12/18/2023
Hubbard (Hidden Away at Promise Lodge) wraps up the Promise Lodge series with an energetic if overstuffed tale of unexpected love. Bad-boy Isaac Chupp is eager to escape a checkered past in Coldstream, Mo., for a quieter life in the Amish colony of Promise Lodge. But his reputation travels fast between the two communities, which are a three-hour drive apart. Soon nearly the whole town knows about his drunken exploits, including accidentally setting two barns on fire when he knocked over lit lanterns. Storekeeper Dale Kraybill is willing to give Isaac a job if he makes amends with those he’s harmed, which Isaac hopes might persuade Vera Brubaker that he’s “worthy of her time.” But when Vera starts to get close to Ezra Overholt, Isaac makes a jealous blunder that spoils his chances with her. Things become even more complicated when Maria Zehr, who’s recently returned to town, sets her sights on Ezra. After several more twists and turns, Maria and Isaac find their way to one another and sparks fly, though they’ll need to keep their volatile emotions in check to build a future together. While the many relationships and subplots can be hard to track, Hubbard’s fans will appreciate cameos by favorite characters from other books in the series, and there’s more than enough heart to keep readers hooked until the end. This is good fun. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency. (Mar.)
