Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert

About the Book
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.

My Thoughts
I loved this book as much, if not more than, this author's first book! When I read Wildflowers from Winter, I really liked Robin's character so I was very happy to discover that she was getting her own book. After all she went through she needed a happy ending! After reading the synopsis I was a little sure of whether or not I would enjoy the plot but I still knew I wanted to read it and I'm very glad I did! The thing that worried me most was the whole conflict of buying/not selling the cafe. I was afraid that I would be siding with one of them and getting irritated with the other for not just giving in. But the author did an amazingly awesome job of giving them both legitimate reasons that left you wanting them both to win! Which of course left another whole problem that was also handled really well I just can't tell you how with out spoiling the end!
I really liked the characters of this story. As I said I already really liked Robin's character and this book only improved my opinion. I loved how she stepped out of herself and her grief to help others who were going through similar things. Ian was great too and even though at first he seemed to be the opposite of who you'd expect for Robin to be with he turned out to be perfect for her. I really appreciated his integrity throughout the whole situation and his desire to do the right thing for everyone. All of the other characters were fun as well and it was especially cool to revisit the ones we met in WfW. To summarize this was a beautiful and emotional story that I highly recommend!


About the Author
Katie Ganshert graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her husband and their young son. She is the author of Wildflowers from Winter.

I received an ARC of this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.