This Promised Land

Title: This Promised Land
Author: Cathy Gohlke
Major Themes: Virginia, Family
Synopsis: Ginny finds herself back at the farm she fled as a teenager, and quickly discovers that she is not the only prodigal returning.

When I saw that Cathy Gohlke had written a new book, I immediately went looking for a copy to read. It had been several years since I read one of her books, but I remembered liking them, so I downloaded This Promised Land right away and started to read it.

Publisher’s description:

Ginny Pickering Boyden can’t wait for her last day of work, when she’ll be free to pursue a lifelong ambition through a master gardener apprenticeship. But an unexpected letter brings shocking news: Ginny has inherited her family’s Christmas tree farm, a dream she’d long ago given up.

Facing a past laced with memories and lies she’s tried hard to bury, a furious nephew who thought the land would be his, and a failing farm with a mountain of debt, Ginny returns to New Scrivelsby, Virginia, determined to sell. But when her younger nephew, a Vietnam vet, appears with demons of his own and three young children in tow, Ginny isn’t sure what to do. Too much of their story reminds Ginny of her own. She has little hope, however, that three generations of warring Pickerings can set aside their differences to restore all that’s broken, both on the land and in their hearts.

Set against the beautiful and rugged landscape of the Blue Ridge Mountains, This Promised Land is the story of a daughter’s longing to make sense of the past and of the unbreakable bonds that bring prodigals home.

My thoughts:

I was not disappointed with This Promised Land! In fact, within a few chapters, I remembered why I enjoyed Cathy Gohkle’s books so much. This is a very well-crafted story, and I quickly found myself invested in Ginny as a character. Both she and Luke were rather annoying, as they struggled to let go of old animosities, misunderstandings, and outright lies they had believed. I loved the underlying theme of the Prodigal Son, and how that story could play out today. 

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the very minor role that romance played in the plot. It was there, and I saw it coming from the second or third chapter when a male character appeared, but there was no hint of romantic feelings until about the 50% mark. Most of the plot of this book has to do with Ginny and her nephews, and the farm. 

Another character that made her way into my heart quickly was Arlo. A typical firstborn, she made it her responsibility to take care of and protect her siblings, and did her best to guard her father from his weaknesses. But when she accidentally stumbled onto the scene of illegal activity and inadvertently brought trouble and danger to the farm, she needed help that she couldn’t bring herself to accept. I found myself turning pages as fast as I could to get the family out of danger! 

If you enjoy a well-written family story with a strong spiritual message, try This Promised Land. You will love it. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

No warnings!

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