Where Wildflowers Bloom is the start of a new series, Sisters at Heart. It was a great start, because I can guess which two women will be featured in the other two volumes of the trilogy, and I can't wait to read their stories.
This volume follows Faith Lindberg - a young woman who has to begin to manage the family's general store as her grandfather's health declines. Since her father and brother were killed during the Civil War, Faith has to take on this new responsibility that wouldn't generally belong to a woman.
As Faith tends the store, she is waiting for Royal Baxter - a man she briefly met and shared a moment with prior to the war - to return to town. He finally does, but when he does Faith has already met another man named Curt Saxon and kind of likes him alright after she gets over her timidness around him. He and his sister Rosemary become fast friends of Faith and her grandfather.
Because of this and because of Royal's demeanor from the start, the book is a bit predictable in terms of twists and turns related to Faith. However, some of the twists around Curt's character are unexpected and really make the book nice as he was such a good man from the start. Also nice was the descriptions and trials Faith faced as she took on the responsibilities in the general store - I enjoy tales of industriousness. Despite the fact that Faith and her grandfather had no other option but to let her run the store, the townspeople don't immediately take to a woman in charge.
Based on this book, I feel like we will be following Rosemary Saxon and Amy (whose last name I don't remember). I loved Rosemary's healing abilities in this book, but these same abilities and her work as a nurse in the war made her a bit of a social pariah - reading her story would be super. Amy arrived in town after a train wreck that left her and her husband destitute for a time. After they continued on their journey west, Amy's husband died and left her with a baby to care for - a story of her finding love could also be in the works - either her or another young woman who was on the train (or maybe both of them in one way or another).
A lot to look forward to here! I would recommend Wildflowers as a heartwarming afternoon or evening read. I would more strongly recommend keeping your eyes out for the next volume in this series. I definitely am.
Where Wildflowers Bloom is available as of January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of
Baker Publishing Group.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this volume.
Hi Ashley, Thank you for the wonderful review and recommendation of Where Wildflowers Bloom. You're right, Rosemary will be the heroine in Book 2! But most of the other characters will be back again, also. Happy reading!
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