After he’s forced to sell the family farm he’s labored on his whole life, 63-year-old Gerrit Laninga doesn’t know what to do with himself. He sacrificed everything for the land–his time, his health, his family–with nothing to show for it but bitterness, regret, and two grown children who want nothing to do with him.Fifteen-year-old Rae Walters has growing doubts and fears about The Plan–the … detailed blueprint for high school that will help her follow in her lawyer father’s footsteps. She’s always been committed to The Plan, but now that the pressure to succeed is building, what was supposed to unite her family in purpose, may end up tearing it apart.When their paths cross just as they each need a friend the most, Gerrit’s and Rae’s lives begin to change in unexpected ways. Can they discover together what really matters in life and learn it’s never too late for a second chance?
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This book was just what I needed today!
The story gave me some laughs and filled my heart with hope and love.
The characters of Gerrit and Rae are just perfect. Gerrit is a grumpy older fella and Rae is in high school feeling so much pressure. A great friendship forms in the midst of the storms of life.
Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. The opinions are my own
This is a one of a kind story!
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this debut author, but I picked up “The Sowing Season” because of the cover alone. Yes, I’m not sorry, but I judge a book by the cover. *ques shocked gasps* And, I don’t regret it. I wasn’t going to willingly read a book that focuses a lot on a girl who has a plan and is working towards college like Rae, only because it would annoy me and I wouldn’t agree.
BUT! I am so glad I did, the main characters, Rae, and Gerrit are not your normal hero and heroine. No, they are quite different in a good way! I loved getting to see how they both grew and changed, and just learned from the past and others’ mistakes.
I find myself very sad to have finished reading “The Sowing Season” and am looking forward to following Katie Powner to see what she comes up with after this thought-provokingly different book.
I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
I loved this book! Katie has a delightful way of developing her characters. I can’t wait to discuss this book with other readers. This book has made me think about what is important in our lives! Thank you Katie!
Powner’s storytelling had me hooked. The pacing, well-placed humor, use of emotional impact and well-written characters had me engaged from first page to last. She handles two very different generations of characters with finesse. Gerrit, 63, is a hardened former farmer who still wants to be a farmer, and Rae, 15, is a driven teenager trying to figure out who she is and what she wants in life. I loved how these two characters help each other grow and see things from a new perspective. I look forward to reading more from Katie Powner.
The humor kept me engaged as I turned the pages of one riped life and one young soul. It’s hard to imagine this in a big city but in small town I can see how Gerrit and Rae could connect in this messy world. My hard aches for Gerrit who is now ‘reaping’ what he sowed or rather the lack of time he invested with his wife and children as they grew up. It’s so easy to get caught up in this busy life but it’s never to late to change our course of life and I love that Gerrit tries with the help of Rae who has her own real battles. I was sad to see it end.
Katie Powner’s debut novel is sure to leave a lasting impression on the reader. The Sowing Season is both a coming of age story and a twilight of life story that are so well combined, I didn’t want to leave these characters because they are so real and relatable.
Rae has her eyes so firmly fixed on her future plan, she either misses some of life’s small pleasures or stresses incessantly about them. Gerrit’s future is not at all written out after he leaves the farm where he’s worked his entire life behind and struggles with finding a new purpose.
Powner had me laughing with Gerrit’s ridiculous antics (seriously, he is the epitome of the grouchy old man at times) one minute and sighing with some sweet and heartfelt moments the next.
The Sowing Season is a beautifully poignant story about love, family, forgiveness, and unlikely friendships that you should add to your tbr list today.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
I will be highly recommending this book to friends! The Sowing Season is both thoughtful and playful. From grumpy Gerrit to conscientious Rae to faithful Daisy, the characters are memorable, and the unexpected roles they play in each other’s lives make for an interesting and touching read. I appreciated the complexity of the relationships and the themes of hope and redemption. I received this book from the publisher but liked it so much, I bought an extra copy to give away. All opinions are my own.
Wow, what a book! I began to find I simply couldn’t put it down. I love stories like these, about stumbling along and finding our meaning through friendships and situations God puts right in front of us. The language of the book was beautiful, lyrical, and it was written as if I was walking through the day WITH these characters. Gerrit’s and Rae’s stories felt so authentic, and I found myself rooting for them to choose well, look beyond, do the right thing, etc. My heart was completely caught up in this book. I can’t wait to read Katie Powner’s next book!! Outstanding!
What You Put into Life….
What can he do with himself? Gerrit, grouchy and old, has devoted his life to his farm, while ignoring his wife and children. Suddenly the farm is gone. He is stunned that his adult children barely speak to him, and his wife is ready to walk out.
Fifteen-year-old Rae has “The Plan,” a rigid schedule of classes and extra circular activities her father designed so she can be accepted into Columbia Law School. But “The Plan” is getting hard to follow.
Through a surprising variety of events, such as a kids at risk program and television cooking shows, this story will wind its way around your heart. As both characters find themselves in new, occasionally, uncomfortable situations, they do unexpected things—some humorous, some dangerous–as they try to cope with family dynamics and expectations.
Rae and Gerrit, an unlikely pair, meet when both are at turning points in their lives, will they continue on the same path? Or will they plant seeds of change that will bring a new harvest?
I loved this story, especially the thought of a clueless, rough, gruff curmudgeon becoming addicted to cooking. This clean narrative can change from playful to serious in an instant, without losing the heart of the tale, while continuing to increase the reader’s interest with every word. Told from a Christian point of view, I highly recommend this five-plus star book to mature teens and up –you do not want to miss this one!
“….You will reap exactly what you plant.” Galatians 6:7
Bethany House Publishing has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, The Sowing Season, for the purpose of review.
The Sowing Season by Katie Powner is a wonderful debut novel. Powner’s story touched my emotions and I both laughed and cried in places.
Gerrit Langinga is forced to sell his dairy farm in his early 60s and retire. He really doesn’t know what to do with himself and has relationship struggles with nearly all of his family members. Rae Walters is fifteen and learning to drive reluctantly. Her parents are pushing her to pass her driver’s test and to follow her blueprint for life that they have helped her lay out.When Gerrit and Rae cross paths, things begin to change for both of them in some unexpected ways.
I truly enjoyed the characters of Rae and Gerrit as well as several others in The Sowing Season. This book is set in the Northwest but as a Midwestern girl with farmer family members and friends, I thought a lot of her farm descriptions were spot on. It was refreshing to see that both Rae and Kylee were only children as I am an only child and I could relate to some of their relationship struggles. A couple of times, I did feel both Rae and Gerrit were unjustly saddled with all of the responsibility for changing the challenging relationships but that can happen in real life too. They were both good people who made some mistakes and were trying to correct them and dealing with some struggles as things didn’t work out the way they always wanted them to. As a foodie, I also love that Gerrit started cooking and hearing about his culinary adventures. I could understand some of Hannie and the kids anger and resentment. I liked Hannie and I loved the scenes where she took Gerrit shopping for new clothes. There was a lot that I loved about this book. I think The Sowing Season is a book that both genders would enjoy. Romance is a very minor part of the book and it mainly focuses on life and relationships.
I received this book at no charge from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
An excellent, heartrending debut by Katie Powner.
The author gives us beautifully flawed but realistic characters searching for a purpose in life. This book shows not only how we affect the lives of others, but how they affect us. Are our goals worthy or are we missing the journey?
Garrit is a crusty old farmer who just retired and is at loose ends. His past haunts him and colors all his actions. Rae is a teen who is reluctant to let anything get in the way of The Plan. “What did she want? The question frightened her. Without The Plan, her future was nothing but a scary swarm of unknowns. A place with more questions than answers. A place she did not want to be.”
Friendships are formed and life lessons learned. There are light moments as well in the scenes with Daisy the dog, Mister Whiskers, the cat and Bernard, the cantankerous rooster.
While not overtly peppered with scripture, faith is lived out by the characters. Forgiveness is sought and godly principles are practiced.
This story demonstrates what it means to invest in people and not just exist in life. And that being a witness will reap fruit.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
I loved The Sowing Season. The story line is not what you would expect from typical Christian fiction and is refreshingly original! The characters are well-developed and real. Coming from a farming community, Gerritt Laninga feels like someone I already know and Rae I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book! Highly recommend!
I love whenever a book opens my eyes to people I typically wouldn’t relate to—such as a crusty old farmer, a taunting neighbor, or some standoffish high school students—and fills me with a sense of compassion for each and every one of them. By the end of the story, I couldn’t believe how much I had grown to love all these characters. Shoot, I even loved the rooster. If you’re looking for a book that’s not heavy on romance, but full of humor and heart, this is it.
A beautiful story of second chances, letting go of regret, and being brave even when it feels impossible. Author Katie Powner writes with simple grace about family, faith, and the often-painful intersection of redemption and reality. Gerrit is one of my favorite characters ever!
The Sowing Season is a must-read for fans of Charles Martin and Chris Fabry. This is an author to watch and learn from. Highly recommend!
I loved this debut novel. It is the type of book that deserves to be savored. These characters were so real and relatable and felt like people I could truly know. Gerrit is this crusty old guy who counts his life by the dollars he has left to care for his wife, who loves deeply, but struggles so hard to show it…he had me laughing (and cringing for him) when his well-intention…lol and not so well intentioned attempts to right wrongs and injustices he saw in the world). Daisy the dog was just a gem, and Gerrit’s growing relationship with him was so sweet. Rae and the fears and real and imagined pressures she faces was so easy to identify with. Loved watching the love, healing, and understanding unfold with the various characters
I could go on and on about the little things that I loved about this story, but it was such a tender, bittersweet story of finding your way back to love and learning what it is to cherish the things you have in life while you still have them. Don’t miss it!
Simply said, Katie Powner’s debut novel knocked my socks off. I laughed, cried, and was personally touched by the faith element woven into the stories of these now beloved characters. Powner’s skill with character development is masterful, their personalities leaping from the page, especially Gerrit and Hannie. I can’t wait to see what this author produces next.
A story of a man who really gave up everything for his job. Not any job and all consuming job of a dairy farmer, they really never have a day off, and their problems never really end. Gerrit Laninga has spent his entire life working the family farm, and more so after his older brother died.
This kind of work, comes at a great expense, he missed so many things and really was never there when his children were growing up.
When the time came for him to throw in the towel, well we get to see how he goes about trying to pick pieces. I could just see his wife, and loved how she handled “I told you so”. A good hint was that suitcase that sat there and sat there!
Watch who God puts in his path, and see how he has come to conclusions, and kinda gets knocked over the head for the wrong assumptions.
Can this family ever heal? Will the teenage girl find her path? How about the young man with the bad home life? Watch as Gerrit touches so many lives now that he has all this time on his hands!
A book that will touch your heart and hope for the future!
I received this book through NetGalley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.