KIRKUS REVIEW: A young woman poised to marry her beloved must face the machinations of his former fiancee in the third installment of West’s (Hetty Makes it Happen, 2014, etc.) series.
In 1960, the shy, sweet 20-year-old Hetty Lawrence has graduated early from college and is thrilled to be back in her forest home. She visits “Hannah,” the mighty tree that was once her dreamy childhood refuge and the place where she later confessed her love to Morgan Morganthal. Soon after that confession, Morgan halted his wedding to Katrinka Wallace, the stunning daughter of a dwarf named Phil, who’s Morgan’s father’s partner in a family circus business. Morgan is finished with law school and eager to start his new life with Hetty. Then Phil dies, and Katrinka leans on Morgan for support. She also hints to Morgan that Hetty, due to a heart condition, shouldn’t have children and manipulates Ignatz, a former circus employee dismissed for animal cruelty, to help her trap Morgan into marriage. Hetty tries not to feel threatened by Katrinka’s actions and does her best to fulfill Phil’s dying wish for her to be a friend to his daughter. She also tries to help reignite the love between Morgan’s parents and later undergoes a glamorous transformation. West once again combines charming illustrations of Hetty and other characters with a romance plot featuring gently humorous and slightly edgy elements. The tense marriages of Morgan’s parents and Hetty’s biological father and new stepmother, for example, darken the perspectives of the lead couple—at least for a time. Katrinka continues to be a compellingly nuanced character: devious yet also a loving daughter. The proceedings can be a bit silly at times, as when muscleman Ignatz gets distracted by thoughts of a juicy burger. Still, West wraps up this romance in her trademark rollicking, family-friendly fashion, complete with a Cinderella turn by the always-appealing Hetty.
An amusing, satisfying conclusion to a charming heroine’s love story.
"Innocence has never been so much fun." —The Hollywood Times
CHAPTER ONE
Hetty Waits
The Career Woman
I Have a Plan, Daddy
The Album
The Gossip Column
CHAPTER TWO
Yours for Keeps
The Journal Entry
In the Shade of the Bridesmaid
The Plan
CHAPTER THREE
Talking Things Over
Almost a Promise
Poor Thing
A Box of Candied Fruit
CHAPTER FOUR
Probably Both
The Charging Bull
To the Cleaners
Truth
CHAPTER FIVE
Late for Dinner
A Slip in Time
Dinner Disaster
CHAPTER SIX
Dinner Can Wait
Comings and Goings
Dessert
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Lie
Save It
Revisiting Hannah
Why These Dreams?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Happy Anniversary
Trust
The Morning News
CHAPTER NINE
Ignoring the Morning News
Flaky
The Funeral
Bereaved Beauty
CHAPTER TEN
The Train Trip
Replacing Sabrina
I Can’t Bear the Guilt
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Her Hero
Free Counsel and Advice
A Change of Heart
Wrinkle Phobia
CHAPTER TWELVE
Closer than Ever
Guts and Values
Tangled Threads
When Pigs Fly
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Fire in Her Eyes
Fat City
A Dead Cat
A Nose for News
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Consequences
Like Zorro
Questions Without Answers
Friends
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Holding Pen
The Nonsense Quotation
Dearly Beloved
Missing
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Cautiously
Goodbye
A Total Loss
P.S. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
A. Letter from Hetty to Parents (excerpts)
B. Letter from Max to Morgan
C. Letter from Ignatz to Morgan
D. Letter from Joseph to Katrinka
E. Letter from Hetty to Katrinka
F. Thank you note from Hetty to Melinda
G. Tilly Tells All Gossip Column
H. Note from Morgan to Pippa