{"id":14862,"date":"2013-05-30T22:53:28","date_gmt":"2013-05-31T03:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=14862"},"modified":"2013-05-30T22:53:28","modified_gmt":"2013-05-31T03:53:28","slug":"wishing-on-willows-by-katie-ganshert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=14862","title":{"rendered":"Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wow! Katie Ganshert impressed me with her first novel “Wildflowers From Winter” and I became a forever fan. “Wishing on Willows” has reaffirmed my first impression and I know I will continue to keep my eyes open for any new book that Katie deems to write.<\/p>\n

Katie’s characters are real and honest and she isn’t afraid to show all their human frailties whether good or bad. Emotions run high but are not over-the-top at all. I found it easy to relate to the characters and felt like they were my friends before the final chapter. I think I could enjoy living in the town of Peaks.\u00a0 I met Robin in “Wildflowers From Winter” and I am so happy I got to read the rest of her story. She and her husband had dreamed of opening a cafe together. I had to admire her tenacity in following through to make their dream a reality and her willingness to fight to keep it open. I also liked Ian whose determination to do his job rivaled Robin’s resolve to keep her business open. Their interactions kept the story interesting and although I knew how the story would end, I kept rooting for their relationship throughout.<\/p>\n

I find it difficult to describe how much I loved this book and fear that if I continue I will commit that grave offense of giving away too much. Take my advice – if you haven’t read anything by Katie Ganshert, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of both novels.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publisher’s BookSneeze program.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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ABOUT THE BOOK:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Wishing<\/a>Does a second chance at life and love always involve surrender?<\/b><\/p>\n

A three-year old son, a struggling caf\u00e9, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Caf\u00e9 in small town Peaks, Iowa, \u00a0she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.<\/p>\n

So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her caf\u00e9 and a vital town ministry are located, she isn\u2019t about to let go without a fight.<\/p>\n

As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won\u2019t give up easily. His family\u2019s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin\u2019s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Read an excerpt from Wishing on Willows<\/strong><\/em> HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Praise for <\/b>Wishing on Willows
\n<\/b>
\n<\/i>\u201cHave you ever been through a painful season in life and wished for something new, something fresh, or even something healing to come along? Take this journey with Robin Price, a widow and single mother with a big heart and passion for those closest to her, as she wades through trying to live, let go, and love again. Wishing on Willows<\/i> is a story of hope that will find you stepping up to the willow tree and daring to make wishes.\u201d
\n\u2014Cheryl McKay, coauthor of Never the Bride and author of Finally the Bride: Finding Hope While Waiting
\n<\/i><\/b>
\n\u201cWhat I\u2019ve come to admire about Katie Ganshert\u2019s writing is how skillfully and compassionately she creates memorable characters and weaves into their lives authentic struggles. From the very first line, \u201cThe first time I lost my
\nhusband\u2026,\u201d to the last line, \u201cThe whispered words came without fear or guilt or hesitation,\u201d we are given the gifts of grieving and letting go told with humor; realistic trials; characters I want to go on telling their stories; and the
\nlongings of the human heart. This is a fine, fine novel.\u201d
\n\u2014Jane Kirkpatrick, New York Times best-selling author of Where Lilacs Still Bloom
\n<\/i><\/b>
\n\u201cJust like a willow tree, Wishing on Willows<\/i> evokes grace, humility, and beauty. A well-penned story of sacrifice, second chances, and love, Ganshert\u2019s second novel is as poignant as her first. This is a must-read for any reader seeking to find comfort beneath their own proverbial willow.\u201d
\n\u2014Betsy St. Amant, author of Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK
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\n\u201cIn Wishing on Willows<\/i>, Katie Ganshert delicately weaves together a story of healing and renewed hope. Will young widow Robin Price choose to fight for what she had or to relinquish the past for the chance to love again? Ganshert deftly writes of grief and wounds that leave us shattered, pointing her characters\u2014and her readers\u2014to the One who provides the strength to embrace life again.\u201d
\n\u2014Beth K. Vogt, author of Wish You Were Here and Catch a Falling Star
\n<\/i><\/b>
\n\u201cKatie Ganshert\u2019s Wishing on Willows<\/i> is rich in symbolism but as down-to-earth as its Midwestern heroine, a young widow juggling the roles of single mom, business owner, and ministry volunteer. I was thoroughly drawn into her changing seasons of love and loss, memory and hope. Like a May basket left at a neighbor\u2019s door, this is a generous story filled with charm and surprises.\u201d
\n\u2014Meg Moseley, author of When Sparrows Fall<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cKatie Ganshert has created an interesting cast of characters that are likable yet flawed. Fans of inspirational romance are sure to enjoy this novel.\u201d
\n\u2014Kathryn Cushman, author of Almost Amish
\n<\/i><\/b>
\n\u201cKatie Ganshert is a fresh and powerful new voice in contemporary Christian romance. Her writing wraps itself around your heartstrings and refuses to let go.\u201d
\n\u2014Erica Vetsch, author of A Bride\u2019s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Katie<\/a>Katie Ganshert<\/b> 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MY REVIEW: Wow! Katie Ganshert impressed me with her first novel “Wildflowers From Winter” and I became a forever fan. “Wishing on Willows” has reaffirmed my first impression and I know I will continue to keep my eyes open for any new book that Katie deems to write. Katie’s characters are real and honest and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,60,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-contemporary-fiction","category-romance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14862"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14862\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14874,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14862\/revisions\/14874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}