"Once Upon a Buggy"
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Kensington Books
March 28, 2023
10-1496769833


Twenty-two-year-old May Schott wonders what life has in store for her. Six years ago, her best friend, Carl Hilty—the man she hoped would one day be her husband—was in a tragic accident. May had asked him to meet her in her family’s barn when a storm ensued, and lightning hit the structure, causing a fire. May panicked as Carl tried to get her to flee, but instead, she froze, unable to move. Carl managed to pull her out before the barn collapsed, and/or they both got burned, but through his heroism, he suffered fatal burns and needed extensive medical treatment.

Away from their hometown of Apple Creek, Ohio, Carl healed, albeit left with scars all over his body. As he recovered, he was able to get training and found lucrative employment, forgoing his Amish upbringing by becoming “Englisch.”

Things haven’t been the same for the Schott and Hilty families because of this tragedy. Carl’s parents blame May and the Shotts for what happened to their son, and they have shown hostility toward the Schotts ever since. May blames herself for Carl’s disfigurement and pain, and her only wish is to apologize to him.
Now, after all this time, Carl is coming for a visit:

“After years of wishing and hoping and praying, Carl Hilty had come back home. Her next-door neighbor, childhood best friend—the boy who’d saved her life—had finally returned. She was going to be able to see him in person.

“Adrenaline, fueled by a surge of nervousness and excitement, shot through her as she craned her neck. She was anxious to catch even a glimpse of Carl, but it was next to impossible. It looked as if the entire Amish population of Apple Creek was currently trying to do the same thing.

“May supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised. Carl was a hero, and he’d been gone for such a very long time. Six years was practically an eternity.”

May desperately needs to let him know how sorry she is the reason for what he has suffered. She wishes they can pick up their relationship where they left off. Though they were only teens, there was love between them.
When she encounters him, she can only stare at him, not knowing what to say. What is worse is his chilly demeanor toward her. She wonders, does he really hate me? How can she mend fences and get her best friend back, be in his good graces? She believes he wants no part of her, yet he thinks she is appalled by his appearance and will reject him, even considering he still has feelings for her.

After being away from his faith and community, Carl still is the same man he always was, even though he drives a truck, works with a computer, and uses a cell phone. May sees him as the caring, generous, and kind person he was as a kid, and she would do anything to show she still loves him. The Hiltys’ contempt toward her has her fearing she will never be accepted.

Even with the tension between the two families, May’s brother, Walker, is in love with Carl’s sister, Ally. However, the only way they can see each other is on the sly until Carl unearths their secret and announces it to his family. His parents are appalled, and they insist Ally break ties with Walker—either that or she is to leave their home. Upset, Ally loves Walker, so she will leave her home rather than lose him. Carl comes up with the plan for them to marry quickly, though this is not the usual way the Amish plan their nuptials.

Carl and May start to repair their relationship, and their main goal is to get their parents on friendly terms. The Amish are recognized as being peace-loving and forgiving, so why can’t the Hiltys understand this?

As time passes, May and Carl become closer, and everyone notices it. May’s father talks with her about her love for Carl, though she believes there’s no chance for a relationship due to him no longer being Amish. Her dad states:

“‘May, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Robin and Able [Carl’s parents]. I’ve always figured life is made up of a lot of events, some big and some small.’ . . .

. . . “‘Do you also agree that some of those events—like weddings and funerals and births—well, they’re going to be memorable because they are huge, life-changing events?’

“‘Jah.’

“‘Then I want you to think about how the Lord gives us all myriad other less-significant moments in our lives. Some of them create lasting memories, too, for one reason or another. But I’ve always felt that there are other events that mark a person in unique ways. Whether it’s a fire or a job loss or even an injury, things don’t affect all of us the same way.’

“He exhaled. ‘What I’m trying to tell ya is that every person on this earth has their own ‘fire’ story. Maybe it doesn’t involve getting burned or separated from someone they care for, but it’s a trauma. I think it’s wrong to put so much emphasis on just one event—and selfish to think everyone else hasn’t through something just as difficult for them.’

“‘Dad, I don’t disagree with you. But I don’t understand how that affects my future with Carl.’

“‘What I’m trying to say, daughter is that you can either look at the fire and its aftermath as the biggest event in your life . . . or you can decide it’s just one of many big events you hope to experience. Respect that it happened and come to terms with the reality that it changed you and Carl—and everyone else in the family, too.’ He lowered his voice. ‘But then move on.’”

For their relationship to work, May and Carl must deal with Carl’s parents’ indifference, and they also have to face the reality of the accident. Will the Hiltys be willing to lose a daughter and a son due to their opinions and stubbornness? Can May’s loving father’s wise advice bring closure to the horrific occurrence they both endured? Is deep and abiding affection for each other enough to demonstrate they belong together?
Tragedy can happen to anyone at any time, and it takes the wisdom of May’s father to prove good can come from bad. A tale filled with pain as well as wisdom, "Once Upon a Buggy" is an insightful read into human nature—not just of those of the Amish sect—and how to deal with dire circumstances.

Such a well written book by Shelley Shepard Gray that draws you in with storylines of faith, guilt, trials and forgiveness. If you are looking for a clean, enjoyable read, you will want to purchase this book. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher. All words and opinions are my own.

You can pray for God to fix your problems, but he might respond by giving the tools to fix them yourself.

It has been 6 years since May Schott has seen Carl Hilty. A barn fire that severely injured Carl and has haunted May with guilt. Was it her fault? Did Carl blame her? During Carl's recovery in the city, he never wanted May to see him. He had called this his dark place. Carl has come back to Apple Creek as a English man. He works for a English firm, he drives a truck, however, one does the one thing remain- his feelings for May. When they see each other, they are guarded with their feelings. It's only when their siblings have a romance of their own that they are faced with whatever feelings they may have. If they still do have feelings for each other, which one of them will follow the other.

I enjoyed reading this well paced romance. Carl and May where left in a emotional train wreck but after 6 long hard years, they both had time to think about what was important. What their feelings were really based on. They also had to mine the feelings of the others. Their parents who also suffered heartache of a different kind. Their story reminds me of how we are so intertwined with each other. How our relationships affect families, spouses, and community. It was a thoughtful read and one that I appreciated.

A special thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

A sweet story of love, regret, and second chances. I enjoyed this quick easy read.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did not have the pleasure of reading the first book in this series but I enjoyed getting to know these characters. I found the characters of May and Carl so interesting as they battle the burns from their past. It was at times difficult to understand the family dynamics of holding a grudge for so long but enjoyed the way the author navigated those issues.


Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

3.5 stars.
A very sweet read with a wounded but not bitter hero, “Once Upon a Buggy”, by Shelley Shepard Gray (Kensington Books), is about achieving maturity, forgiveness and the clash between two different worlds.
Carl and May are two caring, sweet young people, trying to reconnect after a tragedy and a six year separation.
I liked Carl and his matter-of-factness about the scarring, its impact on others and their reactions.
I think I would have liked to know more about the healing/rehabilitation process and how it turned out to be such a radical change in the hero’s way of life. I felt the need to know more about his lonely yet successful life in Cleveland.
Yet the simplicity, the acceptance behind his calm personality is enticing to watch.
I didn’t quite understand the straddling of two worlds and how Carl apparently so easily abdicated from the Amish way (no doubt my ignorance).
As this is in part a story about a feud between families, the melodrama, miscommunication and misunderstandings were more on the elder people side; and the younger people often showed more common sense.
I liked the author’s writing style and the romance between May and Walker.
The alpacas are cute but the story sometimes seemed taken over by their antics.
I also felt the story could have been abbreviated without losing its interest.
It was a quick, easy, enjoyable read, addressing some serious, interesting issues.