Review: Wildflowers From Winter

To be released on May 8, 2012, this debut novel from Katie Ganshert takes the reader into the story of Bethany Quinn, a professional girl in a professional world, who seems to have it all together: great job at a busy Chicago architectural firm, fabulous lawyer boyfriend, and the promise of success ahead. She believes in “standing on one’s own two feet,” and has no use for God or the church Then she gets a call from her mother back in Peaks, Iowa, that sends her life in a tailspin. Her grandfather’s illness, her childhood friend Robin’s tragedy, and the prospect of returning back to the place she worked so hard to escape all combine to frustrate, irritate, and sadden Bethany as she makes her way “home.”

I must admit that I am not one for romance novels, Christian or otherwise, and only read this novel at my husband’s request, as he received it as part of Waterbrook Multnomah’s Advance Reading Copy Program*. I had very little expectation, aside that, until I read the back cover synopsis, I thought it might have a frontier or Amish setting.

I was very wrong, on every count. Ganshert’s characters are believable and though not always loveable (by her design, not poor writing), they are memorable. I personally can relate to Bethany’s desire to “never go home again,” as I myself wanted to “escape” my small hometown. Her story moved me, and I could see why she had no use for the God that she’d known as a child through her mother and Pastor Fenton (a deliciously despicable character). Each character was well-written and the story had a constant forward momentum, with many twists and turns but still realistic. Robin’s story is incredibly touching, and your heart will ache with her in her struggles. You will feel sympathy and disgust for her mother, swoon a bit over Evan, the farm hand on her grandfather’s farm and the ultimate love interest for Bethany, and laugh along with Evan’s humorous family. By the end, my near-disdain had made a 180-degree turn into delight, and I found myself so absorbed I literally couldn’t put it down. I laughed, cheered, and cried rivers of tears, both joyful and sad. I was completely blown away by Ganshert’s attention to detail, and when the “big secret” that had been brewing in the plot and stewing in my mind was finally revealed, I was completely surprised. All this takes place in a modern-day setting, in a place that anyone who’d lived in “small-town America” can relate to easily.

The only complaint I have regarding the writing is that from chapter to chapter, the story point-of-view, and therefore, narrative voice occasionally changes from third-person omniscient (the most common voice of novels, where we see and know everything, including what is not purposely revealed by the characters) to first-person (specifically Bethany), without warning. The first time I thought pages were stuck together. That being said, the copy I read was the ARC program copy and had not gone through the very final stage of editing. Still, after the first time, it wasn’t hard for me to shift my brain with the following changes.

I am very pleased that Wildflowers From Winter has changed my mind about Christian romance novels. This novel is the first in a planned series, and I am eager to get my hands on the next novel, Wishing for Willows. Thank you, Mrs. Ganshert, for a truly uplifting, delightful experience!

www.katieganshert.com/books/wildflowers-from-winter (You can read the first chapter here)

 *For more information about Waterbrook Multnomah’s Advance Reading Copy (ARC) Program, visit them online at www.waterbrookmultnomah.com. 

Melissa McGinnis is the Children’s Ministry Director for LHF, and is a huge fan of Waterbrook Multnomah. Her husband Erin McGinnis received this book as part of the Advance Reading Copy Program (not the Blogging for Books Program). Neither was compensated in any way for this review. Opinions are strictly those of Melissa McGinnis; Erin’s opinion is that “it must be good, because she didn’t surface for three days.”