Review: "The Sowing Season" by Katie Powner

It's not often that I pick up a book that isn't a romance (what can I say, I know what I like!), but I'd heard very good things about Katie Powner's debut, so I decided to pick it up. It was worth stepping out of my genre comfort zone!

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After he's forced to sell the family farm he's labored on his whole life, 63-year-old Gerrit Laninga doesn't know what to do with himself. He sacrificed everything for the land--his time, his health, his family--with nothing to show for it but bitterness, regret, and two grown children who want nothing to do with him.

Fifteen-year-old Rae Walters has growing doubts and fears about The Plan--the detailed blueprint for high school that will help her follow in her lawyer father's footsteps. She's always been committed to The Plan, but now that the pressure to succeed is building, what was supposed to unite her family in purpose, may end up tearing it apart.

When their paths cross just as they each need a friend the most, Gerrit's and Rae's lives begin to change in unexpected ways. Can they discover together what really matters in life and learn it's never too late for a second chance?

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This is such a sweet story! The strength is in the main characters, sixty-something Gerrit and teenager Rae. Both characters are so clearly drawn and nuanced, and I felt like I really knew them! I especially loved Gerrit's story arc as he slowly realized how he had hurt his family (while doing what he thought he needed to do to care for them) and tried to make amends.

The Sowing Season is one of those novels that draws you in and keeps you thinking about it after you've turned the final page. It's a novel that I think anyone - male, female, young, old - could enjoy. 4 stars.

Buy the book (Amazon ad).

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Katie Powner is an award-winning author who lives in rural Montana where cows still outnumber people. She is a two-time OCW Cascade Award and ACFW First Impressions Award winner. Katie is a mom to the third power: biological, adoptive, and foster. She loves Jesus, red shoes, and candy. Katie can be found at www.katiepowner.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."