Thank to Revell Books for an advanced copy of this book! All opinions published are my own.
Book Summary from Amazon:
If any place on God's earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland. Surely here, at her brother-in-law's Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can recover from the events of the recent past--the loss of her husband during the 1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at a sanatorium, and her girls' experience in an orphanage during her illness. At Meadowland, hope blooms as their past troubles become rich soil in which their faith can grow.
Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother's widow and her girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep, and the evidence of it is written across his face. Badly scarred by a fire and abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt again. But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and unlock the secret to true healing.
Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart explores the tender places within the human heart in this character-driven story of trusting God to turn our burdens into something beautiful.
My Take:
I have been a fan of Ann Gabhart for some time now. Gabhart has a way of inviting us into the story with warm and home-like conversations. When Rose decides she is well enough to take care of her girls, I am excited for her but worried, just like I would be for a dear friend or daughter. It's sad that we have some of the same issues now as we have had in the past, the mistreatment of our most vulnerable children seems to have survived the centuries. The two little girls, Calla and Sienna, are products of such care, but your want the best ending for them. I wanted to bring them into my own home!
“Are you fey, child?”…””Is that the same as tetched in the head?…If so, I don’t think I am. My mother told me I wasn’t and not to pay mind to anyone who said I was.”
You need a purpose other than what you are to somebody else.
Secrets nearly always surface eventually and bring with them troubles.
Favorite quotes:
You need a purpose other than what you are to somebody else.
Secrets nearly always surface eventually and bring with them troubles.
About the Author:
Ann H. Gabhart
Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award-winning author, she's published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small-town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers' Choice Women's Fiction Book of the Year.
Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/anngabhart.
