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.

Wow, what a delightful premise! You had me at Christmas tree farm, honestly! I'm thrilled that the execution lived up to the premise.

Gohlke is a wonderful writer who is not afraid to explore family secrets while maintaining a strong Christian worldview at the same time.

Bethany's story is compelling, and the author does a great job of weaving secrets throughout the narrative. The novel also paints a vivid and realistic picture of life on a Christmas tree farm. Ultimately this is an immensely enjoyable read about the importance of relationships.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

This story captured my heart and was a wonderful reminder of family and forgiveness. Living in community requires communication and compassion that is seen developing in the characters.

I loved this latest installment to Cathy Gohlke's books! Ginny such an interesting character to me, and I was curious and eager to read throughout the book. I can't put into words why I liked this book so much, which probably doesn't make the best review, but this book exceeded my expectations.

Mark, Arlo, Marley and Cooper were such an interesting family and I was desperate to know what would happen. Bethany and her story made me ache for her, and when I started to piece together bits of everyone's past, I really connected with the characters. I loved the Tree Farm dynamic and the family work ethic. I realized while reading this book that one of the reasons I love Cathy Gohlke is because her families are so close and they inspire me to put effort into the relationships around me.

All in all, this book was very well written and held me tight the whole way through.

I received a complimentary copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions express are my own.