Where Willows Grow (Paperback)

~ Kim Sawyer (Author)
Key Phrases: Anna Mae, Where Willows Grow, Papa Berkley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Kim Vogel Sawyer has written another great book.... Each character is well portrayed.... The setting... is well crafted...." -- Victoria H. Borgman, ChristianBookPreviews.com

Product Description

After enduring a depression and drought, Anna Mae Phipps and her husband, Harley, can barely feed the two daughters they have--how will they afford another baby? Though Anna Mae is furious when Harley sells the mules and takes a job building a castle in another part of Kansas with the Works Progress Administration, she eventually realizes it was their only hope. But when no letters arrive from Harley, Anna Mae fears her husband may be gone for good. The drought has stolen everything from her--will it take Harley, too?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764201832
• ISBN-13: 978-0764201837
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #118,102 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Step Back in Time, May 17, 2007

By	Cara Putman (Lafayette, IN) - See all my reviews

This book has Kim Sawyer's signature depth of characterization. As the reader, I quickly fell in love with Anna and her struggles. The characters were rich and diverse. Harley is a man who has pulled himself up and works hard to support his family. Jack has a successful dairy farm, but is focused on the love that's been denied him. Dirk is a man who will teach Harley what sacrifice is about. And Anna is a woman trying to make the best of an impossible situation.

I also love the way Kim makes the setting come alive. She pulls together unknown pieces of Kansas history that add richness and depth to the plot. I also enjoyed the fact that this book was set during the Depression. This has been a time period that has been overlooked by many historical authors, yet Kim makes it come to life in a manner that kept me engaged from page one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The course of true love never did run smooth. . . ., April 4, 2007

By	Melanie Dickerson "Jane Austen's #1 fan" (Rocket City, AL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

But true love wins out in this wonderful book by Kim Vogel Sawyer, another touching, insightful story, this time set in the Depression in drought-stricken Kansas. Using believable characters, she weaves a tale of God's provision and the redemption of broken dreams.

Anna Mae loves her husband, but it's been a while since she and Harley shared much more than frustration. They're on the brink of losing the farm they both dearly love because of the severe drought and the depressed economy. Out of desperation, Harley decides to take a WPA job, which will mean leaving his wife and two little girls. Anna Mae, unhappy about the situation, doesn't even say good-bye to her husband, and they part in anger.

Far away from her husband, Anna Mae's situation seems to go from bad to worse, especially when lifelong neighbor, Jack, decides he still loves Anna Mae and it would be best if her son-of-a-sharecropper husband didn't return at all.

This book delivers quite an emotional punch and will touch your heart, as true love, in all its many forms, wins out in the end. Don't miss it!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Where Willows Grow by Kim Vogel Sawyer, April 3, 2007

By	Rose A. Mccauley (KY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a story of enduring love during the Depression period of our country's history. Anna Mae and Harley Phipps are barely surviving on the farm her parents left her. Harley travels across the state of Kansas, against his wife's wishes, to work on a WPA project of building a castle to make money for food and taxes. Several events occur to keep them from receiving letters from each other, leading to more hurt feelings. They are both involved in harmful accidents which God can use for good if they will let Him. The blurb on the back of the book says "Her heart aches for his return, but is the distance between them measured by more than miles?" I hope you will order this book and find out the answer for yourself. If you are like me, you will be happy at the joyful ending, but sad that your visit with these heartwarming characters is at an end.