What do you think?
Rate this book
Willow: A Story
Lauren Quinley is a 21 year old, small-town girl.
After the death of her grandparents, she finds
herself struggling to survive on her own
and repay the debts that they left behind.
Everything changes, when the mother who had
abandoned her, shows up on the doorstep.
And she's not alone.
Charlotte Quinley has always been reckless.
But now she has a daughter who is relying
on her for a future, and it isn’t looking good.
What they both need is a clean slate.
things aren't so simple when you have to
drag a 5 year old around with you.
Charlotte knows just the person to help,
even if that help isn't exactly "voluntary".
When history seems to be repeating itself,
Lauren finds bitter emotions resurfacing.
Can she give Charlotte a second chance?
Charlotte's plan is not going the way she wants,
and her last chance at proving herself is
quickly slipping through her fingers.
Is a little girl named Willow the key to bringing the
healing, forgiveness, and redemption they both need?
After the death of her grandparents, she finds
herself struggling to survive on her own
and repay the debts that they left behind.
Everything changes, when the mother who had
abandoned her, shows up on the doorstep.
And she's not alone.
Charlotte Quinley has always been reckless.
But now she has a daughter who is relying
on her for a future, and it isn’t looking good.
What they both need is a clean slate.
things aren't so simple when you have to
drag a 5 year old around with you.
Charlotte knows just the person to help,
even if that help isn't exactly "voluntary".
When history seems to be repeating itself,
Lauren finds bitter emotions resurfacing.
Can she give Charlotte a second chance?
Charlotte's plan is not going the way she wants,
and her last chance at proving herself is
quickly slipping through her fingers.
Is a little girl named Willow the key to bringing the
healing, forgiveness, and redemption they both need?
- GenresChristian Fiction
274 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2017
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Rowbottom
2 books35 followers| Christian | Musician | Canadian | Anti-Abortion |
Rachel Rowbottom is a Canadian author, artist, and the co-founder of Write for Life. She is the author of two contemporary Christian novels, Willow: A Story and In The Shadow of A Sunbeam.
When she’s not writing, you can find her playing piano, listening to her favourite musical, or reading about history and human rights.
Rachel Rowbottom is a Canadian author, artist, and the co-founder of Write for Life. She is the author of two contemporary Christian novels, Willow: A Story and In The Shadow of A Sunbeam.
When she’s not writing, you can find her playing piano, listening to her favourite musical, or reading about history and human rights.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 29, 2018
3.75 stars. :) Or maybe I'll just call it 4 and be good.
I started this story with no expectation. It is a first time book by this author, and I honestly couldn't even remember what it was going to be about. But I was pulled into the story and read the entire thing with only one short break. Yes, there were some things that could have been polished just a tad, or something, but overall it was a great story.
In a way this was a different kind of story since it was told in first person from two different persons. That sort of confused me at first, but not for long. I felt for Lauren, and Charlotte. And I wanted to offer to watch Willow for the day. Grant was the kind of sheriff I like. The other characters were well done, and I really liked that the author didn't tie up all the loose ends in a neat, perfect bow. Life isn't always neat and tidy. There is still growth needed, still learning to wait for God's direction, trusting, rebuilding, and perhaps a bit of romance(?). But the plot of the story was wrapped up.
The settings were created in such a way that I could see the garden, the riverbank, the city, and everything else. Well done.
This story does deal with an unwed mother who had abandoned her daughter, but there was nothing distasteful or inappropriate.
I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
*I was given a copy of this story by the author in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*
I started this story with no expectation. It is a first time book by this author, and I honestly couldn't even remember what it was going to be about. But I was pulled into the story and read the entire thing with only one short break. Yes, there were some things that could have been polished just a tad, or something, but overall it was a great story.
In a way this was a different kind of story since it was told in first person from two different persons. That sort of confused me at first, but not for long. I felt for Lauren, and Charlotte. And I wanted to offer to watch Willow for the day. Grant was the kind of sheriff I like. The other characters were well done, and I really liked that the author didn't tie up all the loose ends in a neat, perfect bow. Life isn't always neat and tidy. There is still growth needed, still learning to wait for God's direction, trusting, rebuilding, and perhaps a bit of romance(?). But the plot of the story was wrapped up.
The settings were created in such a way that I could see the garden, the riverbank, the city, and everything else. Well done.
This story does deal with an unwed mother who had abandoned her daughter, but there was nothing distasteful or inappropriate.
I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
*I was given a copy of this story by the author in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*
July 21, 2019
I found this book by chance when I was doing a little rambling around on Goodreads. I was intrigued by the synopsis, so I read the sample on Amazon. After that, I knew I NEEDED to read this book.
It did not disappoint! It had such a great cast of characters, deep backstories, sweet friendships and lots of redemption. ❤️ (All the things I love)
I loved how all of the characters weren't perfect - they had flaws, but that didn't make them the bad guys! I really love that in books.
I'd DEFINITELY recommend this to pretty much all my friends! Please read this book and support this awesome author!
It did not disappoint! It had such a great cast of characters, deep backstories, sweet friendships and lots of redemption. ❤️ (All the things I love)
I loved how all of the characters weren't perfect - they had flaws, but that didn't make them the bad guys! I really love that in books.
I'd DEFINITELY recommend this to pretty much all my friends! Please read this book and support this awesome author!
November 4, 2022
Just putting this out there that the version I read wasn't the most recent one, so my opinions reflect the version I read.
I wasn't particularly intrigued by the story or the characters. I was confused by what was going on, which was definitely the fact of changing first person POVs, which I've been told has since been changed. The story itself wasn't bad, it was actually quite sweet, but the style and type of story just wasn't my thing. I finished it merely because it was a good friend who had write it. (Hi, Moriarity...)
That said, I would be potentially interested in reading something from Rachel in future as she has a lot of writing potential.
I wasn't particularly intrigued by the story or the characters. I was confused by what was going on, which was definitely the fact of changing first person POVs, which I've been told has since been changed. The story itself wasn't bad, it was actually quite sweet, but the style and type of story just wasn't my thing. I finished it merely because it was a good friend who had write it. (Hi, Moriarity...)
That said, I would be potentially interested in reading something from Rachel in future as she has a lot of writing potential.
February 14, 2019
So, I appreciated the message of this story, and I liked most of the characters. The switches back and forth between two first-person viewpoints threw me a little at first, but I eventually got used to it. Maybe it was a result of the short length, but I didn't feel like I got to know or understand the characters that well, especially when it came to understanding the changes in their attitudes. I think being able to spend more time with them would definitely have helped.
I liked the small-town feel, although there were parts of the story that felt more appropriate to a historical than a modern-day setting--for example, some of the actions of the sheriff. (Although, I have to say I loved him as a character! <3) And I didn't quite understand the motivations of some of the minor characters, especially in the end.
My only other issue is that there were a lot of different things going on that didn't really seem to be important to the main storyline and weren't wrapped up very well. Particularly the threads with Amanda and Raymond just felt like they were left hanging in a lot of ways.
Content--mentions of children born out of wedlock; mentions of the possibility of abortion; mentions of abandonment and neglect; a child in dangerous situations
I liked the small-town feel, although there were parts of the story that felt more appropriate to a historical than a modern-day setting--for example, some of the actions of the sheriff. (Although, I have to say I loved him as a character! <3) And I didn't quite understand the motivations of some of the minor characters, especially in the end.
My only other issue is that there were a lot of different things going on that didn't really seem to be important to the main storyline and weren't wrapped up very well. Particularly the threads with Amanda and Raymond just felt like they were left hanging in a lot of ways.
Content--mentions of children born out of wedlock; mentions of the possibility of abortion; mentions of abandonment and neglect; a child in dangerous situations
Read
April 21, 2017 Considering 'Willow: A Story' is my book - I'm not going to rate it by stars. But, I will tell you what I think about it.
This isn't a perfect book. It's my first book that I've ever shown to anyone. When I read it, I think it's predictable, and boring. But maybe it's because I've read it hundreds of times. (Am I doing a good job getting you to want to read my book yet? No? Oh...)
I've never been a fan of stories with 'angelic' characters. You won't find them in 'Willow'. This book is about people with emotions and flaws. They make mistakes, and learn from their struggles. You will laugh at the happy moments, and maybe sniffle a little at the sad ones.
There are some pretty awesome characters in 'Willow'. (I call them friends) Lauren is probably one of my favourites. (Who am I even kidding, I can't pick a favourite!) She's strong, and kind. Willow is so adorable, I know you will love her. Charlotte has her own sort of charm, despite her flaws. Amanda will light up the page, and Grant will make you smile with his lighthearted banter.
I hope you choose to read my book - and come along on this journey with me. It's a little nerve-wracking to share something that you've worked so hard at, with the public. If you'd let me know what you think, I'd be so grateful!
- Rachel Rowbottom
This isn't a perfect book. It's my first book that I've ever shown to anyone. When I read it, I think it's predictable, and boring. But maybe it's because I've read it hundreds of times. (Am I doing a good job getting you to want to read my book yet? No? Oh...)
I've never been a fan of stories with 'angelic' characters. You won't find them in 'Willow'. This book is about people with emotions and flaws. They make mistakes, and learn from their struggles. You will laugh at the happy moments, and maybe sniffle a little at the sad ones.
There are some pretty awesome characters in 'Willow'. (I call them friends) Lauren is probably one of my favourites. (Who am I even kidding, I can't pick a favourite!) She's strong, and kind. Willow is so adorable, I know you will love her. Charlotte has her own sort of charm, despite her flaws. Amanda will light up the page, and Grant will make you smile with his lighthearted banter.
I hope you choose to read my book - and come along on this journey with me. It's a little nerve-wracking to share something that you've worked so hard at, with the public. If you'd let me know what you think, I'd be so grateful!
- Rachel Rowbottom
September 13, 2023
Willow was a very sweet story, very cozy and gave me Hallmark vibes but without the cheesiness.
It told a really good story in a sweet small-town with characters that were real. It dealt with some tough topics and hard questions (in a good way! Very tastfully done)
If you like family drama (but in a good way! 😂) stories and all the things mentioned above, I recommend it!
(Slight spoiler I guess) I really liked that while it was a Christian book and there are Christian themes throughout it, the character/s who didn't believe still didn't believe at the end. I think that's realistic, sometimes it takes a long time for those we are witnessing to and praying for. It doesn't mean there is no hope! I thought that was a nice realistic touch instead of having a dramatic conversion that we sometimes see in fiction.
It told a really good story in a sweet small-town with characters that were real. It dealt with some tough topics and hard questions (in a good way! Very tastfully done)
If you like family drama (but in a good way! 😂) stories and all the things mentioned above, I recommend it!
(Slight spoiler I guess) I really liked that while it was a Christian book and there are Christian themes throughout it, the character/s who didn't believe still didn't believe at the end. I think that's realistic, sometimes it takes a long time for those we are witnessing to and praying for. It doesn't mean there is no hope! I thought that was a nice realistic touch instead of having a dramatic conversion that we sometimes see in fiction.
August 3, 2022
I loved this story! I love when characters feel like real people and this story has just that. The characters aren’t unreally idealized – they have meaningful struggles that give them a sense of depth (including the secondary characters, from Amanda’s desire to leave town to Riley’s antipathy towards God). I especially loved how Rowbottom draws her character’s interior worlds. We see in the two MCs Lauren and Charlotte both their promise and the misunderstandings and self-sabotaging behaviors holding them back but they are not yet aware of.
The story perfectly captured that small town feel, from the kindhearted boy-next-door friend to the nosy, gossipy neighbor, in a sweet, nostalgic way. The writing had a lovely descriptive power and the ending was well-executed. I want more (obviously lol) but it satisfied the main plot threads while leaving room for future possibilities. And I liked the little twist at the end!
If you enjoy stories about small towns, second chances, and family in all its forms, definitely check this book out!
The story perfectly captured that small town feel, from the kindhearted boy-next-door friend to the nosy, gossipy neighbor, in a sweet, nostalgic way. The writing had a lovely descriptive power and the ending was well-executed. I want more (obviously lol) but it satisfied the main plot threads while leaving room for future possibilities. And I liked the little twist at the end!
If you enjoy stories about small towns, second chances, and family in all its forms, definitely check this book out!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews