"We're made for hard things."

Cathy Gohlke's masterpiece starts out with seemingly irreparable family dynamics, broken dreams, terrible losses and grief and blossoms into a beautifully redemptive tale of family, home, and belonging. Set in 1992 Virginia, Ginny is a weary soul looking forward to retirement and months to be spent abroad with her beloved flowers. Though life has beaten her down, she still has seeds of hope within her heart that are watered and tended by the most unlikely people in her life. I really enjoyed the multi-generational third person voices in the book - Ginny was the central character but Bethany and Arlo's unique voices gave depth and layer to the plot.
The men in the book were equally unique. Will, Mark, and Luke brought different angles, emotions, and baggage to the story and made the plot fuller and richer. I particularly enjoyed the faith threads that focused on forgiveness, grace, and mercy.

If you enjoy women's fiction, this book is definitely for you. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers via Interviews and Reviews and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

“This Promised Land” by Cathy Gohlke is a good book about family restoration and forgiveness. It is a story that is like the prodigal son story in the Bible. Lots of emotions are evoked in this book and it makes you wonder how you would react in the same situation. Cathy does a great job with her character development and the novel is well written.

Ginny Dee the main character left home at a young age against her parents wishes. Years later she returns home, when she finds out that she has inherited the family farm. There is a lot of resentment from family members over the will and secrets kept and lies told. Can there be healing, restoration and forgiveness for this family? We can’t change the past but we can learn from it and change how we do things in the future.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. Thank you NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for an advanced copy of this book.

Cathy Gohlke has become a favorite author of mine, and this beautiful book is my favorite one yet. This sweet story is full of family drama as the Pickering family learns to come together to save their Christmas tree farm despite their history, prodigals, and secrets uncovered along the way. I absolutely loved these characters! While there was plenty of drama and trials, overall it had the cozy feel of farmhouses, cookie baking, and family - the perfect mix of tension and comfort. Spanning several months, it could be read any time of year, but I think it would make a great holiday read, as it ends at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @tyndalehouse for this advanced reader copy. This Promised Land publishes on April 8, but preorders are open now!

📖 Christian fiction. No language. Clean romance. Alcoholism, miscarriage.

This prodigal/coming home story drew me in right from the beginning and absolutely captivated me. The way that brokenness, restoration, and forgiveness leaves an imprint on the characters touched my very soul. Highly recommend this heartwarming story!

*A big thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Promised Land by Cathy Gohlke is a stand alone story dual time line story that takes place in 1940 and 1992. Curtis came into Ginny’s family to help them and the two eventually married, just prior to him leaving to fight in WWII. He came home so mentally changed it became her life to take care of him and then pay for the care she couldn’t give him. Now she is ready to retire and fulfill her dream of touring European gardens before working at the greenhouse of her ancestral home. Until, a letter arrives that sends her home to Virginia to find out her brother lied to everyone about the truth behind the family’s Christmas tree farm.

This is such a good story. It is so well written it is easy to imagine the confusion Ginny and her nephews might be dealing with. This story is so powerful that I found myself reading it just to see how it would end. The characters are so realistic in how their reactions are to the lies her brother has told. I found it so discouraging that one person could so negatively affect Ginny and her mother’s lives. I found it inspirations to see how the brothers learn to work together, how Ginny and her nephews wife take over caring for the children while the men work and how the community comes together to help the families when someone destroys the trees. This story has it all. It has family drama, touches of budding romance, suspense and mystery surrounding the farm and inspiration.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this story, this is my honest review.

This book has a depth in the plot that really makes the reader think. Ginnie Dee has found out that she has inherited the family Christmas tree farm. Her nephews were thinking that they had inherited it, but her mother had willed it only to her. Her brother had kept her from seeing their mother out of pure spitefulness. He raised his sons to think that the farm was theirs when he passes away. Luke is the son who stayed around to work the farm and Mark went out, served in Viet Nam, got married, had three children, delved into alcoholism, and came back to the farm because he was homeless. The truth of the of the matter is the farm is in serious danger of going to the bank to be sold to the highest bidder. The family needs a stellar profit year in order to save the farm. It will take all of them working together to make it work.

Of course, there are obstacles, bad guys, vindictive people, and mayhem included in the book; but not in a slapstick way. This Promised Land is a serious look at life in the eighties that brings home the difficulties of a family who have been through some tough times. They do come out on top and even thrive in spite of their difficulties. The church comes together to help them out and keep them around. It is a picture of God's love in action and one of the things that make the plot and main characters endearing. Cathy Gohlke has done a masterful job of bringing the characters to life on the page and to connect the characters to the reader. She has painted a picture with her words of life in a small southern town--the town gossip, the judgmental biddies, the older men who want to feel useful again, and the people who help from the depths of their hearts.

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a decorated Christmas tree for a shut-in.

Tyndale House provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

What a beautiful story that I savored reading! I could not put this captivating book down. You do not want to miss this tale of family, brokenness, prodigals returning home, trying to save a family and a family farm, forgiveness, and grace. Author Cathy Gohlke is a beautiful storyteller, and This Promised Land delivers a home run. Her books are on my must read list.

On the cusp of retirement and finally being able to pursue life-long dreams, Ginny Pickering Boyden is shocked to receive a letter asking her to return home, a place she hasn't been in 50 years. She has no idea she inherited her family Christmas Tree farm after being cut off from her family for decades. The two nephews she didn't know existed, were led to believe it was theirs to inherit after their father (her brother) passed away. The story is captivating, the characters are real and endearing, the setting is beautiful, and it all comes alive under the talented pen of the author. (It would make a fantastic movie!) Highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher (Tyndale Fiction) and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Provocative, inspiring, and hopeful, This Promised Land by Cathy Gohlke is a masterfully written novel that integrates themes of family, forgiveness, and restoration into a riveting tale that resounds in the heart of the reader far beyond the end of the story.

Set during the early 1990’s in the small town of New Scrivelsby, Virginia, This Promised Land is a family saga of redemption, grace, and mercy as exhibited in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. Main character Ginny Pickering Boyden has recently retired and is anticipating relocating to England where she plans to fulfill her long cherished dream of touring England and where she plans to work as a garden apprentice at her family ancestral manor house bearing a botanical garden. As Ginny is preparing to relocate, she unexpectedly receives a letter from a law office in her hometown of New Scrivelsby, informing her of the death of her older brother and her inheritance of the family farm. Ginny has mixed feelings about returning to the farm, as she has stayed away for over 30 years, thinking herself exiled from the family following a harsh decision she made in her youth. She warily returns, hoping to sell the property, only to find that residing on the farm holds the one thing she has desired for many years, and that is family. What she believes to be a temporary stay to prepare the farm to sale, turns into more than she anticipated, when she learns of her oldest nephew and his wife living on the property, as well as the abrupt arrival of her youngest nephew and his three young children to the farm. A slew of events takes place that remind Ginny, as well as the others, of the importance of family. These events also serve to restore past failures, hurts, and disappointments that they have experienced in their lives that threaten to dismantle the family and family business. The story remarkably emphasizes the divine wisdom of the Lord portrayed in His perfect plan for our lives, as well as the importance of trusting in His plan despite our limited understanding.

“Aren’t we all runaways from God in one way or another, at some time or another? Haven’t we all deserted Him, broken His heart, demanded our inheritance-bent on grabbing our wants?” -This Promised Land.

In This Promised Land, author Cathy Gohlke exhibits her profound skill at writing astounding, God centered stories as she effortlessly draws the reader into this storyline with dynamic characters and a plot that boasts of inspiration and hope in the face of affliction. The plot brimmed with wonderful Christian faith content and is a well-paced page-turning story that illustrates the blessing of family. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I highly recommend it to others.

The Promised Land - Cathy Gohlke - NG review
A gentle read in the hands of a master story teller that plumbs the depths of human emotions and complexity. Cathy Gohlke, a new to me author's book left me feeling the story was complete and yet not in a sacchrine, unrealistic HEA manner.

It's a tale of sibling rivalries, jealousies and insecurity that spills into deception, manipulation and control affecting four generations, depriving those affected of love, security, a home and an inheritance.

Cathy Gohlke's novel unravels these tangled threads weaving a secure net of hope, love, joy, family, a home and an inheritance into the lives of the children and adults.

You see the church community truly be the hands and feet of Jesus. There are a few rather unrealistic moments, but when you consider that God is in the business of miracles...

I enjoyed this gentle read more than I thought I would. It captured my attention and slowly wove it's magic around my soul. I received an ARC for my reading pleasure, but the opinions are my own.

I have one word: excellent. I simply can't say more without potentially giving away parts of the story that are best left to Cathy to tell. I loved everything about this story. Everything.

This is a book that reads like a warm hug! The story of the prodigal son, but also the prodigal daughter, a broken family.
Lies and hurts, and why? Jealousy, and then greed, but why?
This is such a well written page turner, a beautiful Christian read, and yes, people are not perfect, and even to the end we don't know why some were such liars, and how much those lies and deceit hurt others.
A farm, Christmas trees, that has been in the family for generations, and now there is a family here that wants to save this land, but is it to late. There are also others that want them to fail, while others come to their aid.
The author give us a broken man with children, and those children will wrap around your heart. He has come home. We are also given a woman whom comes after the death of her brother, to find what she doesn't know!
Throw in a bit of sweet romance, and maybe this broken family can survive?
Wish I could have stayed here, there are so many new beginning at the end!
I received this book through Net Galley and Tyndale House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.

*3 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

There were many lies that should not have been told in this story. Luke, Bethany, Mark and his kids went through many things over the years. Some characters were really good at helping each other out. A little too much of certain things in this book for my liking. Interesting read but just ok for me.

A wonderful story with many heart-tugging moments. Set mainly in the 1990's, with flash backs to the Vietnam era.

Well-written and perfectly paced featuring a multi-generational cast of characters, with modern day parallels to the Biblical story of the prodigal son. It pulled me in from the first page and lingered long after it was over. I couldn't read it fast enough! The main character, Ginny, provides much of the narration as she shoulders the burden of her newfound family and wrestles with her past mistakes. Young Arlo steals the show, however, and her point of view adds so much to the narrative. I wanted to give that poor girl a hug!

"Aren't we all runaways from God in one way or another?"
Dealing with alcoholism, PTSD in veterans, and caring for difficult people are a few topics gently touched on. Faith plays a part in bringing hope and healing to the hurting family, especially with the support of community. There are touching moments that brought tears as kindness and forgiveness rebuilt broken relationships.

Highly recommend this book to readers who like an inspirational multi-generational story with depth, faith and a little romance. 5+ stars

•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•

{𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒅}

“𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔. 𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝙷𝚒𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙷𝚎’𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚞𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚜.”

🌹 Release date: April 8, 2025 🌹
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This was such a beautiful story of family restoration and forgiveness ♥️ I really appreciated the deep themes this book covered and I think it was such a touching depiction of prodigals and the bonds that bring them home. The characters were very well written and easy to form connections with. This was only my second book by Cathy Gohlke, but it certainly won’t be my last! She truly has such an amazing gift with her writing abilities!

Ginny Dee left home at sixteen, without her parents consent, to marry her first love before he had to leave for war. Once she found herself alone and pregnant, Ginny sent a letter home hoping to return. What she got instead was a letter from her brother, Harold, informing her that she was no longer a part of the family and, therefore, had no home to return to.

Years passed as the hurt continued to fester in Ginny’s heart. Then she got an unexpected letter which took her back to her hometown. It was there that she discovered some shocking news that rocked her to her very core. What transpired included a gathering of previously unknown family members all working together to try to save the old Pickering Christmas Tree Farm. Deep hurts began to finally find healing as true love shown its light on the Pickering family.

Arlo was definitely my favorite character in this book! Her deep sense of responsibility towards her younger siblings and the fierce way she protected them, instantly endeared her to me. I loved being able to watch her bond with her aunt, Ginny Dee, over flowers and nature. Watching her personality open up and bloom like a flower reaching for the sun’s light, would melt even the coldest of hearts ♥️
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I received a complimentary arc from NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers. All opinions listed are purely my own.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to give my honest review. This was a wonderful story about redemption and what it means to be a family. Ginny had been deceived after leaving home when she desired to return. When she did return decades later. she did not expect to fall in love with her relatives, most of whom she had never met. The children were delightful and the story of the prodigal, the oldest son, and forgiveness was so well told. I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend it.

Four and a half stars :) Took me a bit to warm up to Ginny, and the lead up to the conclusion was a bit much, but overall, this was a wonderful, engaging, heartwarming, story about loss, deception, belonging, fear, hope, love, and finding home. I loved young Arlo and her younger brothers, as well as Bethany, Will, and, of course, Bailey. A story that will stick with me for quite a while.

“It’s not about seeing the good right off. It’s about looking for the good, for the image of God in every person.”

This family saga packs a punch!

Set on the Wetherill Pickering’s Christmas Tree Farm and spanning fifty years beginning in 1940s in New Scrivelsby, Virginia, this story chronicles the intricacies of the Pickerings’ family life and the impact societal changes brought to their family dynamics. Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz claimed that ‘there’s no place like home’ and Cathy Gohlke shows us although this is true for those who can claim a family and home, there are those who’ve been fending for themselves, struggling without the support of a family or a place to feel loved and welcome. Her exploration of home and family made for a compelling read.

The strong matriarch in this family is a great aunt, 65-year-old Ginny Pickering Boyden. She’d been written out of her family’s will and life 50 years ago and was on the cusp of realizing her dreams for retirement when she received a letter about a family inheritance. She returns to Virginia with no expectations other than realizing that she’s considered the prodigal daughter who’d disappointed her entire family. Her plans included a quick sale and return to New Jersey. She didn’t plan on second chances and new beginnings.

I quickly became absorbed in the lives of the Pickering family and saw why Ginny referred to them as a family of prodigals. Gohlke’s rich storytelling made it easy to connect to her reimagining of the biblical story of the prodigal son. I appreciated the reminders that we are all at one time or another runaways from God, that we can’t change our past but we can change the trajectory of our future, that there’s danger in being judgemental, and that most of us are bent on grabbing our wants.

Arlo, Marley, and Cooper and their father, Mark, in addition to Bethany, Luke and Ginny nestled their way into my heart and I was sad to say goodbye. I was rooting for everyone in this family and hoping they broke free from the hurt and fear to receive the love and hope they were searching for. Gohlke adeptly used the canvas of this family saga to explore history and family dynamics, tying them tightly with threads of faith.

I was gifted this copy by Tyndale and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I just don't understand why and how people can be so mean even after death. Yes, I had sort of the same thing happened to me with my parents too so I can connect with this story.
I loved each and every one of the people in this story but my heart went out to mostly the children. Especially Arlo for being the oldest and trying to keep her siblings together.
I simply couldn't put this amazing family's story down. In this one, family's everything no matter how its put together. I really hated saying goodbye to them.
This is a story of love, healing and hope at the end of the tunnel.
I stayed up late last night to finish it. Y'all might want a box of tissues nearby.
I love this authors books but I think this one will be my favorite. Simply because its about family.I wanted to leave you all with a thought
“That’s true. God made it possible. He prepared the feast ahead of time—ahead of all of us. We just didn’t realize it. We only needed to walk through the door.”
5 stars for a beautiful love story of trying to keep family together even in the toughest of times and following where God may lead them.
I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

THIS PROMISED LAND by CATHY GOHLKE is a beautifully written story about the meaning of family, the importance ot belonging and working together. I particularly enjoy Ginny’s love of plants and flowers, and the way she teaches the children to collect and press interesting specimens. There is also a sense of making something beautiful out of something broken….
In 1992, at the age of sixty five, Ginny Dee Pickering Boyden is about to set off to the UK to pursue a lifelong dream, when she is shattered to find that she is the owner of her family’s debt-ridden Christmas Tree Farm. She finds that her deceased brother, Harold, lied to her, and that he promised his sons, Luke and Mark, equal shares in the farm as their inheritance…..
Upon arriving at her old home, with all its poignant memories, she finds some of the family members fit into the biblical story of the Prodigal Son, with Luke as the angry elder brother, Mark as the returning prodigal son, and herself as both the returning prodigal and the welcoming father!……..
The characters are wonderful, especially the children, in this emotional story of family relationships, second chances, unconditional love, and hope. There is a strong Christian message of God’s provision, of restoration and of overcoming evil with good…..
There is a grear deal more to the story but I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling your read.
I cannot recommend this lovely and truly inspirational book highly enough.
I was given an ARC of the book by Tyndale House Publishers from NetGalley. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Sweet, if predictable, story about a woman looking forward to fulfilling her dream of moving to England to garden after she retires. When she receives news that she's inherited her family's failing farm, she must deal with her two nephews and decide whether to try to save the farm or pursue her own goals at last.