A touching story of a family who has had much sorrow and loss. It's also about a healing place called Meadowland. This book has complex and loveable characters and a very unique storyline.
Rose is trying to recover from many situations. Her husband's death, her struggle with tuberculosis and having to send her daughters to an orphanage. Calla and Sienna have been waiting two years for their mother to reclaim them. The orphanage is slowly breaking their wills. Dirk has decided to open his home to Rose and her girls. He has been deeply hurt physically and emotionally and he is determined to keep his heart closed. His visitors slowly bring light into his darkened world and bring about true healing. ( )

This story is a grand adventure! I could not put it down. It’s one of those books where you get to the end of a chapter and you cannot stop. You have to see what happens next! I love the way Gabhart tells a story and her depth of character development is fantastic. You wind up loving the main characters and rooting for them as if you knew them in real life.

I loved how I got to go into the world of Rose, the mom and the two girls Calla and Sienna to experience their experiences and struggles with them. I loved the way Dirk Meadows story unfolds so you fully understand his desire to be alone in the midst of such tragedy in his life. You see his struggle to open up and let others into his life. It is truly a well-written story with many angles, twists and turns. This is definitely a story you can share with your children. I kept thinking what a great “read aloud” this would be if my children were young again and yet, it is not a children’s book. It is a story you could hand to your daughters and know that they would be getting a great story with a Christian slant and clean language.

I loved reading this story so much and highly recommend it if you are looking for a great historical novel for summer enjoyment. Her novels never fail to be some of my favorites.

I had the privilege of being on the blog tour for this novel with Revell Publishing. I was sent a copy of the novel and was asked to read and give my honest opinion. It was delightful! ( )

"No Hot House Flowers" ~by Lisa Doege

No hot house flowers, these,
bred for perfection...

No, these are hardy, raw, and wild.
Grown under the sky, they’ve weathered
the wind and the rain and the heat.

These drew nutrients from the neighborhood soil and energy from the sun.
These survived pests and disease.
These grow where they were planted...

***

"When the Meadow Blooms", written by Ann H. Gabhart, tells the tale of sisters Calla and Sienna Meadows, who are placed in an orphanage while their mother, Rose, convalesces in a sanatorium, trying to recover from tuberculosis. What begins as a short stay extends into months then years, and the girls suffer.

Eventually, the girls' uncle, a recluse, comes to rescue the girls from the hell in which they find themselves. He then offers his brother's widow and children a home in the country, a place where they can grow and flourish like wildflowers in a meadow. ( )

This novel has characters with such great depth and growth! There is tragedy in the story, but also hope as Rose and Kirk are finally able to take their broken pasts and depend on God with their future. Ann Gabhart is able to write characters that seem realistic and authentic and it’s easy to love them. There is also something comforting about the way she describes Meadowland as well and easily draws you in with her setting. The spiritual themes of healing and faith are central to the storyline. The ending wrapped up rather quickly, but I greatly enjoyed the detailed journey. I really liked the depth to the story and I highly recommend this novel!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. ( )

I have so many good things to say about "When the Meadow Blooms"! Ann Gabhart is a new author to me, and after reading this amazing story, I'll definitely be seeking out more of her work.

This is the story of Rose, a young single mother in the 1920s. Rose is forced to leave her children in an orphanage while she undergoes treatment for tuberculosis. This book covers Rose's time in the sanatorium, what her children had to deal with at the orphanage and (most importantly) what happened after they were reunited.

First, I appreciated the historical accuracy of the book. The author obviously did significant research into the various locations portrayed in the story, and provided an accurate account of what those places were like in the 1920s. I definitely learned some things about medical care and the treatment of children that I didn't know before. As always, I appreciated the chance to discover new things.

The story of how this fractured family was reunited was beautiful to read. The girls and their mother are finally allowed to be together again, but only through the help of Rose's brother-in-law Dirk. I enjoyed how all four of these characters found emotional growth and healing through each other.

Each of the four major characters was very well-drawn and detailed. They all felt like real people, and I empathized with each of them for different reasons. Calla, the older daughter, was probably my favorite. Her loyalty to and love for her younger sister was beautiful, and she showed maturity well beyond her years.

Overall, this was an incredibly interesting and inspirational story. I was invested from the very beginning, and left with a sense of closure at the end.

Definitely five our of five slices of perfect provolone! ( )