Her Only Wish

Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Genre: Amish Romance
Series: A Season in Pinecraft #2
Pages: 288
Release Date: June 6, 2023
Publisher: Revell

The time for playing it safe is over

Sheltered yet adventurous, Betsy Detweiler is on a mission to get out of Kentucky and experience new things in life. She's got a list--a life list. What better place to start than with her friends in beautiful Pinecraft, Florida?

From the moment Betsy walks onto the Snow Bird Golf Course to sign up for lessons, August Troyer is mesmerized. Betsy is a mass of contradictions--beautiful yet awkward, outgoing yet unsure, joyful yet hesitant. She's like no one he's ever met before, and as the only child of missionary parents, he's met a lot of people.

As Betsy and August embark on a month of enjoying life to the fullest, they'll encounter several reasons to back off and live small. But life--and love--require risk.

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Reviewer: Deanne Patterson

I have read just about every book this author has out. Shelley Shepard Gray's books are automatic reads for me. I have never read one I haven't enjoyed. Her books are so realistic you can see all the scenarios happening. 

Her Only Wish is an Amish book that is the second book in the, A Season in Pinecraft series. This is Betsy Detweiler and August Troyer's story.

In the first book, Betsy comes down to Pinecraft, Florida, on a bus with three other Amish women. The four women did not know each other before the bus trip. Before the bus could make it to Florida, the bus was delayed by an ice storm, and the women had to stay in a hotel room for the night, talking and giggling and sharing life stories. Before they left the room, they had become best friends. This story focuses on one of these women, Betsy.

Now that she has left Kentucky, Betsy is determined to leave her old life behind and her old attitude behind as well. Betsy is a shy, conservative girl, but with a new start in a new area, she also makes a "life-list," as she calls it. She is determined to become more outgoing and try new things not all Amish women may know how to do, such as learning to play golf, ride a horse, and swim.

On the golf course, she meets outgoing August, who happens to be the owner's nephew, and he offers to give her golf lessons. She is staying with one of the Amish women she met on the bus, who is now married.
Betsy has asthma and had a bad flare-up one evening, requiring medical attention. I know how scary this is, as we have a daughter with asthma. 

The book is sweet and charming. I really liked August's character. He is so encouraging with Betsy, not once making her feel bad for being a terrible golf player and helping her to come out of her shell. He's there for her whenever she needs him, including during her medical emergency.

I just loved this book and look forward to reading the next one in this series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Reviewer: Juanita Varela

I loved the first book, and I was so excited to read the second book. I loved this book as well. 

Betsy and her life list made a difference in other people’s lives. 

August is a guy who was never enough for his parents. Let me just say that his parents weren’t right to have treated him that way. I am so glad August had people who loved and treated him right. 

Betsy and August fell in love pretty quickly. But it was a hard road for them. 

The side characters were my favorite part. Nate was so funny with his courtship. And hearing Brianna’s story. They were so innocent in their love for each other.

I felt bad for Annie and Danielle. They had a hard life, but I was glad to see how it ended for them. The only thing I didn’t like was that I would have liked to see Annie or at least hear how she was doing in the last chapter.

What I really liked about this book is that it was clean. There are parts where characters are thinking about the opposite sex. Like touching them longer or wanting them to touch them, but it never goes further than that. It is nothing “bad,” but I know that makes some people uncomfortable, so I just wanted to mention that. 

Trigger warnings: asthma attack, toxic parents. 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own. 

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Reviewer: Connie Porter Saunders

I enjoyed my first fictional visit to Pinecraft, Florida, with Her Heart's Desire, so I was especially glad to return for a second trip! Her Only Wish allows me to meet new characters while catching up with characters that I've met before. One is sweet Betsy Detweiler, and I'm adopting her philosophy about having a life list instead of a bucket list. Betsy has led a sheltered life and wants to enjoy new experiences now instead of waiting until she's dying to check items off of a bucket list! Shouldn't this be the goal for all of us? 

As Betsy works to check items off her life list, she finds friendship with an equally fantastic character. August Troyer is kind and devoted to his family, but he isn't sure he wants the life his parents have planned for him. Is there a chance that Betsy and August might create a life list they can check off together?

Heartwarming, entertaining, and inspiring are adjectives that I often associate with this author's stories, and this book fits them to a tee! There's romance, adventure, and a reminder that we're sometimes challenged to reach past our comfort zones. Shelley Shepard Gray also gives readers a peek at a future adventure that's waiting in Pinecraft. I highly recommend Her Only Wish to all who enjoy Amish romance and contemporary fiction.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Tammy Lunsford

My heart is so full after reading this uplifting story of a young Amish girl, Betsy. Betsy has been coddled and sheltered by her parents for her entire life because of health issues. Betsy decides to take the plunge and leave her parents' Kentucky home for a one-month vacation in Pinecraft, Florida, to visit her friend, Mary Margaret.

She shares her reason for her visit with Mary Margaret. She has what she calls a life list. She quickly corrects Mary Margaret when she calls it a bucket list. She tells her that her life list is things she wants to do to make her feel like she is living, whereas a bucket list is things to do before you die.

One of her items is to take golf lessons. When she arrives at the Snow Bird Golf Course, she meets August Troyer. He is fascinated and, quite frankly, blown away by this woman who is fierce in her determination, but she is also a precious woman who really has no idea of her beauty. 

August is the son of missionary parents and has lived all over the world. Betsy has rarely left her home in Kentucky. August's relationship with his parents is complicated and edgy. Betsy's relationship with her parents is that of parents who fear for her safety and have sheltered her too much because of their fears. I really liked her parents. Both August and Betsy will learn life lessons from each other as they go on Betsy's journey together.  

Betsy touches the lives of almost everyone she meets. Her self-discovery and childlike eagerness to learn to do the simple things we all take for granted is a lesson many need to stop and smell the roses and fully appreciate life. For everyone she encounters, it is like a breath of fresh air, and they realize their lives will never be the same.  

I was enthralled with this sweet love story of two souls needing each other. Betsy's life list inspired me to think about making a list myself. I just fell in love with all of the characters. The author knows how to make her characters' emotions bleed off the page. I could feel their pain, sadness, and excitement just from reading their story. I feel like I have lived at the beach with them for the past day. I would give this story ten stars if it was allowed.  

Thank you to Revell Books for a courtesy copy of this book through Interviews and Reviews. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Reviewer: Jeanette Durkin

What an exceptional book! I loved everything about it. The setting of Pinecraft, Florida, is picturesque and beautiful. The story is heartwarming.

Betsy is a fantastic character. She has a life list. She wants to accomplish certain things in life and is determined to cross items off the list. She meets August. August is extraordinary. He's nice, compassionate, helpful, and a devoted family man. Their love story is sweet and romantic. The other characters are fabulous-each great in their own way.

A definite must-read!

I was provided a copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews and Reviews for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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