August normally marks the start of the back to school season with joy, nostalgia, maybe a little stress. Parents, students, teachers, and other school employees are busy making preparations and looking forward to seeing smiling faces both old and new. And then 2020 happened.
Nothing looks the same this year, even for those in places where in-person schooling is happening. And for those faced with virtual learning, the world looks upside down. Even the homeschooling families I know are having to do things a little differently because their co-ops, sports, and other activities have been impacted as much as public, charter, virtual, and private school families have.
From the time I was ten, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. Of course, that changed in college when I decided I wanted to be a writer and a stay-home mom instead, but my love for the school environment never went away. I was blessed to marry a man who supports my dreams, and after staying home with our three daughters for many years, volunteering in their classrooms and serving on the PTA board, leading our local MOMS Club chapter, and more, I moved into substitute teaching. This is the first year I won’t be in a school in over a decade and I’ve got to admit, I’m a little heartbroken. Not just for myself, but for our kids, our teachers, and school staff who are having to learn to do their jobs in a completely new way.
Since reading is my escape of choice (and if you’re here, I’m guessing it’s yours, too), I’ve made a list of contemporary Christian/Inspy romance titles featuring teachers and school employees as the heroes and/or heroines. If we can’t have a normal school year in 2020, the least we can do is dive into a good book and remember the good times, right? Looking with hope toward the future that someday, life will return to something resembling normal.
Operation Back-to-School by Elizabeth Maddrey – a widow and a kindergarten teacher have unexpected sparks
Taking a Chance on Mr. Wrong by Liwen. Y. Ho – a math teacher in a culture clash with a Chinese physician
Roadtrip to Redemption by Laurie Larsen – a teacher’s summer break roadtrip to rediscover her identity
Smile for Me by Jan Thompson – an art teacher & assistant principal at an art camp
A Dash of Daring by Elizabeth Maddrey – two inner city teachers work together on a holiday program
Finding Faith by Melanie Snitker – a single mom and her special needs child’s music therapy teacher
Memories of Mist by Valerie Comer – a conflict-avoiding teacher clashes with a take-no-prisoners PTA mom
Summer to Remember by Tara Grace Ericson – small town secrets and scandal with a mid-school teacher and his heroine
A Sidelined Christmas by Toni Shiloh – high school sweethearts, a wide-receiver and a teacher, reunite
Second Chance Love by Merrillee Whren – a high school teacher and part-time youth minister rediscover old feelings
Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese – a teacher facing a big decision falls for a substitute
Cupcake Dilemma by Jennifer Rodewald – a first-grade teacher who can’t bake faces disaster with a baker
Molly by Sarah Monzon – an unabashedly honest pre-school teacher becomes nanny to a physician single dad
Love and Harmony by Sally Bayless – a novella featuring a music teacher and a high school principal
Restoring Christmas by Julie Arduini – a special ed teacher, a hurting woman, and a tourist trap in need of restoration
Solo Tu (A Tuscan Legacy) by Narelle Atkins – two high school teachers from different countries become friends (and maybe more)
And last but not least, I have a few as well! Randomly choosing from the comments, I’ll be giving away an eBook of my first novel, What Could Be, in which a college student struggles to decide whether to continue pursuing a nursing degree or to chase her dream of becoming a teacher while working for an after school program and forging a friendship with one of her students’ parents.
Also featuring two teachers, my freebie novelette Just Say Yes is available to all subscribers to my email newsletter. Click the link or the image to subscribe!
By the way, have you entered our annual BACK TO SCHOOL giveaway?! Huge prize bundles, and this year we have a ton of paperbacks! Only a week left to enter!
Lover of Jesus, family, books, coffee, music, and crafting (in that order), Jaycee Weaver is perpetually pursuing at least one of her passions. She writes contemporary Christian romance stories featuring realistic characters in everyday situations where God is at work in big ways. She appreciates books where the characters face shortcomings, temptations, and adversity but always get their happy ending, so that’s what she writes.
Here in Australia the school year starts the end of January. In South Australia we are face to face learning while some states are online. (our state is covid free). I know many are making the decision on face to face or online. My friend in Georgia is having this issue and has opted for online partly due to many other schools being online and partly because if she contracts Covid-19 it will probably kill her due to having very limited lung capacity and her family don’t want to take chances.
I can understand its a hard time for so many.
The list of books looks good. I can see a few I would like to read.
Hi Jaycee! Thanks for the list of books featuring teachers. This retired teacher has been called back into service to be the instructional coach to our three grandchildren grades 10, 7, and 1. Our son works from home and his wife dental office reopened in June. My day changed from being Oma to being bus driver (I go pick up the kids from their house), then teacher, then lunch lady, PE teacher, then back to coach and bus driver. My husband is our IT guy, extra curricular instructor, clean up person (lunch), motivational coach, counselor, para pro, and substitute bus driver. Today is Day 4 and the grandsons have their classes in place and working diligently on their assignments. First grade granddaughter is having her second zoom meeting with her teacher and learning pod (14 kids). For the first two weeks teacher meets with each learning pod twice a week. Because of Labor Day and to accommodate cleaning of schools for the in person instruction, school only had a four day week this week and next. Definitely a different start of the school year for all – students, teachers and parents. Praying for safety and health for all. Best wishes.
Thanks for this list. I will keep it!
Hi there! I always grew up believing that I wanted to be a teacher too….then at some.point I realized I would have to deal with students like me, lol, who question everything and never take ‘just because’ as an answer…..and the thought of teaching seemed to lose its appeal🙃
Thank you for sharing will check these out. Blessings
Thank you for the opportunity to win one of these awesome prizes. Winning would be great, it would help me get through the winter. Not real lucky but I keep trying.
Thanks again for the opportunity.
God Bless all the authors and their families.
Hope everyone is staying safe.
Oh, wow! I can already tell my TBR stack is going to grow again!! I have to say, I NEVER wanted to be a teacher growing up! A nurse, yes, and the closest I got to that was working in the insurance and billing aspects, which worked out great, since I’ve always liked typing and computers.
Thanks so much! It’s interesting to learn how people all over the globe are handling school and such this year.
Wow! What a privilege, and it sounds like you’re happy to answer the call. 😆 We all need Omas like you!
My pleasure!
Lol! My concern was (believe it or not) dealing with state mandates I don’t agree with and parents who need discipline more than their children. Kids I can handle like a pro, which is why subbing was a perfect fit! Lol!
Sweet! Glad I could help!
Aw, thanks for stopping by, Glenda! We use random pickers online to help us, so odds are good if you keep commenting your name will come up eventually! The big back to school giveaway has a whole bunch of great prize packs. (Woohoo for more chances!)
Nice! We’re each called to where we need to be, right? All niches need filling to keep our world running. 😊
Thanks for the list of books. I am a retired teacher now substitute teaching.
I remember that I loved school. I loved learning and still do. Fortunately because both my husband and I love to learn and loved school, we were able to impart this to our two children. And both of them, now 35 and 33 still love to learn and do research. They have found their separate fields of “love” and that is good. Thank you for coming today.
Thank you for this list of books! I love reading (and writing) about school and all what there happened. I’ve always loved to go to school. When you are at home, only then do you realize that school is very important in your life.
Great list! I’m a homeschool mom and I love having our own schedule.
Jaycee,
I love the Michael Scott meme. Fits perfectly for where we are in this season. I also love how you pitched Restoring Christmas. You’re hired!
Hi, Jaycee! I grew up with a family full of teachers. Both my parents, my sister, an aunt and several cousins (my aunt had a big family and a big influence!). My brother, the former semi-pro defensive lineman, became Conan the Librarian. I really enjoyed What Could Be when I read it a while ago. All through your post, I was thinking “What was that story about the aftercare teacher and that guy with the crazy ex?” OH! Right, got it. LOL!
I have a few teaching gigs under my belt, too. My slot is the college and up group. I’m with you in not wanting to deal with the mandates and parents. Even full time college level was a bad place to deal with as a faculty member. Give me someone who wants to learn and I am one happy camper…uh, teacher.
No need to put me in the drawing, my Jaycee Collection is complete!
And all the Inspy class members, with their smiling faces, say with happy voices, “Thank you, Ms. Weaver!”
My pleasure! I love being a sub! Sure am missing it this year.
Thank you for stopping by! A lifelong love of learning is a wonderful gift to impart to our children. 😍
So true. Blessings!
Thank you! And yes, there are a lot of wonderful perks to homeschooling. 😍
LOL! Thanks! It was a very fun book. I enjoyed it!
😆 As always, thank you for your comment. You always get me laughing. What are your thoughts on redeeming Skye (the crazy ex) at some point? I’m thinking way, way down the road as a matured adult nearing middle age… but I can’t decide for sure.
Redeeming Skye? Absolutely! That life of crazy, selfish hedonism is, in the end, very lonely. Such a circumstance is ripe for a good love story with struggles from the past. I say go for it! You wouldn’t need to wait for too very long in the character’s life, either. All it would take would be the loss of a current friend, a few rejections or friends maturing and the stage would be set. The hero could be a fellow participant in a 12-step program, for example. Or the cop who gave her the DUI ticket, LOL!
One of the things I am grateful for is that my new normal have been revised several times in the last 7 years so what our lives will be like would not be too hard for me. I do understand this characters struggle because you can feel called to do so many things if your nature is to help people.
Thanks for the chance to win! Around us schools have opened with lots of safety measures. I think the local schools went in with the attitude of knowing they will inevitable end up having COVID positive cases but trying their best to work out ways to handle it and hopefully keep things running.
What a great list! I have a challenge in one of my Goodreads groups (Christian Fiction Devourers) for a book this month about a teacher. These are great ideas!
Jaycee! So very true! State mandates while important, stress teachers. Students were a joy. Had some helicopter parents that I had high school students apologize for. My heart went out for those students. Still in contact with so many – fun to see them get married, have children, travel the world. To be part of their accomplishments. Best part of teaching. Even today to see the initiative of my grandkids – making the best of this unusual time.
I am grateful my son graduated this year where our schools are all still remote . He has had to put college back a term with circumstances from all of our businesses still being open by appointment only & limited times. It’s all in God’s plan though so it will work out. I do really appreciate both teachers and all of the parents who are having to step into the job. That is not my strength in the slightest!
I believe my TBR list will grow considerably with some of your suggestions, they all look so good! Thank you for the ideas. I haven’t been reading from my list lately where I’ve started working for a few authors on their end of books but will get back to them once I get used to what I’m doing and develop a schedule. I am still reading (& love it!) but will never stop reading for pleasure!
Love it! I was thinking I’d let her go a little longer so Brendan would be closer to adulthood. Lots of story ideas that won’t disrupt Brynn and Josh’s HEA haha!
That’s very true.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit envious! It’s a complicated situation all around.
Awesome! Happy to help. 😄
Me either! I’ve got a few from Net Galley I finally had to decline because it felt more like a chore than pleasure reading, even though the books themselves are great. Life’s too short to stress over something that should be an escape!
I do agree with that! I need to enjoy it to do a good job. I’ve started doing proofreading & beta work for a few of my favorite authors and absolutely love it! I had been talking to one of my author friends about an online job where I need to supplement my income and she suggested this type of work. It is cool the way God just dropped almost more than I could handle in my lap before I could even take a course! I must have done okay as I had each come back to me with another book as soon as I finished the first. It has been awesome & I am learning a lot. I am so blessed!!!
Wonderful list–thank you!
Thank you for sharing this awesome list of great sounding books. Yes, this school year is definitely different. We can just Hope and Pray that all this gets better soon. For now we can just indulge in good reads. Have a Great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.
That’s amazing!
My pleasure!
Amen, and you too!
So many great reads <3 so little time :(
Our distance learning started August 13….hanging in there
Thank you for your post. I pray for all the teachers, school personal, parents, children and administrators as they find a new normal in this school year. I cannot imagine how hard it is for students and teachers during this time. Many younger children take learn socialization in their first years in school. With face coverings, facial expressions and voices can be misinterpreted very easily. I was never blessed with children, but both of my parents were very active in PTA, room mother, and Mother’s club. My Mom and Dad both remark that they would not even know where to begin in leading in today’s world.
Same! Our public school system announced virtual learning through the 1st semester. I’m so sad for my sophomore. 😕 3 weeks in and they’re already tired. Keep hanging on!!
It’s complicated, that’s for sure. Thank you for your prayers. I know they’re appreciated!
What Could Be sounds really interesting, and that cover is so cute! I have read Liwen’s book as well as The Cupcake Dilemma (loved them both), so thank you for the recommendations! Books are just the perfect way to escape reality, or, to go back to in time to a different (previously normal) reality ;)
I think this is such a difficult time for kids and parents who are mostly not prepared to step up as substitute teachers. Here in Brazil the school year started in March and it only lasted for two weeks. We’ve been home for most of the academic year that will be over in December. Most kids are going to repeat the year. Probably a lot of them are not moving grades. And I’m not even talking about other downsides from staying at home (as a Psychologist, I read a lot of national and international literature about violence at home, mental health issues etc.). I can’t stop being sad when I think about all of these topics.
Numbers are stabilising and some schools are planing to go back to in person teaching, there are some good experiences in Europe and Asia to follow. Hopefully that will work out even for a few months to help children get good meals, health support, and reacquire the habit of learning. I’m an university professor, and sometimes I feel like my students act like children, but I still praise teachers, who do a wonderful job that I’m not prepared to do.
Thank you for the list!
Jaycee,
Great post! I’m one of those overwhelmed with learning all new ways to teach our students. For the last week I’ve been in trainings and zoom meetings. My head is really ready to combust! Today it was all on tech and the tools we can use and how to use them. I never knew I’d be learning so much at this age! UGH!
Each afternoon I’ve escaped into books because it’s a great way to decompress. Thanks for your list!
Yep…begging to go back to school :(
What an amazing list of books!
There is nothing so special as the look on someone’s face when they realise that they can actually do something themselves. I imagine being a teacher is a lot like being a trainer where you need to help the person past their fear of not knowing and help them move into the feeling of accomplishment. Sounds like you know what I mean from your post. Thanks
Yes, the school year is so upside down! Where I live on the Oregon coast, we’re going to be starting out for at least the first six weeks online only. We normally start the day after Labor Day, but that has been pushed out until Monday, Sept. 14th. Each student will be getting a Chromebook and the school is providing free school supplies….which is super nice! I don’t know what the online schedule will be, I think they are still trying to piece everything together!
Our district was already going to be different this year since a new middle and High school is in the process of finishing up being built (out of the Tsunami zone) & the two Elementary schools are combining into one school…the building is finishing being remolded to accommodate the extra kids & classes. This summer, two of the construction workers had tested positive for Covid, so that put the construction behind which in turn, we can’t even get into the new buildings until sometime in October anyway. So yeah, Covid made our new school year even stranger!
I SO want this to be over already…..
Thanks for the free book when you sign up for your newsletter, I just did that :-)
Amen and I sure hope so! I’m so fascinated to learn about how school and other things are working across the globe. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much! And yes, I do live to escape into the pages!
My pleasure!
You’re so welcome! Thank you for the work you’re doing. I know it’s extra difficult, but those precious students with IEPs need loving hands like yours!
I sure do! Thanks for commenting!
Yay! Thank you so much! And yes, ours did chrome books as well and I’m grateful. Had to figure out a new router to supply enough oomph for everybody this weekend! Lol! Crazy times.
Such a stressful time with my five kids going back to school this year! Everything is so different. We are trying, though, and hoping things will get better. Thanks for the amazing list of books – you have added significantly to my tbr pile!
Such a fun collection, more books to add to my list
Books with teachers are generally some of my favorites!