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bethywa's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I became a Lisa Wingate fan in high school but don't think I had read anything since of hers since high school.
In this book we follow Kate, her husband, and their baby as they head from Chicago back to the farm after her grandmother has had a stroke and needs more care. The plan is that at Christmas the family will come back together for the first time in 6 years since tragedy struck and inform Grandma that after 60 years it is time for her to move from the farm.
The book takes place in the 90s so being at the farm is much different than being at a farm now, easily connected to the rest of the world. We see a family settle into small town life and a grandmother teach her granddaughter (a new mom) some valuable life lessons.
This was a warm, cozy read with a sprinkle of tender emotion. It focused on what is important in life and how to make some big decisions as well. And yes, as I read the end I cried at my desk. It is not something that would have been very poignant in my high school days, but would be good for pretty well any adult (maybe more women-geared but not totally lost on men as we do see some of Ben walking through being a new father).
In this book we follow Kate, her husband, and their baby as they head from Chicago back to the farm after her grandmother has had a stroke and needs more care. The plan is that at Christmas the family will come back together for the first time in 6 years since tragedy struck and inform Grandma that after 60 years it is time for her to move from the farm.
The book takes place in the 90s so being at the farm is much different than being at a farm now, easily connected to the rest of the world. We see a family settle into small town life and a grandmother teach her granddaughter (a new mom) some valuable life lessons.
This was a warm, cozy read with a sprinkle of tender emotion. It focused on what is important in life and how to make some big decisions as well. And yes, as I read the end I cried at my desk. It is not something that would have been very poignant in my high school days, but would be good for pretty well any adult (maybe more women-geared but not totally lost on men as we do see some of Ben walking through being a new father).
katie_chandler's review against another edition
3.0
So many times while reading this book I wanted to sit this family down and give them each a copy of the book Boundaries.
suzea's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
andreagraves5's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book. There are multiple beautiful messages in it. It helps one remember what's ::really:: important in life. The thing that it made it take longer for me to get through it, is, it just moves REALLY slow. It was also predictable. But there were such great messages in it, I still really enjoyed it.
daisey4's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Maybe because I am older I could relate better. Totally worth reading.
halkid2's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
TENDING ROSES is the first in the 5-book Tending Roses series by bestselling author Lisa Wingate, who also wrote THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS and BEFORE WE WERE YOURS. This one is a feel-good story of family, connection, and figuring out priorities in life.
Usually Kate, a foundation fundraiser, and her husband Ben, an architect, are busy attending to their high pressure jobs in Chicago. That is until their first son, Joshua, is born with a health issue. At the start of the book Joshua is now four-months-old and doing well. So Kate and Ben decide they need some time away and head for an extended Christmas holiday at the family farm in Missouri, where Kate's beloved but cantankerous 89-year-old grandmother lives alone in declining health. Other members of Kate's extended family plan to use the upcoming holiday get-together as the time to sell the farm and move Grandma into a nursing home.
For Kate, meeting up with her sister, father, and aunt is tied up with anxiety, tension, and old hurts. An ordeal to be faced rather than a reunion to be enjoyed.
But time spent at the farm also gives Kate a chance to reflect on many wonderful childhood memories. The summers she spent on the farm. The early days of her relationship with Ben. All of which launches a reexamination of her own life choices. Does she really want to return to work when her maternity leave ends? Can she come up with a better solution for Grandma than a nursing home? Is there any way to keep the farm in the family? And what options are even possible with all the debt she and Ben are carrying?
The unfolding of the story touches on many important and universal life themes. Do mothers need to be with their children full-time in the early years? How involved should fathers be with their children? How valuable is faith? How important is financial success? How much responsibility do each of us have to those less fortunate?
It's a lovely novel, with three-dimensional characters who are totally distinctive AND fully believable. In fact, they are likely to remind you of people in your own lives. So, I highly recommend the book. It's not just a well-crafted novel about family and priorities, but also one that is likely to make you reflect on your own choices.
Usually Kate, a foundation fundraiser, and her husband Ben, an architect, are busy attending to their high pressure jobs in Chicago. That is until their first son, Joshua, is born with a health issue. At the start of the book Joshua is now four-months-old and doing well. So Kate and Ben decide they need some time away and head for an extended Christmas holiday at the family farm in Missouri, where Kate's beloved but cantankerous 89-year-old grandmother lives alone in declining health. Other members of Kate's extended family plan to use the upcoming holiday get-together as the time to sell the farm and move Grandma into a nursing home.
For Kate, meeting up with her sister, father, and aunt is tied up with anxiety, tension, and old hurts. An ordeal to be faced rather than a reunion to be enjoyed.
But time spent at the farm also gives Kate a chance to reflect on many wonderful childhood memories. The summers she spent on the farm. The early days of her relationship with Ben. All of which launches a reexamination of her own life choices. Does she really want to return to work when her maternity leave ends? Can she come up with a better solution for Grandma than a nursing home? Is there any way to keep the farm in the family? And what options are even possible with all the debt she and Ben are carrying?
The unfolding of the story touches on many important and universal life themes. Do mothers need to be with their children full-time in the early years? How involved should fathers be with their children? How valuable is faith? How important is financial success? How much responsibility do each of us have to those less fortunate?
It's a lovely novel, with three-dimensional characters who are totally distinctive AND fully believable. In fact, they are likely to remind you of people in your own lives. So, I highly recommend the book. It's not just a well-crafted novel about family and priorities, but also one that is likely to make you reflect on your own choices.
jamiehatch4488's review
4.0
This was such a good book all about learning what is important in life and going for it.
sdmomof5boys's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a sweet story. Just simple and sweet focusing on the importance of family and forgiveness. I really enjoyed it.