Book Review - Wildflowers From Winter - Katie Ganshert

Title:    Wildflowers From Winter

Author:  Katie Ganshert

Review:  Get a box of tissues before you even open this book.  I'm not a fan of crying, I hate sad movies, sad books, sad things that happen in real life, I feel that there is enough unhappiness and sadness in the world that I don't need to take the time to read about it for pleasure.  Well I cried and cried and yet I still enjoyed this book and the journey it took me on.  I felt lifted as I finished the story.  


How can one person endure so much in such a short time?  God only gives us what we can handle and yet sometimes I wonder about that.  I think the thing is, is that God only gives us what we can handle, but we give ourselves more than is healthy or possible to overcome without assistance.  How many times have you found yourself strapped for time, money, companionship?  How often has this been from choices you have made having nothing to do with what has been force or put-upon you by others?

Finding comfort in loved ones and in our prayers to our loving Heavenly Father has always given me comfort.  But also sometimes I don't feel capable of his love and assaistance and try to make it alone. Why?  Who knows..maybe pride...maybe fear of rejection...maybe something completely different.  This story will pull you into the lives of the characters and also show the need for God in your life.  He gives peace, love, respect, and acceptence above all else.  Unconditional love is something you can always depend on from the man upstairs.  All you need to do is open your heart to him and he will be there, just like he always has been-you just weren't aware of it.

If you don't mind tears, joyous and morose, you will love this book(romance included).  It is not over religious.  God is on our sides and wants us to succeed, we just have to be open to him for his light to shine in our lives.  Happy endings are always my favorites even if it takes awhile to get there.  Read this book and really think about your relationships in this life and the next.

Publisher:  May 8th 2012 by The DoubledayReligious Publishing Group

Copyright: 2012

Pages:  320

ISBN:    9780307730381

Quick Review: 4  Stars out of 5. (I hate to cry.)

Where Did I Read the Book:  Sent by Bloggingfor Books for review.

Synopsis:   Like the winter, grief has a season. Life returns with the spring.

A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built the life she dreamed of during her teen years in a trailer park.  An unexpected 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 to her past while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected inheritance of five hundred acres 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.  When Bethany is left the land, Evan 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 that she’s not even sure exists?

Author Biography: Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the Midwest, where she currently writes inspirational romance novels set in present-day America. When she’s not busy plotting ways to get her hero and heroine to fall in love, she enjoys watching movies with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends at Panera®. She could talk books all day and is often spotted around town pushing a stroller, walking her dog, and reading—all at the same time.

Other Reviews:  A Time and a Season, Julie Martin Wallace Reviews,  The Songs on the Way