Tending Roses

TENDING ROSES is the first in the 5-book Tending Roses series by bestselling author Lisa Wingate, who also wrote THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS and BEFORE WE WERE YOURS. This one is a feel-good story of family, connection, and figuring out priorities in life.

Usually Kate, a foundation fundraiser, and her husband Ben, an architect, are busy attending to their high pressure jobs in Chicago. That is until their first son, Joshua, is born with a health issue. At the start of the book Joshua is now four-months-old and doing well. So Kate and Ben decide they need some time away and head for an extended Christmas holiday at the family farm in Missouri, where Kate's beloved but cantankerous 89-year-old grandmother lives alone in declining health. show more Other members of Kate's extended family plan to use the upcoming holiday get-together as the time to sell the farm and move Grandma into a nursing home.

For Kate, meeting up with her sister, father, and aunt is tied up with anxiety, tension, and old hurts. An ordeal to be faced rather than a reunion to be enjoyed.

But time spent at the farm also gives Kate a chance to reflect on many wonderful childhood memories. The summers she spent on the farm. The early days of her relationship with Ben. All of which launches a reexamination of her own life choices. Does she really want to return to work when her maternity leave ends? Can she come up with a better solution for Grandma than a nursing home? Is there any way to keep the farm in the family? And what options are even possible with all the debt she and Ben are carrying?

The unfolding of the story touches on many important and universal life themes. Do mothers need to be with their children full-time in the early years? How involved should fathers be with their children? How valuable is faith? How important is financial success? How much responsibility do each of us have to those less fortunate?

It's a lovely novel, with three-dimensional characters who are totally distinctive AND fully believable. In fact, they are likely to remind you of people in your own lives. So, I highly recommend the book. It's not just a well-crafted novel about family and priorities, but also one that is likely to make you reflect on your own choices. show less

TENDING ROSES is the first in the 5-book Tending Roses series by bestselling author Lisa Wingate, who also wrote THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS and BEFORE WE WERE YOURS. This one is a feel-good story of family, connection, and figuring out priorities in life.

Usually Kate, a foundation fundraiser, and her husband Ben, an architect, are busy attending to their high pressure jobs in Chicago. That is until their first son, Joshua, is born with a health issue. At the start of the book Joshua is now four-months-old and doing well. So Kate and Ben decide they need some time away and head for an extended Christmas holiday at the family farm in Missouri, where Kate's beloved but cantankerous 89-year-old grandmother lives alone in declining health. show more Other members of Kate's extended family plan to use the upcoming holiday get-together as the time to sell the farm and move Grandma into a nursing home.

For Kate, meeting up with her sister, father, and aunt is tied up with anxiety, tension, and old hurts. An ordeal to be faced rather than a reunion to be enjoyed.

But time spent at the farm also gives Kate a chance to reflect on many wonderful childhood memories. The summers she spent on the farm. The early days of her relationship with Ben. All of which launches a reexamination of her own life choices. Does she really want to return to work when her maternity leave ends? Can she come up with a better solution for Grandma than a nursing home? Is there any way to keep the farm in the family? And what options are even possible with all the debt she and Ben are carrying?

The unfolding of the story touches on many important and universal life themes. Do mothers need to be with their children full-time in the early years? How involved should fathers be with their children? How valuable is faith? How important is financial success? How much responsibility do each of us have to those less fortunate?

It's a lovely novel, with three-dimensional characters who are totally distinctive AND fully believable. In fact, they are likely to remind you of people in your own lives. So, I highly recommend the book. It's not just a well-crafted novel about family and priorities, but also one that is likely to make you reflect on your own choices. show less

Little gem of a story about a hurting family coming together again by learning and adopting the wisdom of a feisty grandmother. She teaches them the importance of giving children memories and time, not money and things.

The plot is oversimplified, and preachy, but good writing, characterizations and pace make this a beautiful read!

"Tending Roses" was a gentle, touching read filled with so much wisdom about families, priorities, motherhood and appreciating the little things in life. I adored Grandma Rose! She could be stubborn and opinionated, often hurting people with her words, but deep down she had a heart of gold. She reminded me of my own grandmother and her relationship with Kate was similar to the one my grandma and I shared.

I just wish there had been more stories in Grandma Rose's wildflower book, they were definitely my favourite parts of the novel. I wasn't a big fan of "Before We Were Yours", but I loved "Tending Roses". It was poignant and deeply moving, and it touched my heart.

Lisa Wingate is one of my favorite authors. She delivers heartwarming, soul edifying stories. Every. Single. Time. Her stories have an abundance of heart and her characters own the perfect balance of strengths and limitations.

Tending Roses depicts the realistic falling away of families—becoming busy in our own lives, or holding on to past hurts, that puts a wedge between those we’d preferably cling to. And Christmastime is the premier occasion to join together, even if the circumstances aren’t ideal.

After Grandma Rose has a stroke, the splintered family comes together to come up with a game plan for her future. Clearly, this isn’t an easy decision, and one I can relate to in my own life.

As with all of Ms. Wingate’s show more characters, Kate Bowman is easy to connect with. I connected with her from the very beginning and understood her motivations and heart.

This is such a beautiful story, showcasing the importance of family bonds and spiritual faith.

I was blessed to receive a complimentary copy of this book. show less

Another great book by Lisa Wingate! I really couldn't put this book down. My grandmother is getting to the end of her life and this book really struck home with me.
Kate moves with her husband and son to her grandmother's farm. Kate's family wants her to convince her grandmother to move into a nursing home. As Kate starts spending time with her grandmother she finds a journal that helps her see who her grandmother used to be. Determined to keep her grandmother at home, Kate and her husband decide to stay on the farm for an indeterminate time. Grandma Rose becomes more frail and Kate is assured that she made the right decision. Grandma Rose passes away in her home and with the people that she loved.

Such a good book! Kate, her husband and baby move to Grandma's farm for a last Christmas with her. The family is fractured still over her mother's death 6 years ago, and now that Grandma Rose's health is declining, the family has decided to put her in a nursing home. But is that right for Grandma Rose? And is the fastrack Chicago life right for Kate? Grandma's wildflower journal with short thoughts seems to appear just when Kate needs the wisdom and knowledge that it provides. And the Christmas time with Grandma doesn't turn out like anything any of the family expected. Have the tissues handy for the ending. The "journal" entries are very moving on their own. Wonderful read.