What happens when four hurting people—one who is ill, one who is grief struck, one who only wants the best for her family, and one who is misunderstood—end up living in the same home? This is what Ann H. Gabhart explores in When the Meadow Blooms.

This story starts out with Rose, Calla, Sienna, and Dirk all in the middle of their struggles. Life hasn’t been easy or simple for any of them, and it’s what drives both Rose and Calla to write to their relative. To his credit, Dirk doesn’t ignore the missives, but immediately goes to fetch his brother’s widow and daughters. The set up for the women to travel home with Dirk takes a good half of the book but gives readers a strong understanding of what each of them is dealing with.

Even when they arrive at Meadowland, all is not perfect and wonderful. Rose is still sick, Dirk is still closed off, and Calla and Sienna are struggling to be young and free again. There’s definitely tension in the home as the women tiptoe around Dirk.

Gabhart writes an excellent example of how painful healing can be, how being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from trials and heart-deep hurts. And while I would have liked way more development of the romance (perhaps both of them) in this book, When the Meadow Blooms was still worth the read.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I love the way this author instantly pulls readers into her stories and has you care about the characters’ situation. In this novel, a family is torn apart by sickness, and death. Sisters Sienna, nine years old and Calla, fifteen years old, are in an orphanage waiting for their mother to get better and take them home. It’s 1918 Tuberculous has forced Rose to leave her precious girls in hopes she’d soon be well. She never dreamed it would take so long. The story is told through Rose, Calla and Dirk’s POV, giving readers a look into the hardships families endured, giving a well-rounded view of this time period, and how their faith is tested This heart-warming story is beautifully written, captures your heart and made me a little teary eyed in parts.

Sienna is filled with love to share, she accepts everyone, and how she expresses her joy made me smile. I enjoyed Sienna’s awe of the world and how she loves animals, including some old crows.

Rose’s situation was real and terrifying. It takes all the courage within her to reach out to Dirk, her brother-in-law, and ask for help. I enjoyed the natural spiritual thread in this story and how these characters grew on their journey.

Dirk doesn’t know how to respond to her request for help. He thought everything was fine after his brother passed, but now what to do. He’s lived a secluded life. Ever since the fire where he was wounded physically and emotionally. Could he open up his heart to his brother’s widow and family? Dirk is surprised this family looks to him for shelter and so much more. Can he accept this responsibility, and a healing beyond what he could imagine? Could Dirk forgive and love again?

. The author takes readers to a sanitarium, an orphanage, where there is abuse and an attempted abduction. She also talks about depression, and suicide as characters delve into the past to solve a mystery buried long ago.

I enjoyed seeing the world through these siblings’ eyes as they navigate their new normal. This author has a gift of writing intriguing and fun dialogue. Here’s a peek at their banter.

“So, what do you want to think about today?” Calla asks Sienna.

“Butterflies and birds and mice and owls and…”

“Calla laughed as she held up a hand to stop her. It felt good to laugh.”

This story is a great summer read and one that would work well for your next book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher/NetGalley. 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 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

Thank you to Just Read Tours and Ann H. Gabhart for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and participation in the book tour!

WARNING --- review contains spoilers

This was such a sweet story. I read it during a super busy week for our family, and it was the perfect escape from reality during moments when I had a little bit of downtime. I appreciated that it was a story that I could read sporadically and then easily come back to as I had time.

This story has a dual timeline and I felt that was well-executed. It wasn't hard to follow at all, and I really liked learning the story of Dirk and Anneliese as it was disclosed to the characters in the later timeline.

The characters were likeable and dynamic. All had strengths and flaws, and I enjoyed watching them grow. My one complaint is that I didn't love the romance storylines (other than Dirk and Anneliese). I didn't pick up on much romantic feeling between Rose and Dirk, so that felt kind of forced, and then, while I did like the romance between Lincoln and Calla, I wish it had been developed more beyond puppy love, and I didn't like their "insta-love". As much as I did like them together, I honestly think the story would've been better served with just leaving romance out aside from Dirk and Anneliese's storyline.

Overall, though, I really liked reading this book, and I think I read it at the perfect time for me! If you like Christian historical fiction with a little bit of clean romance in it, this is worth checking out 😊

What imagery Ann Gabhart has created – a meadow full of blooming life, and a family who desperately needs a positive new beginning. The characters in this novel seemed so real, and I found myself cheering all of them on throughout! I’m a big fan of anything this author writes, but this one particularly resonated with me.

I especially loved the growth of Dirk; a broken man with a sorrowful past, who becomes accepted for the man he truly is. This novel will not only tug at your heartstrings but will fill you with hope.

I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

A sad story that had me in tears at times. The characters were very real and it was heart-rending to read of their experiences. It reminded me that I need to continually trust God through all of life.

The story opens in 1925. Rose Meadows, a widow, is struggling to recover from tuberculosis in a sanitorium. Having no other options, she left her daughters in the care of an orphanage. She never imagined she would be separated from them for two years. Sensing something was not right with her daughters she contacted her husband's brother, Dirk for assistance not knowing her eldest daughter had done the same without telling her. Scarred inside and out, Dirk has constructed a life that suits him and the walls he has built around his heart. He is practically a recluse. He, too, has suffered. Can he bring his sister-in-law and her daughters into his life?
Tragedy and loss cast a shadow throughout the entire narrative. Even so, the author brings to readers a sensitive portrayal of a family who ended up together under unusual circumstances. There is mystery and the past plays a huge role in the present. There had been events that led to pain, but when mysteries were solved and revealed hope prevails for the family.
The author is tremendously gifted storyteller. She has crafted an emotionally stirring and beautifully compelling description of relationships. Readers will find much to enjoy here: fine writing, characters with distinctive voices, mystery, faith, unexpected romance and love. This book is well worth reading. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart is quite possibly one of my favorite books of the year! It was so great! Her books are always great, but this one really touched me and I hated to see it end. Calla and her sister Sienna live in a home for girls because their mom is in a sanitarium for tuberculosis treatment. Rose longs to be with her daughters but isn't strong enough to support them and work full time yet. Calla and Rose both write to Dirk, Rose's brother-in-law. They haven't spoken since the death of the girl's father. Dirk goes to get them and brings them home with him. He has been a loner since the love of his life left him over twenty years ago, but the walls of his heart start to crumble as he spends time with Rose and the girls. A beautiful story of love and redemption, you will not want to miss this one! Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read it. All opinions are my own.

I got real excited when I started this book. Then it got dry for me, but it picked up again as I pushed myself to keep going. You start with Rose in a sanitarium for having TB. With her husband gone, she had to drop her two young daughters at a young girls orphanage. The orphanage is exactly when I had read about before. The head matron I wanted to hurt. She was very mean and cross. She didn’t seem to have a heart with what the girls were going through. As long as Rose had someplace to go, she could leave the sanitarium. In steps her brother-in-law, Dirk. But Dirk has a hurt past, too. Can all these people heal together? Will Dirk open his heart, not just his home, to Rose? You will need to read this book to find out!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ebook from NetGalley for my honest review.

When the Meadow Blooms became available for sale May 3, 2022.

It took me a little while to get into this one, and I'll admit that I was just about ready to set it aside when things started the pick up. But now I understand why it was slow at the beginning -- the author really had to lay out a lot of backstory for the reader to understand the events that were unfolding and the emotions behind them. This book explores such a depth of emotion, healing from grief, moving forward, and studying on how to do all of this through faith (or learning faith)...and the reader wouldn't have the connection or feel the pages as much without that set up. So...push through the beginning; it's well worth it by the end!

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart pens a historical novel set in Kentucky when families face challenges during the 1918 influenza epidemic.

In When the Meadows Blooms, recently widowed Rose Meadows is at a sanatorium, recovering from tuberculosis. Meanwhile, her young daughters – Calla and Sienna – live in an orphanage until Rose is finally well enough to reclaim them.

Having nowhere else to go, they move to the Kentucky farm where her reclusive brother-in-law lives. Dirk Meadows struggles with his own pain, after being scarred by a fire and abandoned by his fiancee. Rose doesn’t know that the girls suffered under terrible conditions at the orphanage. Can all of them find physical, spiritual, and emotional healing together on the Meadowland farm?

Gabhart pens a character-driven story where true healing and trust in God takes place within their hearts. Both Rose and Dirk closed off their hearts in grief, but they learn that healing starts when they stop bottling up everything. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the fire are solved and closure is found by Dirk. Calla and Sienna are endearing characters

Although it seems a little slow in the beginning as Gabhart lays the groundwork for the story, it grabs the reader’s attention until the story’s end. Uncovering the layers of truth behind the past pulls at one’s heartstrings and hope is slowly built. Faith elements that aren’t preachy, descriptive narratives, and well-developed characters show how God can bring new life to even wounded hearts.

Recommended for Gabhart fans and readers of historical fiction.

Disclaimer: Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors.

Ann H. Gabhart is a new-to-me author, and this book was a wonderful introduction to her work! When the Meadow Blooms is a beautiful story of finding love and healing after tragedy and heartbreak. All of the characters, especially Calla and Sienna, will find their way into your heart from the first page. I loved how their individual stories and experiences were woven together as they became a true family and found peace in the quiet beauty of Meadowland. If you are looking for a story full of hope, restoration, and faith, look no further than this book! Fans of Susie Finkbeiner and Sarah Loudin Thomas will enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ann Gabhart has crafted a heartwarming story of overcoming loss and grief and finding a place to truly live and love in When The Meadow Blooms.

Calla and her younger sister have been living in the Home for Girls for two years while their mother recovers from Tuberculosis in an sanitarium. For two years they have endured abuse, waiting for the day they can go home. Scared they will be separated, Calla is lead to reach out to her uncle, rumoured to live in isolation on the family farm, Meadowland. When Dirk receives a letter from his niece asking for rescue, he throws caution away and hurries to retrieve the two girls and their mother. Taking them back to Meadowland requires a change in his habits, it might even mean opening his heart to the women, big and small, who have entered his world. But secrets from the past bring up grief and hurt he’s never let go. If he can’t heal, will he risk losing his new family?

This historical novel is a story of family and love. I so enjoyed the story of Calla and her sister and their bravery. They have a horrible time in the orphanage but hold out hope of one day being reunited with their mother. I loved that Calla features so much in this story. In fact, it was more her story than her mother’s. Her courage and determination to protect her younger sister brings the heart to this story. Sienna is equally important to the story of finding home. Her love of animals and zest for life are invigorating.

The romance didn’t play out quiet like I expected. Instead of blooming feelings between Dirk and Rose featuring, I felt like the romance of the past between Dirk and his young sweetheart are the real love story of this book, along with a sweet romance between young Calla and a young man who neighbours the farm. Dirk and Rose do build a friendship and companionship, but it’s not a spine tingling romance in any way. Instead of swoon and sparkles, it is safety, warmth and a steadfastness that bring about love and healing in this novel. So, while the romance I expected to feature didn’t, instead we really get three romances for the price of one, and the way Gabhart weaves them together is brilliant, at once remembering the past but also looking to the future.

Along with a just a touch of mystery, When The Meadow Blooms is a delightful historical novel about family and moving on to a hopeful future.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

This book is absolutely incredible!
I've always loved this author's books and this one is my new favorite.
Her storytelling is fabulous, her imagination more than impressive. It would be interesting talking with her and finding out what inspires her stories.
A sanitarium would be a depressing place to be ,wondering if you would ever be able to leave, so would an orphanage. But this is where Rose and her two daughters are in the mid-nineteen twenties when Rose is struck with tuberculous and she has no one to care for her children. She promises she'll be out quickly so they can be together again.
Her daughters are young, the older protecting the younger. The time slowly passes, the mother is sad and lonely despairing of never seeing her daughters again. The girls starting to forget what mother looks like but never forgetting her love for them.
Able to finally get out it seems as though it's a dream to be able to stay at her brother-in laws farm, Meadowland with her daughters.
The girls help their mother and the youngest has a special affinity with nature and animals.
Her brother in-law is a sad man grieving his past, not wanting to talk about it and keeping his heart shut tightly to any possibility of love.
The girls at his farm start to make a big change in his heart as he's able to let love in again. I enjoyed seeing a spiritual growth in him. It's amazing what a crow and the man's visitors can do to start his healing process for his heart. We don't have to keep everything bottled up inside, healing is available if we just embrace it.
So full of emotions, you will love this book and want to read it more than once. I know this book will stay with me for a long time.

Pub May 3,22.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

When the Meadow Blooms is the first book I have read by the author Ann H. Gabhart. I always enjoy discovering great, new-to-me authors, and this book proved to be a delight. This novel takes us into the world of a 1920s farm in Kentucky and introduces us to the memorable characters of Rose, Calla, Sienna, and Dirk.

Rose is a widowed mother as a result of the 1918 influenza pandemic who has spent the last two years in a sanatorium trying to recover from influenza. Her daughters, Calla and Sienna, have lived in an orphanage with a tyrannical manager. Prayer leads them to finally contact their father's brother who lives as a recluse on Meadowland Farm due to extensive facial scarring from a fire. They plead for him to open his home to them to give them a place to live and reunite as a family. The novel chronicles what happens when he opens his heart to them and gives himself a chance to heal from the wounds of the past.

The book is a delightful tale. It has deep, tender moments while exploring the issues of healing from suffering. Admittedly, the book journeys towards a very predictable, comfortable ending, but it still warms your heart nonetheless.

Overall, the book is a lovely read. I received an advanced copy from the publisher.

I so connected with Rose's daughter Sienna. What a delightful child! I loved how she saw the wonder in everything. Calla, too. She was so conscientious and caring. As I read along and found out more about Meadowland, I wanted to live there. Gabhart took the heartbreak and suffering of Rose and Dirk and created a beautiful story of healing and hope, spun with a bit of mystery. If you enjoy a good story driven by strong characters with an amazing setting and a satisfying ending, you'll want to read Where the Meadow Blooms. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A charming book, the story of a mother and her 2 daughters, separated due to the mother having tuberculosis and the sisters entering a "home" for needy children. Suffering at the hands of the house mother, they are rescued by their uncle, a recluse, and make their home with him in his farm Meadowland. Very well written historical fiction.

When the Meadows Bloom
This was a sweet and well done novel. It was all about relationships between 2 sisters and their mother. It does have a romance, and the kind I am drawn too, not gushy or overly sweet. I like historic novels and this one was not contemporary, but not perhaps as much history included as I like. It did deal with what was sad facts about some orphanages during the time period. It was an easy read, I finished in 2 days. Exactly what you sometimes want to read, a light romantic novel with elements of mystery and romance. The characters were well drawn, believable and likeable. There were touches of drama that did not last too long. Ann’s style of writing reminded me of early Grace Livingston Hill books that I read years ago. I would read Ann Gabhart again. Thanks to NetGalley and Revell Publishers for an advance copy.
# Net Galley #Revell Publishers

A powerful story of healing and restoration.

Dirk Meadows has lived alone for a long time, with only his scars for company.

Widow Rose is forced to put her children in an orphanage while she seeks treatment for consumption. But when a short term stay turns into a years long residency and her daughter ages out, they need a more permanent solution. So they write to Rose's brother-in-law, a recluse with a Farm in Kentucky.

A compelling read with excellent character development, with a powerful message of hope. I liked how this book was engaging, but at the same time it took the time to develop the characters and show how all of their lives change once they come to Meadowland. I liked how Rose and Cala hold to their faith through the challenges that they face. I think my favorite thing about this book was the effect that their arrival has on Dirk, pushing him outside of his insulated comfort zone.

A poignant and beautifully rendered read, with a wonderful unfolding message of restoration, forgiveness, faith and family.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cuddle up in a comfy chair under a warm Afghan and enjoy the afternoon reading this book…engross yourself in the story of these characters…family and friendship…the story moves quickly and comes to a satisfying end albeit not a perfect ending…the writer is talented and gifted in writing a novel that reads like,history…this book was sent to me by Netgalley for review…

Dirk Meadows lives alone on his land, away from the world, hiding the scars on his face and his heart. Losing his love 20 years ago is a burden he’s carried alone and is determined to stay that way, until his brother’s widow reaches out for help…not only her but her daughter. Rose is receiving treatment at a sanatorium while her two girls live in an orphanage, desperate for them to be together again, she can only hope Dirk will respond. And he turns out to be their answer to prayer…not that he believes in prayer anymore. Dirks response is surprising, even to himself. The walls built around his heart have been fortified all these years, but the girls and their mother begin to work their way past.

This is a gently paced story, and the tone feels much like wandering in an open meadow. There’s a lot of backstory about what happened to Annalise, making you truly wonder if Dirk can ever move on. Yet the grace of God is a healing balm on our souls giving hope to the lost, wandering and weary.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.