Friends, have you heard of Katie Ganshert? This girl ROCKS! I was blessed to read and review her first release, "Wildflowers From Winter", (check out my review) which by the way, I LOVED! Katie's newest novel coming out in March, "Wishing On Willows", is a beautifully written novel that tells the story of releasing yesterday and embrasing today. We see how it takes time for a heart to heal. Through these characters we see a reality of what loss does to a heart. Through Katie's writing style, we are able to feel the pain of the characters. Characters that at first glance you would think were secure in themselves, but at closer glance, we see the insecurities. An emptiness waiting to be filled.
We meet Robin Price and her precious son. Robin is as real as you get. She is a struggling with the loss of her husband, and is finding her way to surrender. It's not easy for her, being a single mother, holding on to the cafe that she and her husband dreamed of having. She is stuck in this pain and memory of what was and is terrified to move forward. It's in this cafe that she finds comfort and peace. A cafe the town needs to let go of to create growth.
Robin meets Ian McKay. The town has hired Ian to develope condominiums to create new growth for the town. In order for that new growth to prosper, something has to give. The town has embraced Ian, but Robin is keeping her distance. We see God at work in their lives. He is gently guiding them to let go and let God. This is a painful process for these two people. In many ways they are both holding on to something of yesterday.
We meet many characters that are weaved into the lives of Ian and Robin. I loved seeing them come to the place where they could embrace all today holds for them. Robin is on a journey of realizing that moving forward isn't forgetting yesterday, but allowing yesterday to be a part of this new path for today. Ian embraces new dreams now and sees that the Lord is creating new in him also. I think through each of these charaters getting to know one another, they learn a bit more about themselves.
I not only liked Robin, but I admired her as well. It's awesome to see a character grow into herself and into the woman God has created her to be. She is stubborn and strong, with a gentleness that is catching. This is one of those novels that will stick with you for a while. After I closed the last page, I found myself pondering this story late into the night. Robin and Ian are trying to hold on to a part of their past. Fear keeps them from moving forward. The town is calling for growth. When we are stuck in our hurt, the world continues to move forward. This is where we find Robin and Ian. They are on a journey of finding themselves, each other and the God who created a path for them to meet
This novel was a gift from WaterBrook Multnomah for my review of, "Wishing On Willows". You can check out the first chapter by clicking on to one the highlighted links.
Katie Ganshert graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her husband and their young son. She is the author of Wildflowers from Winter.We meet many characters that are weaved into the lives of Ian and Robin. I loved seeing them come to the place where they could embrace all today holds for them. Robin is on a journey of realizing that moving forward isn't forgetting yesterday, but allowing yesterday to be a part of this new path for today. Ian embraces new dreams now and sees that the Lord is creating new in him also. I think through each of these charaters getting to know one another, they learn a bit more about themselves.
I not only liked Robin, but I admired her as well. It's awesome to see a character grow into herself and into the woman God has created her to be. She is stubborn and strong, with a gentleness that is catching. This is one of those novels that will stick with you for a while. After I closed the last page, I found myself pondering this story late into the night. Robin and Ian are trying to hold on to a part of their past. Fear keeps them from moving forward. The town is calling for growth. When we are stuck in our hurt, the world continues to move forward. This is where we find Robin and Ian. They are on a journey of finding themselves, each other and the God who created a path for them to meet
This novel was a gift from WaterBrook Multnomah for my review of, "Wishing On Willows". You can check out the first chapter by clicking on to one the highlighted links.
