Garden of Dreams (Paperback)

by Leslie Gould (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Two Loving Friends. One Powerful Faith. A Life-Threatening Secret.

Raised by a mother who was haunted by worry and fear, Jill vowed to live a different kind of life. As a young woman, she planned out what she wanted—a husband, a large home full of children, the opportunity to paint and grow a beautiful garden, a community of believers, and a best friend—then watched as it all came true in the art-filled town of Ashland, Oregon.

But Jill has a secret that she has kept from those she loves most, including her husband and her best friend, Caye—and she’s not the only one with something to hide. Her mother also has not told Jill the whole truth about her father and the disease that claimed his life. Together, these secrets shatter Jill’s idyllic world.

Now, driven by uncertainty and questions, compassion and mercy, Jill and Caye face a test of friendship unlike any other—a test that will lead one of them to powerful revelations about faith and love, and the other to the realization that trust in God encompasses all things.

About the Author
Leslie Gould works as a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon, where she lives with her husband Peter and four children.. She is the previous curator of the Swedenburg House Museum in Ashland, Oregon. This is her first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1 edition (June 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578566363
• ISBN-13: 978-1578566365
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,159,556 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply touched, August 25, 2003

By A Customer

It's been two years since I lost my best friend to cancer. Much like Caye I took care of Jill I took care of my friend. I had to get a little more involved since my friend was parazlyed, could not control her functions and had no medical insurance..I put my life and family on hold just like Caye hoping that they would be there when all was over. This book made me laugh and made me cry, it touched me the way no other ever has, when it was over I wanted more. What happened to Caye, her family, Jill's family, please let there be a followup.
Caye says at the end, she mourns, every day. So true...This book is for anyone wanting to laugh cry and began to heal..

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Friendship, love and faith, July 8, 2003

By	Kathleen Knauf (Salem, OR USA) - See all my reviews

How do friendship, love and faith carry us through when life throws us a curve we were not expecting. Leslie Gould has written a powerful first novel, telling the story of two best friends, Jill and Caye, and how they deal with the every day issues when illness threatens the very existence of the life they have come to know. What happens when Jill finds out she has cancer? What is the secret she is keeping? How does Caye and her family cope when she devotes so much time to Jill? These are all questions that Ms. Gould answers with real candor. Anyone who values the importance of friendship, love and faith will enjoy this book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming to the Soul, September 6, 2003

By	Ellen Doty (Magnolia, Arkansas United States) - See all my reviews

This story was so involved and heartwarming for me. I could actually find myself being a part of the story. Even though the story is fictional it seemed so real to life. I would recommend this book to everyone. I found the book to be so realistic and the outcome is so true to life. God works through everyone in this Christian reading material, especially for the readers of this book.