Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert

Read the first chapter here.

Does a second chance at life and love always involve surrender?
A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa, she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.

So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.

As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.

With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances.

Wishing On Willows by Katie Ganshert was a sweet and touching novel that really exposed the importance of trusting God and putting others first. The plot line was interesting and ran smoothly. It contained a good mix of romance, humor, sadness, and conflict that kept the story line moving and exciting. The story was told from both Robin and Ian's perspectives which really helped give the reader a good idea of what both main characters were feeling.

The characters of Wishing on Willows were realistic and well developed. Robin was a interesting character who struggled with moving past her husband's death as well as with financial difficulties with her cafe. She is strong willed yet quiet and not about to give in to Ian's business plans. Ian, on the other hand, is stubborn himself and is convinced that he is going to make the business deal despite his feelings for Robin and her resistance to his deal. The two characters had very interesting and sometimes humorous confrontations throughout the novel. The other minor characters were well created to accentuate the characteristics of Ian and Robin and really helped reveal their thoughts and feelings to the reader.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel immensely, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a inspirational yet light novel to read.

I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review from Waterbrook Multnomah Press.