Where Wildflowers Bloom (Sisters at Heart Book #1): A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Ann Shorey (Author)

Book Description

The War Between the States stole a father and brother from Faith Lindberg-- as well as Royal Baxter, the man she wanted to marry. With only her grandfather left, she dreams of leaving Noble Springs, Missouri, and traveling west to Oregon to start a new life, away from the memories that haunt her. But first she must convince her grandfather to sell the family's mercantile and leave a town their family has called home for generations.

When Royal Baxter suddenly returns to town, Faith allows herself to hope that her dreams might come true. Does he truly love her? Or could another man claim her heart? Will she find that following her dreams may not mean leaving home after all?

The characters in Where Wildflowers Bloom jump off the page and into the reader's heart. Author Ann Shorey infuses her characters with the virtues and quirks that bring them fully alive as they search for contentment and love.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

How far will she go to follow her dreams?

The Civil War stole a father and brother from Faith Lindberg--as well as Royal Baxter, the man she wanted to marry. With only her grandfather left, she dreams of leaving Noble Springs, Missouri, and traveling west to Oregon to start a new life, away from the memories that haunt her. But first she must convince her grandfather to sell the family's mercantile and leave a town their family has called home for generations.

When Royal Baxter suddenly returns, Faith allows herself to hope that she and Royal will finally wed. But does he truly love her? Or will another man claim her heart?


"Where Wildflowers Bloom invites you to settle down over by the checkerboard at Lindberg's Mercantile Store and get to know the people of Noble Springs as they put the sorrows of the Civil War behind them and embrace life and love anew. Ann Shorey has come up with an appealing mix of history and romance that readers are sure to enjoy."--Ann H. Gabhart, author of The Blessed and Words Spoken True

"The authenticity of Where Wildflowers Bloom transported me straight to post-Civil War times, yet the characters--their hopes, dreams, conflicts, and fears--all rang contemporarily true. Another winner from Ann Shorey!"--Christina Berry, Christy-nominated and Carol Award-winning author of The Familiar Stranger


Ann Shorey is the author of The Edge of Light, The Promise of Morning, and The Dawn of a Dream. She has also published selections in the Cup of Comfort series and in Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul. Shorey lives with her husband, Richard, in Oregon.

About the Author

Ann Shorey is the author of The Edge of Light, The Promise of Morning, and The Dawn of a Dream. She has also published selections in the Cup of Comfort series and in Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul. Shorey lives with her husband, Richard, in Oregon.

Product Details

• File Size: 763 KB
• Print Length: 337 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0800720741
• Publisher: Revell; Original edition (January 1, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005PQUWYS
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,945 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love, Love, Lovin' It! January 13, 2012

By Jaime Sundsmo

Format:Paperback

If you're a lover of historical fiction, you will love the most recent Ann Shorey novel. If you're not a historical fiction freak like myself, well get off your duffer and try this one out - you won't be disappointed! :)

Ann Shorey has been one of my favorite historical writers since I first read her debut novel, "The Edge of Light". When I met Ann at a writer's conference in 2009, it was the meeting every fan hopes for. The writer really IS as sweet and kind as you imagined :)!

Every heroine needs a dream, a goal, a challenge ... and Faith's is to simply run away from her grief. I love that this is Post Civil War fiction. You still have a strong flavor of the War, yet you're not reading about the War or trauma during that time period. The after effects of war can be just as strong, if not stronger, and Ann deals with it masterfully.

Royal Baxter - well anything I say will be a spoiler, so we'll leave him to your imagination. Just beware that every "hero" isn't always who they seem to be. The best of heroes have secrets and mystique and ... scars.

I loved this book. Five stars is never enough for an Ann Shorey novel. The only way to be fully satisfied is to buy the book and read it at least twice. Maybe three times ...

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Story January 5, 2012

By Liz Tolsma

Format:Paperback

Where Wildflowers Bloom is the story of Faith Lindberg, determined to move her grandfather west from Missouri to Oregon to get away from the memories of those she lost. Then Royal Baxter, the man she always wanted to marry and who had been presumed dead in the Civil War, returns home and begins to court Faith. Livery man Curt Saxon befriends Faith's forgetful grandfather - and Faith, too. He loves her, but she can't see it. Which of these men isn't all he seems to be and which will win her heart?

Ann Shorey does a beautiful job weaving this story together and taking it to unexpected places, including a mystery and a hint of danger. It was an easy, fun read and I came away well satisfied with the story. The characters came alive on the page as did the setting. I can still hear the bell jingle over the mercantile's door.

This is the first book in the series Sisters of the Heart and I'm looking forward to reading the next book. I'd never read anything by Ann Shorey before, but I'm a fan now.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice inspirational romance January 2, 2012

By bookworm

Format:Paperback

Ann Shorey's new book, Where Wildflowers Bloom, a gentle, smoothly crafted prairie romance from Revell is perfect for reading on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The heroine, Faith, longs to follow the Oregon Trail and leave behind the sad memories of the loss of her brother and father in the Civil War. At times, I was frustrated with Faith's immaturity though this was a necessary element of her character arc. The other characters, especially the hero and the grandpa, were endearing. Additionally, I appreciated the author's subtle hand in addressing the prejudice against women prevalent at that time. I was also impressed with Shorey's knack for strong setting. With precise wording and well-laid details, she brought the 1860's and a Missouri small town to life. The faith element, too, was beautifully handled, not preachy or pushy but perfect for the time period and the characters.

More About the Author

ANN SHOREY has been a story collector for most of her life. Her writing has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul, and in the Adams Media Cup of Comfort anthologies. She made her fiction debut with the At Home in Beldon Grove series for Revell. The Edge of Light, released in January 2009, is the first in the series, followed by The Promise of Morning and The Dawn of a Dream. Her new Sisters at Heart series for Revell debuted on January 1, 2012, with Where Wildflowers Bloom. Book Two, When the Heart Heals, will release Feburary 1, 2013.

When Ann's not writing, she teaches classes on historical research, story arc, and other fiction fundamentals at regional conferences. She lives with her husband in Oregon.