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Winter in Full Bloom
Embark on a flight with Lily as she faces her secret fear and lands in the precise spot that God intended all along.
Lily's life changes in a heartbeat when a fiery confrontation with her mother uncovers a mystery about her totally dysfunctional family, sending Lily on a panicky flight around the world to get answers. But she gets more than she expected in Melbourne when a serendipitous meeting sparks a friendship with a man who is more than just another brazen Aussie. She discovers he might hold the key to her past. Lily hopes her homecoming will lead to a long-awaited reconciliation with her mother; then again, it might just crush the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.
Lily's life changes in a heartbeat when a fiery confrontation with her mother uncovers a mystery about her totally dysfunctional family, sending Lily on a panicky flight around the world to get answers. But she gets more than she expected in Melbourne when a serendipitous meeting sparks a friendship with a man who is more than just another brazen Aussie. She discovers he might hold the key to her past. Lily hopes her homecoming will lead to a long-awaited reconciliation with her mother; then again, it might just crush the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2013
121 people are currently reading
2241 people want to read
About the author
Anita Higman
98 books144 followersBest-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over forty books published. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art.
A few of Anita’s favorite things are good movies, fairytales, traveling, gardening, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.
Feel free to drop by Anita’s website at anitahigman.com or connect with her on her Facebook Reader Page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnitaH.... She would love to hear from you!
A few of Anita’s favorite things are good movies, fairytales, traveling, gardening, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.
Feel free to drop by Anita’s website at anitahigman.com or connect with her on her Facebook Reader Page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnitaH.... She would love to hear from you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
August 21, 2013
This book was amazing. It took me on a wild ride with emotional highs and lows. The story could have been dark had the author not inserted a lot of healing into the story. She did a great job of showing that people need each other and families need communication and closeness. When those relationships rupture due to an inability to forgive, it hurts everyone. The dialog was witty and at times downright precious. The use of Aussie slang made it even more fun. I absolutely adored Marcus. He was a great hero and swoon-worthy because of his endearing qualities.
The story kept me reading because the different underlying conflicts continued to unfold and progress at a good pace. The characters were complex and three-dimensional. The author included a lot of symbolism, like in one instance where bitterness and hatred caused crippling arthritis to the point of making one character wheelchair bound. There were many times the author described a facial expression that told me there was more going on that would be revealed later.
I ended up smiling at the end. Ah, this was such a beautiful and healing story that showed how love always encourages people to deal with their pain/ Love refuses to hold others back from what needs to happen to make their hearts whole again. Well-written and deeply, emotional, I loved everything about this book.
The story kept me reading because the different underlying conflicts continued to unfold and progress at a good pace. The characters were complex and three-dimensional. The author included a lot of symbolism, like in one instance where bitterness and hatred caused crippling arthritis to the point of making one character wheelchair bound. There were many times the author described a facial expression that told me there was more going on that would be revealed later.
I ended up smiling at the end. Ah, this was such a beautiful and healing story that showed how love always encourages people to deal with their pain/ Love refuses to hold others back from what needs to happen to make their hearts whole again. Well-written and deeply, emotional, I loved everything about this book.
May 29, 2017
I really liked parts of this, and it was partly set in Melbourne with recognisable places, which was great. However I felt the author’s characterisation of Australians and especially the language was too exaggerated. (Or is that how all of us actually sound to Americans? I truly hope not!!)
I loved the way the author covered various themes such as trust and forgiveness, although sometimes the characters felt a bit too good to be true. It felt like they came to realise where they were going wrong too quickly, doing sudden about-faces which made me feel a bit like I was reading a fairy tale.
Having said that, I still enjoyed reading it, and will continue to read more by this author.
I loved the way the author covered various themes such as trust and forgiveness, although sometimes the characters felt a bit too good to be true. It felt like they came to realise where they were going wrong too quickly, doing sudden about-faces which made me feel a bit like I was reading a fairy tale.
Having said that, I still enjoyed reading it, and will continue to read more by this author.
November 20, 2013
I am not going to go into plot details in my review, there are plenty of reviews that do it. I am just going to write about my thoughts and impressions from this book. Well, how do I put it nicely? I was extremely bored and there were quite a few moments in the book where I was rolling my eyes at the plot development. It just did not seem believable at all!! I was attracted by the story, but the writing style and the story development seemed amateurish at best. How do you meet a wonderful man on the first day you land in a different country? How do you randomly run into your twin sister on the street? Why would that wonderful man travel across the world the day after you left just to be with you? How does he find your mother's home address and shows up there AT THE SAME TIME you do?... I just did not find that believable at all. If anything it really frustrated me. Also, the book has A LOT of religious references. I am not a religious person, but I do not have anything against religion, but when it gets shoved down my throat I get really annoyed... So bottom line - if I didn't have to read this book for a book club, I would have put it down two chapters in, definitely wasn't worth the time.
January 22, 2019
The emptying of the nest is a challenging time of life — one I’m currently dealing with. So is Lily, in “Winter in Full Bloom.” Her only daughter, Julie, has just gone to college. “Julie would have loved these gardens. I fingered the bracelet she’d given me and wondered what she was doing. Was she eating enough? Had she made college friends yet? Did she miss me as much as I missed her? I hoped not, since I didn’t want her to live like I had — as if her wings were clipped.” To make things worse, Lily’s husband recently died (after cheating on her). That’s not all; Lily’s mother is not exactly the nurturing type either. “I tried to batten down the hatches of my emotions, but I’d been born too flimsy to stand up to my mother’s hurricane-force blows.”
Lily has always thought she was an only child, but she learns that she has a twin sister. She travels to Australia to locate this sister.
I liked the first part of this book a lot. I could relate to Lily. As the book went on though, things became increasingly farfetched, I thought. Within hours of reaching Australia, she meets Marcus, a dream guy who drops everything to help her in her search for her sister, and who falls head-over-heels in love with her. Incidentally, she learns that he is also the author of the books she and her daughter loved most when her daughter was little. Her evil mother makes a 180-degree turnaround that seems unlikely in an elderly person. There are other similar things as well.
The book was full of similes and metaphors, and some downright strange sentences such as “the off-gassing from her body was even more toxic with liquor fumes.” Hmmmm. “That face — such a great face.”
A light, pleasant book overall, which you may enjoy if you like the happily-ever-after, modern fairytale genre.
Lily has always thought she was an only child, but she learns that she has a twin sister. She travels to Australia to locate this sister.
I liked the first part of this book a lot. I could relate to Lily. As the book went on though, things became increasingly farfetched, I thought. Within hours of reaching Australia, she meets Marcus, a dream guy who drops everything to help her in her search for her sister, and who falls head-over-heels in love with her. Incidentally, she learns that he is also the author of the books she and her daughter loved most when her daughter was little. Her evil mother makes a 180-degree turnaround that seems unlikely in an elderly person. There are other similar things as well.
The book was full of similes and metaphors, and some downright strange sentences such as “the off-gassing from her body was even more toxic with liquor fumes.” Hmmmm. “That face — such a great face.”
A light, pleasant book overall, which you may enjoy if you like the happily-ever-after, modern fairytale genre.
September 5, 2013
Several of the books I've read this year, (Meg Moseley’s Gone South, Jenny B. Jones’ There You’ll Find Me, Becky Wade’s Undeniably Yours and Carla Laureano's Five Days in Skye to be specific!) have really shaken up my stance on contemporary Christian fiction. To be honest, I usually find contemporary novels sort of “meh,” lacking distinction in a sea of similar novels and with no pretty dresses or dashing heroes that typically feature in historical novels.
Winter in Full Bloom tipped the scale completely! Not only is it a well-written contemporary story, but it’s also written in first person, which is a rare find in the CBA world. I’m not sure why this is, but I’ve found it to be true.
Lily Winter’s “voice” was a complete joy to read. Despite being a lot younger than her and at a totally different point in life, I related to her. She was funny, a bit self-deprecating, insecure at times and a host of other things that made her likable and real. I felt that her life experiences were reflected realistically in her thoughts, actions and outlook on life.
The story’s opening pulled me in immediately with Lily on a plane headed to Australia. I instantly wanted to know more, and thought that Higman employed flashback storytelling in a very deft way. It gave me just enough information to bring Lily’s background to life, but didn’t detract from the present. What followed was a well-constructed family drama with a sweet, somewhat surprising romance. I loved the effort that Lily made with her cold, distant mother as well as with her recently discovered sister, Camille, whose life had turned out very differently than Lily’s.
Marcus’s story was a very interesting tie-in, but I was glad that his story didn’t dominate Lily’s. It was more of a compliment to the main story line. Though their relationship seems to move very quickly, it wasn’t insta-love and had a very genuine feel to it. It really helped that Lily and Marcus both realized the quick nature of their relationship’s progression & discussed it, unlike other character’s I’ve read who seem to ignore it.
I really enjoyed how toward the end that everything came full circle. The character’s sought forgiveness and redemption from those they had hurt, but in a gradual way that lent a sense of truth to the story.
Now that I’ve read my first novel by Anita Higman, she’s definitely on my “authors to look for” list. I already know that she has another novel coming out this fall, and I’m really looking forward to it!
Winter in Full Bloom tipped the scale completely! Not only is it a well-written contemporary story, but it’s also written in first person, which is a rare find in the CBA world. I’m not sure why this is, but I’ve found it to be true.
Lily Winter’s “voice” was a complete joy to read. Despite being a lot younger than her and at a totally different point in life, I related to her. She was funny, a bit self-deprecating, insecure at times and a host of other things that made her likable and real. I felt that her life experiences were reflected realistically in her thoughts, actions and outlook on life.
The story’s opening pulled me in immediately with Lily on a plane headed to Australia. I instantly wanted to know more, and thought that Higman employed flashback storytelling in a very deft way. It gave me just enough information to bring Lily’s background to life, but didn’t detract from the present. What followed was a well-constructed family drama with a sweet, somewhat surprising romance. I loved the effort that Lily made with her cold, distant mother as well as with her recently discovered sister, Camille, whose life had turned out very differently than Lily’s.
Marcus’s story was a very interesting tie-in, but I was glad that his story didn’t dominate Lily’s. It was more of a compliment to the main story line. Though their relationship seems to move very quickly, it wasn’t insta-love and had a very genuine feel to it. It really helped that Lily and Marcus both realized the quick nature of their relationship’s progression & discussed it, unlike other character’s I’ve read who seem to ignore it.
I really enjoyed how toward the end that everything came full circle. The character’s sought forgiveness and redemption from those they had hurt, but in a gradual way that lent a sense of truth to the story.
Now that I’ve read my first novel by Anita Higman, she’s definitely on my “authors to look for” list. I already know that she has another novel coming out this fall, and I’m really looking forward to it!
August 30, 2013
I could only read the first five chapters of this book. The "heroine" spent most of those chapters crying, or, when she wasn't crying, having panic attacks or in some other kind of emotional distress. With lots of detail about her symptoms of sorrow and distress. Her conversation with her mother where she learns about her sister is bizarre and our heroine cries some more. When a man stops to talk to her while she is crying (yet again) on a park bench in Melbourne she is rude and grumpy to him. I really didn't like this woman and would not care to even have a conversation with her let alone read a whole book about her. I have trouble figuring out why other reviewers were drawn to this story. I was bored and fed up. And, I couldn't figure out what the hero saw in this soggy, boorish woman.
IMHO, the dialogue, the characters and many other aspects of the writing were amateurish. Yes, the author does employ a lot of figures of speech like similes and metaphors. In fact, the story has them out the wazoo. Some are quite good, though some are a little over the top. The thing is, there were so many it became distracting. Some examples from just one one page: "He looked at me over nonexistent glasses." "I wore my lonesomeness as if it were Quasimodo's hump." "The man was a walking innuendo."
FYI: this is a Christian book, and, more than that, it is a Christian book which references religious issues quite a bit--to the point where I found it intrusive. I just finished reading Catherine Anderson's Baby Love. It is also about second chances and believe who believe God is at work in their lives. But the writing is SO much better, the dialogue more real, the characters more nuanced and likeable, and the religious references do not overwhelm the story. It is a 2006 book but it still stands head and shoulders above this one.
IMHO, the dialogue, the characters and many other aspects of the writing were amateurish. Yes, the author does employ a lot of figures of speech like similes and metaphors. In fact, the story has them out the wazoo. Some are quite good, though some are a little over the top. The thing is, there were so many it became distracting. Some examples from just one one page: "He looked at me over nonexistent glasses." "I wore my lonesomeness as if it were Quasimodo's hump." "The man was a walking innuendo."
FYI: this is a Christian book, and, more than that, it is a Christian book which references religious issues quite a bit--to the point where I found it intrusive. I just finished reading Catherine Anderson's Baby Love. It is also about second chances and believe who believe God is at work in their lives. But the writing is SO much better, the dialogue more real, the characters more nuanced and likeable, and the religious references do not overwhelm the story. It is a 2006 book but it still stands head and shoulders above this one.
August 31, 2013
I received this book in the mail yesterday and I finished it last night. It was such a magnificent story of resilience, redemption, repentance, and finally forgiveness. Most of us have experienced some sort of conflict within our families but Lily has more than her fair share to handle. Camille and Lily's newfound Aussie friend have also had far too much heartache in family relationships.
It is my husband's lifelong dream to visit Australia since his father served there in World War II.....Anita Higman took us on a quick fantasy tour of Melbourne, Australia! I read some of the portions about the country--the foods they devoured and relished, the places they visited, and the "culture".
Even though there were many sad things in this book, I finished with a smile on my face and a song playing in my heart...."Oh, Danny Boy..." on the flute floated through my dreams.
I received an autographed copy of this book from bookfun.org (The Book Club Network) and the author in exchange for my honest review.
It is my husband's lifelong dream to visit Australia since his father served there in World War II.....Anita Higman took us on a quick fantasy tour of Melbourne, Australia! I read some of the portions about the country--the foods they devoured and relished, the places they visited, and the "culture".
Even though there were many sad things in this book, I finished with a smile on my face and a song playing in my heart...."Oh, Danny Boy..." on the flute floated through my dreams.
I received an autographed copy of this book from bookfun.org (The Book Club Network) and the author in exchange for my honest review.
August 4, 2013
My Thoughts
I like when a book surprises me, and this is one that did. I did not realized when I picked this up that is was a Christian based story. This has a very nice message about faith. Lily’s life is not without struggles and I like how she used her beliefs to help her get through them.
This is definitely a heart-warming, feel good tale. The author does not overwhelm us with the religious aspect of it, but nicely interweaves that part throughout the story. Sometimes, I just want an uplifting, positive book to read and this one certainly fit the bill.
I’d like to thank Moody Publishers, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
4.5/5.0
I like when a book surprises me, and this is one that did. I did not realized when I picked this up that is was a Christian based story. This has a very nice message about faith. Lily’s life is not without struggles and I like how she used her beliefs to help her get through them.
This is definitely a heart-warming, feel good tale. The author does not overwhelm us with the religious aspect of it, but nicely interweaves that part throughout the story. Sometimes, I just want an uplifting, positive book to read and this one certainly fit the bill.
I’d like to thank Moody Publishers, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
4.5/5.0
September 7, 2013
A Great Read You Won’t Forget!
This book is one of the best fiction books I have ever read. Why? I could completely relate to a lot that went on in this book. Wow, my emotions really ran high. I relived parts of my life all over again. Good, not so good, and bad.
There are lives that are broken, full of secrets, and very dysfunctional.
This book offers hope, forgiveness, faith, and redemption.
Winter In Full Bloom is a book that you can’t let go of. I found that as I went about my daily tasks I would look longingly at this book sitting on my sofa, so anxious to get back to Lily’s story. The pages draw you back for more.
I have read other books by this author but this book in my opinion is by far the best. It is worth more than 5 stars.
This book is one of the best fiction books I have ever read. Why? I could completely relate to a lot that went on in this book. Wow, my emotions really ran high. I relived parts of my life all over again. Good, not so good, and bad.
There are lives that are broken, full of secrets, and very dysfunctional.
This book offers hope, forgiveness, faith, and redemption.
Winter In Full Bloom is a book that you can’t let go of. I found that as I went about my daily tasks I would look longingly at this book sitting on my sofa, so anxious to get back to Lily’s story. The pages draw you back for more.
I have read other books by this author but this book in my opinion is by far the best. It is worth more than 5 stars.
August 24, 2013
3.5 Stars
I have read a lot of Anita Higman's books, and you can suffice it to say that if she wrote a book, you are going to want to read it and you'll love it. Her books are excellent! They are beautifully written and I would pick any Anita Higman book up in a second, and this NEW one is no different!
With this being Christian Fiction, and what I love about Anita Higman's writing in this genre is the religion is not forced down your throat like it can be sometimes. It is very beautiful the way the character has a personal relationship with God, and she talks to God as if in conversation with Him. I probably really like this because it was the way I was taught. She also prays, of course, and it's all done in a very nice way. This book is not preaching to you to drop what you're doing and run to a church to go save yourself. This is why I probably really like reading this author's books. The religion is there, and it's expected, you notice it, but it's not overboard, just the right kind and amount.
This book starts off with Lily on a plane for the first time practically having a nervous breakdown! This was her first flight. It was so cute as there was a little girl chewing gum and blowing big, purple bubbles, but was wise well beyond her years in age helping Lily try to relax and calm her nerves about the plane ride. This little girl knew all the symptoms of a first timer on a plane! She even knew what a panic attack was! It was a hoot! So why was she on a plane?
Allow me to officially introduce you to Lily Winter, 39, widowed, and now an empty-nester as her daughter, Julie, has gone away to college. Lily gets beckoned from her evil mother to come over to her house. It had been 10 years since Lily last saw her mother. (Her mother is a mean piece of work!) Her mother proceeds to inform Lily that she has a twin sister, Camille, who lives in Australia. This was quite a secret kept from her until now. It was never really revealed why the mother waited until she did to tell Lily about her sister. Heck, her mother could have taken that secret to her grave. She was told they were separated when they were one year old. Since Lily never knew she had a twin sister, she had to go search for her immediately, of course, and that takes us to Australia. An interesting thing to note here is her mother had a few mustard seeds on the coffee table. Was that reaching out? If so, then why was she still so mean! For instance, she was so mean, she had to pay someone to be her friend!
So, Lily takes a leave of absence from her job and flies to Melbourne, Australia, to go find her twin sister, Camille. When she gets there, she ends up meeting a man named Marcus, Australian accent and everything, but originally from Dallas, close to Lily's home, but he had no plans on moving back to Texas. (I had a hard time buying this one. You travel around the world to the opposite side of the globe and end up meeting someone who is originally from where you live?) He helped Lily look for Camille, and in between they fall in love, so there is another storyline there, yet the focus is still on the search for her sister. I had difficulty with that romance. How can you focus on finding the twin sister you never knew you even had, yet date a man you just met at the same time? I felt this a little odd, but I guess it worked because I connected with the two of them. If I were in that situation, the only thing I could be concentrating on is finding my sister, and once I did, that's the only person I would be with, not a man I just met.
This book is about forgiveness. During the last third of the book there were some more things I could not see being realistic in life, so I had a hard time with that part of the book, too. I can't explain it in the review without giving away spoilers, so I'm going to have to avoid that, but it didn't work for me. Maybe the romance, again, or perhaps the other characters? The other characters were nowhere as well developed as Lily and Marcus were, yet we are asked to and I could not. I almost did, but other things happened which pushed me further away rather than closer because in real life . . . I tried to ignore it because this is fiction, after all.
Despite that, Anita Higman's writing is always so beautiful, the way she describes things can catch you off guard as they are so descriptive. At times you are just in awe as she uses such beautifully descriptive words to describe a mundane thing and can bring it to life, that you can get lost in her writing! In this 'one' book though, I found at times it did take away from my reading experience a few times where in the past it has not. I would be reading and getting lost in the description and I would then forget what Lily was doing or talking about prior to the description. That has not happened to me in the past with Higman's writing.
The title sure is different, yet the cover - WOW! Gorgeous! When it is summer here, (as Lily is from Texas) it is Winter in Australia! They blended the two to make the cover and hit that and the name of the book SPOT ON! Amazing! Absolutely beautiful, huh! Wow! You WANT to read this book!
Even though I had a few problems with this book as mentioned above, I would still HIGHLY recommend reading this book. We all get something different out of a book, so you may get something quite different than I did. Grab your copy today and see what you think! Heck, it's Anita Higman! I received this book for FREE from River North Publishers and LitFuse Publicity in exchange to read and write a review about it. It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but of my own honest opinion. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
I have read a lot of Anita Higman's books, and you can suffice it to say that if she wrote a book, you are going to want to read it and you'll love it. Her books are excellent! They are beautifully written and I would pick any Anita Higman book up in a second, and this NEW one is no different!
With this being Christian Fiction, and what I love about Anita Higman's writing in this genre is the religion is not forced down your throat like it can be sometimes. It is very beautiful the way the character has a personal relationship with God, and she talks to God as if in conversation with Him. I probably really like this because it was the way I was taught. She also prays, of course, and it's all done in a very nice way. This book is not preaching to you to drop what you're doing and run to a church to go save yourself. This is why I probably really like reading this author's books. The religion is there, and it's expected, you notice it, but it's not overboard, just the right kind and amount.
This book starts off with Lily on a plane for the first time practically having a nervous breakdown! This was her first flight. It was so cute as there was a little girl chewing gum and blowing big, purple bubbles, but was wise well beyond her years in age helping Lily try to relax and calm her nerves about the plane ride. This little girl knew all the symptoms of a first timer on a plane! She even knew what a panic attack was! It was a hoot! So why was she on a plane?
Allow me to officially introduce you to Lily Winter, 39, widowed, and now an empty-nester as her daughter, Julie, has gone away to college. Lily gets beckoned from her evil mother to come over to her house. It had been 10 years since Lily last saw her mother. (Her mother is a mean piece of work!) Her mother proceeds to inform Lily that she has a twin sister, Camille, who lives in Australia. This was quite a secret kept from her until now. It was never really revealed why the mother waited until she did to tell Lily about her sister. Heck, her mother could have taken that secret to her grave. She was told they were separated when they were one year old. Since Lily never knew she had a twin sister, she had to go search for her immediately, of course, and that takes us to Australia. An interesting thing to note here is her mother had a few mustard seeds on the coffee table. Was that reaching out? If so, then why was she still so mean! For instance, she was so mean, she had to pay someone to be her friend!
So, Lily takes a leave of absence from her job and flies to Melbourne, Australia, to go find her twin sister, Camille. When she gets there, she ends up meeting a man named Marcus, Australian accent and everything, but originally from Dallas, close to Lily's home, but he had no plans on moving back to Texas. (I had a hard time buying this one. You travel around the world to the opposite side of the globe and end up meeting someone who is originally from where you live?) He helped Lily look for Camille, and in between they fall in love, so there is another storyline there, yet the focus is still on the search for her sister. I had difficulty with that romance. How can you focus on finding the twin sister you never knew you even had, yet date a man you just met at the same time? I felt this a little odd, but I guess it worked because I connected with the two of them. If I were in that situation, the only thing I could be concentrating on is finding my sister, and once I did, that's the only person I would be with, not a man I just met.
This book is about forgiveness. During the last third of the book there were some more things I could not see being realistic in life, so I had a hard time with that part of the book, too. I can't explain it in the review without giving away spoilers, so I'm going to have to avoid that, but it didn't work for me. Maybe the romance, again, or perhaps the other characters? The other characters were nowhere as well developed as Lily and Marcus were, yet we are asked to and I could not. I almost did, but other things happened which pushed me further away rather than closer because in real life . . . I tried to ignore it because this is fiction, after all.
Despite that, Anita Higman's writing is always so beautiful, the way she describes things can catch you off guard as they are so descriptive. At times you are just in awe as she uses such beautifully descriptive words to describe a mundane thing and can bring it to life, that you can get lost in her writing! In this 'one' book though, I found at times it did take away from my reading experience a few times where in the past it has not. I would be reading and getting lost in the description and I would then forget what Lily was doing or talking about prior to the description. That has not happened to me in the past with Higman's writing.
The title sure is different, yet the cover - WOW! Gorgeous! When it is summer here, (as Lily is from Texas) it is Winter in Australia! They blended the two to make the cover and hit that and the name of the book SPOT ON! Amazing! Absolutely beautiful, huh! Wow! You WANT to read this book!
Even though I had a few problems with this book as mentioned above, I would still HIGHLY recommend reading this book. We all get something different out of a book, so you may get something quite different than I did. Grab your copy today and see what you think! Heck, it's Anita Higman! I received this book for FREE from River North Publishers and LitFuse Publicity in exchange to read and write a review about it. It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but of my own honest opinion. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
August 29, 2013
Recently, an author friend casually asked me if I “had read any good romances lately?” Still under the rosy influence of just finishing “Winter in Bloom” by Anita Higman, I promptly recommended my friend read this book. Asked what I liked about the story, I replied “everything…it was absolutely awesome!” In fact, Ms Higman’s story is my current favorite.
The book’s lovely cover implied to me that it was a good read – and I felt lured to follow the cover’s character down the path she was walking. So…I did. When I opened the book to the first chapter, I met Lily Winter as she sat on an international 747 flight to Melbourne, Australia, trying to calm her oncoming panic attack with a prayer. Lily was startled by the voice of a child “You have to ask yourself: what am I most afraid of?” Lily thought to herself that God enjoys showing off His sense of humor in strange ways. “Who is this kid?” Her name was Jenny and she possibly was an angel in disguise to assuage Lily of her fear of flying. The conversation with Jenny brought out Lily’s full confession of her tale of woe and why she was on this plane….beginning this astonishing story to light up the stage in my mind’s eye.
Lily’s story began with gloomy and shocking revelations. Reminiscent of a classic fairy tale where the sweet innocent girl knocks on the front door of a mysterious castle; the big door squeaks slowly open to reveal a witchy woman with breath like a dragon. Ok, it wasn’t exactly like that. Lily Winter had been widowed one year earlier and her only child Julie was away at college. Having been estranged from her mother for ten years, Lily decided to face the dark memories of the dysfunctional family in which she was raised and visit her mother at the family mansion. Her mother was unchanged and worsened over the years, still an atheist that only believed in worshiping her flowers. Strange things happening there were noticed by Lily, particularly the odd relationship with Dragan Humphreys the “creature” she met at the front door. Lily was not prepared for her mother’s abrupt heartless disclosure of the outrageous family secret that Lily had an identical twin sister, Camille Violet Daniels that lived in Melbourne, Australia. The only clue her mother gave was that Camille attended St. Paul’s Cathedral. “And that is why I’m flying on this plane from Houston to Melbourne.” Lily ended her story to Jenny and made her exhausted landing in Melbourne and began her search for Camille.
Anita Higman wrote an amazing love story about an intriguing mystery confronting Lily Winters. It’s so unpredictable, insightful, romantic, laugh out loud humorous, and deliciously imaginative. Touring Melbourne with such eventful discoveries gave Lily much more that she ever expected or dreamed of. There was more personal satisfaction in reading Anita’s book than I dreamed of receiving. Rich in love, redemption, healing, heart changes and miracles led the well developed characters to surprising ends to solve more than one mystery through God’s guidance. Anita Higman is a brightly shining star that can look forward to a brighter future in writing. Hopefully, we’ll hear more in the future about Lily, Camille and the entire cast in Texas.
(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group for sending me a copy of Winter in Full Bloom. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.)
The book’s lovely cover implied to me that it was a good read – and I felt lured to follow the cover’s character down the path she was walking. So…I did. When I opened the book to the first chapter, I met Lily Winter as she sat on an international 747 flight to Melbourne, Australia, trying to calm her oncoming panic attack with a prayer. Lily was startled by the voice of a child “You have to ask yourself: what am I most afraid of?” Lily thought to herself that God enjoys showing off His sense of humor in strange ways. “Who is this kid?” Her name was Jenny and she possibly was an angel in disguise to assuage Lily of her fear of flying. The conversation with Jenny brought out Lily’s full confession of her tale of woe and why she was on this plane….beginning this astonishing story to light up the stage in my mind’s eye.
Lily’s story began with gloomy and shocking revelations. Reminiscent of a classic fairy tale where the sweet innocent girl knocks on the front door of a mysterious castle; the big door squeaks slowly open to reveal a witchy woman with breath like a dragon. Ok, it wasn’t exactly like that. Lily Winter had been widowed one year earlier and her only child Julie was away at college. Having been estranged from her mother for ten years, Lily decided to face the dark memories of the dysfunctional family in which she was raised and visit her mother at the family mansion. Her mother was unchanged and worsened over the years, still an atheist that only believed in worshiping her flowers. Strange things happening there were noticed by Lily, particularly the odd relationship with Dragan Humphreys the “creature” she met at the front door. Lily was not prepared for her mother’s abrupt heartless disclosure of the outrageous family secret that Lily had an identical twin sister, Camille Violet Daniels that lived in Melbourne, Australia. The only clue her mother gave was that Camille attended St. Paul’s Cathedral. “And that is why I’m flying on this plane from Houston to Melbourne.” Lily ended her story to Jenny and made her exhausted landing in Melbourne and began her search for Camille.
Anita Higman wrote an amazing love story about an intriguing mystery confronting Lily Winters. It’s so unpredictable, insightful, romantic, laugh out loud humorous, and deliciously imaginative. Touring Melbourne with such eventful discoveries gave Lily much more that she ever expected or dreamed of. There was more personal satisfaction in reading Anita’s book than I dreamed of receiving. Rich in love, redemption, healing, heart changes and miracles led the well developed characters to surprising ends to solve more than one mystery through God’s guidance. Anita Higman is a brightly shining star that can look forward to a brighter future in writing. Hopefully, we’ll hear more in the future about Lily, Camille and the entire cast in Texas.
(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group for sending me a copy of Winter in Full Bloom. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.)
August 30, 2013
Winter In Full Bloom is a wonderful story that delves into the intricate facets of family relationships: from long held secrets to strained relationships, Lily Winter embarks on a journey to find a way to mend the family bonds with love, forgiveness, acceptance, faith, hope and redemption.
Written in the first person narrative and set between Houston, Texas and Melbourne, Australia, author Anita Higman weaves an inspirational tale that captivates the reader's attention from the start as they follow Lily's journey in search of Camille, her identical twin sister that she never knew due to her estranged mother's deception and long held secret. Traveling halfway around the world, little does Lily know that her search will change the way she views her life, she confronts the demons in her past, and learns to accept the present, with a chance to move forward and open herself to love once again.
I loved this story, from the conversational style of the first person narrative, to the vivid descriptive settings of Houston and Melbourne, to the memorable cast of characters, Lily's story unfolds before the reader in a way that transports the reader into the story as if you were sitting right next to Lily. It is an emotional, heartwarming and inspirational story that tugs at the heartstrings. It provides the reader with hope and faith that family bonds and romantic relationships can weather the best and worse of life's challenges. Lily's journey of self discovery comes full circle with amazing grace: that what was once lost can be found.
Winter In Full Bloom is a wonderful story of love, faith, hope, trust, forgiveness, healing, and redemption. The author provides the reader with a gentle reminder of the Christian message that God does have a plan for everyone's life.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Litfuse Publicity.
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Written in the first person narrative and set between Houston, Texas and Melbourne, Australia, author Anita Higman weaves an inspirational tale that captivates the reader's attention from the start as they follow Lily's journey in search of Camille, her identical twin sister that she never knew due to her estranged mother's deception and long held secret. Traveling halfway around the world, little does Lily know that her search will change the way she views her life, she confronts the demons in her past, and learns to accept the present, with a chance to move forward and open herself to love once again.
I loved this story, from the conversational style of the first person narrative, to the vivid descriptive settings of Houston and Melbourne, to the memorable cast of characters, Lily's story unfolds before the reader in a way that transports the reader into the story as if you were sitting right next to Lily. It is an emotional, heartwarming and inspirational story that tugs at the heartstrings. It provides the reader with hope and faith that family bonds and romantic relationships can weather the best and worse of life's challenges. Lily's journey of self discovery comes full circle with amazing grace: that what was once lost can be found.
Winter In Full Bloom is a wonderful story of love, faith, hope, trust, forgiveness, healing, and redemption. The author provides the reader with a gentle reminder of the Christian message that God does have a plan for everyone's life.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Litfuse Publicity.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
September 15, 2013
Lily Winter embarks on a journey to the other side of the world in search of the sister she has never known. An embittered woman, Lily's mother has kept this secret for decades. Lily's only daughter has left for college and her husband is deceased, so Lily takes this time in her life to connect the missing pieces in her past. Panic envelops Lily as her fear of flying overwhelms her, but the flight to Australia is her only hope in finding her twin sister, Camille. Seeking solace in the botanical gardens in Melbourne Lily is introduced to Marcus Averill as he joins her on a park bench and strikes up a conversation. Not interested in making small talk Lily attempts to ignore the stranger, but his amusing and upbeat character wins her over. An American currently living in Melbourne, Marcus knows his way around and offers to assist in Lily's quest to find her twin. Marcus eventually discloses equally painful family circumstances of his own as they spend time together searching for Camille.
Winter in Full Bloom is an unforgettable story of deception, betrayal, abuse, family dysfunction and unforgiving characters who dominate the lives of the main characters in this book. Anita Higman has done a magnificent job of illustrating reality in the heartache of her characters, while developing a plot that is both unpredictable and jolting. A book in the Christian Fiction genre, the author effortlessly weaves the essence and communication with God into the lives of her characters without forcing it on the reader. Non-Christian readers will enjoy this book, and possibly take away a bit of inspiration from their journey through the lives of these characters. Overall, I found Winter in Full Bloom to be a superb example of Christian literary fiction, and highly recommend it. I will undoubtedly read this book again.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Wynn-Wynn Media in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for my review.
Winter in Full Bloom is an unforgettable story of deception, betrayal, abuse, family dysfunction and unforgiving characters who dominate the lives of the main characters in this book. Anita Higman has done a magnificent job of illustrating reality in the heartache of her characters, while developing a plot that is both unpredictable and jolting. A book in the Christian Fiction genre, the author effortlessly weaves the essence and communication with God into the lives of her characters without forcing it on the reader. Non-Christian readers will enjoy this book, and possibly take away a bit of inspiration from their journey through the lives of these characters. Overall, I found Winter in Full Bloom to be a superb example of Christian literary fiction, and highly recommend it. I will undoubtedly read this book again.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Wynn-Wynn Media in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for my review.
September 3, 2016
I will admit that I was a little nervous to begin reading Winter in Full Bloom because I knew that the main character was a widow, entering a new stage of life. Lily’s only daughter has gone off to college and she is feeling a little lonely with her “empty nest”. I was afraid that I would be very sad about Lily’s husband’s death and her loneliness. However, I discovered that the book really is not about those feelings in that way. It is so very good and packed with so much!
When the book begins, Lily has been a widow for a year and her daughter is in college. Lily attempts to reconcile with her very strange and angry mother. During this reconciliation attempt, Lily discovers some information that instantly changes her life. She hops a plane for Australia.
In this story, Lily must overcome some big fears and face the doubts about herself that she carries around. Her time in Australia uncovers even more about her family that she did not know and opens up many new questions and possibilities for her life. It also introduces a possible love interest into Lily’s life. But, this man has family problems and issues of his own. I loved watching the relationship develop between the hero and heroine of the book. Watching them attempt to overcome their pasts while trying to establish a relationship was heartwarming. The side characters in the story were also very well-developed and had problems to overcome as well. There were so many interesting turns that this book took, and each one gave me an even greater insight into the minds of these characters. I truly enjoyed this lovely story of redemption.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, which I have given. All opinions expressed are my own.
To read this review on my blog, go to:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
When the book begins, Lily has been a widow for a year and her daughter is in college. Lily attempts to reconcile with her very strange and angry mother. During this reconciliation attempt, Lily discovers some information that instantly changes her life. She hops a plane for Australia.
In this story, Lily must overcome some big fears and face the doubts about herself that she carries around. Her time in Australia uncovers even more about her family that she did not know and opens up many new questions and possibilities for her life. It also introduces a possible love interest into Lily’s life. But, this man has family problems and issues of his own. I loved watching the relationship develop between the hero and heroine of the book. Watching them attempt to overcome their pasts while trying to establish a relationship was heartwarming. The side characters in the story were also very well-developed and had problems to overcome as well. There were so many interesting turns that this book took, and each one gave me an even greater insight into the minds of these characters. I truly enjoyed this lovely story of redemption.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, which I have given. All opinions expressed are my own.
To read this review on my blog, go to:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
August 27, 2013
This book took a lot of time and patience to get through. And I mean that in a good way. It is a normal size novel but what is inside will drain you and then strengthen and encourage you. I can't even begin to share what I got out of Winter in Full Bloom but I will give you just a glimpse of what made me love it so much, enough to put it on my keeper shelf.
You start the book and immediately meet a little cutie who is helping a woman, Lily Winters, get through her fear of flying. In a very unique way I might add:) If only I had someone like her the first time I flew. But the first part of the story is told in perspective of Lily telling this little girl what happened. In short, she finds out from her mother in a very odd way that she has a sister she never knew. So she flies across the world to Australia to find her. And when she can't find anything about her, she stumbles upon Marcus. I have to tell you, he was probably my favorite character in the whole book. More about that later:) Lily finds her sister but the story doesn't stop there. I don't want to give anything away so I won't tell more about the trail of forgiveness, reconciliation, peace and love.
As I mentioned above, Marcus is my hero, in more ways than one. Not only is he kind and gracious with Lily, even making her laugh when she didn't think she had any more joy, but he is quite the character. I found myself drawn to his quiet strength and his weaknesses. Marcus is a man who has known trouble but isn't letting it drag him down, at least to a point. You will also find something very adorable in a little bookshop part. I loved it and had tears in my eyes! I actually had tears in my eyes more than once. You will laugh and cry but it will be well worth your time reading Winter in Full Bloom. Loved it Anita!!
I received a copy of this book for my review purposes. All thoughts are 100%mine.
You start the book and immediately meet a little cutie who is helping a woman, Lily Winters, get through her fear of flying. In a very unique way I might add:) If only I had someone like her the first time I flew. But the first part of the story is told in perspective of Lily telling this little girl what happened. In short, she finds out from her mother in a very odd way that she has a sister she never knew. So she flies across the world to Australia to find her. And when she can't find anything about her, she stumbles upon Marcus. I have to tell you, he was probably my favorite character in the whole book. More about that later:) Lily finds her sister but the story doesn't stop there. I don't want to give anything away so I won't tell more about the trail of forgiveness, reconciliation, peace and love.
As I mentioned above, Marcus is my hero, in more ways than one. Not only is he kind and gracious with Lily, even making her laugh when she didn't think she had any more joy, but he is quite the character. I found myself drawn to his quiet strength and his weaknesses. Marcus is a man who has known trouble but isn't letting it drag him down, at least to a point. You will also find something very adorable in a little bookshop part. I loved it and had tears in my eyes! I actually had tears in my eyes more than once. You will laugh and cry but it will be well worth your time reading Winter in Full Bloom. Loved it Anita!!
I received a copy of this book for my review purposes. All thoughts are 100%mine.
September 3, 2013
I am not one for contemporary romances. However, on occasion I read one that truly takes me by surprise. I was absolutely mesmerized by this book from page one, and I can only hope that this is not the last I will read of these amazing characters! Anita Higman is a masterful storyteller, and she fearlessly goes where many Christian authors may fear to tread. She deals with atheism, loss of faith, and dysfunctional families. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have lived almost half of your life and discover that you had an identical twin? Read her book, and discover the mystery! This book never seems to be preachy. God and faith are naturally woven into the fabric of the tale. I believe that although this is a "typical" romance, you can rest assured that the situations that are encountered within the story seem realistic. I believe that everyone can identify with doubt and fear. In fact, I believe that each reader will probably see himself or herself within one of the characters. I probably most identify with Lily since I am a single parent who is nearly forty. Surely, my story is different--vastly different--but there are elements of her life that truly resonate. And, the fact that the main characters seem to identify with music and writing, I feel like I am right at home. Although I never found myself in true tears, it does not mean that my emotions were not steered. The ending is gorgeous and bittersweet, and I found myself tingling all over more than once throughout the story. I was never bored, and I believe that this book will be on my mind for some time. I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
December 10, 2013
Has a conversation ever left you so bewildered by the information you are given, that you are determined to dig deeper for answers, no matter what? Lily found herself in that very state of mind. A conversation with her mother sends her on her plight across the world for those answers.
Soon after arriving in Australia, Lily develops a unique friendship with a peculiar, yet handsome man who may be able to help her on her quest. Is she willing to bare the details of her dysfunctional family to a stranger in the hopes that Marcus is more than a man looking for a date? Together, Marcus and Lily begin their search for information that may lead them to even more than the answers that Lily is so desperately looking for.
When an unexpected romantic relationship develops, Lily finds herself having to choose between returning home in hopes of reconciliation with her mother and staying in Australia and taking another chance at love.
Winter in Full Bloom is a beautiful story filled with an element of surprise at every corner. It is an enjoyable read that teaches so much about love, forgiveness, healing, faith, and new beginnings. The details within the story were written to paint a vivid picture.
Anita Higman takes you on a journey around the world to show that sometimes the very thing you want the most is worth waiting for. “Wait” is sometimes the answer God gives to our deepest desire. The message that “God makes all things beautiful in His time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) rings clear throughout the book.
A copy of this book was provided to me by bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed within this review are strictly my own, and no other compensation has been given.
August 17, 2013
Loved! Adored! Must read it again! Did I mention I loved Winter in Full Bloom? Higman is one of those authors that’s words enrapture you and make you want to BE in their story.
Lily isn’t necessarily an enviable character with a dead husband, mommy issues and empty nest syndrome. And yet by the end of the story I adored her and wished I was in her shoes! She is such an endearing character with her unfounded insecurities that make her admirable and her open heart that make her vulnerable.
When Lily finds out a hidden family secret, she embarks on a trans global mission to find her long lost twin. This journey opens up the future for her in many ways as well as seals some pain in the past. Her physical journey represents a spiritual and emotional journey as well and with every mile, she grows a little.
An unexpected romance makes the trip all the more successful even when her sister doesn’t immediately welcome her with open arms. Little do they both know it’s the beginning of healing and hope in more than just their relationship.
Winter in Full Bloom is a beautiful story of mothers and daughters, love and heartache and most importantly: healing, forgiveness, redemption and new beginnings.
Lily isn’t necessarily an enviable character with a dead husband, mommy issues and empty nest syndrome. And yet by the end of the story I adored her and wished I was in her shoes! She is such an endearing character with her unfounded insecurities that make her admirable and her open heart that make her vulnerable.
When Lily finds out a hidden family secret, she embarks on a trans global mission to find her long lost twin. This journey opens up the future for her in many ways as well as seals some pain in the past. Her physical journey represents a spiritual and emotional journey as well and with every mile, she grows a little.
An unexpected romance makes the trip all the more successful even when her sister doesn’t immediately welcome her with open arms. Little do they both know it’s the beginning of healing and hope in more than just their relationship.
Winter in Full Bloom is a beautiful story of mothers and daughters, love and heartache and most importantly: healing, forgiveness, redemption and new beginnings.
June 21, 2017
Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman is a story about how Lily Winter learns to let go of her fears and hurts and experiences living.
Lily is bored with her life now that her daughter has left and she becomes an empty nester. But boredom is not what is finds when she visits her mother and learns of a deep dark secret that eventually leads Lily to Austria. In Austria she finds her sister Camille and falls in love with Marcus.
You will fall in love with the characters and laugh and cry with them. I could imagine each and every place that was mentioned it this book.
I have read several of Anita Higman’s book and I love her writing style, whether it be in her non-fiction as well as her fiction books.
This book was given to me by the author and The Book Club Network for an honest review. I highly recommend this book.
Lily is bored with her life now that her daughter has left and she becomes an empty nester. But boredom is not what is finds when she visits her mother and learns of a deep dark secret that eventually leads Lily to Austria. In Austria she finds her sister Camille and falls in love with Marcus.
You will fall in love with the characters and laugh and cry with them. I could imagine each and every place that was mentioned it this book.
I have read several of Anita Higman’s book and I love her writing style, whether it be in her non-fiction as well as her fiction books.
This book was given to me by the author and The Book Club Network for an honest review. I highly recommend this book.
September 17, 2013
Winter in Full Bloom
By: Anita Higman
I really loved this story from beginning to the end. I would rate it a 5 star.
Lily the main character has had a very rough life from childhood of not being loved to a cheating husband who died. Lily finds out she has a identical twin who was given away. Lily is on the search for her which takes her to Australia. Lily finds more in Australia then what she was looking for. The story made me laugh and it made me cry. This story is of love and forgiveness. I would recommend this book.
I was given this book by BookFun.org. For my own honest review.
By: Anita Higman
I really loved this story from beginning to the end. I would rate it a 5 star.
Lily the main character has had a very rough life from childhood of not being loved to a cheating husband who died. Lily finds out she has a identical twin who was given away. Lily is on the search for her which takes her to Australia. Lily finds more in Australia then what she was looking for. The story made me laugh and it made me cry. This story is of love and forgiveness. I would recommend this book.
I was given this book by BookFun.org. For my own honest review.
August 27, 2013
Hands down, this was my favorite book so far by Anita Higman. It was dark and emotional at times, but completely held my interest from start to finish. I was immediately drawn into the story and captivated by the complex relationships. (Not to mention, the cover is absolutely breath taking!)
So many dynamics are wrapped into this one story. Readers encounter mother/daughter conflict, sibling conflict, personal reflection and struggle, romance and faith. I devoured this book and could not wait to see how it ended. The story is heartfelt and there are issues that everyone can identify with.
If you are looking for a book to savor - grab this one next. You will not be disappointed!
So many dynamics are wrapped into this one story. Readers encounter mother/daughter conflict, sibling conflict, personal reflection and struggle, romance and faith. I devoured this book and could not wait to see how it ended. The story is heartfelt and there are issues that everyone can identify with.
If you are looking for a book to savor - grab this one next. You will not be disappointed!
August 8, 2013
Enchanting!
A hero I've quite fallen for and a romance to dream of..
A story with depth and increasing complexity.
I found Ms Higman's surprise plot twists reminiscent of Kate Morton's - always another layer to be revealed - just when you think you're on sure ground. Fascinating.
A story of loss, courage, women, sisterhood,and families - their conflicts, struggles, frustrations and ultimately their worth. A story of redemption.
Releasing this month - Definitely recommended.
January 24, 2014
It was ok. It was just ok. Seriously, it was really a waste of reading time, but since I didn't have anything else to read, at least it was something. It wasn't too terrible, but the plot was cheesy. And it even had moments of being well-written, but then you would turn the corner and there would be an awful bit of dialogue. Yeesh. I wanted to like it -- I really did. But that did not work out so great for me.
August 26, 2013
This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I'm so glad to have discovered Anita Higman through this book!
Full review on i blog 4 books: http://iblog4books.blogspot.com/2013/...
Full review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/RE07YK0U...
Full review on i blog 4 books: http://iblog4books.blogspot.com/2013/...
Full review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/RE07YK0U...
August 23, 2013
"Winter in Full Bloom" is a beautiful relationship drama, one that I can highly recommend.
Full review:
http://booksmusicandlife.blogspot.com...
Full review:
http://booksmusicandlife.blogspot.com...
February 25, 2016
A really lovely Christian Romance - with a very satisfactory ending and hearts healed.
December 17, 2018
I was ready to drop this book quickly if it turned out to be another sappy Christian romance, but I was pleasantly surprised. There's occasional awkward dialogue, and a side romance, but most of the book is a stressful story about family tensions, bitterness, and forgiveness/unforgiveness, written in a sweet way. The Christianity of the characters is important to the story, but only comes up in a natural way, and never seems to be forced in. Plus, half of it is set in Australia, which is fun!
The most that happens on screen is a bit of kissing, but there is a lot of heavy emotional content here, as the book brings up child abuse, physical abuse, , , marital infidelity, death of a family member, death of a child, and general family tensions and unkindness to the point of verbal abuse (mostly from parents to adult children). The book isn't written in a harsh way, but I'd recommend caution for any readers who are sensitive to any of those topics.
The most that happens on screen is a bit of kissing, but there is a lot of heavy emotional content here, as the book brings up child abuse, physical abuse, , , marital infidelity, death of a family member, death of a child, and general family tensions and unkindness to the point of verbal abuse (mostly from parents to adult children). The book isn't written in a harsh way, but I'd recommend caution for any readers who are sensitive to any of those topics.
February 20, 2017
This book has been on my "to read" shelf since forever. So when I found it at a local library book sale I picked it up. And it sat in my book basket for a very long time. Now that I have completed my time spent in Lily Winter's world I can't say she will stay in my memory. The theme however certainly will.
Here you'll find life, families, dysfunction, changes, redemption, forgiveness and more. It is about fragmented people finding within themselves the courage to make changes. And in doing so, creating the space to allow the new to come in. The reward is that each character discovers a new way of being. An acceptance if you will of the self through all that life presents to us on a journey to wholeness if we so choose. It is not only Lily Winter who blossoms but rather an entire bouquet of humanness.
Here you'll find life, families, dysfunction, changes, redemption, forgiveness and more. It is about fragmented people finding within themselves the courage to make changes. And in doing so, creating the space to allow the new to come in. The reward is that each character discovers a new way of being. An acceptance if you will of the self through all that life presents to us on a journey to wholeness if we so choose. It is not only Lily Winter who blossoms but rather an entire bouquet of humanness.
August 20, 2013
Anita Higman in her new book “Winter In Full Bloom” published by River North takes us into the life of Lily Winter.
From the back cover: Embark on a flight with Lily as she faces her secret fear and lands in the precise spot that God intended all along.
Lily’s life changes in a heartbeat when a fiery confrontation with her mother uncovers a mystery about her totally dysfunctional family, sending Lily on a panicky flight around the world to get answers. But she gets more than she expected in Melbourne when a serendipitous meeting sparks a friendship with a man who is more than just another brazen Aussie. She discovers he might hold the key to her past. Lily hopes her homecoming will lead to a long-awaited reconciliation with her mother; then again, it might just crush the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.
An Irish dysfunctional family. God really has His hands full with Lily and her issues. However God is God and He knows what needs to be done to bring about healing, restoration and a future. And in “Winter In Full Bloom” that is exactly what He does. Welcome to a wonderful family story that reaches halfway around the world as Lily goes in search of an identical twin sister she never knew she had. Along the way she meets a man who might be the answer to her widowhood. Then there is also the relationship with her mother which is in need of repair. ”Winter In Full Bloom” is a story of mothers and daughters, love and heartache as well as healing, forgiveness, and new beginnings. Anita Higman knows how to write convincing characters that we fall in love with and want to succeed. I liked this book. Well done.
You can find “Winter In Full Bloom” at a discount at http://www.deepershopping.com/item/an...
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”
From the back cover: Embark on a flight with Lily as she faces her secret fear and lands in the precise spot that God intended all along.
Lily’s life changes in a heartbeat when a fiery confrontation with her mother uncovers a mystery about her totally dysfunctional family, sending Lily on a panicky flight around the world to get answers. But she gets more than she expected in Melbourne when a serendipitous meeting sparks a friendship with a man who is more than just another brazen Aussie. She discovers he might hold the key to her past. Lily hopes her homecoming will lead to a long-awaited reconciliation with her mother; then again, it might just crush the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.
An Irish dysfunctional family. God really has His hands full with Lily and her issues. However God is God and He knows what needs to be done to bring about healing, restoration and a future. And in “Winter In Full Bloom” that is exactly what He does. Welcome to a wonderful family story that reaches halfway around the world as Lily goes in search of an identical twin sister she never knew she had. Along the way she meets a man who might be the answer to her widowhood. Then there is also the relationship with her mother which is in need of repair. ”Winter In Full Bloom” is a story of mothers and daughters, love and heartache as well as healing, forgiveness, and new beginnings. Anita Higman knows how to write convincing characters that we fall in love with and want to succeed. I liked this book. Well done.
You can find “Winter In Full Bloom” at a discount at http://www.deepershopping.com/item/an...
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”
September 8, 2017
OMG, that was painful..... If you look at my book ratings on here, you will see that I am not a hard judge of books. But this. Was. AWFUL. Twaddle is a great word for this book. But maybe even worse. Unrealistic. Cheesy. I'm glad my eyes were able to come out from being rolled back in my head for so much of this book. My teeth hurt from the sweetness. Marcus, the only male character in the book, who was American constantly using Australian vernacular? "Good advice, Love." Ugh. It was so contrived!!! Falling in love with someone within 3 weeks and then proposing marriage? Then getting married just a few months later? Get real! And the character's personalities were inconsistent. Lily was a total WITCH to Marcus at first. Then a few pages later, she's this perfectly sweet southern girl and remains that way the rest of the book. And the fact that EVERY person in the book is a Christian? Too coincidental. And Camille was very confrontational and stand-offish when Lily first finds her (again, give me a break that she found her the way she did), and then all of a sudden she wants to be close with Lily?? It wasn't believable the way it all happened. Also, Camille can't afford to replace her flute, but she and Lily (who also keeps complaining about money being tight) can afford a last minute one way plane ticket from Melbourne to Houston? PLEASE!!! And then the mother having this transformation from horrible, neglectful mother to a doting mother?? Luckily this book was so shallow I was easy to breeze through it. Because it was painful to read. Someone recommended this book to me. But I seriously think she got the title wrong. Because I know I don't know anyone who loved this book enough to recommend it. If you like shallow, unrealistic/fantasy with a bit of cheese thrown in for good measure, you'll love this book.
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