Introduction

Samuel Cooke knows most women wouldn't give him a second glance even if he were the last man on earth. He's the cripple with crutches, the nerdy computer genius every female past puberty feels compelled to mother. So when he leaves his lucrative career to teach programming to high schoolers, romance definitely isn't on his radar.

Perhaps that's why Greta Cassamajor catches him off guard. The sarcastic gym coach with zero sense of humor is no beauty - not even on the inside. But an inexplicably kind act toward Samuel makes him realize she is interesting.

Samuel is certain she won't accept his invitation to dinner - so when she does, he's out of his depth. All he knows is that he'll do whatever it takes to keep her as long as he can. Pretending he's got his class under control? Easy. Being vulnerable enough to admit why he ditched his programming career for teaching? Um, no. That would require honesty. And if there's one thing Samuel can't exist without, it's the lies he tells himself.

In this poignant, witty debut, Ramsey Hootman upends traditional romance tropes to weave a charming tale of perseverance, trust, and slightly conditional love.

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Excerpt

Samuel found a cluster of teachers camped on and around a frayed, sunken couch, raking an absent drama instructor over the coals for his fall production choice (something about vampires). They invited Samuel to join, but he declined—aside from a complete lack of interest in the topic, he’d never escape the couch with his dignity intact. He settled himself at the round table in the center of the room and pulled out a book.

Five minutes after the lunch bell, Greta strode in. Samuel glanced up, felt his eyes widen, and forced a relatively calm “Good afternoon.” Her face was flushed with a mix of exertion and windchill, as if she’d spent the morning outdoors. Perhaps she had.

His greeting gave her little choice but to join him. She gave him a curt nod and sat, pulling out an apple, a sandwich wrapped in waxed paper, and a water bottle.

Were they not going to talk? He had to say something. “Um. Thanks again for the lesson plans.”

“Forget it.” Coming from anyone else, those two words would have been a modest deflection. From Greta, it was an order.

Samuel fiddled with his half-eaten tamale. He was peripherally aware, via the sixth-period girls, that the basketball team had been traveling. “So, off to anywhere interesting this weekend?”

Greta’s expression soured. “San Francisco.”

“I didn’t know you guys went that far.”

Her frown deepened. “We don’t. My sister’s getting married.”

Ah. He’d hit a personal note. At least it confirmed his guess about the photo in her office. “Are you going with anyone?” Holy shit. Where had that come from?

She gave him a glance he interpreted as You’re on thin ice. Crap—was she married? It hadn’t even occurred to him. She wasn’t wearing a ring, but that didn’t mean anything these days. Even if she weren’t attached, she’d doubtless be insulted by his assumption. He braced himself for backfire.

“No,” she said.

Samuel blinked. “What about me?” Oh Christ.

She cocked an eyebrow. “What about you?”

“I could, um…” He fumbled the soda can. What was he doing? He had to back out now. Just back the hell— “Go with you.” This was going to end badly. Very, very badly.

The twin lasers of Greta’s eyes bored into him. He could tell she didn’t know what to make of his offer, whether he was expressing interest or attempting to be friendly in his own bizarre, socially retarded way.

“I’m the maid of honor,” she said at last.

“Oh.” Did that mean she couldn’t have a date? Maybe it meant nobody on God’s green earth was going to see her in a frilly pink dress. He glanced at the women around the couch, but their discussion had become heated, and none of them was paying attention. Just in case, he lowered his voice. “How about dinner, then?”

She slid back and gripped the edge of the table, but didn’t get up. “I don’t take these things lightly.”

“Do I look like someone who does?” He was certainly taking this too lightly. He should have planned, should have thought it through before—well, no. He had thought it through, and he’d decided to do nothing, because this was stupid. Except here he was. The truth was, he had nothing to lose. When she refused, they could avoid each other until judgment day. And if their paths did cross, she could do little beyond treating him with the same contempt as every other man on staff.

She still hadn’t answered. He had a feeling she was trying to look angry, but it wasn’t working. This was getting awkward. “What about Friday?”

She stared.

He cleared his throat. “Seven o’clock? My place?”

This time she did stand, gathering her uneaten lunch. And then—“Fine.”

She left, and Samuel sat frozen as her heavy footsteps sounded down the ramp outside. When the sound didn’t die away, he realized he was listening to his heart. Slowly the conversation on the other side of the room found its way back into his brain. He shot another surreptitious glance at the teachers. The gossip session seemed to have come to an end, and a couple of the women were returning chairs to their original places. Nobody was giving him any funny looks.

Good. If this got out, it would spread like wildfire. He wasn’t prepared for that. He wasn’t prepared for anything. He was shaking. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

1. In Courting Greta, Samuel leaves his predictable life in Los Angeles to try teaching high school in a small town. Have you ever done something completely outside of your comfort zone? What obstacles did you encounter, and what did you take away from your experience?

2. In the opening scene, Samuel’s brother Chris asks, “Are you okay?” Discuss why this question comes up numerous times over the course of the novel. What is the answer?

3. When Samuel moves to Healdsburg, he meets a number of new people: Irving, Greg, Greta, and Maria. What assumptions does Samuel make about his new acquaintances? Specifically, how does Samuel think other people see him? Do the words and actions of these characters affirm or challenge his assumptions?

4. Physical challenges aside, what is the biggest obstacle in Samuel’s life?

5. Samuel decides Greg Moore is a good candidate for a friend because he won’t “go away, no matter how often he was brushed off or turned down.” In what other ways is Moore a good friend?

6. Both Samuel and Greta try to protect themselves. What mechanisms do they employ to keep themselves safe, and what is it that they are protecting?

7. Samuel uses the word “retard” on several occasions. Did this surprise you? Why might he choose to use a word with so many negative connotations, rather than a more politically correct term such as “mentally challenged”?

8. In what ways do expectations about traditional gender roles influence how Samuel and Greta view themselves? How does their relationship reverse or redefine those roles?

9. When Samuel learns Marcus is responsible for the pranks, he talks to him “man to man,” rather than punishing him according to standard school policy. Do you think Samuel handled the situation correctly? What else could or should he have done?

10. When Samuel asks Greta what he “does” for her, she tells him he makes her feel “pink.” What does she mean? Discuss what role Samuel fills for Greta. What does he “do” for the other female characters in the book?

11. Did you notice any recurring colors, objects, or images? What are they, and what do they represent?

12. When Samuel goes to the fair with Greta, a local doctor fails to realize they are dating. Many people with disabilities complain of being treated as asexual or non-sexual, often viewed as safe confidants rather than potential partners or rivals. Which characters do this to Samuel? How does he react? Is the situation a negative or positive experience?

13. When Greta agrees to get married, Samuel realizes her mind has been made up for some time. In your opinion, at what point in the story did Greta decide to marry Samuel?

14. Have Samuel’s problems with his father been resolved? How do you think he will handle his relationship with his father and brother in the future?

15. What challenges will Samuel and Greta face in their marriage? Will their relationship last?

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