While reading THE AMISH SECRET WISH I became emotionally invested in all of the characters. They are all flawed, real and lovable! Once I started reading, I was instantly hooked. I devoured every page and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. This not so typical Amish story is filled with jealousy, temptation, lies, rumors, but also love, family, and second chances. THE AMISH SECRET WISH by Laura V. Hilton is the third book in the Hidden Springs series.

I quickly flew through THE AMISH SECRET WISH and when I finished I found myself wanting more. I loved all of the characters and found myself wanting to travel to Hidden Springs, IL. The tender moments in the story really pull at the reader’s heart strings. Hallie is the secret scribe for the Amish newspaper, The Budget. She recently lots her beau, Toby, and is nursing a broken heart. At his funeral, she meets Kiah for two seconds. Kiah is also trying to move on from his broken heart. He decides to write the advice columnist(Hallie) at The Budget. They quickly become pen pals, but never tell each other what their proper names are. Hallie’s not allowed to let anyone know who she is and that she is writing the articles.

Kiah is determined to find the person he fell in love with in her letters, but when he gets to Hidden Springs the situations he finds himself in are just hysterical. Plus it seems everyone is hindering his discovery of who the secret scribe really is! In THE AMISH SECRET WISH I loved Hallie and Kiah, the primary characters, but also fell in love with all of the secondary characters, especially George, as well. Every one of them has an important part to play in this heart warming story and even though I wanted to reach in and shake some sense into one or two of them every now and then, they all weaseled their way into my heart. This story is so funny and I found myself giggling out loud many many times. My emotions were all over the place and I was even reaching for the tissues quite a few times. Kiah and Hallie are both hiding painful pasts and are afraid of being exposed at any moment. Will they learn to forgive themselves and begin to live again?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Forever. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A sweet Amish romance, and the third in the Hidden Springs Series.

Kiah Eash travels to Hidden Sprigs to meet the Budget scribe who has captured his heart, he doesn't know much more than her initials GHB. But the woman who has caught his eye couldn't possibly be the scribe cold she?

Hallie has had a rough year, losing her boyfriend in a horrible natural disaster. She prays to God for a friend to confide in and share her heart with, but when God answers her prayer will she be able to accept the friend He sends.

A charming romance with familiar faces from the previous installments. It was a sweet read, and I liked that Kiah wanted to do the right things and ready to take a risk for love. It was slow going at times, because of all the misunderstandings, though I could see why Hallie wasn't ready to jump into a relationship right away. In the end a sweet Amish read.

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book. Opinions are my own.

I have always enjoyed the Amish books I have read by this author, and this is many of them.
The author writes with an authenticity in her Amish stories and it's apparent she has done a lot of research into this culture. I will always be looking for more books by this author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own...

The story was cute…definitely a little different.

Some things I wish: I would have liked to hear more about Kiah’s girlfriend. We get brief glimpses of it but not a ton of detail. There was another chapter at the end. I felt like we needed a little more closure. If these other characters are going to have stories of their own I would like to see one for Joy. Aaron seemed to have a weird place - almost like he was an after thought.

THE AMISH SECRET WISH is a nice continuation of the HIDDEN SPRINGS series, and I hope we’ll return to their Amish community again and again since there seem to be more stories to tell. This is Hallie and Kiah’s story, and it definitely is not as sedate as most Amish stories.

There are a lot of secrets and lies by omission. When Kiah’s family visits and stays with Hallie’s (so his dad can be the guest preacher at Hallie’s family’s church) things get interesting fast. She’s the secret scribe for their small Amish newsletter, and it’s a secret she’s forced to keep by the bishop. Kiah has been corresponding with the scribe, and his heart tells him the scribe is Hallie. Things go round and round as he tries to figure out who the scribe really is, and there are roadblocks thrown in his way by others.

Side plots, involving Hallie’s sister’s romance, as well as Kiah’s issues with an ex-girlfriend, don’t detract from the story but give the characters room to grow. Many of the characters pray for guidance, and the question of belief comes into play. THE AMISH SECRET WISH is funny, emotional, and filled with love. The cover is a wonderful presentation of the book, and though the story works, I wished it hadn’t ended so abruptly.

Ms. Hilton is an author whose few books I’ve read I’ve enjoyed. I have more of her books on my TBR pile including the first book in this series, THE AMISH WEDDING PROMISE.

I loved this book ! Beautiful and sweet. Wonderfully immersive. The writing is a bit simple, but I still appreciated the content.

Thank you to Netgalley for an opportunity to read and review this ARC. Enjoyable quick read. Sweet story, book three in the series but no problem reading it as a standalone.I would highly recommend this book!

Waitress Hallie Brunstetter has a secret: she writes a popular column for her Amish paper under the pen name GHB. When Hallie receives a letter from a reader asking to become her pen pal, she reluctantly agrees.
Kiah shows up in Hidden Springs looking for GHB which Hallie never expected to happen. If Kiah didn’t already feel a deep connection to GHB, Hallie would be a perfect wife— seems most of Hidden Springs’s matchmakers agree! Will Hallie ever trust Kiah with the truth about her identity . . . and her feelings for him?

I loved "The Amish Secret Wish" by Laura V. Hilton. Laura creates a story that will hook readers from the start. Characters that well developed and plots that are a lot of fun.

I look forward to reading more books written by Laura V. Hilton.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, no monetary exchange, only agreement was that I write an honest review of my own words. This is my review in my own words.

You know how you have to be in the right frame of mind to read certain books? That's what I think happened with I read The Amish Secret Wish by Laura V. Hilton. It's either my mood or I should've read the first two novels in the series first before delving into the third installment, especially since the beginning had a tone and feel like the reader was expected to know certain information, despite this being deemed a standalone book.

In saying that, it didn't take me long to get my bearings, but from the beginning I struggled to connect to any of the characters, which could be due to this being my first novel to read in the series. There are some humorous moments that are pretty charming, but even then it wasn't enough to engage me, and I continued to feel that disconnect with the characters throughout the entire novel. Again, I wonder if it's the novel or just my current state that has me struggling.

One part I did enjoy was the ending, even if it felt extremely rushed. I was hoping for more and really think the story would've benefited with an additional chapter or an epilogue. I put the book down feeling both satisfied yet wanting more. Just when I had started to engage the book abruptly ended.

Overall The Amish Secret Wish has a juvenile feel, especially considering that both the main characters exuding immaturity throughout, in both thoughts and actions, making me feel like this would be a decent read for younger audiences. I am debating on giving this series another shot, and going back to read book one, in hopes that I will like it more, and gain a better understanding and appreciation for The Amish Secret Wish. I truly did want to love this novel, but sadly it was a lackluster read for me.

"The Amish Secret Wish" presents readers with a cross between slapstick comedy and thwarted romance. Hallie and Kiah conduct their romance as pen pals, although Kiah does not know Hallie's name. He knows her only as "the scribe" with initials GBH. When the opportunity to meet her presents itself, Kiah is determined to find and court the woman with whom he has fallen in love via letters. However, circumstances repeatedly work against them. The blessed Gott has a way of working things out for those who remain faithful, and this occurs in the course of the story. The characters reveal themselves as flawed individuals, with obstacles and hang-ups to be overcome. Although the action occurs over the course of just a few days, the roller coaster ride of emotions packs a lot into such a short time.

I sometimes felt as if the novel was written for filming, with the inclusion of quirky characters and Kiah's constant mishaps (thus my referral to slapstick comedy scenes). I also dislike the contemporary writing style that utilizes short,incomplete sentences for emphasis. However, that is a personal preference that may not present a problem for other readers. The plot became a bit tiresome as Kiah and Hallie engaged in the tug-of-war of emotions, as well as Kiah's wild goose chase for "the scribe" with Hallie's initials GBH. The Christian message is overt but not preachy.

Readers who enjoy a sweet romance with a touch of spice will find this a fun read, although it differs somewhat from traditional Amish novels. The book ends rather quickly with some surprising twists.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I have come to the conclusion that this series is just not for me. I love this author’s other Amish novels, the ones that are of a more serious nature. She always does an incredible job of writing the chemistry between the two main characters. However, I have read two of the books from this series and neither one were what I was hoping for.

There is a lot of what I would call slapstick humor in this story, especially in regards to the character, George. I know he is comic relief, yet he just got on my nerves. I also simply did not understand why Hallie would lie about not being the scribe. I know it was a secret position to hold, yet, her back and forth regarding the matter with Kiah was very frustrating to me. I guess I was just very frustrated with many characters in this book, including Kiah’s father and Hallie’s horrid sister, Anna!

I will definitely keep reading books by this author as she has written some of my very favorite Amish novels! This series, however, was not for me.

(2.5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Amish Secret Wish by Laura V. Hilton is the 3rd Hidden Springs novel. While it can be read as a standalone, I believe it works better if read after the other two books in the series. Hallie Brunstetter suffered deeply after losing her fiancé, Toby. Being the community’s scribe for The Budget has helped her to heal. She writes under her initials GHB because the bishop has decreed that no one can know her identity. Kiah Esh suffered a heartbreak as well. He found himself enjoying GHB’s articles and decided to write to her. The two have become pen pals. Kiah has fallen in love with his pen pal and has come to Hidden Springs to find her. He meets Hallie whom he finds intriguing and begins spending time with her. Kiah soon wishes that GHB was Hallie. He is unsure how to proceed. The Amish Secret Wish is a humorous Amish tale. I had trouble in the beginning getting into the story. The beginning felt stilted and that I should know information that had yet to be provided (unless you read the prior books). The story gets better after the first couple of chapters. I enjoyed the humorous situations scattered throughout the story. I giggled frequently while reading. Kiah got himself into a number of situations that caused chaos. I did feel that Hallie and Kiah were immature characters. They reminded me of teenagers, not adults who were contemplating marriage. I loved Bishop Nathan along with George, Kiah’s parents, Hallie’s parents, and Hallie’s sister, Joy. The situation with Kiah’s father and Kiah’s ex-girlfriend felt contrived. I found the ending to be rushed and abrupt. The Amish Secret Wish needed an epilogue to make it feel complete. This is a sweet, fun story that is good for a younger audience. I feel that some rewriting and editing were needed. I am not, though, sorry that I read this story. It made me laugh and smile which I needed. Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and mayhem abound in The Amish Secret Wish. The Amish Secret Wish is an amusing tale with assassinated ants, a wily woodpecker, a droll disguise, a broken buggy, patient parents, and a wary whippersnapper.

Hallie Brunstetter is the local new columnist for The Budget newspaper that circulates to all the Amish communities. Kiah Esch is a young man who has been fascinated with the anonymous author of the column and has been corresponding with her through the newspaper. They have developed quite a friendship through their correspondence. When he comes to town with his parents he finds himself in the home of Hallie and her family as a visitor. He is anxious to learn the identity of his pen-pal and goes to great lengths to track her down. No one knows who the columnist is except Hallie, her father and the Bishop, who has decreed that no one should know who the correspondent is and has said she will be replaced if her identity is discovered. Poor Kiah cannot seem to do anything right although his heart is certainly in the right place. Hilarity ensues and they finally work it out. Well worth the read!



I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I was not a fan of this book, I found the characters to be immature and childish like yet the author seemed to also put them into adult situations that just didn't seem to fit very well with there immaturity. I can honestly say the only person I like in the whole book was the Bishop and Joy they seem to have the most common sense out of the bunch. in the end of the story I was like really that's it. It just seemed like the author rushed it at the end and left it up to the read to tie it into a nice bow. Overall this book was not for me

Have you ever had a secret wish? Were you afraid to tell? Did you believe that if spoken it would not happen?
Hallie was heartbroken and afraid for her future. She needed to face this fear to ever fulfil GOD's plan.

Kiah was determined to find his true love. But at all costs?

It seemed that Kiah and Hallie were not going to get together. There were obstacles between them and in their communities that stood in their way. There were family members that had other plans. But remember:

Jeremiah 29:11
New International Version
For know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This is one of my favorite passages from the Bible. I have kept this close to my heart as I dealt with the ups and downs of my life.

A lovely story about the importance of faith and family. Both Hallie and Kiah were blessed by GOD's love and guidance as well as their family's.

I enjoyed the book and loved visiting Hidden Springs.

Philippians 4:13 ESV
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Hallie has a huge secret, she's the town’s scribe for The Budget magazine. Through her position, she becomes pen pals with Kiah Esh. He comes to town looking for the scribe, but she has to keep the position secret!
This was a sweet and engaging love story. I love how Kiah and Hallie treated each other. I would say that Kiah was a little “spicy” for an Amish man. He was not like the other male characters I have read about before. Hallie’s mammi, grandmother, was also a great character. She wasn’t a “boring old lady”.
This book is the third in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone novel. Of course, I want to read the first two books now.
This was not the same old-same old Amish romance novel. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

An Amish Secret Wish, by Laura V. Hilton, is the third book in the Hidden Spring series. Hallie is the secret scribe writing articles for The Budget. She and Kiah met briefly when he was previously in the area. They have been writing to each other and he only knows her as the scribe, or GHB. He has accompanied his parents to Hidden Springs and is searching the the scribe as he has fallen in love with her through their letters.

This is a fun story to read. I enjoyed the humor in the story with the different things that don’t go quite the way Kiah plans them to. The writing is so clear it is easy to imagine Kiah dressed in disquise to get away from the divebombing woodpecker as well as to envision cats being tossed out of the neighbors house. I really enjoyed reading this story. Hallie takes following the rules of the Amish very strongly with keeping her scribe position secret when it would be so easy to tell others.

I received a complimentary ebook from the author. I was not required to write this honest review.

Such a cute and different Amish story! Hallie is a scribe for an Amish newspaper and has to keep that under wraps, so to speak. Through this means she becomes pen pals and gets to really know an Amish man, Hezekiah, AKA Kiah, who falls in love with "the scribe". He is determined to meet her and marry this woman. So they meet! The rest you will need to find out on your own.
The book was a light and even funny at times, book! I enjoyed it and I loved the sweet story. I remembered some things from the previous book in the series that came to light in book 3, but it can easily be a stand-alone book.

I received an ebook copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Laura Hilton is a new to me author. After reading The Amish Secret Wish, she is now a must read author. I loved this story. The plot was a lot of fun. Kiah was very entertaining. The scenes with the woodpecker had me laughing out loud. I liked how the author took two people with insecurities and how they started making tentative steps toward each other. Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing)for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Amish Secret Wish
Book 3 in the Hidden Springs Series
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

The Amish Secret Wish was a very good and sweet story about two people have dealt with different kinds of heartache. Hallie is still dealing with the pain of losing her fiance and Kiah the loss of a relationship because his girlfriend had cheated on him. They develop a friendship via letters. He writes as himself but Hallie is only known as the scribe of her local newspaper. During this exchange of letters they begin to develop feelings for each other. Kiah decides to go in search of his scribe and easily identifies her as Hallie, but Hallie is not ready for a relationship and denies being the one who has writing letters to him. This is when the story unfolds and Kiah decides to go on a quest to describe the true identity of the scribe.
I really felt bad for Kiah for most of the story. He goes through so much to find his this mysterious scribe. Though he is going in circles deep down he knows that Hallie is the one for him. This is what I really liked about him. His feelings were always sure for Hallie. Hallie, poor girl, has have to dealt with a depression on her own and feels guilty for going on her life that she drives Kiah crazy with her unsure feelings.
In the end some truths were revealed that made Kiah's journey in finding his scribe a happy one.