When you need a lighter romance read try RETURN TO
HUCKLEBERRY HILL. This is the sixth in the series
'Huckleberry Hill' which follows the exploits of a
matchmaking grandmother in a relatively relaxed Amish
community. Some Amish romances are all about internal strife
and experiencing tragedy. This book takes a lighter touch
and gently reminds us that pride goes before a fall.
Take Reuben Helmuth. As the prosperous bishop's son in
Sugarcreek, he was sure he wouldn't have to work too hard to
please a maid; he was such a good catch. But the girl he
decides to propose to has fallen for his best friend, as he
discovers at midwinter, and everyone seems to know about it
but him. Reuben can't face the loss of his pride so he goes
off to live with his grandparents in Huckleberry Hill,
initially just for a visit. Spring comes and he's still
there, kind and content, making himself very useful since
his granddad is eighty. Of course, this gives his grandma
Anna time to plan a little surprise.
Fern King is the daughter of a simple pig farmer so even
though she gets on fine with Reuben, who lives with her
neighbours, she knows he'd never stoop to fancy her. She's
willing to help elderly Anna, picking a list of unwed girls
and assembling a knitting group in the house. They all need
to knit, and may as well chat while they do it. This will
also give the girls a chance to look over Reuben. The group
includes Sadie Yoder, whose dad is a wealthy minister. My,
how the knitting needles get sharpened!
As always we get to look at a simpler lifestyle. Fern enjoys
planting tomato seedlings, and other than her best church
dress has two dresses to her name. The ladies dispute
whether being a good cook or a good knitter is best for a
wife. The community is shown as holding a chickenpox party
to infect all the children, rather than get them vaccinated.
Spain has been vaccinating for twenty years, Ireland more
recently so this attitude does seem outdated and potentially
harmful. At the same time, one farmer heats his home's water
and underfloor heating with solar panels, while we see an
Amish girl outside the town cleaning offices for a living.
Jennifer Beckstrand keeps her series fresh and shows some
very human, identifiable sides of her characters. RETURN TO
HUCKLEBERRY HILL can be read as a standalone or part of the
series.
When it comes to matchmaking, Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin’s
unstoppable octogenarians Anna and Felty Helmuth never seem
to run out of opportunities—or grandchildren...
Reuben Helmuth is plenty bitter. John King, his best
friend—or so he thought—is engaged to the girl Reuben loved.
Humiliated, Reuben flees from Ohio to his grandparents’ home
on Huckleberry Hill, where he knows he’ll find comfort. He’s
enjoying wallowing in his misery—until John’s sister, Fern,
shows up. She won’t stop pestering Reuben about
forgiveness—or trying to help him find love again. Yet
Fern's efforts only reawaken Reuben’s long-buried
feelings—for her…
With her brother too ashamed to face Reuben, it’s fallen to
Fern to help mend fences. But as she and the Helmuths do all
they can—even organizing a knitting club event filled with
eligible girls—it may take one more challenge to inspire
Reuben to forget his heartache, recognize his own blunders,
and embrace the true love that’s right in front of him…
Thank you so much for the review. I hope readers like reading "Return to Huckleberry Hill" as much as I enjoyed writing it. Anna and Felty will keep you laughing! Have a great day. (Jennifer Beckstrand 4:18pm October 6, 2017)
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