A Reluctant Bride

A
CCLAIM FOR
K
ATHLEEN
F
ULLER

“Kathleen Fuller's
A Reluctant Bride
tells the story of two Amish families whose lives have collided through tragedy. Sadie Schrock's stoic resolve will touch and inspire Fuller's fans, as will the story's concluding triumph of redemption.”

—S
UZANNE
W
OODS
F
ISHER
,
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
A
NNA
'
S
C
ROSSING

“Kathleen Fuller's
A Reluctant Bride
is a beautiful story of faith, hope, and second chances. Her characters and descriptions are captivating, bringing the story to life with the turn of every page.”

—A
MY
C
LIPSTON
,
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
A S
IMPLE
P
RAYER
AND THE
K
AUFFMAN
A
MISH
B
AKERY
S
ERIES

“The latest offering in the Middlefield Family series is a sweet love story, with perfectly crafted characters. Fuller's Amish novels are written with the utmost respect for their way of living. Readers are given a glimpse of what it is like to live the simple life.”

—
R
OMANTIC
T
IMES
, 4-
STAR REVIEW ON
L
ETTERS TO
K
ATIE

“Fuller's second Amish series entry is a sweet romance with a strong sense of place that will attract readers of Wanda Brunstetter and Cindy Woodsmall.”

—
L
IBRARY
J
OURNAL
ON
F
AITHFUL TO
L
AURA

“This is a great romance with secrets, mystery, and characters who are struggling with their faith and their need for revenge. Fuller understands what readers look for in her novels, and she more than meets all expectations.”

—
R
OMANTIC
T
IMES
, 4-
STAR REVIEW ON
F
AITHFUL TO
L
AURA

“Well-drawn characters and a homespun feel will make this Amish romance a sure bet for fans of Beverly Lewis and Jerry S. Eicher.”

—
L
IBRARY
J
OURNAL
ON
T
REASURING
E
MMA

“
Treasuring Emma
is a heartwarming story filled with real-life situations and well-developed characters. I rooted for Emma and Adam until the very last page. Fans of Amish fiction and those seeking an endearing romance will enjoy this love story. Highly recommended.”

—B
ETH
W
ISEMAN
,
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
H
ER
B
ROTHER
'
S
K
EEPER
AND THE
D
AUGHTERS OF THE
P
ROMISE
S
ERIES

“This novel is a sweet romance with amazing characters who are just trying to get through each day. Stories relating to the Amish are a treasure to read and Fuller has a way with words.”

—
R
OMANTIC
T
IMES
, 4-
STAR REVIEW ON
T
REASURING
E
MMA

“
Treasuring Emma
is a charming, emotionally layered story of the value of friendship in love and discovering the truth of the heart. A true treasure of a read!”

—K
ELLY
L
ONG
,
AUTHOR OF THE
P
ATCH OF
H
EAVEN
SERIES

“A fresh and captivating voice in the Amish genre, Kathleen Fuller weaves a richly patterned story [in
A Man of His Word
] that explores not only the depths of the Amish faith but also the most intimate struggles of the heart.”

—T
AMERA
A
LEXANDER
,
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE
B
ELLE
M
EADE
P
LANTATION AND THE
B
ELMONT
M
ANSION NOVELS

“
A Man of His Word
by Kathleen Fuller is a heartwarming story of how faith and commitment can overcome betrayal. Highly recommended!”

—C
OLLEEN
C
OBLE
,
USA T
ODAY
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
T
HE
I
NN AT
O
CEAN
'
S
E
DGE
AND THE
H
OPE
B
EACH
S
ERIES

“Terrific! I was totally engaged in the characters and the families in this lovely story. With Gabriel as the hero, the title is certainly well chosen. His faith, along with Moriah's, represents a steady, underlying conviction and peacefulness despite the very real struggles they face within the pages. [
A Man of His Word
] is a story—and characters—I didn't want to leave.”

—M
AUREEN
L
ANG
,
AUTHOR OF
B
EES IN THE
B
UTTERFLY
G
ARDEN

O
THER
B
OOKS BY
K
ATHLEEN
F
ULLER

T
HE
A
MISH OF
B
IRCH
C
REEK

A Reluctant Bride

An Unbroken Heart (Available March 2016)

T
HE
M
IDDLEFIELD
A
MISH
N
OVELS

A Faith of Her Own

T
HE
M
IDDLEFIELD
F
AMILY
N
OVELS

Treasuring Emma

Faithful to Laura

Letters to Katie

T
HE
H
EARTS OF
M
IDDLEFIELD
N
OVELS

A Man of His Word

An Honest Love

A Hand to Hold

N
OVELLAS INCLUDED IN

An Amish Christmas—A Miracle for Miriam

An Amish Gathering—A Place of His Own

An Amish Love—What the Heart Sees

An Amish Wedding—A Perfect Match

An Amish Garden—Flowers for Rachael

An Amish Second Christmas—A Gift for Anne Marie

An Amish Cradle—Heart Full of Love

T
HE
M
YSTERIES OF
M
IDDLEFIELD SERIES FOR YOUNG READERS

A Summer Secret

The Secrets Beneath

Hide and Secret

© 2015 by Kathleen Fuller

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Publisher's Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

ISBN 978-0-7180-3325-5 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fuller, Kathleen.

A reluctant bride / Kathleen Fuller.

pages ; cm. -- (An Amish of Birch Creek novel ; Book 1)

Summary: "When tragedy strikes an independent Amish woman, she must accept a marriage proposal from the man she vowed never to marry. As the oldest daughter in an Amish family, Sadie's life was mapped out since the day she was born. She would join the church, marry an Amish man, and eventually she and her husband would take over her family's store. But when her parents unexpectedly die in a buggy accident, her life goes into a tailspin. Determined to keep her parents' legacy alive, Sadie works harder than ever to provide for herself and her younger sisters. However, the bishop is unwilling to let a young woman manage the property and business all on her own. He gives Sadie two choices: marry his son, Aden, or relinquish the business and land to the community. Not willing to give up on her dream, she weds Aden, resigning herself to a loveless marriage. But while working with Aden at the store, Sadie realizes he isn't the same boy who had betrayed her in the past. In fact, she begins to look forward to the time they spend together, getting to know the man with a kind heart and gentle smile. Just when Sadie starts to let her guard down and perhaps develop feelings for her new husband, several 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. "-- Provided by publisher.

ISBN 978-0-7180-3315-6 (softcover)

1. Amish--Fiction. 2. Married people--Fiction. I. Title.

PS3606.U553R43 2015

813'.6--dc23

2015011119

15 16 17 18 19 20 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my husband, James.
I love you.

CONTENTS

GLOSSARY

PROLOGUE