Wishing On Willows

About The Book:  Does a second chance at life and love always involve surrender?  A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa, she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.  So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.  As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.  With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances.

About The Author:  Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the Midwest, where she writes stories about finding faith and falling in love. When she’s not busy plotting her next novel, she enjoys being silly and laughing with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends over coffee and bagels. She and her husband are in the process of adopting from the Congo.

My Thoughts On The Book: Wishing on Willows from page one. This book was such  a heartfelt story about moving forward after loss and not letting fear hold you back from what God has for you. I felt as if I knew the characters and was part of their lives.  Ganshert is a master character developer.  Robin owns Willow Tree, a cafe she opened after her husband's death, and she is a single mom, raising a son she was pregnant with when her husband died.  Enters Ian who comes to town to scope things out for building condominiums. A major problem arises when the place Ian is interested in developing is where Robin's cafe is locatd. Sparks fly. But in the midst of it all, Robin and Ian's characters begin to develop a deeper relationship with each other....and with God.  I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read Katie Ganshert's first novel, Wildflowers from Winter, you might want to read it first so you can get the full story. Both books are awesome! 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group's review program for bloggers, Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review. All they asked for was an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.


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Wildflowers From Winter

Release date: May, 8 2012

Publisher: Waterbrook Press
ISBN-10:0307730387
ISBN-13: 978-0307730381

 

About The Book:  A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces Bethany to come up with a new plan.  Handsome farmhand Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps so carefully locked away.  For Bethany, making peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not even sure exists?

Want to read a sample from the book?  Click here if you do.

About the Author:  Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the Midwest, where she writes stories about finding faith and falling in love. When she’s not busy plotting her next novel, she enjoys watching movies with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends over bagels. She and her husband are in the process of adopting from the Congo. You can find her online at her blog and on Facebook. 

My Thoughts:  Katie Ganshert has a knack with character development.  Bethany comes off so hard in the beginning only to soften as she realizes where her love lies.  This young woman had overcome so much and I related to her turmoil where God, her mom, her grandfather, and her dad were concerned.  As a 9 year old survivor from a brother's accidental death, this story was like deja vu.  I shared every emotion and feeling Bethany had with her.  I loved this book and cannot wait to read another book by Katie Ganshert.   Once I started reading the book....I read non-stop.  This was one of those stories you give up sleep and food for....at least I did.  Great read!  Thank you Katie!

Disclaimer:  I received this book from the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Groups Blogging for Books program in an exchange for a fair and honest review.