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The Green Tree #1
The Lost and Found of Green Tree
Two young women struggle to survive the daunting Great Depression; one uses ambition, guile, and the occasional white lie, while the other holds on with grit and imagination.
The grueling economy of the 1930’s has snaked its way into families, farms, and the small town of Green Tree, Iowa. Forging separate paths, Mariah and Nanette both suffer economically but use quite different tactics to find their way .
A young Mariah yearns to leave her family’s farm, and dreams of taking on a bustling career in New York. Instead, she’s sidetracked by love, and at nineteen finds herself married to her high school sweetheart, the mother of twin daughters, and living only a few miles from the crowded home she grew up in.
Nanette is certain she’s destined for a bigger life than what she sees in Green Tree. And she’s not above using her looks and deceit to get ahead. The confident Nanette feels her future lies in the spotlight of Hollywood. Initially, the closest she gets to the movie industry is selling popcorn in the lobby of a Minnesota theater, but she is undaunted by challenges.
As the economy worsens, both women encounter devastating tragedies, forcing changes to their earlier lofty goals. Mariah is pushed to make gut-wrenching decisions to care for her family, while Nanette finds herself locked in a bad relationship of her own making. After Mariah and Nanette meet, one makes a generous offer to the other, but later exacts a frightening price.
The grueling economy of the 1930’s has snaked its way into families, farms, and the small town of Green Tree, Iowa. Forging separate paths, Mariah and Nanette both suffer economically but use quite different tactics to find their way .
A young Mariah yearns to leave her family’s farm, and dreams of taking on a bustling career in New York. Instead, she’s sidetracked by love, and at nineteen finds herself married to her high school sweetheart, the mother of twin daughters, and living only a few miles from the crowded home she grew up in.
Nanette is certain she’s destined for a bigger life than what she sees in Green Tree. And she’s not above using her looks and deceit to get ahead. The confident Nanette feels her future lies in the spotlight of Hollywood. Initially, the closest she gets to the movie industry is selling popcorn in the lobby of a Minnesota theater, but she is undaunted by challenges.
As the economy worsens, both women encounter devastating tragedies, forcing changes to their earlier lofty goals. Mariah is pushed to make gut-wrenching decisions to care for her family, while Nanette finds herself locked in a bad relationship of her own making. After Mariah and Nanette meet, one makes a generous offer to the other, but later exacts a frightening price.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2022
About the author
Bobbie Candas
9 books244 followersYes! My latest novel, Half Baked Women: The Reheat, is now available. It's a 1970s mashup of Sex and the City meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, set deep in the heart of Texas! If that sounds intriguing, take a look. It shares the adventures of four women during their freshman year at the University of Texas at Austin. Then it revisits the secrets and revelations of the same women twenty years later during a weekend reunion in San Antonio.
Falling From the Nest: The Sisters of Green Tree is the second book in the Green Tree series, but it also reads as a stand-alone novel. This novel jumps into the lives of twin sisters Sarah and Jo-Jo in 1946, as they navigate very different worlds, with Jo-Jo trying to break into a career in entertainment in Manhattan, while Sarah finds difficulty as a social misfit at the University of Iowa. l It's been so much fun breathing life into the characters of Sarah and Jo-Jo as they fall into adulthood.
If you haven't read it yet, please check out my historical fiction novel, The Lost and Found of Green Tree, which features the drama and adventures of Mariah and Nanette, two compelling, determined, and ambitious young women, navigating the challenging economic times of the Great Depression. Although both are from the same small town of Green Tree, Iowa, their paths diverge quickly as life takes them on very different journeys.
In the mood for a contemporary dramedy? Try Welcome to Wonderland--a novel about the acceptance, growth, and love unexpectedly discovered by three complicated and diverse characters, Violet, Turner, and Rosario. I hope you'll fall in love with these three people as I have. The novel is set in Dallas, Texas, and covers some difficult issues, but it's also filled with humor and a few tears as well.
Ready to dive into some romance littered with life's complications? Take a look at Imperfect Timing, a mature romance about second chances, bad husbands, and the challenges of the real estate business.
If you’re ready for some adventure and romance, try Luck, Love, and a Lifeline. It features Lucy, a recently graduated fashion designer, and her struggles with career, debt, and love life as she winds her way through the design district of NYC to the Caribbean islands, with a lot of headwinds along the way.
I'd love to hear your feedback and welcome your honest reviews on any of my selling sites, including Apple Books, Barnes and Noble( The Nook), Kobo, Smashwords, AndEver, all through Draft to Digital
A little about me:
I'm a Texas girl: Grew up in San Antonio, went to school at UT in Austin and earned my degree in Journalism. I eventually settled in Dallas where I raised a husband, a few cats, and two kids. My husband and the cats will probably disagree on who raised who, but I'm always a sucker for a robust discussion. For years I was involved in retail management, but I have untangled myself from the world of clothing and shoes, and immersed myself in my true passion--writing fiction and taking deep dives into the lives of my characters.
When you can pry my fingers off the keyboard, I've been known to imbibe in a few glasses of wine and have been spotted forking into decadent desserts while gathering with friends and family. Put me on a shady deck or an umbrella-covered patio, with a table full of opinionated know-it-alls, a spicy margarita, and I'm in my happy place. I've also been known to jump at the opportunity of taking unexpected trips to far-away places.
But I'll always make time for writing and reading, with a stack of novels ready and waiting on my nightstand, and a few always sleeping patiently on my Kindle. I bounce around genres, and I'm usually up for a good recommendation. So, let me know what you've enjoyed reading lately. I can be reached via Messenger on FB or on my FB author page--Bobbie Candas. I look forward to hearing from you!
Falling From the Nest: The Sisters of Green Tree is the second book in the Green Tree series, but it also reads as a stand-alone novel. This novel jumps into the lives of twin sisters Sarah and Jo-Jo in 1946, as they navigate very different worlds, with Jo-Jo trying to break into a career in entertainment in Manhattan, while Sarah finds difficulty as a social misfit at the University of Iowa. l It's been so much fun breathing life into the characters of Sarah and Jo-Jo as they fall into adulthood.
If you haven't read it yet, please check out my historical fiction novel, The Lost and Found of Green Tree, which features the drama and adventures of Mariah and Nanette, two compelling, determined, and ambitious young women, navigating the challenging economic times of the Great Depression. Although both are from the same small town of Green Tree, Iowa, their paths diverge quickly as life takes them on very different journeys.
In the mood for a contemporary dramedy? Try Welcome to Wonderland--a novel about the acceptance, growth, and love unexpectedly discovered by three complicated and diverse characters, Violet, Turner, and Rosario. I hope you'll fall in love with these three people as I have. The novel is set in Dallas, Texas, and covers some difficult issues, but it's also filled with humor and a few tears as well.
Ready to dive into some romance littered with life's complications? Take a look at Imperfect Timing, a mature romance about second chances, bad husbands, and the challenges of the real estate business.
If you’re ready for some adventure and romance, try Luck, Love, and a Lifeline. It features Lucy, a recently graduated fashion designer, and her struggles with career, debt, and love life as she winds her way through the design district of NYC to the Caribbean islands, with a lot of headwinds along the way.
I'd love to hear your feedback and welcome your honest reviews on any of my selling sites, including Apple Books, Barnes and Noble( The Nook), Kobo, Smashwords, AndEver, all through Draft to Digital
A little about me:
I'm a Texas girl: Grew up in San Antonio, went to school at UT in Austin and earned my degree in Journalism. I eventually settled in Dallas where I raised a husband, a few cats, and two kids. My husband and the cats will probably disagree on who raised who, but I'm always a sucker for a robust discussion. For years I was involved in retail management, but I have untangled myself from the world of clothing and shoes, and immersed myself in my true passion--writing fiction and taking deep dives into the lives of my characters.
When you can pry my fingers off the keyboard, I've been known to imbibe in a few glasses of wine and have been spotted forking into decadent desserts while gathering with friends and family. Put me on a shady deck or an umbrella-covered patio, with a table full of opinionated know-it-alls, a spicy margarita, and I'm in my happy place. I've also been known to jump at the opportunity of taking unexpected trips to far-away places.
But I'll always make time for writing and reading, with a stack of novels ready and waiting on my nightstand, and a few always sleeping patiently on my Kindle. I bounce around genres, and I'm usually up for a good recommendation. So, let me know what you've enjoyed reading lately. I can be reached via Messenger on FB or on my FB author page--Bobbie Candas. I look forward to hearing from you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 26, 2023
A great book
Highly recommend this book. Was a nice enjoyable storyline. At the beginning I thought " oh blah..." Then I kept going and the story totally sucked me in. I couldn't put it down. Read it in one day. The writer has done an excellent job of creating the lives and times of the characters and taps into your imagination in a way that makes you easily picture them .Thank you for an enjoyable read !!!
Highly recommend this book. Was a nice enjoyable storyline. At the beginning I thought " oh blah..." Then I kept going and the story totally sucked me in. I couldn't put it down. Read it in one day. The writer has done an excellent job of creating the lives and times of the characters and taps into your imagination in a way that makes you easily picture them .Thank you for an enjoyable read !!!
January 14, 2023
I ended up really enjoying this book.
It is a good novel, well written so you feel yourself immersed in what is happening to the characters. You feel part of the family.
Today, you would have put Nanette's behaviour down to the effects of the results of her botched abortion and not being able to have more children of her own. I was glad that she had that slow realisation of not being able to trust people and that she came to her senses.
What Mariah must have gone through was awful, it sounds as if it could have been a frequent occurrence though.
Would definitely recommend this book.
It is a good novel, well written so you feel yourself immersed in what is happening to the characters. You feel part of the family.
Today, you would have put Nanette's behaviour down to the effects of the results of her botched abortion and not being able to have more children of her own. I was glad that she had that slow realisation of not being able to trust people and that she came to her senses.
What Mariah must have gone through was awful, it sounds as if it could have been a frequent occurrence though.
Would definitely recommend this book.
September 15, 2024
Great Book
This was another great book. This takes place during the depression in small town Iowa. Two young women have goals to get out of farm life and move to the big city. Nanette leaves while Mariah marries and becomes the mother of twin girls. Mariah becomes a widow from a freak accident and falls upon hard times. The 2 women cross paths and Nanette offers to take one of the twins until things improve for Mariah. Mariah reluctantly agrees to let this stranger temporarily take her child, a decision she will soon regret.
This was another great book. This takes place during the depression in small town Iowa. Two young women have goals to get out of farm life and move to the big city. Nanette leaves while Mariah marries and becomes the mother of twin girls. Mariah becomes a widow from a freak accident and falls upon hard times. The 2 women cross paths and Nanette offers to take one of the twins until things improve for Mariah. Mariah reluctantly agrees to let this stranger temporarily take her child, a decision she will soon regret.
December 20, 2023
Fast Moving! Never wanted it to end!
The Lost and Found of Green Tree caught hold of my heart quickly and broke my heart when it ended. Mariah and her twins, Jo and Sarah, were so real and life dealt them many difficulties. The author made you care a lot about Nannette too. Even though you didn’t want too. I will be reading many more books written by Bobbie Candas. You should too!
The Lost and Found of Green Tree caught hold of my heart quickly and broke my heart when it ended. Mariah and her twins, Jo and Sarah, were so real and life dealt them many difficulties. The author made you care a lot about Nannette too. Even though you didn’t want too. I will be reading many more books written by Bobbie Candas. You should too!
March 19, 2023
This is one of the best books I have read in a quite awhile..It held my interest from beginning to end..It is right up there with "The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah." Totally different storylines but the interest and quality are equal in both books..Looking forward to reading more by this author..It will be hard to choose my next book now..Everything else pales in comparison..Highly recommend..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2023
Okay, I actually enjoyed this! Some punctuation errors but didn’t take away from the story. For some reason I love stories set in the US during the Great Depression. Those folks had to do so much just to survive, and reading these stories is always encouraging. But honestly this book was also so much more than that! I’d recommend :)
January 26, 2024
The characters were well developed, The author's use of a separate chapter for each main character was helpful to develop the characters. With all the surprising plot twists and turns, I couldn't put the book down. I do think giving the antagonist character a positive appearance at the end of the book made the ending feel "chopped off" and somewhat unreal.
July 10, 2024
I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book and it was a simple read. The use of profanity did not fit it all with the story and some of the thoughts and language I thought to be more modern than historic. Three stars because the story itself was not too bad, believable. I would, however, give the ending a one-star as it really fell flat.
November 3, 2022
Fantastic read
This book was a very nice surprise having never read this author but would definitely look for anything else she may have written. I would highly recommend this book and look forward to maybe even a sequel.
This book was a very nice surprise having never read this author but would definitely look for anything else she may have written. I would highly recommend this book and look forward to maybe even a sequel.
April 12, 2023
Interesting story
I liked the way the author chose to use twins as the main characters in her book. I loved the era and the setting in Iowa farm life. The story moved from farm to Hollywood and back to farm. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
I liked the way the author chose to use twins as the main characters in her book. I loved the era and the setting in Iowa farm life. The story moved from farm to Hollywood and back to farm. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
May 20, 2023
3.5 I really enjoyed the first half of this book and would give it a 4. The second half became a little slow and unrealistic and the ending was too easy, so I found myself feeling it was a 3. Well-written; I will try this author again.
June 1, 2023
Good sorry.
The epilogue was a really good ending. Maybe No will get together with Nanette and it could really be beneficial to them both. Nanette had a flair for making successes out of nothing. I Loved that David and Mariah got together.
The epilogue was a really good ending. Maybe No will get together with Nanette and it could really be beneficial to them both. Nanette had a flair for making successes out of nothing. I Loved that David and Mariah got together.
June 29, 2023
Highly recommended!
What an excellent read!! Bobbie managed to make the characters and their situations jump off the page make you feel like you were right there listening in! The love, fortitude and optimism of good hearted people in that troubled era was just wonderful!!!
What an excellent read!! Bobbie managed to make the characters and their situations jump off the page make you feel like you were right there listening in! The love, fortitude and optimism of good hearted people in that troubled era was just wonderful!!!
August 24, 2023
Just wonderful!
If I can't care about the characters in a book after the first chapter, I put it down. The characters in this book just pulled me in,made me care about them,cheer for them,hurt for them.All in all such a great book,about women overcoming obstacles. Read it!
If I can't care about the characters in a book after the first chapter, I put it down. The characters in this book just pulled me in,made me care about them,cheer for them,hurt for them.All in all such a great book,about women overcoming obstacles. Read it!
January 23, 2024
Great read that touches all of the emotions!
I loved meeting and following these characters through their lives. Each person is believable and getting to know them was a delight. Can't wait to read the sequel!
I loved meeting and following these characters through their lives. Each person is believable and getting to know them was a delight. Can't wait to read the sequel!
October 29, 2022
Definitely held my interest
Good interesting read and not same ld same old as a lot of books now.
This was kept me guessing and really wanting to know what would happen next
Good interesting read and not same ld same old as a lot of books now.
This was kept me guessing and really wanting to know what would happen next
Read
November 15, 2022All that glitters
Laugh cry live die.Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the folks in and around Green Tree Iowa...where life was hard enough then the depression hit!
Laugh cry live die.Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the folks in and around Green Tree Iowa...where life was hard enough then the depression hit!
December 28, 2022
Joke just a couple chapters of a different book
I wanted to read the lost and found of green tree not even the right book I don't have time to waste like this i
I wanted to read the lost and found of green tree not even the right book I don't have time to waste like this i
February 10, 2023
Great story!
This book was very well written and I really enjoyed it! I couldn't stop reading this interesting and very well written story.
This book was very well written and I really enjoyed it! I couldn't stop reading this interesting and very well written story.
March 10, 2023
Loved this book! The characters and storyline were very plausible. I enjoy novels from this time period.
March 13, 2023
Wonderful
Loved loved loved this book. Did not want it to end. Would tell all the book lovers to read it
Loved loved loved this book. Did not want it to end. Would tell all the book lovers to read it
March 27, 2023
Great Historical Life Story
Great Historical Life Story!! I lived the historical facts at the end. Hope Author writes more like this!! Thank you
Great Historical Life Story!! I lived the historical facts at the end. Hope Author writes more like this!! Thank you
May 28, 2023
This book surprised me. I really liked it.
June 3, 2023
Excellent book.
I enjoyed this book very much. Set in the early 1900's it is the story of two very different girls from the same town making their own way in hard times.
I enjoyed this book very much. Set in the early 1900's it is the story of two very different girls from the same town making their own way in hard times.
September 15, 2023
I really liked this book. However I felt it ended abruptly & left
a lot of loose ends. It would have been nice to see Mariah’s story continue & also Jo & Sarah’s.
a lot of loose ends. It would have been nice to see Mariah’s story continue & also Jo & Sarah’s.
October 3, 2023
I liked this story and it seemed feasible to me that this could happen especially in that time period.
December 7, 2023
Enjoyed this story.
Intriguing story line. A good read. Interesting that the Federal Bureau was called in. Wondered if Nan would recognize Jo.
Intriguing story line. A good read. Interesting that the Federal Bureau was called in. Wondered if Nan would recognize Jo.
March 22, 2024
This book was amazing! I was captivated from the first page to the last!
May 24, 2024
I enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed. I thought there might be a little more about the depression. It was a good read.
June 8, 2024
I cannot recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews