Where Willows Grow

Kim Sawyer gave us such wonderful characters in an era of Kansas droughts and tribulations. The love between Anna Mae and her husband, Harley, was already strained when he had to leave his beloved family and his farm, for work. He asked neighbor, Jack Berkley, to watch over his family and help with the chores. Jack was more than ready to help, considering that Jack had loved Anna Mae since childhood. The characters are so wonderfully written that you want only the best for them. This was indeed one of best books I have read in years. I would highly recommend it.

A wonderful story set in the Depression Era. Kim takes us on a journey of struggles caused by lack and the promise of what hope, endurance, and love can bring. The emotions shared between the husband and wife ring true for any generation.

When Harley brought home a crate full of foodstuff, plus a new hat for Anna Mae, he expected her to be excited. But she knew he didn't have the money to pay for such things, and then he told her he was going to help build a castle in Kansas of all places. The man had lost his mind and she told him so. Harley didn't take it well. He loved his wife, but that didn't give her the right to question his decisions. fter all, he was the head of his household and he had to do something. The drought had wiped out their crops,and if he didn't earn money they would lose the farm. This government job was a blessing, but Anna Mae couldn't seem to see it that way. Harley left for his new job, and Anna Mae was still angry. Days went by with no word from either one. Was this the end of their marriage? Or was someone they both considered a friend trying to cause trouble between them? Harley and Anna Mae went through some hard times, and they were both too stubborn for their own good, but love has a way of winning out in the long run. A strong story of love and faith, anger and doubt, and a man and woman determined to stay together, no matter what happened.

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!

The story opens with Anna Mae, a young wife struggling to raise her family in the lean, dry years of the Depression, discovering that the road of life just got considerably rougher. Already raising two children, she faces another pregnancy. On top of that, her husband, Harley, is talking of getting a distant job which would leave her alone on their failing Kansas farm until he could return. Annie is tough, but a strange turn of circumstances leads to her feel abandoned by the man she loves, while the only help she gets with the farm forces her to face trouble that nearly turns her world upside-down. But she is never alone, as her faith in God rises with the intensity of her struggles. Author Kim Sawyer touches upon real life issues with an honesty that refreshes, but in the tradition of Janette Oke, Where Willows Grow remains family-friendly with a satisfyingly good ending. I was rooting for Anna from page one. Kim's secondary characters will not disappoint, either.

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.