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Glenbrooke #8
Wildflowers
Genevieve's dream is coming true. The Wildflowers Cafe goes up for sale and Genevieve knows she can make it into something special.
The unexpected happens and Genevieve is ready to give up on dreams and on love.
That's when a small circle of tender-hearted Glenbrooke women rally around her and dare her to dream again.
With the dreaming comes the biggest surprise of all. Genevieve realizes she is giddily in love with the last man she expected could make her feel this way.
Come to Glenbrooke -- a quiet place where souls are refreshed.
The unexpected happens and Genevieve is ready to give up on dreams and on love.
That's when a small circle of tender-hearted Glenbrooke women rally around her and dare her to dream again.
With the dreaming comes the biggest surprise of all. Genevieve realizes she is giddily in love with the last man she expected could make her feel this way.
Come to Glenbrooke -- a quiet place where souls are refreshed.
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2001
46 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Robin Jones Gunn
162 books2,631 followersROBIN JONES GUNN has written more than 100 books with over 6.5 million copies sold worldwide. Her Father Christmas books have been made into three Hallmark Christmas movies. The timeless Christy Miller series now continues in Christy & Todd: The College Years, Married Years, Baby Years, and the Haven Maker series. Robin's novels and non-fiction works include Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman, Victim of Grace, Praying for Your Future Husband, and Before You Meet Your Future Husband co-authored with Tricia Goyer. Her books have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups. Many of Robin's books are in eBook, audiobook, large print, and foreign editions. Robin does a weekly Podcast called "Women Worth Knowing" with Cheryl Brodersen. Robin and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 22, 2023
My favorite from the series and the final book brings back all the previous protagonists from the first seven with life updates for each of them woven into the storyline. In this book it isn't a meet-cute story arc but rather of a marriage after several years of being unyoked, holding resentment, and dissatisfaction. It's the story of falling in love with your partner all over again.
October 18, 2016
I really enjoyed this sweet and amusing Christian romance--the truly unique factor of this volume of the series is that the couple focused on in this romance are already married, and we get to see how they grow closer together and truly fall in love with one another as the woman grows in Christ and the man comes to know Christ. The characters were well drawn, and I liked the plot a lot. This series is full of both great characters and great stories where character lessons and spiritual truths are interwoven with the fun plots.
June 20, 2018
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed Genevieve as a character in Sunsets, even though she wasn't a huge presence, so I was thrilled to realize the conclusion of this series would give me a full look into her life and also bring almost all the characters from each separate book together. I also thought it was great that Gunn focused on a married relationship here because although I enjoyed each Glenbrooke woman's story, they were all in generally the same state of life. Wildflowers took those fantasies and hopes of marriage and brought them into the reality that all long-married couples will eventually face. I could gripe about this book, because there were some things I didn't think flowed very well and began to aggravate me, but I'd rather focus on the positive points for it and the series as a whole. Genevieve makes some realizations about love and forgiveness that all Christians at some point in their lives need to get to, or they will end up living bitterly. The nonjudgmental relationships between female characters are huge. Again, this is something many Christian women struggle with and it was beautiful to see what the ideal can look like.
Overall, I liked the series and would probably recommend it to others. I don't see it as a re-read, though I will likely go back and skim some favorite passages. I came to it at the right time in life and I don't know that it would be as impactful further down the road.
I really enjoyed Genevieve as a character in Sunsets, even though she wasn't a huge presence, so I was thrilled to realize the conclusion of this series would give me a full look into her life and also bring almost all the characters from each separate book together. I also thought it was great that Gunn focused on a married relationship here because although I enjoyed each Glenbrooke woman's story, they were all in generally the same state of life. Wildflowers took those fantasies and hopes of marriage and brought them into the reality that all long-married couples will eventually face. I could gripe about this book, because there were some things I didn't think flowed very well and began to aggravate me, but I'd rather focus on the positive points for it and the series as a whole. Genevieve makes some realizations about love and forgiveness that all Christians at some point in their lives need to get to, or they will end up living bitterly. The nonjudgmental relationships between female characters are huge. Again, this is something many Christian women struggle with and it was beautiful to see what the ideal can look like.
Overall, I liked the series and would probably recommend it to others. I don't see it as a re-read, though I will likely go back and skim some favorite passages. I came to it at the right time in life and I don't know that it would be as impactful further down the road.
March 17, 2019
3.5 stars
November 1, 2011
wild flowers glenbrook series book 8 by robin jones gunn
steve and geneviere have a trusting marriage, he's an airplane pilot and is often jetting off to attend conventions,
she runs a local cafe their 2 girls keep them busy. things start to wear on her as she's saddled with the girls
all the time and the cafe, the inheritance money he invested badly that her store could've really used. so she starts
making some changes in the cafe after spending a dinner at a resort 40 miles away. it has a tree growing in the middle near
the fireplace that make Genevieree hoping that if she used that n her cafe to attract more to come daily and things go
wrong to the point there is a major disaster. things happen that bring them back to the church and answers to many
questions that have piled up over the months. the bible and verses she discussed with her lady friends at their meetings
and that helped not only her marriage but her daily life. really like how the local people in town help and their stories
are brought up to date from previous books.
steve and geneviere have a trusting marriage, he's an airplane pilot and is often jetting off to attend conventions,
she runs a local cafe their 2 girls keep them busy. things start to wear on her as she's saddled with the girls
all the time and the cafe, the inheritance money he invested badly that her store could've really used. so she starts
making some changes in the cafe after spending a dinner at a resort 40 miles away. it has a tree growing in the middle near
the fireplace that make Genevieree hoping that if she used that n her cafe to attract more to come daily and things go
wrong to the point there is a major disaster. things happen that bring them back to the church and answers to many
questions that have piled up over the months. the bible and verses she discussed with her lady friends at their meetings
and that helped not only her marriage but her daily life. really like how the local people in town help and their stories
are brought up to date from previous books.
July 15, 2019
I cannot day enough about this book! I loved every book in this series, but this was by far my absolute favorite!
Being married myself, I truly enjoyed “falling in love” all over again and what that looks like through a Biblical perspective of forgiveness.
I hadn’t thought about all the little things adding up to massive roots of bitterness in our hearts. Of course, it’s easy to see those roots anywhere but inside our own home because that should be our safe space, right? But wow! What a powerful message in this book! This book made me truly sit down and examine my heart and marriage to make sure that I wasn’t allowing any sort of roots take hold in my heart.
Being married myself, I truly enjoyed “falling in love” all over again and what that looks like through a Biblical perspective of forgiveness.
I hadn’t thought about all the little things adding up to massive roots of bitterness in our hearts. Of course, it’s easy to see those roots anywhere but inside our own home because that should be our safe space, right? But wow! What a powerful message in this book! This book made me truly sit down and examine my heart and marriage to make sure that I wasn’t allowing any sort of roots take hold in my heart.
October 10, 2017
Honestly, I'm just happy there aren't anymore books in the series. I'm not sure I can really give this book a fair evaluation because I'm pretty tainted by my dislike of the series in general. I did like the premise of this piece, the concept of God's renewal of marital love. Genevieve was a very different character than I anticipated based on what I read of her on prior stories, but I was happy to see her growth. I enjoyed the writing of this book a little more (there seemed to be less wandering thoughts) than some of the others. I'd give four stars for concept, but two for execution.
May 13, 2018
This book came recommended to me at church. As a Christian, I thought I would love this author and her stories, but for me, not so much. It felt forced, contrived. The plot could have been interesting - new business adventure, lighting marital love again, friends in different stages of life - but none felt even partially developed or truly real to me. I don't think I will read any of the others in the series. I believe Christ works in our lives daily, but I also believe in personal responsibility and free will and more subtle moments of feeling his presence. Just not for me. Sorry.
November 4, 2022
July 2022 reread.
It is been interesting, rereading the Glenbrook series after reading A Victim of Grace, to pick out the places RJG inserted the lessons she was learning in her own life in her fiction.
May 2015 re-read.
It is been interesting, rereading the Glenbrook series after reading A Victim of Grace, to pick out the places RJG inserted the lessons she was learning in her own life in her fiction.
May 2015 re-read.
October 8, 2010
I didn't like this book as much as the others it kind of made me feel guilty. Not a good thing for a book to read for pleasure.
June 4, 2024
ABOUT WILDFLOWERS
When Genevieve Ahrens moves into the charming community of Glenbrooke, she revives the downtown area by purchasing the Wallflower Restaurant and making it a town favorite. But Gena’s heart needs some renovation of its own when her daughter marries and Gena is back in touch with her estranged husband. All of her advice to a young friend about forgiving and trusting God to heal the hurt haunts her as she and Stephen talk through what went wrong in their marriage. Will the pain-filled couple experience the joy of God’s redeeming grace or the agony of divorce?
Genevieve has been married for over half her life…so how can she suddenly fall deeply in love for the very first time?
Genevieve Ahren’s dream is coming true at last! Glenbrooke’s Wildflowers Cafe goes up for sale and Genevieve knows she can make it into something special.
However, her new venture is far from easy. With her husband gone so often due to his career as an international airline pilot, Genevieve is alone in making all the important decisions. Her heart is empty and hollowed out…like an isolated cottage boarded up for a long winter season.
It’s in the solitude of this dark season that Genevieve discovers friends she didn’t realize she had. When this small circle of tender-hearted women rally around her, Genevieve finds light streaming in through the door of her heart. A door she thought she had locked and bolted long ago. The biggest surprise of all is when Genevieve realizes she is giddily in love—with the last man she expected could make her feel this way!
When Genevieve Ahrens moves into the charming community of Glenbrooke, she revives the downtown area by purchasing the Wallflower Restaurant and making it a town favorite. But Gena’s heart needs some renovation of its own when her daughter marries and Gena is back in touch with her estranged husband. All of her advice to a young friend about forgiving and trusting God to heal the hurt haunts her as she and Stephen talk through what went wrong in their marriage. Will the pain-filled couple experience the joy of God’s redeeming grace or the agony of divorce?
Genevieve has been married for over half her life…so how can she suddenly fall deeply in love for the very first time?
Genevieve Ahren’s dream is coming true at last! Glenbrooke’s Wildflowers Cafe goes up for sale and Genevieve knows she can make it into something special.
However, her new venture is far from easy. With her husband gone so often due to his career as an international airline pilot, Genevieve is alone in making all the important decisions. Her heart is empty and hollowed out…like an isolated cottage boarded up for a long winter season.
It’s in the solitude of this dark season that Genevieve discovers friends she didn’t realize she had. When this small circle of tender-hearted women rally around her, Genevieve finds light streaming in through the door of her heart. A door she thought she had locked and bolted long ago. The biggest surprise of all is when Genevieve realizes she is giddily in love—with the last man she expected could make her feel this way!
January 1, 2025
I am very sad to think this series is over. I have enjoyed each book.
Genevieve was raised in Zurich, Switzerland. How wonderful to read about someone from the country where my husband was raised! I loved the connection to this story.
Genevieve's husband was a pilot. She felt abandoned by her husband as his job took him away for long periods. She buried these feelings and had resentment towards her husband.
Genevieve was very creative and dreamed of having a cafe for the folks in Glenbrooke. One day while she was in her Wildflowers Cafe she overheard some women in a Bible Study. She was intrigued and drawn to these women, but she buried her thoughts deep inside.
God was calling to Genevieve. This book tied up all the rest of the books in this series as each couple was mentioned. Oh, how wonderful were all of these friends to each other!
Genevieve was raised in Zurich, Switzerland. How wonderful to read about someone from the country where my husband was raised! I loved the connection to this story.
Genevieve's husband was a pilot. She felt abandoned by her husband as his job took him away for long periods. She buried these feelings and had resentment towards her husband.
Genevieve was very creative and dreamed of having a cafe for the folks in Glenbrooke. One day while she was in her Wildflowers Cafe she overheard some women in a Bible Study. She was intrigued and drawn to these women, but she buried her thoughts deep inside.
God was calling to Genevieve. This book tied up all the rest of the books in this series as each couple was mentioned. Oh, how wonderful were all of these friends to each other!
January 12, 2024
Genevieve's story was very different from the others in the series, but I loved how RJG brought it full circle, including the other women from the last 7 books, giving glimpses into their lives, and having them draw Genevieve into their lives with true friendliness. Her story was not a cutesy "fall in love and get married" story - it was a gritty, getting honest with God story, about a failing marriage and how God was able to bring healing after her soul was prepared.
October 31, 2019
I absolutely LOVED this one, probably as much as I loved the first book in the series. I wish the other installments had the same amount of group interactions but nonetheless, I’m happy we got all of them together for this final book. The Glenbrooke series has been a huge blessing in my life and I’m so happy I finished it but I’m so excited to re read it in the future.
April 6, 2022
When I first read this book, I wasn't married. And while I enjoyed it then, the story didn't have a great impact on me. However, now that I've been married for almost 13 years, rereading Wildflowers, I have a new appreciation and understanding for Genevieve and her struggles. I highly recommend it!
November 5, 2022
I didn’t want to finish it, because I didn’t want the series to end. But man once again Robin Jones Gunn did it again. A hallmark movie in book form. The intertwining of characters across series (Christy Miller) is amazing and the weaving of hearts is touching. I could feel my self stepping into the town of Glenbrooke and walking along each women in their journey.
August 8, 2018
A beautiful story!!! a woman finding forgiveness and the love of God after spending so much time trying to hide by burying herself in other things.. I love all Robin's books and so glad to have read this one too.
August 29, 2019
Wonderful read
Never got bored , well thought out, story line seemed to
me to be universal in a variety of settings. Bible verses all appropriate to action taking place. Would buy more from this author if not so expensive.
Never got bored , well thought out, story line seemed to
me to be universal in a variety of settings. Bible verses all appropriate to action taking place. Would buy more from this author if not so expensive.
September 8, 2020
It can happen sometimes in marriages that resentment and hurt can build up until there is hardly a marriage left. Praise God that he can do the impossible and make that marriage stronger than it was at first. very well done!
March 24, 2017
I think this book spoke to me the most. There is one line that humbled me. "Do you want to be made well, Genevieve?" I can't wait to be able to hand these books down to my daughter. She's enjoyed the Christy Miller series so much.
February 8, 2018
*4.5/5 stars*
I DONT WANT THIS SERIES TO BE OVER!!!!! *cries*
I DONT WANT THIS SERIES TO BE OVER!!!!! *cries*
June 27, 2018
Second read.
August 27, 2018
I really loved this book; I’ve loved the entire series and I wish there were more! This one is about renewed love, which is one of my favorite genres. So good!
July 13, 2018
surprized
October 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this series, although I can never remember the back stories of all of the characters from previous books. I like how the characters return to the story lines.
April 4, 2019
Loved this easy-to-read Christian Romance series;
This last one, most of all. Definitely recommend and am now looking forward to reading more by
Robin Jones Gunn 👍
This last one, most of all. Definitely recommend and am now looking forward to reading more by
Robin Jones Gunn 👍
June 17, 2019
great series
February 29, 2020
Like all of her books, this one impacted me spiritually. It encouraged me to show forgiveness in my own life in certain ways and all around was a WONDERFUL story. 10/10 recommend ☺️
March 6, 2022
Best story of this series! How nice to read a love story about a married couple who find God and rekindle their love at the same time.
December 30, 2022
A great finish to a very good series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews