A faded farmhouse, a devoted dog. One special season.Melinda is already at a crossroads when the “for rent” sign beckons her down a dusty gravel lane. Facing forty, single and downsized from her stellar career at a big-city ad agency, she’s struggling to start over when a phone call brings her home to rural Iowa. It’s not long before she moves to the country, takes on a rundown farm and its … rundown farm and its headstrong animals, and lands behind the counter of her family’s hardware store in the community of Prosper, whose motto is “The Great Little Town That Didn’t.” And just like the sprawling garden she tends under the summer sun, Melinda begins to thrive. But when storm clouds arrive on her horizon, can she hold on to the new life she’s worked so hard to create?
Filled with memorable characters, from a big-hearted farm dog to the weather-obsessed owner of the local co-op, “Growing Season” celebrates the twists and turns of small-town life. Discover the heartwarming series that’s filled with new friends, fresh starts and second chances.
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An easy, quick,and entertaining read. Not deep … just entertaining.
I liked it so much that I have already purchased the next book in the series. It’s nice to read about real human situations without having to get involved romantically from the get go.
Nice summer read.
For me it was a nice story that took me back to my roots in the Midwest…..culture, folks, values, weather, and simple practical life skills. It warmed my heart. It was a page turner, in a quiet way. The drama in most of the book was more easy paced, which I greatly appreciated. A nice change for me.
A beautifully written story about a woman at a crossroads. I liked that it wasn’t a romance, but rather about the choices believable characters face.
Melinda lost her job in marketing and feels lost when her uncle has a heart attach. She goes home to rural Iowa to visit and ends up helping out at her Uncles hardware store, even finding a house to rent complete with sheep, chickens and a dog. Melinda learns to live each day as it comes as she moves through all the changes in her life. Friendships grow as she does.
I expected it to be a romantic fiction and was pleasantly surprised to find it was different! The story begins with a woman losing her job in the city and then had an opportunity to move to the country for the summer. She finds purpose and contentment in her journey, making new friends and finding new abilities. Love this author! Looking forward to more from her.
This book portrays a women’s journey after her life was turned upside down. Nice discussion of what life could be like if people worked together. A flattering look at country life.
I really like this one. I’ve read the first two in the series and i’m waiting for the next two. The editing process could use some work but not enough to ruin the storyline. Great thought provoking books. I would recommend.
I will always be a country girl. This brought back so many memories. I wanted to be part of this story.
Growing Season by Melanie Lageschulte
Story starts out with Melanie and sh’es just lost her job along with everybody else. She takes some time looking for work to no avail and ends up back home where she helps an ailing friend run the hardware store.
Her housing problem also is solved as she finds the farmhouse along with all the animals and garden. Story could be a short story but every thing is described in such detail it makes the story on the longside-which I love.
She even has her friends come down to paint-although she’s only there for summer months. They also love the farm life and consider moving there themselves. Love hearing how just everybody within 20 miles comes to help when needed and she’s there to help them all as well.
Such a close community-loved hearing of the parade and just all the small things that make a difference in rural living.
About the books and other works by her along with bio and excerpts are included at the end.
Would love to read more from this author.
I loved this book & got hooked on this series.
This was a low key pleasant story of a middle aged woman who has lost her job in the big city, returns temporarily to her rural hometown to recharge her batteries and sort out her life, but ends up staying at least for a while. She helps out at the family hardware store and manages a small farm for an elderly man who is away visiting his brother. It is a cozy mix of nostalgia, family relationships, domesticity, and the satisfaction of returning to a simpler life, but there isn’t much story. This book reads more like a diary of a woman going through a major change in her life rather than a story with a beginning, middle and an end. There were some interesting characters that needed more development, particularly during a community crisis that was taking place. The author instead directs the bulk of attention at the end of her book to a lost dog rather than focusing on the people in her story who are dealing personally with a community disaster. I think she missed the boat on that one. The most frustrating thing is that the main controversy that runs through the whole story, “Will she or won’t she stay in her rural hometown community?”, is never resolved by the end of the book. This is the first book in a series, but there just wasn’t enough offered in this first volume to hold my interest.
I like this author! Plan on reading the series.
During COVID, I’ve needed books that are easy to read and gentle on my soul. This book fits the bill.
A good summer read. Nostalgic and sweet.
Good series. Very heartwarming!
In a pandemic this is a wonderful escapist series.
Enjoyable
A sweet slice-of-life story set in the small town of Prosper