Garden Path

The Garden #2

by Anita Stansfield

Whit Eden has come full growing up in a world of gangs and violence, he found redemption in the gospel and in the love of a good woman. But in a devastating turn of events, Whit s world was rocked when he was falsely accused of murdering his father-in-law. Though he was innocent, it seemed as if all hope was lost . . . For Whit and Mary Eden, the path toward happily ever after has been strewn with opposition. But now, with a verdict of not guilty, it seems as if they ll finally have a reprieve from the troubles that have beset them. Their joy is made complete with the stunning news that Mary is expecting their first child together, a sibling for their adopted daughter. Yet, even as the young family finds its footing, things begin to crumble for those around them. As they reach out to the struggling families, Whit and Mary must rely on one another more than ever as they embark on a journey of selfless love and second chances.

Genres: Lds Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Anita Stansfield, the LDS market's #1 best-selling romance novelist, is an imaginative and prolific writer whose romantic stories have captivated her readers.

"With sales approaching a half million, Anita Stansfield has clearly found a niche in this market," said Nicole Martin, Publicist for Covenant Communications. "Her popularity stems from her ability to empathize with and write about the issues that LDS women deal with on a daily basis."

"I always write for women like me. It's through my interaction with other women that I've found there are some personal and emotional struggles that are typical," said Anita Stansfield. "I hope my writing makes women feel better about themselves and shows them these real problems can be solved through gospel principles."

Reviews

[R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, I really wanted to like this series, and it is enjoyable, but it didn't draw me into the story like I'd hoped. PTSD makes an appearance again, which seemed overkill after all the focus on it in The Dickens Inn, which I just finished before this set. Good things happen overall, but it's at a very slow pace and very conveniently timed for what the family needs to do in the long run. Happy for them at the end of the book, but not something that would likely interest me in re-reading down the road.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sequel but I liked it a lot more than The Wishing Garden. It picks up the day the previous book ended. The theme of completely turning life around and having a second chance is continued. Mary has complications with her pregnancy and the baby is born at 36 weeks, they have a new start, reconnect with people from the past, and learn about who shot her dad. There are some totally unpredictable twists.
"He hadn't watched her die; he'd watched her disappear right before his eyes, and he couldn't help believing that death might be preferable" p 29. Also, "Whit saw the Alzheimer's as some kind of relief from the painful memories of his mother's life" p 177.

[Jodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the worst books I’ve read. Way too slow! Also, it was terribly written. Too much summarizing and glossing over areas. Not enough detail. Did not turn into a real story until the last 3 chapters. What a disappointment.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, didn’t know it was the second in a series but enough was covered I didn’t get lost

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have ever read by Anita Stansfield and I am really impressed!

Written about real-life situations and reliance on the Lord, I felt immediately pulled into the story and wanted to keep reading to find out how it all comes together.


I LOVED how the characters kept looking for the blessings brought to them through their trials instead of wallowing in the trials themselves....need to learn from that myself!

I also loved how one person can turn their life around and receive all of the blessings awaiting them.

Whit used to belong to a gang and even spent some time in prison. But he has found forgiveness in the gospel and started a new life.

He has a a loving wife and a baby on the way, and has recently been found innocent for the murder of his father-in-law. His heart is full of gratitude.

But now his world is being thrown into a tail-spin once again as situation after situation falls to pieces right before his eyes. And at times he wonders how he will get through it all.

But time after time miracles happen.
Family ties are brought together
Hope finds its way
And a new garden path is in his families future.

SO GOOD!
A definite MUST READ!

[Michelle Llewellyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really had to force myself to get through this book which is ridiculous because it's only 214 pages...of solid text! Other than resolving the "Who Shot Mr. Burns" plot complication from the last book, there's really no other reason to read this. Just be prepared for lots of over-the-top reactions by the main characters and lots of unnecessary details. I agree with other reviewers: this book could've easily been combined with the last one into one long syrupy-sweet story.
Here's the irony of why it took me so long to finish this book. I was already in the middle of re-reading one of Ms. Stansfield's older (and obviously better written) sequels Now and Forever and I'm bold enough to suggest it might be time to resurrect Michael and Emily.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sequel to the wishing garden. It was a little too heavy on the churchy side. I listen and read to this novel and Mary's whinniness was really getting to me. I liked that both whit and her were able to fill each others needs and get married and have a family, but they were way to emotional and dependent on each other to the point of losing their individual strengths. Usually, her characters are stronger. It was an okay read. I was ready to be done and read something else. Glad there was a happy ending and whit could move away from LA and start fresh from his gang affiliations.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holy drama Batman. I don't see why this book had to be separate. If you had taken out some of the drama, whining and complaining from both books, you could have made this one story. Really, how many times does Whit need to tell Mary he loves her because of her insecurities?

I did like the how Carlos' story turned out. It was the bright side of the book, but the rest of the book dragged. Very little happened until the last 15 pages of the book, then it was over in no time. Everything got wrapped up in a neat little package. I am SO glad this is the end of the Eden family story.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever had a sticky finger bowl at Wingers? This book is a lot like that. There are some yummy elements, but the sticky finger sauce is so overwhelming and sweet that it actually detracts. That's this book.
Again the author tackles some serious issues; PTSD, bigotry, abuse, gang activity, murder, familial estrangement. And then she pours the syrup of the extremely perfect church member on top.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good sequel to, "The Wishing Garden". It is the further story of Whit, Mary, Adrienne, and Ida. There are more encounters with Whit's cousins and other gang members. The person who killed Mary's father is also revealed.

[Angela Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so good to have an Anita Stansfield book in my hands. Her words and images painted beautiful pictures. I also needed to know who the murderer was. The twist and turns were a fun ride and I loved the ending. This book was well worth my time.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though Whit had grown up in a world of violence and gangs, he was able to rise above it, found redemption through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and move forward. Whit and his wife must rely on one another as they go through opposition and trials. The book was OK, but a slow read.

[Cheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a fan of Anita Stansfield, I will just say that up front. If you like her books you will like this one. It is a sequel to Wishing Garden.

[Jessica Waters · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really felt that this book just dragged on and on. It was a good story. I got super excited when the end came though!

[Jaime Holt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an uplifting book. It is a sequel. The two probably could have been one book. Sort of predictable. **provo library.

[Eliza Nice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it the story of Whit Eden. His trials and finding the lord in each of the trials was amazing!