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Willa's Grove
Three women, from coast to coast and in between, open their mailboxes to the same intriguing invitation. Although leading entirely different lives, each has found herself at a similar, jarring crossroads. Right when these women thought they'd be comfortably settling into middle age, their carefully curated futures have turned out to be dead ends.
The sender of the invitation is Willa Silvester, who is reeling from the untimely death of her beloved husband and the reality that she must say goodbye to the small mountain town they founded together. Yet as Willa mourns her losses, an impossible question keeps staring her in the face: So now what?
Struggling to find the answer alone, fiercely independent Willa eventually calls a childhood friend who happens to be in her own world of hurt--and that's where the idea sparks. They decide to host a weeklong interlude from life, and invite two other friends facing their own quandaries. Soon the four women converge at Willa's Montana homestead, a place where they can learn from nature and one another as they contemplate their second acts together in the rugged wilderness of big sky country.
The sender of the invitation is Willa Silvester, who is reeling from the untimely death of her beloved husband and the reality that she must say goodbye to the small mountain town they founded together. Yet as Willa mourns her losses, an impossible question keeps staring her in the face: So now what?
Struggling to find the answer alone, fiercely independent Willa eventually calls a childhood friend who happens to be in her own world of hurt--and that's where the idea sparks. They decide to host a weeklong interlude from life, and invite two other friends facing their own quandaries. Soon the four women converge at Willa's Montana homestead, a place where they can learn from nature and one another as they contemplate their second acts together in the rugged wilderness of big sky country.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2020
834 people are currently reading
10886 people want to read
About the author
Laura Munson
8 books261 followersLaura Munson is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the novel Willa’s Grove (Blackstone), the memoir This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness (Amy Einhorn/Putnam 2010) which Book of the Month Club named one of the best books of the year, and the forthcoming book The Wild Why: Stories and Teaching to Uncover Your Wonder. She has been published in nine countries and has been featured in Vanity Fair, Elle, Redbook, Time, Newsweek, Washington Post, Publisher’s Weekly and many other newspapers, magazines, and online venues across the globe.
Laura speaks and teaches on the subjects of empowerment, creative self-expression, and the language of change, at conventions, universities and schools, writing retreats/workshops, and wellness centers. She is the founder of the acclaimed Haven Writing Retreats and has worked with over a thousand people in locales around the United States, and internationally.
Her work has been published in the New York Times ‘Modern Love’ column, and the New York Times Magazine ‘Lives’ column, with a best-of ranking in both columns, O. Magazine, O.’s Little Book of Happiness, Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, Redbook, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, More Magazine, The Sun, The Week, Huffington Post, and many others. She has appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, WGN, many NPR stations, Hay House radio, as well as other media including London’s This Morning and Australia’s Sunrise. She lives in Montana with her family
Laura speaks and teaches on the subjects of empowerment, creative self-expression, and the language of change, at conventions, universities and schools, writing retreats/workshops, and wellness centers. She is the founder of the acclaimed Haven Writing Retreats and has worked with over a thousand people in locales around the United States, and internationally.
Her work has been published in the New York Times ‘Modern Love’ column, and the New York Times Magazine ‘Lives’ column, with a best-of ranking in both columns, O. Magazine, O.’s Little Book of Happiness, Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, Redbook, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, More Magazine, The Sun, The Week, Huffington Post, and many others. She has appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, WGN, many NPR stations, Hay House radio, as well as other media including London’s This Morning and Australia’s Sunrise. She lives in Montana with her family
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
January 26, 2020
When you put four women together -- each at a major crossroads in her life -- you've got an interesting premise for a book, but in addition to dialogue and discussion there needs to be action. And I felt that this book lacked the latter.
The three women (Harriet, Bliss, and Jane) who come to Montana at the invitation of Willa seem one-dimensional and very stereotypical: Harriet, the jaded women's lifestyle coach; Bliss, the betrayed wife and devoted daughter who longs for a child of her own; and Jane, the uptight wife and mother who strives for the veneer of a perfect life. Lastly, there is Willa, a recent widow who faces the prospect of staying or leaving her Montana home after learning that her deceased husband has left her financially destitute.
I'm not sure what I expected from the book, but the writing was stilted at times and could have used a more deft editing hand. I wanted to like this book, but I had a difficult time getting through it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. #Willasgrove #NetGalley #Blackstone Publishing
The three women (Harriet, Bliss, and Jane) who come to Montana at the invitation of Willa seem one-dimensional and very stereotypical: Harriet, the jaded women's lifestyle coach; Bliss, the betrayed wife and devoted daughter who longs for a child of her own; and Jane, the uptight wife and mother who strives for the veneer of a perfect life. Lastly, there is Willa, a recent widow who faces the prospect of staying or leaving her Montana home after learning that her deceased husband has left her financially destitute.
I'm not sure what I expected from the book, but the writing was stilted at times and could have used a more deft editing hand. I wanted to like this book, but I had a difficult time getting through it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. #Willasgrove #NetGalley #Blackstone Publishing
March 31, 2022
WILLA'S GROVE
Laura Munson
When I read the book blurb I thought that this would be a great book, but now that I have closed the cover, and I am so glad that it is done, it was just a book. I read it and I still wonder what it was.... These women whined and spoke lyrically all the time, yet there was really nothing going on. I rode the wave of looking "into life" the whole book... look at mushrooms, look at the people, look at this, examine this and that... but nothing really happened. In the end, I thought it was a huge disappointment and time sink.
2 stars
Happy REading!
Laura Munson
When I read the book blurb I thought that this would be a great book, but now that I have closed the cover, and I am so glad that it is done, it was just a book. I read it and I still wonder what it was.... These women whined and spoke lyrically all the time, yet there was really nothing going on. I rode the wave of looking "into life" the whole book... look at mushrooms, look at the people, look at this, examine this and that... but nothing really happened. In the end, I thought it was a huge disappointment and time sink.
2 stars
Happy REading!
November 3, 2019
Thank you Net Galley, Laura Munson and Blackstone Publishing for the chance to read this lovely book. Willa has spent her entire adult life living in rural Montana with her husband and sons. Her sons have now gone off to College and her husband passed away suddenly. This book centres around Willa and her friend Bliss, Bliss’s friend Harriet and Harriet’s friend Jane. These woman receive invitations to go to Willa’s Grove to help her pack up as she can’t afford to stay and run the town that she owns. What follows is a heart warming story of four very different woman who learn to love each other as they each deal with their deep personal issues. The characters are deep and lovely woman, each with a different lifestyle. While they learn how to live the rest of their lives and let go of their troubles we learn how strong women are. I was uplifted reading this book and wanted to call my female friends to tell them they are strong and can “do this” Simply a beautiful story told in such a beautiful way. The author told this story so well I felt I was there in the kitchen with them. I was sad to have this book end.
February 16, 2020
Willa's Grove by Laura Munson is a recommended feel-good women's novel featuring four very different women at a cross road in their lives.
It all started with an invitation from one woman sent to three different women that invited them to the rest of their lives by visiting a lodge at a homestead in Montana for one week. Each of the four women have found themselves at a juncture in their lives where they are entering middle age with uncertain or unexpected futures. The invitations have been sent by Willa Silvester, a recent widow who must say goodbye to her home and town because she can no longer afford to stay there.
Willa's friend, Bliss, is facing her own world of hurt in Wisconsin. When the two talk they plan the weekend where a friend invites a friend who then invites a friend. Bliss invites Harriet, a former motivational speaker living in California. Harriet invites Jane, a highly guarded and proper socialite from the east coast. The three very different women are going to spend the week honestly examining their lives and their futures while helping Willa pack and say good-bye to her town.
The premise is that these extremely different friends of friends will be able to bond together and create a community of mutual support because they are all women. There are parts of this novel that are touching in the honest and open discussion the women have about their lives and what they wanted versus what they have. (Let's just fess up and say that nothing political or controversial, with one exception, was ever discussed between the women.) And while it is true that we all need friends we can be open and honest with, the expectation that you will find that connection because you are all women is unrealistic. There is also something to be said about connecting with people who you have a natural affinity toward and share similarities in beliefs and background.
In the end, Willa's Grove is a feel-good women's novel set in Montana. And it must be said that the setting is as important as the characters. This is a novel to read when you want to pass the time quietly. There is nothing shocking or surprising that happens. (There is one incident that simple could not happen as described, but I don't want to give a spoiler.)
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Blackstone Publishing.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
It all started with an invitation from one woman sent to three different women that invited them to the rest of their lives by visiting a lodge at a homestead in Montana for one week. Each of the four women have found themselves at a juncture in their lives where they are entering middle age with uncertain or unexpected futures. The invitations have been sent by Willa Silvester, a recent widow who must say goodbye to her home and town because she can no longer afford to stay there.
Willa's friend, Bliss, is facing her own world of hurt in Wisconsin. When the two talk they plan the weekend where a friend invites a friend who then invites a friend. Bliss invites Harriet, a former motivational speaker living in California. Harriet invites Jane, a highly guarded and proper socialite from the east coast. The three very different women are going to spend the week honestly examining their lives and their futures while helping Willa pack and say good-bye to her town.
The premise is that these extremely different friends of friends will be able to bond together and create a community of mutual support because they are all women. There are parts of this novel that are touching in the honest and open discussion the women have about their lives and what they wanted versus what they have. (Let's just fess up and say that nothing political or controversial, with one exception, was ever discussed between the women.) And while it is true that we all need friends we can be open and honest with, the expectation that you will find that connection because you are all women is unrealistic. There is also something to be said about connecting with people who you have a natural affinity toward and share similarities in beliefs and background.
In the end, Willa's Grove is a feel-good women's novel set in Montana. And it must be said that the setting is as important as the characters. This is a novel to read when you want to pass the time quietly. There is nothing shocking or surprising that happens. (There is one incident that simple could not happen as described, but I don't want to give a spoiler.)
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Blackstone Publishing.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
May 31, 2020
Montana is the star of Laura Munson’s Willa’s Grove, a beautiful place, beautifully depicted, with tiny towns so small one might even be for sale—but what happens to people when their town is sold.
The novel’s costars are four women who, like the town of Willa, are wondering where they go “from here.” Each for different reasons feels lost and betrayed by life and friends. And each has arrived at the rambling farmhouse, as much on a whim as in reply to invitation. But a town needs relationships as surely as people do, as surely as crops need farming and animals need care. And just as surely, all can be wild as well.
Willa’s Grove balances wild and tame in human nature and in nature, blending folksy wisdom with fascinating backstories and captivating drama. While none of the characters is immediately relatable, they all prove well worth knowing in their own rights, and they, together with town and country, plus a warm touch of faith hope and love, carry the story on.
The novel is neither self-help nor spiritual, neither romantic nor unromantic, neither traditional nor avant-garde. It’s just a good, surprisingly positive, absorbing women’s read, reminding me, oddly, of The Women’s Room, which I read way way back in college.
Disclosure: I was give a copy and I freely offer my honest review.
The novel’s costars are four women who, like the town of Willa, are wondering where they go “from here.” Each for different reasons feels lost and betrayed by life and friends. And each has arrived at the rambling farmhouse, as much on a whim as in reply to invitation. But a town needs relationships as surely as people do, as surely as crops need farming and animals need care. And just as surely, all can be wild as well.
Willa’s Grove balances wild and tame in human nature and in nature, blending folksy wisdom with fascinating backstories and captivating drama. While none of the characters is immediately relatable, they all prove well worth knowing in their own rights, and they, together with town and country, plus a warm touch of faith hope and love, carry the story on.
The novel is neither self-help nor spiritual, neither romantic nor unromantic, neither traditional nor avant-garde. It’s just a good, surprisingly positive, absorbing women’s read, reminding me, oddly, of The Women’s Room, which I read way way back in college.
Disclosure: I was give a copy and I freely offer my honest review.
April 18, 2021
A story about four female friends coming together in Montana, to find out what is next in their lives.
Okay.
If I had not known better I would of thought these women were in their 60s by the writing itself. Remarkably, these women were in their 40s; as am I. I could not imagine any of these conversations these women were having with any of my girlfriends. Unrelatable to me. The writing was stilted and so long winded and a lot of prose about what the person was thinking in their head. Not for me...
I am all about a strong community of girlfriends and having a support system but this fell flat for me. I do love a good Montana setting but I do not recommend this book. It was a push for me to finish.
Okay.
If I had not known better I would of thought these women were in their 60s by the writing itself. Remarkably, these women were in their 40s; as am I. I could not imagine any of these conversations these women were having with any of my girlfriends. Unrelatable to me. The writing was stilted and so long winded and a lot of prose about what the person was thinking in their head. Not for me...
I am all about a strong community of girlfriends and having a support system but this fell flat for me. I do love a good Montana setting but I do not recommend this book. It was a push for me to finish.
Read
June 12, 2025This is a remarkable book - the healing power of community.
November 16, 2020
4 women in their middle ages wandering around existing but not fully alive... come together for a week in the forest of Montana, to bare their hearts, their wounds and their fears as they dare to consider what is next in their lives. This was a bold, refreshing idea for a story and whereas I thought it was a little wordy and melancholic at times, it was also a book that led me to tears and a deep consideration of my own life and how I would have engaged in such a humble, daring experience. Women coming together in all their raw beauty and awkward majesty continues to be one of the most remarkable things to me... and I am grateful to have found this special little book.
March 16, 2020
I don’t ever remember reading a book that brought me to tears like this one. Laura Munson’s words touched a place so deep in my heart...and brought such an understanding to events in my own life, that I’ll be forever grateful to her for that gift. This book should be read by every book club that has female members 45+. I guarantee you, each member in the club will find a personal connection with Willa, Harriet, Bliss, or Jane.
March 9, 2021
Willa's Grove was exactly what I needed to read after a long winter. The way the author brings together a disparate group of women, each one facing her own life crisis, and organically takes them from a tentative and awkward start to moments of deep personal growth was both uplifting and inspiring. It made me want to have a week at Willa's Grove myself!
February 8, 2021
The premise of 4 women meeting in rural Montana for several days to bond and determine how to spend the rest of their respective lives is a good one. One character, Harriet, is a self-help guru, so the book includes many, many pages that could come straight from a motivational speaker's retreat. Candidly, too many pages. Another character- Willa- is supposedly self-reliant after living in the wilds of Montana with her family. The death of her husband has put her into a tailspin, understandably so. Willa invites the women to join her before she sells her beloved family home. One woman named Bliss (great name, by the way) has lost her personal bliss as she has lost her faith in herself, her God and in her community (and lost her husband to another women along the way). The last character, June, is a Connecticut cashmere-cardigan-wearing socialite whose days consist of carpooling and whose evenings consist of cocktail parties. The vast differences between the women and their stories leads to discussions about women's self-worth, self-identity, and the need for friendships and community. All great topics. But, lordy, it took a long time to read through some of their very wordy discussions, and at times I skimmed the pages until I could get to something more lively. (Also, the actual chapters are long, with no natural resting points along the way.) The idea, the characters, and the basics of the plot (with a few twists thrown in ) were good, but I think the story needed to be tweaked to better hold the reader's interest. I know the value of having a community of women to whom you can turn. So I didn't need to be sold on that concept, but other readers may need that. For me I wish the story spent more time addressing how you make that first call- how you reach out- well before you lose your job (Harriet), lose your marriage (Bliss, possibly June), lose your home (Willa) and lose yourself in the process. As women, do we have to allow our friends to reach rock bottom before we step in? And for ourselves, the stoic and supposedly always-smiling-caretakers, how do we learn to ask for help before we reach rock bottom (and thus, allow our friends to help??) ? This is a good story, but I think it could have been a great story with a bit of editing in some places and elaboration in others. As an aside, I soooo want to go back to Montana after reading this, as it is a truly beautiful place, and the author's descriptions throughout the story are quite lovely.
December 27, 2019
Laura Munson’s lovely debut novel, Willa’s Grove, invites us into the friendship between four women of a certain age who come together for a week of companionship, support and soul searching in hopes of answering the question: “So Now What?”
Recently widowed Willa is the catalyst for the gathering as each woman finds herself at a crossroads either personally or professionally. In one way or another, they are all lost or have lost some part of themselves, none more than their hostess, who is grieving and about to lose the beloved Montana home that has been in her late husband’s family for generations.
Montana itself is not only the backdrop for Willa’s Grove, but is at the very heart of the novel. Munson has gift for establishing a visceral setting which draws us right into the quaking aspens, the rush of the river, the gentle slope of the butte. We feel the ground shake from a buffalo stampede, smell the fragrance of dried sage, taste morels foraged in the woods, hear the song of a bluebird, and feel the silky velvet of a mare's warm neck. This square mile of Montana is both Willa’s passion and her albatross. Munson’s love letter to the place tugs on us, engendering both empathy for Willa’s dilemma and a wee bit of envy that we aren’t tromping through it all alongside her.
Munson cleverly divides the women’s week together into individual days. Having lived in this wild and natural space for decades, Willa knows Montana will work its healing magic. She may be saying goodbye to the property’s sacred spaces, but as she treks through her land with these friends, one by one, day by day, they open up to one another, confessing both secrets and dreams, and admonish each other to stop saying “Sorry!”
So Now What? I’ll not spill the beans on each woman’s resolve as their week together reaches its crescendo. I will say, if you have a group of what I call “heart friends,” or if you long for the support and intimacy of strong female friendships, you will likely find pieces of yourself and your own crew in one or more of these richly drawn characters. You’ll be rooting for them and wondering what their So Now What? looks like once their seven days together are over. You might also feel just a little homesick for a certain corner of Montana.
Recently widowed Willa is the catalyst for the gathering as each woman finds herself at a crossroads either personally or professionally. In one way or another, they are all lost or have lost some part of themselves, none more than their hostess, who is grieving and about to lose the beloved Montana home that has been in her late husband’s family for generations.
Montana itself is not only the backdrop for Willa’s Grove, but is at the very heart of the novel. Munson has gift for establishing a visceral setting which draws us right into the quaking aspens, the rush of the river, the gentle slope of the butte. We feel the ground shake from a buffalo stampede, smell the fragrance of dried sage, taste morels foraged in the woods, hear the song of a bluebird, and feel the silky velvet of a mare's warm neck. This square mile of Montana is both Willa’s passion and her albatross. Munson’s love letter to the place tugs on us, engendering both empathy for Willa’s dilemma and a wee bit of envy that we aren’t tromping through it all alongside her.
Munson cleverly divides the women’s week together into individual days. Having lived in this wild and natural space for decades, Willa knows Montana will work its healing magic. She may be saying goodbye to the property’s sacred spaces, but as she treks through her land with these friends, one by one, day by day, they open up to one another, confessing both secrets and dreams, and admonish each other to stop saying “Sorry!”
So Now What? I’ll not spill the beans on each woman’s resolve as their week together reaches its crescendo. I will say, if you have a group of what I call “heart friends,” or if you long for the support and intimacy of strong female friendships, you will likely find pieces of yourself and your own crew in one or more of these richly drawn characters. You’ll be rooting for them and wondering what their So Now What? looks like once their seven days together are over. You might also feel just a little homesick for a certain corner of Montana.
September 6, 2020
40 something widow Willa about to give up her MT homestead after her hubby unexpectedly dies.l and she falls. Still not clear why she couldn’t tell town who would have been so happy to help but maybe it’s that fierce western face it alone independence.
Before she does so, she invites BFF Bliss (who has sick mom and couldn’t have kids and hubby winds up leaving her) who invites Harriet (motivational speaker who feels like a fraud) who invites Jane (Ms perfect “Supposed to Be” fill in blank and, and they all agree to be totally honest (and ban saying sorry!), each at a “Now what” moment for the week while they pack up the homestead. Of course, in the end , the homestead is not sold. The town comes through. Definitely 1st world problems and a little contrived but shows power of female friendship.
Before she does so, she invites BFF Bliss (who has sick mom and couldn’t have kids and hubby winds up leaving her) who invites Harriet (motivational speaker who feels like a fraud) who invites Jane (Ms perfect “Supposed to Be” fill in blank and, and they all agree to be totally honest (and ban saying sorry!), each at a “Now what” moment for the week while they pack up the homestead. Of course, in the end , the homestead is not sold. The town comes through. Definitely 1st world problems and a little contrived but shows power of female friendship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2021
Boring . . .
Not for me. Four woman crying about their lives. Boo-hoo. It just dragged for me. Some people may enjoy this book.
Not for me. Four woman crying about their lives. Boo-hoo. It just dragged for me. Some people may enjoy this book.
January 11, 2020
“That’s why I love it. It reminds me how truly small I am every single time. And how wild is the base of the natural world.”
I really enjoyed my time with this story. This is the story of four women who are, for different reasons, at a stage in their life where they are at a precipice. They have (or want to have) left the life they're living behind and they are trying to figure out what should/could come next.
They all gather at Willa's home in Montana to spend a handful of days together and see if they can figure out what's next while supporting each other through their journey of discovery.
"Maybe the reason we’re having such a hard time figuring out what to do next in our lives is because we’re starting with fear instead of love.”
Each of the women have different personalities and different reasons why they are stuck and they open-mindedly support each other as they discuss bits and pieces of their lives and struggles. If you're close to that place or stage of your life, you might really enjoy this book. If you're far from it, it might feel hard to connect.
“So it’s a fine bit of irony, really. We don’t want what we have, and then it’s all we want.”
For me, it was a great read. I liked the way the women supported each other. I liked how each character was wildly different and yet they were each struggling in their own story. It reflects how we can each be struggling even if our stories differ and the struggle itself might be something we have in common and something we can guide each other through. It's a story about community and how we're built for community.
“That’s why I love it. It reminds me how truly small I am every single time. And how wild is the base of the natural world.”
It's also a story about beautiful nature and Montana which I also loved.
If you're looking for a sweet, character-driven story and are wondering your own So Now What? I'd recommend this read.
with gratitude to netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed my time with this story. This is the story of four women who are, for different reasons, at a stage in their life where they are at a precipice. They have (or want to have) left the life they're living behind and they are trying to figure out what should/could come next.
They all gather at Willa's home in Montana to spend a handful of days together and see if they can figure out what's next while supporting each other through their journey of discovery.
"Maybe the reason we’re having such a hard time figuring out what to do next in our lives is because we’re starting with fear instead of love.”
Each of the women have different personalities and different reasons why they are stuck and they open-mindedly support each other as they discuss bits and pieces of their lives and struggles. If you're close to that place or stage of your life, you might really enjoy this book. If you're far from it, it might feel hard to connect.
“So it’s a fine bit of irony, really. We don’t want what we have, and then it’s all we want.”
For me, it was a great read. I liked the way the women supported each other. I liked how each character was wildly different and yet they were each struggling in their own story. It reflects how we can each be struggling even if our stories differ and the struggle itself might be something we have in common and something we can guide each other through. It's a story about community and how we're built for community.
“That’s why I love it. It reminds me how truly small I am every single time. And how wild is the base of the natural world.”
It's also a story about beautiful nature and Montana which I also loved.
If you're looking for a sweet, character-driven story and are wondering your own So Now What? I'd recommend this read.
with gratitude to netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2020
I would give this 3 - 3 1/2 stars.
This story follows 4 women, friends by association in some respects, that spend some time in Montana trying to figure out their next path in life - or their So What Next. These are all women in their 40s and maybe early 50s and I can understand how they might be trying to figure out their path in life. There has been the death of a spouse, divorce, grown children, affairs, and much more that has affected these women's lives and they have to decide where they want to go next. These few days together also forced them to be honest with themselves and those around them. I can't believe how much Willa wouldn't tell the people in town about what was going on when it wasn't her fault. She would rather be a martyr and sell her town vs talk to the people.
While I am the age range of these women, I'm not sure I could totally relate. My life has taken twists and turns over the last 6 years, but nothing like what these women have experienced. However, their camaraderie is admirable and while they may not get along or push and pull at each other, it is all a part of the process.
The ending was just right and a few surprises but not too many.
The descriptions of Montana were amazing and I could picture Bison Butte and other locations in my mind. It is definitely a place I would like to visit one day.
My only complaint is that there was no good place to stop. Each chapter is about 25% of the book. While I know it reflected each day, a way to stop without stopping in the middle of the chapter would be appreciated. There are also quite a few f* bombs and while it might be appropriate at times, I thought some could have been cut out and not affected the story in any way.
This story follows 4 women, friends by association in some respects, that spend some time in Montana trying to figure out their next path in life - or their So What Next. These are all women in their 40s and maybe early 50s and I can understand how they might be trying to figure out their path in life. There has been the death of a spouse, divorce, grown children, affairs, and much more that has affected these women's lives and they have to decide where they want to go next. These few days together also forced them to be honest with themselves and those around them. I can't believe how much Willa wouldn't tell the people in town about what was going on when it wasn't her fault. She would rather be a martyr and sell her town vs talk to the people.
While I am the age range of these women, I'm not sure I could totally relate. My life has taken twists and turns over the last 6 years, but nothing like what these women have experienced. However, their camaraderie is admirable and while they may not get along or push and pull at each other, it is all a part of the process.
The ending was just right and a few surprises but not too many.
The descriptions of Montana were amazing and I could picture Bison Butte and other locations in my mind. It is definitely a place I would like to visit one day.
My only complaint is that there was no good place to stop. Each chapter is about 25% of the book. While I know it reflected each day, a way to stop without stopping in the middle of the chapter would be appreciated. There are also quite a few f* bombs and while it might be appropriate at times, I thought some could have been cut out and not affected the story in any way.
January 7, 2020
This story is for all the women who search for an answer to the question, “So now what?” Willa's Grove tells the story of four women - Willa, Bliss, Harriet, and Jane - who gather for a week of camaraderie and support at a difficult time in their lives. By sharing their life stories, the women guide each other into "the life that is waiting" for them.
I don’t know if everyone will FEEL this book like I did. Maybe it’s because I’m at a similar place - not yet 46 nor a widow, but at a place where I am thinking “so now what” as my youngest goes off to school, my husband retired from the Army - the only lifestyle I’ve ever known because I grew up a military brat and married a soldier before I was ever NOT a military dependent and I didn’t get accepted into my (stupidly) ONLY choice for a doctorate program for Psychology. As I turn my sights towards new endeavors and try to settle our family into the town that will become “home” for more than two years, “So Now What?” is a question I’ve struggled with the last couple of months. That may be why this book was so touching and perfect for me, but I can see how it would be less enjoyable to certain audiences.It doesn't have much action or plot twists or suspense. It's just a sweet, touching story about connection and life. The author’s introduction at the beginning is so touching and inspiring. Love it.
My review will also be posted to Instagram @rosetree_bookreviewer
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of Willa's Grove in exchange for my honest opinions.
I don’t know if everyone will FEEL this book like I did. Maybe it’s because I’m at a similar place - not yet 46 nor a widow, but at a place where I am thinking “so now what” as my youngest goes off to school, my husband retired from the Army - the only lifestyle I’ve ever known because I grew up a military brat and married a soldier before I was ever NOT a military dependent and I didn’t get accepted into my (stupidly) ONLY choice for a doctorate program for Psychology. As I turn my sights towards new endeavors and try to settle our family into the town that will become “home” for more than two years, “So Now What?” is a question I’ve struggled with the last couple of months. That may be why this book was so touching and perfect for me, but I can see how it would be less enjoyable to certain audiences.It doesn't have much action or plot twists or suspense. It's just a sweet, touching story about connection and life. The author’s introduction at the beginning is so touching and inspiring. Love it.
My review will also be posted to Instagram @rosetree_bookreviewer
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of Willa's Grove in exchange for my honest opinions.
February 14, 2023
I’ve never had a novel give me an internal call to action quite like “Willa’s Grove” has.
While this read is very lighthearted and somewhat predictable, it’s the kind of book I think all women should read. I’ve already recommended it to one of my best friends. There is some feeling of redundancy, however. But I guess that could be a reflection of life itself?
This read is dialogue heavy, but stays within the thoughts of only the main character, Willa. I enjoy that it takes place in Montana but that each character leads very different life paths before coming together for a week of hard reflection and truth. Willa is the Montana-woman rooted in their shared need to face the rest of their lives!
I’ve decided to read this book every January from here on out; I found it to be a beautiful way to open the year.
2023: I honored my dedication and read this book as my first choice this year. It was again the perfect reminder to seek community and also seek yourself. ❤️
While this read is very lighthearted and somewhat predictable, it’s the kind of book I think all women should read. I’ve already recommended it to one of my best friends. There is some feeling of redundancy, however. But I guess that could be a reflection of life itself?
This read is dialogue heavy, but stays within the thoughts of only the main character, Willa. I enjoy that it takes place in Montana but that each character leads very different life paths before coming together for a week of hard reflection and truth. Willa is the Montana-woman rooted in their shared need to face the rest of their lives!
I’ve decided to read this book every January from here on out; I found it to be a beautiful way to open the year.
2023: I honored my dedication and read this book as my first choice this year. It was again the perfect reminder to seek community and also seek yourself. ❤️
May 9, 2023
The story of Willa’s Grove is the perfect COVID-19 read. How's that? Laura brings together 4 women at a crisis point in her life to decide the big, “So what now?” The four stop the race to prepare good food, sleep, talk, remember past and future dreams so they can answer, the question that brought them together, “so what now?” Each individual’s course isn’t easy to see or easy to do, but Laura allows her characters to tell her individual story about how she got to where she is and then allows her to change directions.
The week is a journey of reflection and change, Laura explores how women can be another woman’s biggest supporter or detractor, how caring for yourself is not a self-indulgent gratification of one’s desires but a necessary action to remain whole as we make our way through the world. All the women were good people, lost people and people ready for a change.
The week is a journey of reflection and change, Laura explores how women can be another woman’s biggest supporter or detractor, how caring for yourself is not a self-indulgent gratification of one’s desires but a necessary action to remain whole as we make our way through the world. All the women were good people, lost people and people ready for a change.
July 4, 2020
Finding community in all things
Willa finds herself at a crossroads with her life after her husbands passing. The town named after her is financially heading into the red, and Willa finds herself emotionally drained after a hard winter running the homestead on her own. An impromptu week with a close friend and two other friends of a friend helps her start the difficult journey of healing and new direction to take.
Willa finds herself at a crossroads with her life after her husbands passing. The town named after her is financially heading into the red, and Willa finds herself emotionally drained after a hard winter running the homestead on her own. An impromptu week with a close friend and two other friends of a friend helps her start the difficult journey of healing and new direction to take.
March 12, 2020
I feel like Willa’s Grove has the potential for a really great book, but then it stalled. I just feel like the author had a hidden agenda to put us inside her world and this was supposed to be fiction. I think she definitely could have taken it out of her comfort zone and made it into a 5 star book. Thank you Blackstone Publishing for gifting me this copy, for my honest review.
March 7, 2020
This is Laurie Munson’s first book of fiction. Peppered throughout the plot and characters, I saw a lot of what Laura knows best, community of women.
I would love to go to a retreat in Willa, Montana. If not, on my bucket list is to attend Haven Writing Retreat.
I would love to go to a retreat in Willa, Montana. If not, on my bucket list is to attend Haven Writing Retreat.
June 11, 2020
Loved this book. Every woman who reads it can find a connection with each of the main characters as they search for their “So What Now”. Great characters in search of their true selves, their true lives & finding more than they thought they ever could.
November 5, 2020
I wanted to love this book since it was about female friendship but it was just too slow for me. I struggled through parts and couldn't relate to some of the characters. The descriptions of Montana were beautiful though and the ending was sweet.
April 17, 2021
Love the idea. Four women at crossroads, with issues, coming together to just be. Their stories could have been told in much fewer words; some of the reflective moments seemed forced. I liked the beginning and the end, but the middle dragged on.
October 25, 2021
My niece gave me this book and I am so grateful. We, as independent women, often find it hard to rely on others for help. What a great story of recognizing our needs, stepping out of comfort zones and addressing "and now what" in our lives. The joy and support of friends is invaluable.
May 11, 2020
What a delightful deep soulful engaging read. It's all about four women learning how to bother again!!
July 8, 2020
Four women come together for a week long retreat in Montana. They are each at a crossroads in their lives, and they help each other find direction.
I liked some parts, and I love Montana.
I liked some parts, and I love Montana.
October 20, 2020
A beautiful book about family, friendship and community.
March 15, 2021
I gave this book 3 stars because I don’t think I would recommend it. I did finish it, and I liked the characters but it just was lacking for me.
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