sending him letters with potholders enclosed. If the young lady needs her grandmother to match her up, Sam is not sure he wants to meet her, nor does he have the time. Can Elsie get Sam to see the error of his ways? Will Elsie be able to change Wally and his outlook? Can Anna succeed in bringing these two stubborn individuals together?

I found A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill to be well-written, engaging and it had a good pace (which makes for a book that is enjoyable to read). Anna and Felty Helmuth are such delightful characters. They are in their 80s, and Anna has no qualms meddling in her grandchildren’s lives. Anna is a quirky woman who wears sweaters that are not approved by the Ordung, is a knitting machine, and cooks the worst food (Felty finds it delicious, but his taste buds are not to be trusted). Elsie is a strong, determined, persistent yet compassionate and kind woman. These qualities make her an excellent teacher. She wants what is best for her students. I ended up liking Sam in the end, but he was irksome (I did not think he would ever see reason). I could not believe how oblivious he was to Rose Mast (neighbor who was in love with him). His cluelessness to the situation went on a little too long for my liking. It was cute and humorous how Anna kept trying to match up Sam and Elsie without success. The scenes did have me chuckling. A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill can be read as a standalone. I do, though, recommend the other novels in The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series (each one is unique and a pleasure to read). Anna is determined to find matches for all her grandchildren whether they want it or not. In A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill, you will find yourself cheering for Elsie as she sets out to change Wally and Sam. I am eager to read Home on Huckleberry Hill which is the next novel in The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series.

Author Jennifer Beckstrand is an amazing author. I love the grandparents and the storyline is always fantastic. The author gives so many emotions that it brings A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill to a new level. Many others, as myself in the past, have written about the emotions, characters and the storyline. I would encourage you to read A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill by Author Jennifer Beckstrand. I've never been disappointed in any of her books I've read.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher, but was not required to review it. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.

I really loved being back with the best Amish grandparents Annie and Felty, and they sure didn’t disappoint, I just hate waiting for stories about more of their grandchildren

The author presents a strong caring young woman for the new teacher in this Wisconsin Amish settlement, and of course she is the Helmuth’s granddaughter and we see for ourselves what a great teacher she is. The man that Annie has picked out for our Elsie at times leaves a lot to be desired, but he has a lot on his plate.

The story does involve a brother of Sam’s who has a number of handicaps, notably missing a leg. While Sam is felling guilt, and pampers and babies him, Elsie seems to have compassion and intuition to know exactly what to say and do.

Come and see what a bit of jealously will do to hurt so many, and undo a lot of accomplishments. A different type of Amish story, and one that will linger with you.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.

In the eighth installment of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill we join the lovable grandparents of Anna and Felty as they once again take to finding love for one of their grandkids. Their granddaughter Elsie has traveled to Bonduel, Wisconsin to teach and Anna has decided to find Elsie's one true love. A typical Amish teacher is soft-spoken, mild mannered and obedient to the Ordung. Elsie is a little different in that she has no trouble speaking her mind, especially when it involves one of her beloved students. Such outspokenness has gotten her in trouble in the past. When Elsie decides to push the limits of one of her students, Wally, she riles up the Wally's older brother, Sam. As Elsie and Sam dance around each other over Wally, Anna is trying to get them together unbeknownst to each of them. The trouble is Sam has attracted his next door neighbor, Rose and Rose has become a thorn in his side. She has decided that Sam is the one for her and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Can Sam shake Rose to fall in love with Elsie or will Rose succeed in her life plan to become Sam's bride?

This is my favorite book of the series and that says a lot as all the books are a pleasure to read. Jennifer Beckstrand writes her books with love and it shines through in her characters. Anna and Felty are the grandparents I think everyone wants. Feisty and spunky and oh so unlovable. I know when I pick up a Huckleberry Hill novel that I am for a treat and will turn the last page filled with happiness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for a copy to read in exchange for a review based on my own thoughts and opinions.

Jennifer Beckstrand's stories about Anna and Felty, the charming elderly Amish couple on Huckleberry Hill never fail to simultaenously entertain and to warm the heart. Anna's big heart, unique cooking, and warmth and generosity, combined with Felty's unique wisdom and kind ways and humor, make them a joy to read about. And I love their attempts to find loving partners for each of their adult grandchildren.
Courtship on Huckleberry Hill tells the story of teacher Elsie and of local farmer Sam. Elsie is new to Huckleberry Hill and a passionate teacher in helping her students achieve their highest potential in character and in academic development, Sam, the older brother of a few of her students, has his hands full with his farm, caring for his sick mother, and caring for his siblings including Wally, who was disabled in the farm accident that killed their father.
Because other teachers have not challenged Wally to try harder, or to stop bullying younger students, Sam is infuriated with Elsie for what he feels is her meddling and her challenging Wally to overcome his disability However, because of Elsie's perceived unconventional methods, Wally starts to show improvement. Alongside this storyline, Anna and Felty, Elsie's grandparents are trying to coordinate a match between Elsie and Sam, though the two do not realize they are the subject of such matchmaking efforts. It creates a few very interesting scenes!
I highly recommend A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill. What a beautiful story!

Annie and Felty Helmuth are at it again. Now their granddaughter, Elsie, is living with them and teaching at the Bonduel school. They want her to meet Sam Sensenig because they know he's the man for her. What they don't know is that Elsie and Sam have already met and it wasn't the kind of meeting that left lasting good impressions.

Jennifer Beckstrand writes such sassy Amish fiction, with not your normal Amish women, and not your normal Amish families. Elsie is known for speaking her mind. Sam is overprotective of his brother. Annie and Felty are still their same old selves--Annie meddling and Felty sitting back and watching.

A curve in the path to true love is Rose, who lives next door to Sam, and tries everything in her bag of tricks to get Elsie fired as the teacher so that Sam will pay attention to her, along with bringing some kind of treat nearly every night.

I have always enjoyed reading Jennifer's books and this is no different. Jennifer always writes five star books, with two thumbs up, and a homemade dinner.

My thanks to Penguin/Random House for allowing me to read this book.

Elsie is not afraid to speak her mind, but with a new job an in a new place she needs to remember to hold her tongue. Her mammi has it stuck in her head she needs to be married and meet the man of her dreams that she has picked out. Sam will stop at nothing to protect his family including his "crippled" Brother. When he goes head to head with the new teacher he needs to make her understand her place and he and his family are not to be messed with. Can they both make the other see and still keep the hearts and families from getting hurt?

I have to say that Wally, Elsie and Maizy are my favorite characters in this book, I really loved how even though Wally was hard headed and living life not the right way he had a way of really making this story. I really liked Elsie, she took a lot from everyone and still held her head high. She maybe small but she was fierce and wouldn’t back down from any challenge at all. I have to say my least favorite person in the book would have to be Sam. I found Sam dense, clueless, and almost a little self absorbed to see what was right in front of his face it became annoying I am not sure if the author was making him the "hero" of the story but I felt like Elsie was the biggest of the book. The book is a good clean read and is good for just about anyone.

A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill is a story of kindly meddling, patience, pitty, manipulation, anger, sadness, Joy, love, overwhelming happiness, and most importantly Faith. You have poor Elsie who is a teacher who had to leave her community because of a few reasons, the school parents, the school board and most importantly a Relentless man who was trying to court her and she wanted no part of him-he would not take no for an answer. Then she moves in with her grandparents far away. Grandma. - Mammi - is trying to set her up with someone to get her married off. She wants no part of that. She is the teacher there. She has an extremely challenging child he is special but not so special-why? I'm not gonna say and ruin it for you-you have to get the book. So, this boy has an older brother he sicked on Elsie and boy did he fall for it -what the boy said-and he went after her, but she didn't back down and thus it began and it was exciting and you found yourself cheering and saying I cannot believe he is so blind. You get so involved in this book, it is so unbelievably worth your while.

This is a wonderful book for those who love Amish romances that are emotional, accurate, and relatable! I have read a few great Amish romances over the years, and my favorites are always those that make me feel not quite so distanced from the lives the Amish lead. At time, I think their way of life seems so far removed that we forget they are very much like us, so these books make me very happy to read more about them. While I found this book to be a bit difficult to review, the reason being outlined below, I found myself engaged in the story and characters. It was a difficult book to put down.

A new schoolteacher has come to Huckleberry Hill, and things are about to get interesting! Elsie Stutzman is not the sort of woman a traditional Amish man might expect - she's outspoken, opinionated, and unafraid to go against what the men of the community expect of her. Which is why she finds herself in Huckleberry Hill, after having been fired from her last teaching position for not bowing down to the school board. Determined to make a fresh start, she is certain that this time things will be different. And in a way, they are. For one thing, there is a bully in the school named Wally Sensenig, with only one good arm and leg after a farming accident. Normally Elsie could handle such a boy, but then enters Wally's brother, Sam. Handsome but stubborn as a mule, Sam instantly gets in Elsie's way...and the games begin.

Elsie was one of my favorite female leads of all time - she kicked butt in a subtle yet persistent way that made me want to cheer every time she told Sam what's what. Sam, on the other hand, was one of my least favorite male leads of all time. So the fact that I am rating this book four stars is largely due to Elsie, Wally (yes, the bully), and her precocious grandparents. I loved them. Wally had his faults, but he was 13 and hurting, so there was a significant learning curve for him. Being 24 and a grown man, Sam had no excuse, which is why his constant childish behavior really got on my nerves. He got in Elsie's face repeatedly in the book, using his size to intimidate her, he insulted her not only to her face but to other people, he naively believed what his "friend" Rose and Wally say about Elsie, despite others telling him that Elsie was widely liked, and he treated her like a yo-yo with their relationship. There was really very little to like about Sam, and unfortunately, his bad behavior continued up through the 90% mark in the book. So, in conclusion, read this book for Elsie and the wonderful Amish community Jennifer Beckstrand writes about. Do not read this book expecting a new book boyfriend. Sam still has some growing up to do.

This was the first book I had read by Jennifer Beckstrand, and as I said in the beginning, she did a wonderful job engaging me in the story and making feel very connected to the Amish way of life. It was a very well-written story that I would encourage everyone to read.

I love all the Huckleberry Hill stories! This book a such a delight to read! Anna, with all her
matchmaking schemes and Felty’s calm manner is so charming, Each book has an important message to share. Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed this book! It addressed something that many special needs families (including my own) face at some point or another - treating your child as more than just his / her special needs. I felt that it was a good reminder to those of us in the trenches daily, and it hit home. The romance was predictable, but still with some good twists and turns, and the characters were realistic and believable. They have their faults and flaws, like anyone else, and work hard to come through them to a beautiful romance. Looking forward to more from Huckleberry Hill!

I enjoyed this book but at times it moved a bit slow. Elsie's grandmother is the local matchmaker and is determined to make a match for Elsie with Sam. She can't seem to ever manage to get them together though. Elsie is the school teacher and Sam's handicapped brother is in her school. Elsie and Sam clash over her expectations for Wally. will they ever be able to be civil? Will grandmother be disappointed when they meet?
I liked the story in general but at times I wanted to smack Sam; he was so dense and self focused. It took him way to long to stand up to Ruth and her antics that were pulling him down. All the times Elsie met with Sam and was frustrated, she never mention his name to her grandmother with whom she lives. Maybe grandmother was just removed from school since she had no children but it seems she should have known Sam had brothers there. So just a bit silly at times but overall a fun read.

A sweet and charming Amish tale. Young teacher Elsie, moves in with her grandparents to teach at the local Amish school. Right off the bat she is challenged by a big 13 year old boy Wally, who was injured years ago in a thrashing accident and lost part of a leg and several fingers on one hand. His older brother Sam runs the family after the death of their father, and he is quick to defend and protect his brother. A clash of heads and words ensues, and of course romance eventually follows. With the mean spirited Rose, trying to win Sam's affections and her jealousy of Elsie, and a grandmother who is trying to match-make them, it gets to be a fun story. Highly recommend this book and series. Glad there are not any recipes in this one.

A COURTSHIP ON HUCKLEBERRY HILL by Jennifer Beckstrand Book 8 in "The Matchmaker's of Huckleberry Hill"
The recipe asparagus potato raisins casserole, for Elsie it was like wet cement. German cake, made with beans instead of oil. Our heart's immediately goes out to her. Wondering what else is she having to endure, while living with her grandparents. They wanted her to come teach, and to get her a husband. Sam was mad, it was the school boards job, of what the new teacher was like, not his. Defending his little brother, didn't go the way he wanted, teacher had a stubborn streak. Sparks are flying from the first, would love and a mutual agreement come about. This was a delightful, funny look at everyday life. When new people, new foods, are among them. Have always loved Jennifer's books, this is a delight to read. You will chuckle as though you know these people. Given ARC. by Net Galley for my honest opinion and my voluntary review.