Wishing On Willows by Katie Ganshert

I was very excited at the chance to read and review Wishing On Willows by Katie Ganshert, as this was a new author to me.  The story line sounded wonderful.  My disappointment came as I realized this was not the first book in this series.  The publisher failed to mention this in the description.  It would have been a lot easier to follow had I read the first book.  Often times, you can pick up a second novel in a series and catch up if you didn't read the first, but not so much with this book.  It was a well told story, but I would suggest reading the first book, Wildflowers in Winter first.

Normally, I don't include the publisher's description with my reviews but in this case I thought it was necessary to give my blog readers a chance to better understand the story.

WaterBrook Multnomah through their Blogging for Books program supplied the complimentary copy of this book for my review.

Publisher Description: A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa,  she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.
                                     
So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.

As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.

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.

In The Shadow of Sinai by Carole Towriss

In The Shadow of Sinai by Carole Towriss, we are transported back in time to the Exodus.  This is a retelling of a bible favorite told from the point of view of a little mentioned bible character - Bezalel, a Hebrew artisan slave in the palace of Pharaoh.  Bezalel is only mentioned briefly in the Scriptures, but played a major role in the crafting and creating the Tabernacle.  This story was told in such a way that it draws you into the heart of the story - you not only see this story from a new perspective, but you are literally transported back to that time - you can "see", hear and feel the heartbeat of the time.  The descriptions throughout the story bring it to life. I was drawn into this story immediately and could not put the book down.  This was a fantastic debut book and I can't wait to read upcoming books by this talented author.  If you're a fan of biblical fiction, this is a must read!  Well done!  I highly recommend this book to all book lovers. (A very nice added bonus - Carole autographed the copy I was given and even included a nice personalized note - thanks so much Carole).


I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Cross-Focused Reviews and DeWard Publishing for my review.