This book was interesting and bland at the same time. The interesting part was the classroom for the special needs students. The bland part was everything else.

I know it's hard to add a lot of variety yo Amish fiction but I felt like I had already read most of this book. It followed the same cookie cutter formula of a lot of Amish fiction books and was quite predictable.

This book was a good pallette cleanser and I will read the next book in the series.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK 

What an special sweet story. We don’t read a lot of fiction about children with special needs, especially in the Amish communities, which makes this story, well, just special. Author Rachel J Good does an amazing job writing this story, as well as the research about special needs children and the schools and environment they need to be in.

Ada Rupp already had her hands full raising her seven siblings, and wasn’t sure she would be able to teach at the special needs school, but she soon found herself falling in love with one of her students. Nathan was a disturbed little boy but he seemed to trust his teacher, which was much more than how he was with his dad Josiah. All Josiah heard from Nathan was the screaming and screeching that came each time Josiah tried to do anything for his son. Can Nathan one day give Josiah the love and trust he gives his teacher?

I felt so very bad for Josiah because everything he tried to do for his son just made Nathan worse. And to make matters worse, the more time Ada and Josiah spent together to more chemistry there was between them. And that couldn’t happen because Josiah was still in mourning for his deceased wife and no one wanted Ada because she had her family to take care of. But they still enjoyed each other’s company, despite the warning from the Bishops wife. That is until a newspaper reporter took pictures of the two coming out of the school alone, pictures that were printed on the front page of the English newspaper. Boy does this author have her work cut out for her! But Rachel Good does a fantastic job of weaving all of these difficult problems and situations together to make a really sweet story. I loved the main characters, Josiah and Ada and the attraction they had for each other from the first time they met. But as for much to nosey Bishop’s wife, I wanted to tell her a few things!

All of the characters for the special children were heartwarming, but David and Nathan’s relationship was what touched me more than any of them. I loved the way these two learned to communicate with each other as if they were normal kids. And again Ms. Good does an amazing job with these and the rest of her characters. I felt connected to them all, and it felt like I was reading about real people with real life issues. I highly recommend this special book to everyone who enjoys a clean, entertaining read. And if you love Amish stories, this is one you don’t want to miss!

A  copy of this book was provided by Celebration Lit Tours and the author for me to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.

THE AMISH TEACHER’S GIFT, book one in the LOVE AND PROMISES series, held my interest from the first page to the last. I was immersed in all things Amish and felt like I was there. This was a heartbreaking story on many levels. But faith, family, and love got the characters through their heartache, and they were the better for it. There was a nice flow to the story and a depth to the characters I very much enjoyed.

This is Josiah and Ada’s story, but it is also that of Josiah and his son, Nathan, along with Ada and her seven siblings. Yes, seven that she’s raised due to family circumstances. Ada is only nineteen to begin with and teaches at an Amish special needs school in their community. The story holds true to knowing what students with autism and other disabilities need to be comfortable and thus able to learn. I loved how the community was always there to pitch in, even if I was surprised sometimes by the harsh treatment given to Ada by others.

There are heartwarming moments when the special needs students accomplish something unexpected. Seeing how Ada and her assistant, Martha, always do what’s best for the students even when they have individual needs to be met was gratifying. My emotions were engaged through laughter and tears. I loved the feeling of home upon entering Ada’s house and watching how she and her siblings all pitched in to get things done. David, Ada’s youngest brother, and Nathan have a special bond that warmed me from the inside out. The interactions between the characters were engaging, especially how their church played a big part in their lives and how everyone worked together on many different projects.

There were some twists and turns to the story with a wonderful closure and a happily ever after. I love that we’ll be back with the characters in the next book in the series, THE AMISH MIDWIFE’S SECRET.

Ms. Good is a new-to-me author, and I don’t know how I’ve missed her books until now. I plan to add some of them to my always growing TBR pile. Her writing was reminiscent to me of books by Amy Lillard and Molly Jebber with strong Amish stories and characters.

A RECOMMENDED READ

The Amish Teacher’s Gift by Rachel J. Good is the first A Love & Promises Novel. Ada Rupp lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where she is responsible for her seven younger siblings. Bishop Troyer has recruited Ada to teach at the new Amish special needs school where her deaf brother, David will be attending. Each of her students have unique problems that Ada will need to handle. Josiah Yoder, a widower, has just moved to the area with his mother and son, Nathan. Nathan is deaf and has had terrible tantrums since his mother passed away. Josiah has not found a way to comfort his son and adequately explain that his mother will not be returning. On the first day of school, Nathan is immediately taken with Ada as is Josiah. Nathan and David become friends which throws Ada and Josiah together. Ada is attracted to Josiah and his caring nature is such a comfort as she adapts to working and be the sole support of her siblings. However, Ada knows she cannot get too close to Josiah because of her father. Ada notices that Nathan is afraid of his father and she must find a way to help these two lost souls. Come along to Lancaster in The Amish Teacher’s Gift to see how the tale progresses.

The Amish Teacher’s Gift is well-written and engaging. The author provided realistic descriptions of the special need children and how they struggle with their condition (at such a young age). The children in Ada’s class are deaf, autistic, hearing impaired, one has Down’s syndrome, and one has Tourette’s. The author has done her research on special need children and their requirements. It was interesting to find out the techniques that can be employed by teacher’s and the equipment available to help the children. It is wonderful to see a teacher go out of her way to help her students. Ada was so patient and caring (I have never had that type of patience). The romance between Josiah and Ada progresses at a slow pace which suits this story (I am glad it was not rushed) and the romance is not the central part of the book. The story focuses on family, children, friends and faith. There were a few scenes between Josiah and his boss regarding his religion and work site requirements. I like how Josiah never got upset with his boss, but he would explain, and he showed by example (not being able to work on Sunday, how they do not allow photographs of themselves, why he cannot wear a hard hat, and doing for others). The Christmas play presented by Ada’s class is an emotional, heartfelt scene (have a tissue handy). The ending will have you smiling. The Amish Teacher’s Gift is an Amish novel you do not want to miss. I am eager for the next book in A Love & Promises series which is The Amish Midwife’s Secret (we get a preview).

I Loved The Amish Teacher's Gift by Rachel J. Good. I didn't want to put it down once I started reading it. A wonderful clean romance. Wonderful story of a Amish father who is raising his son after the death of his wife. The boy has special needs. He feels like his child hates him but can't figure it out till the new teacher keeps at it till she figures out why. Ada is beginning to care for Josiah but she has a secret from her pass that she feels no one will ever want her for a wife. What guy would want to saddle up with her having 7 kids to raise? This story is well written and i am looking forward to book 2 in the series.

Rachel J Good gives us an extraordinary look into a special needs Amish school in her new book, The Amish Teacher's Gift. While the story centers around the mutual interest between the two main characters Ada and Josiah, the children are the real stars of the novel touching your heart and pulling you deeper into the story.


As a former special education teacher, I can say that this book is well researched in both classroom settings and teaching methods used. The characters themselves give readers a view into their lives and how faith, love, understanding, and patience plays a role in everyone's life. Reading this has been a great reminder that schools, parents, and community can accomplish a lot when they work together for the betterment of the students.


This book truly is a love story but not just centered on a couple, it is a story of loving life and accepting the challenges it presents and looking to the future with a different set of eyes! You will enjoy this book for the story and also for what you learn about special needs children! Excellent work Rachel J Good! I truly admire this gift you have been given!

This book made me late for work!!!!!!!! I could not put it down. I absolutely loved this book. I highly recommend it,

Ada is the new special needs teacher, along with that she is raising her brothers and sisters. Josiah is in mourning and raising his deaf son. There is a connection between the new teacher and the widower will they be able to act on it?

Thank you Forever and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.

As many of my friends and followers know, I am a very big fan of Amish Romance novels. These books are dear to me because they make the reader feel good. I don't usually read them for any particular message, but THE AMISH TEACHER'S GIFT by Rachel J. Good, struck me with one deeply.



Ada Rupp is a special needs teacher in an Amish school. She loves what she does, even though the poor young woman is stretched thin. Aside from teaching these students who truly need her skills and her patience, she is the head of household for her seven siblings after he parents pass away.



Josiah Yoder is a widower with a young deaf son. He's having a rough time keeping it together, especially when his son,Nathan, doesn't understand that his mother isn't ever coming home. With some trepidation, Josiah sends his son to Ada's school and the results are life altering, for not only Nathan, but for Josiah as well.



THE AMISH TEACHER'S GIFT by Rachel J Good is a fabulous read. It shows us that there is truly a place for each and every one of us, even if we don't fit into a mold. I highly recommend this read, even if you have never picked up an Amish Rom. Give this well-written book a try.

A special treat was in store for me as I opened this book by Rachel J. Good. I was swept away by Ada and her family. I can't imagine doing what Ada was doing. She had an awful lot on her plate but she handled herself with grace and dignity. She was doing her best to keep her family together even when she was criticized for her methods.

She pretty much thought she knew her lot in life but GOD had something else in store for her. It made me think of when I met my husband. I had been divorced for 7 years. I was convinced that I was never going to meet someone who I would be compatible with. I was destined to be single. Wow! Was I ever wrong? GOD arranged for me to meet my future husband. He was more than compatible. He was everything I could wish for and more.

Ada felt that she was destined to be alone and that no one would want her due to her family responsibilities and prior decisions she had made. Josiah proved her wrong.

Some form of healing is central to this story. The story shows that with GOD's love, one can be healed.

It was a very touching story of the struggles Ada and Josiah faced. I loved the storyline.

I received this free to review.

It is rare for me to read an Amish fiction book with a single disabled child in it, so I was surprised to see a classroom for disabled students. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go and I was concerned that it would be a little too different for me to enjoy or feel like Amish fiction should be. I was wrong, totally wrong. I loved this book. In fact, I devoured it. The pages wouldn’t turn fast enough for me to read more about Nathan and Josiah. I fell in love with Nathan the first scene I read with him, as odd as it sounds. He was this child who needed someone to understand him and love him the way he was. It was such a joy to see his character grow, mature, and become the sweet boy I knew he could be.

The characters were real, showed raw emotion, and received my complete empathy from the start. Both Josiah and Ada had to deal with so much in their short life spans, and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. But they don’t want your sympathy, or anyone else’s for that matter. They are the kind of character that I love to read about. They put on a strong front, don’t want some one to help them (well they won’t admit to it anyway), and give you glimpses every now and then of what they are truly feeling – terrified and flustered! Rachel J Good does a fantastic job of giving you little pieces of their background at a time, making you want more.

I have to commend on Rachel J Good on the research she must have done for writing this book. Multiple forms of disabilities are represented in this book, and Rachel did a fantastic job in representing them all. It wasn’t just the way the disabled characters needed to act, it was the way the caregivers needed to act around them and the way other non disabled people acted around them. Not only is Rachel researching the Amish culture and disabled children, but she figured out how to write about them working together. It is powerful, moving, and brilliant.

If ever there was an Amish fiction book for you to read, This. Is. It. No joke. I hope that there are more books like this in the future from Ms. Good. If there is, I will be first in line to get them! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fantastic story by a gifted author. You can tell Rachel Good puts plenty of time and care into such a touching story. She seems to truly understand the special-needs situations she writes about in this endearing novel. This is one of the best Amish books I have read. The story deals with a new teacher, Ada Rupp, who is raising her seven siblings in addition to dealing with her own loss and struggles. She amazed me with her servant’s heart, hard work, and caring. She seemed so real. And Josiah Yoder, who wants to help his motherless son break free from his world of pain and confusion, evokes our sympathy and make us wish we could jump in and help. The setting and characters add depth and reality to a finely crafted tale. I highly recommend The Amish Teacher’s Gift. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

This book is unlike any other Amish fiction book I’ve ever read. Love the storyline centering around special needs children and their loved ones. The author seems to have really researched what life is like for a family with a special needs child. She gives extensively detailed descriptions about the challenges of caring for a special needs child. It takes lots of patience and love. She wrote their stories well. This is a topic you don’t see in Amish fiction often. It’s so unique. Love that it’s not just a copy of all the other stories out there. Great read with an interesting plot line, well written characters and easy to read style.
I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley. All opinions in this review are my own.

I'm a little torn on this one....the story itself i liked. but some things I felt weren't very realistic.

A love at first site story I don't mind. I think I actually like them on occasion, but the attraction between Josiah and Ada seemed way to exaggerated and i had a hard time believing it. at one point there sleeves brushed and you would have thought skin brushed skin the way the way they reacted. other than those moments when they were trying to hard not to react or having to great of a reaction I enjoyed the book

I received this book for from the Author and CelebrateLit for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

https://booksnbaubles.com/the-amish-teachers-gift-by-rachel-j-good/

Ada Rupp is much more than just a gifted teacher...she also has a special gift caring for her seven brothers and sisters, one of whom has special needs. She runs a tight household that is organized in just such a way that the siblings work together in harmony. Ada grew up quickly during her mother's illness and single-handedly raised her siblings when her father could no longer live in their home. She is such a dutiful young woman, whose priority was seeing to the needs of others.



Josiah has the capacity to love his son but is at a loss as he looks on as Nathan bonds with Ada. His heart wrenching pain pours out of the pages. I can't imagine the loss he suffered losing a wife he loved coupled with the love and patience he had for his son. It was through this love and the knowledge of Ada's gift as a teacher that led him to discover how to reach Nathan. His tireless strength fueled by his deep faith allowed him to give back to the school. In the long run the lessons he learned were immeasurable.



As I read the story I was struck by the very real the difficulties Ada and Josiah faced. The characters Rachel J. Good created in this book are very well developed and the research was amazing. I recommend this book for anyone who loves Amish fiction but all the more so for someone looking to go just a little deeper into situations that test our faith and unconditional love.

Author Rachel Good can always be depended on to write a warm, redemptive story. Her characters face what real people face in real life; doubts, fears, etc. She’s not afraid to go there.

Tackling an Amish story about a little boy with special needs doesn’t happen often enough because we know these challenges exist. I’m glad Good wrote about this, and the different methods of teaching young Nathan as well as other students.

If you’re looking a charming read, romance, and children you’ll love, then you’ll want to read A Teacher’s Love.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

This was quite different than most Amish novels. This showed a little bit on how the Amish handle their children that have special needs and their education. I was surprised by some of what I read but in a good way. This had good romance also. I loved how Ada worked with the children. I wish I had that kind of patience. I did not want to put this book down. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

A heart touching story of a young Amish woman who teaches a school for the handicapped young of the community and a young Amish father of one of her students. Such an inspiring and informative story. I would recommend this one, it moves right along and touches the heart!
I was gifted a copy through Netgalley and Celebrate Lit, my review is voluntary..

The Amish Teacher’s Gift by Rachel J. Good is an inspiring story of relying on God amid the deepest challenges of life, as well as a tender romance you’ll be rooting for from the very beginning!

Readers will instantly bond with the children in this story – from Ada’s special-needs students to her own siblings – and their hearts will touch yours. It’s clear that the author has spent a lot of time researching the issues that Ada would encounter as a special-needs Amish schoolteacher – as well as the resources and strategies that she implements. Watching the children’s transformations is incredibly heartwarming, and I appreciated that even as Ada achieved great success with her students they weren’t magically fixed and ‘all better’. Instead, the author retained those things that made each child special – from their unique needs to their individual personalities.

The romance between Josiah and Ada is one of instant chemistry that sets off sparks whenever they share the page, especially as their friendship continues to deepen. Because this aspect of their stories is set against the framework of all the other layers to their individual stories, it is also emotionally multi-dimensional. Josiah and Ada are both extremely likable characters, and your hearts will ache for what they’ve been through and what keeps them apart.

Bottom Line: The Amish Teacher’s Gift is well-written and full of heart. The author’s sensitivity to the students’ needs, seen through Ada’s eyes, sets a tender tone to the story, and readers will rejoice with Ada at the successes and ache with her at the setbacks. Her relationship with Josiah is based on chemistry and friendship, and it left me swooning more than once! But the star of this novel is, hands-down, Nathan. His journey was my favorite and, considering how much y’all know I love romance, that’s saying a lot. I can’t wait for you to meet him!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

The Amish Teacher's Gift

Rachel J Good




THE AMISH TEACHER'S GIFT is the first book in the Love and Promises series and hooked me from the very first page! I've never read a story about Amish special needs children and this one really will pull on the readers heart strings. Ada Rupp is nineteen and solely responsible for her seven younger brothers and sisters. Her mom has recently passed away and her father is not in the picture. She is also the teacher at the special needs school. This is where she meets Josiah and his son, Nathan. One of her other students is her brother, David who is deaf.


Josiah is mourning his wife's death and is having a hard time dealing with Nathan. Nathan cowers away when ever Josiah gets close. He knows his mom is gone but Josiah doesn't know how to explain to Nathan what happened to her. Nathan is deaf also. Nathan's situation is heart breaking, but Josiah's situation kept me reaching for the tissues. He thinks his son hates him! Not only has he lost his wife but his son is completely afraid of him and he doesn't know how to get through to him. THE AMISH TEACHER'S GIFT has Ada trying to teach Josiah sign language so he can communicate with his son.


Once I started reading THE AMISH TEACHER'S GIFT it was very hard to stop. Even though it is 384 pages it was a very quick read. My emotions were all over the place and the special needs kids won my heart right away. My heart broke for Nathan with him not understanding what happened to his mom. He thought Josiah sent her away. But once he started to learn sign language and began to communicate with Ada's siblings, I was smiling and cheering for him all the way! I'm so excited to continue with this series.

I was quickly immersed in this story, and when it ended, I wanted to continue on. I loved being with these characters, and what a heart the young teacher, her first year, has for her handicapped children.
The author has given us a story of how hard it can be sometimes to be Amish, like losing your job, or trying to help your disabled child.
Thoughts of child abuse, elderly abuse, unchaperoned adults, the list could go on, and we are experiencing it first hand, through these characters.
I enjoyed this read, and it is different in that a lot of the children have a disability, which I have seen personally at a local Amish Christmas program, and love how they are treated. You don’t want to miss this one!

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