Ruth Miller was raised in an Amish town in Lancaster County. Ruth, a stubby young woman with light brown hair, dresses in standard Amish clothing. Ruth is shy but when she opens up she is an energetic person, who has some OCD traits along with a nervous eye twitch.
Ruth lives on a farm with her father, Isaac, and brother, Jeremiah. Sadly, her mother died tragically in the Amish mad cow disease epidemic. Shortly after her mother’s death, Ruth’s father, Isaac, begins to treat Ruth as a replacement for her mother. Ruth soon realizes this isn’t a healthy relationship. Ruth knows it’s only a matter of time before she becomes a daughter sister wife. Her only option left is to leave the only home she has ever known. She knows her father and brother will notice her absence due to the general lack of meals, so she must leave quickly.
Ruth begins her journey at a bus station, that’s destination is Pittsburgh, with only the clothes on her back and a dozen quilts to pay for her bus ticket.
After stepping off the bus, Ruth is dazed from being so far from home. As she looks up, she notices a young Italian guy with slicked back hair, a gold chain around his neck, and a cane in hand. He gazes up and grins at her. Ruth instantly feels this is love at first sight.
The man struts over to Ruth, smiling his bright gold grill at her. He introduces himself as Rocko. He has a huge ego, but inside he is a compassionate, affectionate, closet cat lover. Due to her nervous eye twitch it looks like she is winking at him. Their eyes meet; this is love.
“Can I help you?” Rocko asks. Ruth dreamily replies that she’s looking for work. Rocko can’t believe his luck. He invites her across the street to an IHOP. They slide into the booth and he begins to explain a job preposition. He explains all she has to do is treat guys nicely and they’ll give her money. Due to her trusting nature, she agrees with his plan. Ruth is very naïve and doesn’t understand. Rocko puts her up for the night in a decent hotel, telling her to be ready at nine. She dresses in her best Amish dress and meets with a guy named John. When she finds out what her job truly is, she smacks John with the bible that is kept in the hotel drawer.
When Ruth tells Rocko about the night, he can’t believe that she doesn’t understand the business deal. “Go back to the Mayflower!” He yells, shooing her away. Ruth can’t believe his words and leaves in sobs.
Once home, Ruth try’s to return to a normal Amish life, however, it is rather awkward. Rocko is confronted by one of his best employees named Candy Cotton. Candy tells Rocko that she can tell he loves Ruth. With this realization, Rocko admits his love for Ruth to himself. Rocko then decides to sell his business and travel to Pennsylvania, searching for Ruth. When he finally finds to Ruth, she is hesitant to take him back. However, her father can clearly see that they are destined for each other and he tells Ruth to accept Rocko’s apology. Once Ruth accepts Rocko back, Rocko asks her to marry him. Ruth finds it rushed but agrees to marry Rocko. After Ruth and Rocko marry, Rocko spends the rest of his business money on a traditional Amish house and a horse and buggy. The couple lives happily ever after with fourteen children.