Winner of Wildflowers from Winter

Thank you all for visiting the blog on Monday and sharing what you've heard about Wildflowers from Winter. If you're not a winner today, I still hope you have a chance to read this book. It was worth it.

The winner of Katie Ganshert's Wildflowers from Winter is...

Pat Hines!

Pat, I already have your address and will send the book soon. Congratulations! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Katie Ganshert's Wildflowers from Winter - And a Giveaway!

I'm so excited to showcase a new release today, a novel from writer friend and excellent author Katie Ganshert. Her novel Wildflowers from Winter recently released and I had the opportunity to read it. What a wonderful debut! I know many of you have heard about it, and it's been getting great reviews. If you haven't had the chance to read it yet, you have the chance to win it here today.

First, here's a summary of the book:

A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces Bethany to come up with a new plan.

Handsome farmhand Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps so carefully locked away.

For Bethany, making peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not even sure exists?

Now, here are my thoughts:

From a Readers POV

The best part about Wildflowers from Winter was the main character. Not only was Bethany Quinn relatable, she was believable. The angst, the love, the dilemmas, the triumph. I shared in all of that with her. Katie did an incredible job at making me feel for the main character, making me worry for her and with her, and ultimately making me root for her happy ending.

From a Writers POV

Sorry, but I can't help it. As a writer as well, I can't NOT dissect a book just a tad with a writer's perspective. One of the biggest things that stood out at me from a writer's POV was the detail. The detail of the town, the character's surroundings, and the workings of a farm. The attention to detail, to making Bethany Quinn's world more real and believable, was seamlessly woven into the story and made it more enjoyable.

So if you haven't read Wildflowers from Winter yet, but enjoy deep stories with a women's fiction feel, sprinkled with romance and wrapped up with a strong and satisfying message, please don't hesitate to pick this one up.

You also have a chance to win your copy here, by being a follower at my blog and leaving a comment. Yep, it's that easy. I'll announce the winner on Friday.

And if you're interested in learning more about Katie, here's a little about her - or you can visit her website here.

I’m a slightly-frazzled, ever-inquisitive Midwest gal who’s passionate about Jesus, my family, writing, and all things romance, which is exactly what I write. Stories about flawed, broken characters who find faith and fall in love. When I’m not plotting ways to get my hero and heroine to cross paths, I enjoy watching movies with my hunk of a husband, playing make-believe with my wild-child of a son, hanging out with the crazy but lovable junior high students at my church, and chatting with my girlfriends at Panera®. I could talk books all day and am often spotted around town pushing a stroller, walking my dog, and reading—all at the same time.

Friday Fun - Christmas in May

I'm working on a new WIP, a romantic comedy with a Christmas theme. It's been fun creating a fictional town and getting my characters in the Christmas spirit.

As a tribute to my story, and for a little fun, I thought I'd list some true U.S. towns, recognized as a populated place by the U.S. government - all of which have a Christmas related name.

North Pole, New York
Garland, Nebraska
Holiday Hills, Illinois
Silver Bell, Arizona

Eggnog, Utah

Kind of fun, right? Here in Colorado, where I live, we have an Evergreen, Holly, and a town named Antlers.

How about you? Do you have any Christmas related town names near where you live?

***If you're following my Know Your Reader series, stop by The Writer's Alley for the today's post, all about characters.


***Photo by Rdoke