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When Hope Blossoms (2012)

by Kim Vogel Sawyer(Favorite Author)

4.2 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0764207873 (ISBN13: 9780764207877)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Bethany House Publishers

review 1: Amy Knackstedt is looking for a new start in Weaverly, Kansas after losing her husband in a grain elevator accident. She hopes to leave the questions behind as to the reason for his death, the insurance has paid her and she wants to move on with her three children. With the help of her community they helped her to find a house and get her moved, now she won't have to face the questioning looks, whispers and turned heads when she walks down the street.When Tim Roper, a former Mennonite, left home as a young man, his father told him never to return. Tim moved to Weaverly for a new start, which he got. He eventually bought an apple orchard, married Julia and they had a son. One day everything changed for him, after the loss of his wife and son, he started playing the 'what-if... more', game. Then when a new Mennonite group moved to town, he hated his life even more, he wanted nothing to do with them because of his old memories.Tim discovered his new neighbors when Porter and Adri were found in his orchard. Porter had climbed one of the apple trees and little Adri was picking the blossoms. After Porter fell out of the tree, Tim took the kids home and informed Amy to keep her children off of his property. Not only did he not want kids living next door to him and invading his memories, they were also Mennonite. Then the dreams started and he didn't know what to do.Shortly after getting settled the men of her new community came to Amy and asked if they could have their Sunday meetings in her house until they could find another place large enough to meet. Amy agrees but when Tim hears their singing for the services and the friendly mingling afterwards, he gets more irritated than ever.This is a story about dealing with the loss of loved ones and trying to move on. The stories they have will pull at your heartstrings. Kim does a great job of keeping you interested and wanting more. It was hard to put this book down. Have you ever lost a spouse and/or child, how did you deal with it?Thank you to Bethany House for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
review 2: Each of us observes our faith in our way, just as we deal with grief as best we can in our own personal manner. The loss of loved ones may result in a loss of faith, or it may send one into deep religious contemplation--"prayer without ceasing". Children and adults may also see death in a very different light, and often the adults cannot answer the simple, powerful questions that only a child will ask. Young widow Amy Knackstedt and her three children leave behind the life they have known in Ohio and move with other Old Order Mennonites to a new life in Kansas. Hoping to distance her family from the speculation over her husband's tragic death, Amy lets her faith guide her as works to provide for her children's future through her quilt business. Tim Roper is the owner of the apple orchard near Amy's new home, and he is not pleased to learn of his new neighbors. A former member of the same religious order, Tim left the Mennonite way of life behind years ago. As a young man, he had forsaken his Mennonite upbringing and legally changed his name from Rupp to Roper. Later, the loss of his wife and son in a car accident drove him even further away from his faith, touching him with bitterness. He doesn't want to hear the sound of children's laughter, or see the unspoiled innocence of their hearts, but the Knackstedt children find a way to break through his barriers. As they help him work in his apple orchard, they also work their way into his heart. Thirteen-year old Bekah acts out her grief over losing her father by wanting to be like Mr. Roper and leave the order. Eleven-year old Parker, who will always be somewhat off-pace due to a brain injury, declares Mr. Roper to be his best friend. Five-year old Adrianna, both precious and precocious, is just plain irresistible. Most disturbing of all to Tim is his emotional response to Amy's gentle beauty and the warmth of her concern for her family and those around her. While Tim tries to think of a way to distance himself, circumstances continue to conspire to keep them in each other's company. When he acknowledges to himself that he loves Amy and the children, he must also make a choice of whether he can return fully to the ways of the Old Order Mennonites. Amy cares deeply for Tim, but she is afraid to give her heart to someone not fully committed to the faith as she is. When a previously unrealized connection from the past comes to light, can Amy and Tim let hope fully bloom? Simple pleasures such as sun-warmed earth and working in harmony with nature, the pull of a needle through cloth to make a quilt, and the satisfaction of nurturing others through the preparation and serving of needed sustenance are all healing in their own way. Go forward in faith, let your heart find its solace, and live each day to the fullest.Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books less

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