Wildflowers from Winter: A Novel (Wildflowers from Winter Series)

by Katie Ganshert

Paperback, 2012

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Series

Wildflowers from Winter (1)

Genres

Publication

WaterBrook (2012), 320 pages

Description

"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?" -- Cover verso.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member The_Hibernator

Bethany Quinn is voraciously pushing her way to the top of an architect career in Chicago when she gets an unexpected call from her estranged mother. Bethany’s childhood friend (also estranged) has a family emergency, and Bethany’s grandfather has heart problems. Bethany reluctantly takes time

off work to visit her hometown—a place she hoped to never see again. There, with the help of a renewed friendship and a rather grumpy, but handsome, man she learns that the world isn’t as dreary as she once thought it was. I loved this book. I could easily relate to Bethany’s problems and personality, so she seemed so real and personal to me. Evan, the handsome farmer, was annoying and endearing at the same time; therefore, the budding romance had a realistic tension. Bethany’s religious epiphany was a little sudden, granted, but it was set up well. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes Christian romance.

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LibraryThing member gincam

Author Katie Ganshert's debut work, "Wildflowers from Winter", is beautifully written and perfectly paced. There are no false notes in this involving story which flows like a bubbling stream toward a waiting lake. I loved the characters, and I understood their conflicts and appreciated their

struggles to make sense of what was happening around them. Each character in turn had a crisis of faith, and there were no simple answers. Their pain as they suffered their spiritual struggles was poignantly etched. All of us will face unexpected challenges and unwanted losses. There is no way to live a human life and not know these things. Often, bad things that happen to us work in tandem like a line of dominoes--as one moves forward, it sets the others in motion to follow. Bethany Quinn worked hard to leave behind her rural trailer-park young life to become a successful Chicago architect. As a child she had loved spending time with her grandfather at his farm. When Bethany's father died, her mother moved Bethany and her brother away to a quite different life, shadowed by her mother's complex personality and involvement with a local minister. Bethany loathes Pastor Fenton, and her mother's devotion to the man widens the chasm between mother and daughter. Years later, as Bethany seems to have all she has worked to achieve within her grasp, her beloved grandfather becomes ill, and Bethany also learns that the best friend of her youth, Robin, has suffered a tragedy. Bethany goes home, to the little community of Peaks, Iowa. She wants to make sure that her grandfather will be all right, and she tries to think of a way to comfort Robin, whose husband is in a coma after a tragic accident. Immediately upon her arrival at the farm, she has a tense confrontation with Evan Price, who manages the farm for Bethany's Grandpa Dan. Later, Bethany learns that Robin is married to Evan's brother, Micah, who will never recover from his injuries. Micah is considered to be clinically dead, and heart-shattering decisions must be made about the future. Unable to bear the weight of the grief around her, Bethany assures herself that Grandpa Dan is okay, and she quickly returns to Chicago. A phone call from Evan soon shatters her illusions, as her grandfather's death brings her home once again. At the same time she loses Grandpa Dan, her career comes to an end through company downsizing, and her relationship with her ambitious lawyer boyfriend becomes doubtful. To her shock, she inherits her grandfather's farm land, but Evan inherits the farmhouse, equipment, and livestock. The split inheritance forces her to face her attraction to Evan, and she must decide whether to sell the land or stay in Peaks. Her friend Robin is pregnant, widowed, and much in need of Bethany's support. Truly at a crucial turning point in her life, Bethany is pulled from many directions, and the strong spiritual faith shown by Evan and Robin seems outside her ability to accept. As Bethany faces secrets from her past and searches for resolution for her future, her heart begins to heal, and she finds new strength and purpose. What will her future hold? What are the right decisions for everyone? Will Bethany learn to let go and reach out for happiness with Evan and find inner peace? How will Robin overcome her grief and thrive along with the new life she is bringing into the world? Katie Ganshert has written a love story that is about more than romance. It is about learning to love and forgive one's self, and understanding that letting go of sorrow and despair, and accepting faith, can be liberating and reviving. I very much look forward to the upcoming sequel, "Wishing on Willows".

Review Copy Gratis WaterBrook Press

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LibraryThing member judyg54

This is the first book I have read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her work. She mentions looking out for "Wishing on Willows", which will follow up with one of the characters in this story. I will definately be reading that story when it comes out.

This was a story filled with

people letting go. Bethany Quinn had alot she had to deal with in this story. She had to let go of so much, but I think the one things that topped it all was letting go of her misconception of God since she was a young girl. Her view of God centered around a man (a preacher) who did not live up to his calling. So she spends her life avoiding anyone who claims to be a Christian. As a young architect making her way in Chicago, she feels the need to return to the town she ran from 10 years ago to visit her grandpa on his farm after hearing of his heart attack. She also needs to face Robin, her one true friend who she walked away from when she found she had "religion". Robin also has to let go of someone she loves and the story deals with her heartache and struggles too.

This was not a easy read, but a very realistic look at life and how you deal with tough times. The handsome farmhand, Evan Price, tries to get Bethany to trust in someone other than herself. It is a tough battle between Evan and Bethany throughout the story.

This was not a lighthearted, fun romance story. But is was a very realistic love story on many different levels. It was intense at times, with alot of heartaches and pain, but through it all there was hope, love and a peace to attain. It was hard for me to put the story down and when I did, I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading the book. The back of the book describes the author, Katie Ganshert as someone who "writes stories about finding faith and falling in love" and I would say she did a great job of that in this story. Looking foward to the next installment in this series!

Thanks goes to Blogging for Books, a part of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for sending me this book for my review.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307730387
ISBN-13: 978-0307730381

AUTHOR BIO:
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 romantic movies with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends over bagels and coffee. She could talk books all day and is often spotted around town pushing a stroller, walking a dog, and reading—all at the same time. Visit her website: KatieGanshert.com.

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LibraryThing member love2readnovels

Bethany Quinn left her hometown of Peaks (along with it's memories & her best friend Robin) to pursue her dream of being an architect. She's been working at a prestigious Chicago firm for awhile now and along with dating a good-looking but shallow lawyer, her dream has become a reality. Then she

receives a phone call from her estranged mother that causes her to return to Peaks. Robin is dealing with a crisis and her grandfather has had a heart attack. Bethany decides to handle what she needs to handle and leave as quickly as possible. Then she meets Evan Price. He's taken care of her grandfather and his land for the past several years. Now she's inherited that land. And just what is she suppose to do about that? It's not long before she receives unexpected news from Chicago, which will now extend her stay in Peaks. When Bethany reveals her plan for the land, Evan fights her decision but knows she is one determined lady. And even though he's frustrated with her he also feels a tugging in his heart. Evan drives Bethany crazy but he also gives her goosebumps she's never had before. In the time shes been in Peaks, she's felt hard-pressed to reconcile the God of her youth and the God she sees now. Will Bethany continue to hold tightly to the past (hurts and all) or will she learn to let go and allow God to show her who He really is?

Wildflowers from Winter is a well-written, emotionally-stirring tale that's full of very true-to-life characters. I honestly felt like they could just walk right off the page into my living room. I found the dialog to be very realistic as well. We all have our issues and, like Bethany, our past is what shapes us into who we are today. With that in mind, I appreciated how the author so carefully displayed that God can still work in our lives despite how we feel and in spite of what we think. The story deals with some very deep emotions. The emotions of hurt, anger, loss, grief, pride and hypocrisy. I think those are emotions that have touched all of our lives. And though you'll find a lot of angst among the pages, you'll also find a lot of hope. We can all use a good dose of that! If you're looking for a story that will challenge your emotions then I would definitely recommend Wildflowers from Winter. I am now looking forward to Wishing on Willows!
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (May 8, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0307730387
ISBN-13: 978-0307730381

*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review*

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LibraryThing member Lindz2012

I had tear running down my cheeks a bit. The story was heartfelt throughout the whole book. It was very good and I can not wait for the second book that come out in 2013 called "Wishing on Willows."

This book is about letting go, facing your past, trusting god. It really is good and it captures all

them though out book and struggles of each one. The book is mainly about Bethany. It also about Robin and Evan a bit. Things happen and you need to learn to trust and let go and face the past as it comes.

You still need to find your faith though this and learn to trust God with your struggles.

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LibraryThing member debs4jc

A young woman's confrontation with her past lies at the heart of this novel. Bethany Quinn thought she had escaped the hurts of her past...but when she hears that her best friend from childhood has lost her husband something pulls her back to her hometown. Circumstances seem to be stacked against

her and Bethany finds herself forced into staying. But staying means confronting the things that caused her to leave--including her mother, her former pastor, her former best friend, and the man who now occupies her Grandfather's farmhouse.
Bethany's journey is true to life and confronts some serious issues--some of which aren't talked about much in the church world. When pastors cause more harm than good it can have long lasting effects on people's lives and the story in this book is a good illustration of that. Kudos to the author for confronting such a topic. This is a thought provoking book and would be a great pick for a discussion group.

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LibraryThing member LilyaB

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Dramatically beautifully written, Wildflowers from Winter became one book that was irresistibly hard to put down. The story follows Bethany Quinn a young woman who based her life in Chicago working for a

prestige firm and far from the kind of life she left behind in rural Iowa. An unexpected phone call from her mother reveals that a tragedy has struck back home and Bethany finds herself traveling back to her hometown.

When Bethany left Iowa and the Peaks, she left behind wretched childhood memories, her grandfather, her mother and her best friend Robin. Years later a few things have changed, now Bethany isn't the only one suffering from a tragedy but also her ex-best friend Robin. The town brings back painful memories, especially since those memories travel with her mother in a form of a certain priest that made her put a lot of distance between herself and her faith.

When she inherits five hundred acres of farmland and has an unfortunate turn of events back in Chicago, Bethany finds herself building a different dream which might include extinguishing another person's Evan Price has worked for the Quinn farm for about five years and grew to love the land, when he is left with the farmhouse but not the farm, he finds the woman that his heart yearns for tearing his dream apart.

This book was like one big emotional roller coaster ride. So many things happened that made my heart ache with grief for the characters. There was an abundance of moments for me that made my jaw dropped at the turn of events that occurred but to reveal them would spoil the book. But it is so beautifully written, the book was hard to put down. The characters felt so real, the pain was so real that it made me connect to them on another level, really made me feel for them. The subjects were a little hard to read, as a lot of the book was dealing with loss, but in the end it was worth the read to me. A journey of struggles and discovery of the heart. Robin was one of my favorite characters, what she went through and how she dealt with it was not only how a real person would deal with grief and loss, but it was also so very powerful.

Evan was my other favorite, as I really felt for him and his role in the entire thing. It felt like everything was just piling up onto everyone's shoulders, and he was stuck with an uncertain future in the middle of it all.

The storyline was deep and it flowed wonderfully. The need to find out why Bethany had decided to step away from her faith kept it just as tempting till the very end. Katie Ganshert, is a really talented writer!

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LibraryThing member Maydacat

You can plan, you can work, you can run away, but you can’t escape your past. You remember even while you are wishing you could forget. Bethany discovers this truth when she goes back to her home town to visit her beloved grandfather, her former best friend, and her mother, after a ten-year

absence. Tragedies have visited nearly everyone, and more are coming. And while unhappiness cannot be avoided, there is still hope and joy to come. Can Bethany make peace with her past to claim a future, not only in this life, but in the life to come? A stunning debut novel, you find yourself invested in the lives of the people in Peaks, Iowa. With a plot that is intriguing to the very end and believable characters, this well-written novel will have you looking for a sequel.

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LibraryThing member mreed61

4.5 only because of an editorial preference on my part. Katie is a good storyteller, though, and carries it off well! I'll post a full review on accidentallymars.wordpress.com on Monday, February 11th.

LibraryThing member Lindz2012

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