A Simple Wish
by Charlotte Hubbard
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Amish/Inspirational
Romance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Making rugs for the Simple Gifts store has taught Loretta
Riehl that an unassuming pattern can reveal surprising depth. People, too, have
a way of defying first impressions. Drew Detweiler came to Willow Ridge under a
cloud, but the handsome craftsman has gained the community's respect for
his upholstery skills and commitment to making amends for his mistakes. As her
new brother-in-law's twin, he's joining the family for dinners and Sunday visits,
and Loretta can't deny enjoying his attentions.
If only her dat were willing to let a little joy into his life. Cornelius Riehl grows sterner with each day, and Drew suspects there's more to his moods than missing Loretta's late mamm. Hoping to fulfill Loretta's wish to live in a peaceful, happy home again, Drew sets out to learn the truth. It's a journey that will bring to light painful realities—but also the chance to forge a new, honest, and loving future together...
If only her dat were willing to let a little joy into his life. Cornelius Riehl grows sterner with each day, and Drew suspects there's more to his moods than missing Loretta's late mamm. Hoping to fulfill Loretta's wish to live in a peaceful, happy home again, Drew sets out to learn the truth. It's a journey that will bring to light painful realities—but also the chance to forge a new, honest, and loving future together...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
When
Loretta looked across the road, she noticed that one of the Detweiler brothers
was coming out of the stable in an open buggy pulled by a tall black Percheron.
Asa and Drew, identical twins, owned matching horses, so it was impossible to
tell which one of them was heading down the long lane toward the road.
She held
her breath. Was it her imagination, or was the driver of that buggy looking
right at her?
“I—I’ve
never forgiven myself for turning my back on the love we shared, Loretta,” Will
said again. He stopped the swing so suddenly that Loretta’s long, loose strips
of rug fabric fluttered to the porch floor. “We both knew we had a love that
would see us through a lifetime together. I was so upset about your Dad
splitting us up that I didn’t realize Molly was coming on to me too fast, too
soon,” he lamented, gazing at her with the soft brown eyes of a begging dog. “I
am so sorry, Loretta.”
Loretta was
feeling more unsettled by the second, because Will’s soul baring was leading
her down a path she no longer wanted to follow. How could she tell him she
wasn’t interested in rekindling their relationship? It would break his heart
and depress him further while he still mourned the death of his wife and their misguided
marriage.
Sighing,
she chose her words carefully. “God has a reason for everything He does—every
stumbling block He places in our paths—”
“But I see
the world so clearly now!” Will blurted out. “I’ve prayed over these things
night and day since Molly died and left me with her six-month-old twins. And
while I never wished such a horrible death from cancer would take her, it gave
me hope that you and I could—”
Loretta
stood up, dropping her unfinished rug onto the swing between them. As the Detweiler
buggy approached the road, coming toward her, she realized that Drew surely
must be driving because Asa and Edith were inseparable—they went everywhere
together and took the twins with them, in their baskets. Her pulse quickened.
Drew was gazing right at her, pulling out of the Detweilers’ lane and stopping
the buggy on the roadside in front of her.
“Loretta,
I’ve got a gut steady job now, farming for Luke and Ira Hooley,” Will was
saying, oblivious to the buggy. “Soon I’ll be planting a vineyard for them—can
you imagine that? And I’ll be asking the Brenneman brothers to build us a
house—”
“Hey there,
Miss Loretta!” Drew called out from the buggy. “I have an errand to run. Want
to come along?”
For a
moment, Loretta felt lower than a worm, but she couldn’t allow Will to believe
he could take up where they’d left off. He hadn’t heard a word she’d said as
she’d gently countered his suggestions. Loretta nipped her lip, glancing
apologetically at the handsome young man who’d gone through such an ordeal these
past several months. Without a word, she hurried down the porch steps and
across the front yard toward Drew Detweiler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and
Links:
Charlotte
Hubbard is the acclaimed
author of Amish romance and fiction that evokes simpler times and draws upon
her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the
Mississippi. Faith and family, farming, and food preservation are hallmarks of
her lifestyle—and the foundation of all her novels. A deacon, dedicated church
musician and choir member, she loves to travel, read, try new recipes, and
crochet. A longtime Missourian, Charlotte now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota,
with her husband and their border collie, Vera. Please visit Charlotte online
at www.CharlotteHubbard.com.
CharlotteHubbard.com
Order Ebook
Kindle
Kindle UK
Kindle Canada
Kindle Australia
iBooks
iBooks UK
iBooks Canada
iBooks Australia
iBooks New Zealand
Nook
Kobo
Google Play
Order
Print
Zebra
September 26, 2017
ISBN-13: 9781420138719
ISBN-10: 1420138715
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and
RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes
and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
