Customer Reviews

The Abstinence Teacher

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The Abstinence Teacher revolves around the main character of Ruth, who teaches Sex Education at the local high school. A conservative church in town manages to change the curriculum to teaching about abstinence instead. Then Ruth connects with the local soccer coach, who also belongs to the conservative church. I actually though the book would be more about the struggle at the school over the teaching of abstinence rather than about the relationship between Ruth and soccer coach Tim. I did enjoy the book, however. It was very easy to read and it kept my attention throughout. The age old struggle between believers and non-believers was well handled in the book and completely believable. I've not read other books by Perrotta but I enjoyed this book enough to check out others by him.

Perotta loves to take folks different sides of the street and throwing them together in unusual situations (I highly recommend Election and Little Children). When High school teacher Ruth Ramsey tells her human sexuality class that some people enjoy oral sex, she does not know the storm she is creating. She is soon embattled by the local church too include a section on abstinence. Her young daughter's soccer coach is Tim Mason, a reborn druggie who is now a member of the church that attacked Ruth. When Tim leads the girls soccer team in prayer Ruth drags her daughter from the game! From this shaky start a relationship begins, at times humorous and also poignant. From their differences the discover they have more in common then they thought. Nothing too heavy but still no simple solutions. A very fulfilling slice of life read.