In the second novel in the Wildflower House series, the author of The Memory of Butterflies reminds us that to achieve our dreams, we must first open our hearts.Kara Hart suffered overwhelming heartache when she lost her mother and husband, and her father’s sudden death might be the blow that breaks her—unless she turns her grief into purpose. She’ll finish renovating his Victorian mansion in … Victorian mansion in rural Virginia, but with her own twist. She’ll turn the old house into a creative retreat for artists and writers.
Kara has never tackled a project this big alone, and she’s not ready to open her heart to others for help. But the locals open their hearts to her—including two who have the potential to be more than friends. She tells herself she doesn’t need romance or distractions, but maybe that’s exactly what she needs. When her former best friend reenters Kara’s life, it could be the distraction that finally destroys her—or heals her.
The tragedies in Kara’s life have damaged her self-confidence, but she presses forward, gradually lowering her protective walls and allowing others in little by little. Will bringing Wildflower House back to life and freeing her own creative spirit also allow her to open her heart to hope and happiness—and maybe even love?
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In her second Wildflower novel, Greene masterfully peels back the hidden layers of Kara Hart’s grief, dependency, and self-doubt to unveil a heartwarming tale of love and forgiveness. Set in the lush Virginia countryside, Wildflower Hope is an inspirational story of leaving the past behind and seeing the possibilities of the future.
Wildflower Hope continues the story of Kara, a young woman who has seen multiple losses in her life, the most recent being the death of her father. Having read the first and third books in the series, I was looking forward to filling in some of the details I had missed in this second book. I was not disappointed. The characters are people you would want to be your friends as they are realistic and relatable. As Kara continues the renovations to a house her father bought, she meets several challenges and it is interesting to see how she works through and overcomes them. Wildflower Hope is a lovely story of healing and growing, of love and forgiveness. I am looking forward to reading more from this talented author. Amanda Dolan does a nice job narrating Kara’s story which makes for an enjoyable listening experience. I listened to a complimentary copy of the audiobook and was not required to leave a review.
Wildflower Hope was an inspirational novel! I enjoyed the way the characters’ emotions were portrayed. Kara has been through a lot. She was in an accident where she lost her husband. Then her father passed away. Now she is renovating his Wildflower House to fulfill what he started before he passed away. She is overwhelmed by her losses at the same time that she is trying to rebuild both the house and her life. She’s also lost her closest friend after she betrayed her. But at the same time that Kara is trying to recover from her losses, she is building new relationships with the people she meets through the renovations of the house.
Can’t wait for book 3
Kara story is so mesmerizing. I honestly feel as though I know her personally. Even though I haven’t suffered the way that she has, I could feel her pain. I had tears in my eyes. I was experiencing everything she was experiencing, which is an amazing feat for an author.
The setting is also vividly painted by words that doesn’t overwhelm the reader. In fact, it makes you feel like you’re really there.
The side characters have distinct personality rather than being created solely to compare and contrast Kara’s story and ordeals. I definitely recommend this book!
I was looking forward to reading this book. This is a new author for me. I had seen her around facebook but had never read any of her books until now. This book was filled with love and family. I know after her struggles you wanted nothing more then for Kara to find her happiness. This book pulls at all your heart strings. It is a up and down emotional ride. You will feel like you are apart of this book with how well it everything is described. There are some great messages in this book that we all can learn and take away from. I really enjoyed this book more then I thought I was. I hope others pick it up. I received this book from Netgalley.
A beautifully written story! Family, love and touching. There is life at the end of the tunnel. The main character pulls herself up by her boot straps as life always goes on.
A wonderful second book in the series! This book picks right up where Wildflower Heart ended. Amazingly written. The pain Kara feels is so real I had tears in my eyes several times. I feel like I know Kara personally, and I want to book a trip to Wildflower House. I loved that the book ends at the beginning of December knowing that the third book is coming out and it is called Wildflower Christmas. I can’t wait to read it!
Wildflower Hope by Grace Greene is the story of discovering everything we are capable of if we want it and if we are able to find the confidence, even in the face of adversity.
Kara Hart is a young woman who has suffered the terrible loss of her husband and unborn child in an accident that left her very badly injured. Kara moves to Virginia with her father, Henry Lange, to restore a large Victorian house – a new start for both of them. Within two months of moving into the house, Henry Lange suffers a heart attack that leaves Kara on her own once again.
Kara has a decision to make, will she continue the remodel or sell the property. Kara is determined to remodel but she seems to have trouble starting even though she has support from the realtor who sold them the property. When Kara begins to put her plans to paper, things start to happen.
I highly recommend this book. This story grabbed me from the start for its warm and interesting characters and for its beautiful story that touches ones emotions. It is a story of rebirth, growth, strength, confidence and love. I look forward to the next book in this series.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for approving my request for an ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
Another beautifully written book by Grace Green. The sequel to Wildflower House is every bit as wonderful and poetic as the first book.
Filled with such hope, love, promise, laughter, pain, tears, forever after, this book will pull you in and not let go. The love that is in this book is so obvious yet Kara Lange Hart had to go through so much to find it. Losing her husband, child, mother and father she’s pretty much afraid to hope for anyone to be her forever. She has lots of great friends and two guys who both seem interested but she knows that she can only love one.
Losing her father was one of the hardest things Kara has gone through. After finding out the whole truth about his life growing up she wanted nothing more than to help him find his lost family. He two siblings who went missing when they were just toddlers. It was not to be though. When he passed Kara decided to go ahead and finish his dream of completing Wildflower House. Turning it into a type of retreat for artist of every kind was also her dream. She has put her heart and soul into this. Will it be a success? Will people come? Will she be able to see it through to the end? Kara is a fighter even though at times she thinks she is weak.
With help she finally is able to forgive her best friend, Victory, for a huge misunderstanding. Victory truly just wanted things to be good for Kara. It took Kara quite a while to accept that though. With Victory’s help she’s able to do some things that she would most likely not have done alone.
This book is so heartwarming. You will feel like you are there. From the inside of the house to the land surrounding it, it’s like I was there. The bench at the water. The trail to the old house where her father lived as a young boy. The trees and flowers all seem so real and alive to me. I could almost smell the beauty. This book is so touching and well written. You will fall in love with this community and people. The wonderful surprises along the way will make your heart feel so happy.
This is such a good series and I am sure there will be another. I have to find out what happens next for Kara. For all the characters. I picture what I think will happen but until I can read it I won’t know for certain. It’s truly a wonderful heartfelt loving story of love, loss, heartache, hope, finding and trusting people and love again. It has it all. This story made me laugh and cry. It made me have many feelings but mostly hope.
Two sentences stood out to me strongly: (1) Time. It recurred every second. On and on. And each second was an opportunity to do life better. Or worse. Unless you were to busy mourning the past seconds to see the opportunity-or the danger.
(2) “You can’t choose where you’re born, but you can choose where to grow”
I loved those. They fit perfectly.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for the ARC of this wonderful book. I truly loved it from start to beautiful finish.
A big giant 5 stars and I highly, highly recommend this book and the first one Wildflower Heart to everyone.
Kara has been thru a lot in her life, first with her Mother’s leaving, marriage issues, then a horrific accident and rehab, then her father’s death. She takes over a home her father has bought and has a vision. But she needs to come to turn with all her issues first.
I did not read the first Wildflower House Book, but had heard so much about it that I jumped to read the second. With that being said, I don’t feel that I missed much by not reading the first one. I picked up what happened in Book #1 with the author’s flashback. I enjoyed the beautiful, descriptive writing, but found the characters and I just did not connect. The book dragged somewhat, and I kept waiting for something big to happen, but was disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for this ARC. Opinion is my own.
Wildflower Hope is the second volume in Grace Greene’s Wildflower House series. The story picks up a week or so after Wildflower Heart ends, very much a ‘part two’ rather than a new story in the series.
The characters are the star of this story. I don’t think I realized until reading this second book how much I have come to care about them, individually and as a family. I have mentioned in reviews of other books by author Grace Greene, that I appreciate the depth of the characters she creates – the most likeable characters are flawed, the worst of the bunch often have redeeming qualities. This brings them each to life as realistic, believable people. This is certainly the case in this series as well.
I might feel drawn to the main character of Kara because I can relate to many of traumas she has been through, the issues and emotions she wrestles with – but these may be things we all deal with on some level. Regardless, I find myself rooting for her, hoping the other characters give her a break, support her as she needs. This whole bunch are folks I’d enjoy knowing.
Another draw for me to this series is the location. Cub Creek is set in rural Virginia, just outside Louisa County, part way between Richmond and Charlottesville. Most folks are familiar with the hustle and bustle of Northern VA, just outside of Washington DC; the Blue Ridge Pkwy of the western part of the state; and the coastal areas along the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay to the southeast. But few are aware of the beautiful countyside and fulfilling lifestyle in the center of this diverse state. Greene paints beautiful pictures of this area, representing it well.
I am enjoying following the renovation of Wildflower House, and the personal growth of Kara as she moves through the decisions associated with renovation. This book is a satisfying chapter to the story and ends well, but is far from the end of the story. I have pre-ordered Wildflower Christmas, a novella following Wildflower Hope (expected release date Nov.12, 2019), and I hope for/look forward to additional books in the series to follow.
I highly recommend this book, series, to anyone seeking an identifiable story of a woman coming into her own, learning to trust in her own strengths while opening herself to trust and let others in.
This series written by Grace Green has been one of my favorites all year!! Through trials and tribulations with family, everything eventually falls into place. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone!!
As the big old house is being renovated, so is Kara’s heart! There is much pain, grief and anger that has squeezed Kara’s heart shut. But healing and forgiveness comes as she sees the over growth, weeds and wildflowers get clean up and the inside redone. At first she feels she has to have the little pills to help her through and argues that she doesn’t really need them but as her heart heals so does her need for the pills become less.
Grace Greene pulls in all the emotions with care with the most wonderful characters!
A beautiful written story on grief, forgiveness and rebuilding your life. Kara has gone through many losses in her life and now is in the process of rebuilding her life along with the renovations of a house that her dad bought, she will rebuild it to her likes and dreams. Along her journey she will meet wonderful people that will help her through her grief process.
Grace Greene writes in such vivid detail that you can close your eyes and feel like you are right there in the wildflowers and the restoration of the house. Loved how Kara grew with her life and forgiving people from her past.
Loved this book, this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone but so much better if you read the first book in the series. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I read through my kindle unlimited.
Wildflower Hope is the second novel in the Wildflower House series by Grace Greene. Kara Hart came to Wildflower House after sustaining serious injury and losing her husband and unborn child in an accident. Now she is trying to hold it together after unexpectedly losing her father. She continues the renovations her father started, but now they are her ideas, and it’s her vision for the house that is coming to life.
Kara has faced loss and betrayal, her confidence is shaken, and she has to find her way forward. Looking toward her future, she taps into a strength she didn’t know she had, while learning to forgive herself and others, while opening herself up to new friends and possibilities. There is so much emotion here, and Kara has been dealing with a lot by burying it and forging on.
This is the second in the series, and the first I have read. There is enough background that it can stand alone, but I found myself wishing I had read the first, just for the richer background on the story and all the characters. This is a well-written novel with interesting characters; I found myself empathizing with Kara and really tuning into her emotions and challenges. The descriptions of the setting were vivid, and I found myself wishing I could be a part of the area. While the ending was satisfying, I do see enough left unresolved to warrant a third book in the series which will be added to my TBR list, so I can see how Kara continues to grow and the end Wildflower House’s renovations.
#GraceGreene #WildflowerHouse #WildflowerHope #LakeUnionPublishing
A STORY OF RESTORATION!
I’ve read many of Grace Greene’s books and while I’ve enjoyed them, none have touched me like Wildflower Hope. Wildflower Hope is Book 2 in the Wildflower House Series. This book may be read as a stand alone as Greene gives sufficient background so the reader won’t be lost. However, to be enjoyed to it’s fullest, it should be read in sequential order.
In Wildfire Hope, Greene has continued the story of Kara Hart. Hart is a strong woman who has suffered immeasurable grief and is trying her best to be an overcomer. She wanted to fulfill her father’s dream for the Wildflower House but comes up with a more dynamic plan on her own. Her plan is risky and will require blood, sweat and tears – and maybe not just her own. Greene includes many of the same characters from WILDFLOWER HEART and also introduces some exciting new characters.
The main theme of this book is restoration – 1) the restoration of Wildflower House and grounds into a retreat center for artists, writers and other creatives to come and work undisturbed, 2) the restoration of families for so many, many different reasons, 3) the restoration of dreams for the future, 4) the restoration of possible romance, 5) the restoration of cherished friendships and most importantly 6) the restoration of FORGIVENESS. Oh what a difference maker that is for everyone!
I was provided an ARC of this book by Lake Union Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
I really liked this book – I have not read the first book in the series, but will do so after reading this one as I would like to know more about Kara’s life and what brought her to the Wildflower House. With that said, I wasn’t lost because I hadn’t read the first book – it gave enough background so I understood what was going on. My favorite aspect of the book was how the author really painted a picture of the Wildflower House and its property. It made me wish that this was a real place that I could actually go and visit! I do hope there will be another book in the series as I would love to follow the progression of the Wildflower House as Kara continues the renovations and starts to welcome guests.
Hope Springs Eternal. In this followup to Wildflower Heart, released earlier this year, Greene continues the story of Wildflower House and in particular Kara Hart. This story picks up just days after the end of that tale and is heavily influenced by its events, so it isn’t really one a new reader can come into without having read the first book – but the first book is at least as good as this one, and thus it isn’t exactly a hardship. 😉 Solid story and very much recommended.
Kara Lange Hart is grieving. She is having a hard time putting one foot in front of the other. The old adage, “Don’t make big decisions while grieving.” Kara needs to decided whether she is going to convert Wildflower House into a artistic retreat or sell it. As she starts to make decisions, she is slowly seeing the possibilities. Anger is still a constant companion. along with the wall around her heart. Slowly as the house and the landscape take shape, Kara realizes she is changing also. She is not clinging to the past. She is open to the possibilities. It is saying you’re sorry and giving and asking for forgiveness. It allows love to grow and flourish.
You are not in a hurry to read this book. You want to savor each page. It is beautifully written.
A fantastic follow up to Wildflower Heart, in the series about Kara Lange Hart and the surrounding characters in her life. This book continues her story where she rebuilds her life at Wildflower House. The introduction of new characters bring a new aspect to her life as she ventures into something she is excited yet nervous to embark on. The rich descriptions of the surroundings at Wildflower property both inside and outside are so great that it’s easy to picture everything Grace Greene intends the reader to. This is another glorious book by Grace Greene, written with the grace that she so easily does. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I’m grateful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.