Such a different Amish read. Once I started I didn't put it down until I finished! Loved it.
Cate has spent her life being a Mother to her sister Betsy. Their Mom died when Betsy was one day old. Could just picture the 7 year old bathing the new born. She knew what and how to do it, her Mom had kept her home from school for the last year of her life.
She loves Betsy and will do anything for her?? Well, when their Dad imposes a edict that Cate will need to marry before Betsy can, and she cannot go out to singings etc. unless Cate goes to. Life changes drastically for all of them.
When Pete Trager comes to town and starts working for their Dad...he is a wealthy Amishman. Cate sees he is interested in Betsy, but he shares her interest in reading. We experience some fun goings on with Cate and Pete.
There is a lot of trickery going on here, and some things are not as they appear.
I should state that Cate through the years has developed what others consider a "prickly personality". She has been scared by some of life happenings and she tends to take it out on others.
Watch her bloom into a "Sweet Cate", but she sure struggles getting there. Do yourself a favor and pick this wonderful read up! You won't be disappointed.

I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.

I’ve read several Amish fiction books now, and Courting Cate is my favorite thus far. This delightful book by Leslie Gould is based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. I didn’t know that when I started reading the book; as I got further into it, I thought “This sounds like an Amish version of the movie ‘Ten Things I Hate About You!’” That movie, of course, is also based on the Shakespearean play, so I was right. :)

Cate, a young Amish woman living in Pennsylvania, has a reputation of having a prickly personality. She had her heart broken by a young Amish man, and became quite bitter about it. Since the break-up several years before, Cate has not dated. Her father is anxious for her to get married, but no one is interested in her. She refuses to go to the “singings” or any other get-togethers for young people. Her younger beautiful sister Betsy, on the other hand, attracts all the single Amish men for miles around.

Cate’s father decides to issue an edict: Betsy can’t date or even go to any social events unless Cate does. Obviously Betsy starts pestering Cate, who has resigned herself to never getting married.

A young man Pete arrives in town and begins working for Cate’s dad at the family business, and Cate actually becomes smitten. Unfortunately Cate discovers that some of Betsy’s suitors have offered Pete money to court Cate, so they can start dating Betsy. Crushed, Cate spurns Pete (who actually has feelings for her). Through a bizarre turn of events, Cate and Pete are thrown back together again but not in the way you’d guess. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, but even if you’re familiar with The Taming of the Shrew, you’d never imagine how crazy the story gets!

I appreciated that the author discussed how Cate’s faith and trust in God grew through various trials and discouraging times. This book also showed how God will give us the desire of our hearts, but in His own time. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Christian romantic fiction, or especially Amish fiction. You won’t want to put this book down!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.