A Simple Wish

August 14, 2017
Hubbard (A Simple Vow) brings fans back to the Amish community of Willow Ridge, Mo., and the town’s Simple Gifts craft shop in this underwhelming outing. Loretta Riehl, the autocratic church deacon’s middle daughter, knows she has to obey her father, but his increasingly erratic behavior troubles her, and she defies him to work at Simple Gifts. Determined to make her own happiness, Loretta also starts seeing Drew Detweiler, a handsome young man who’s making amends for a scandalous past. Hubbard is skilled at portraying the realities of Amish life and developing well-crafted characters, but she misses the mark with an uncharacteristically confusing plot, including a secondary romance seen by a third party: Mennonite Nora Hooley, the owner of Simple Gifts, has the front-row seat to everything in town, including two “English” (i.e., not Amish) people—computer graphics designer Rebecca Oliveri and horse breeder Wyatt McKenzie—falling in love. The perspective shifts constantly, and it’s impossible to get to know any of the characters well. Moreover, Loretta and Drew’s physical demonstrations of affection and Rebecca and Wyatt’s sexual banter feel out of place in Amish fiction. Fans will still find plenty of joy and grace in Drew and Loretta’s courtship, but newcomers should begin with Hubbard’s other romances first. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.