Ms. Gohlke is a master storyteller who pulled the emotions from me with her tale of an estranged family brought together by unexpected circumstances.
Comparing their situation to the story of the Prodigal Son, widow Aunt Ginny Dee sees herself and her relatives in many of the roles in the parable. She takes scripture to heart and begins to heal from past hurts. This story was told so beautifully and had me connecting with the characters and their spiritual journey.
This could absolutely be made into a movie or a series and could touch a multitude of souls. I appreciate the clear Gospel message and the way the characters lived out their faith naturally. Ms. Gohlke crafted the story with flawed people and the situations were dire at times. But the way she portrayed the caring community spoke volumes.
I am so grateful I chose to read this book.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*Beyond 5 stars and a solid faith thread
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*Beyond 5 stars and a solid faith thread
BackCover Blurb:
When
she ran away as a young war bride, she was cut off from her family
forever . . . or so she believed. Decades later, maybe the only way to
move on is to go home.Ginny Pickering Boyden can’t wait for her last day of work, when she’ll be free to pursue a lifelong ambition through a master gardener apprenticeship. But an unexpected letter brings shocking news: Ginny has inherited her family’s Christmas tree farm, a dream she’d long ago given up.
Facing a past laced with memories and lies she’s tried hard to bury, a furious nephew who thought the land would be his, and a failing farm with a mountain of debt, Ginny returns to New Scrivelsby, Virginia, determined to sell. But when her younger nephew, a Vietnam vet, appears with demons of his own and three young children in tow, Ginny isn’t sure what to do. Too much of their story reminds Ginny of her own. She has little hope, however, that three generations of warring Pickerings can set aside their differences to restore all that’s broken, both on the land and in their hearts.
Set against the beautiful and rugged landscape of the Blue Ridge Mountains, This Promised Land is the story of a daughter’s longing to make sense of the past and of the unbreakable bonds that bring prodigals home.
-A modern take on the prodigal son story, written by a four-time Christy award–winning author
-Contains discussion questions ideal for book clubs
Tyndale Fiction, April, 2025
Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:
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