It’s a book that made me laugh out loud on many occasions, rereading scenes for an additional smile. The character development is spot on, realistic and relatable. So if I say that if I could I’d give this book more than 5 stars, would that convey my feelings? It’s difficult to find fault with this story.

How did I not know about KA Tucker before now?! A Canadian author from close to home, a slew of books out and it was only through a couple Zoom meetings (put on by the Kitchener Public Library) that had a number of authors recommending this book that had me (finally) reading The Simple Wild. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild. While she struggles to adjust to this new subarctic environment, Jonah-the quiet, brooding, and proud Alaskan pilot who keeps her father’s charter plane company operational-can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional-dear God-outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. But when her father reaches out to inform her that his days are numbered, Calla knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. Calla Fletcher was two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process.

The simple wild calla and jonah