Fields Of Gold

Dillon, Oklahoma #1

by Marie Bostwick

This would be easier if I were writing about someone else. Then I could change it, fatten up the thin parts and leave out the dull ones, turning them twice like frayed collars and cuffs, making them over into something more romantic than they really were, but then the remembering would be neither so painful, nor so sweet. I suppose you can't have one without the other. . .

Evangeline Glennon knows plenty about life's highs and lows. Still, she feels lucky, surrounded as she is by people who care Papa, who's never lost his Irish brogue or the twinkle in his eye; endlessly practical, generous Mama; and steadfast best friend Ruby. Romance would be too much for a girl like Eva to expect. Then again, love has a tendency to find those who aren't looking for it. . .

Out of a clear blue sky, a dashing young aviator makes an impossibly gentle landing in Papa's Oklahoma wheat field. After taking her up in his plane, "Slim" leaves Eva with an exhilarating new perspective--and an even more precious gift that changes her forever.

But that's only the beginning. The world is changing, too--and only the strongest in body and spirit will weather what is to come. Now, while tracing from afar the progress of the brave young barnstormer she knew so briefly, Eva stitches her heart and soul into intricate quilts whose images take extraordinary form from the heartbreak and joy of parallel lives. . .

"A lyrical, lush, and lovely novel from a clever and talented new writer." --Jane Green

"A gripping, heartwarming story. . .complete with fascinating characters and a page-turning plot." --Dorothy Garlock

Marie Bostwick Skinner was born and raised in the Northwest. Since marrying the love of her life twenty-three years ago, she has never known a moment's boredom. Marie and her family have moved a score of times, living in eight U.S. states and two Mexican cities, and collecting a vast and cherished array of friends and experiences. Marie now lives with her husband and three handsome sons in Connecticut where she writes, reads, quilts, and is privileged to serve the women of her local church.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Marie Bostwick is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of uplifting historical and contemporary fiction. She lives in the state of Washington and travels frequently to sign books, speak to reading groups, and meet her readers. Keep up with Marie, her travels, new releases and lifestyle blog, Fiercely Marie, at www.mariebostwick.com.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, when I discovered that Slim was Charles Lindbergh, I nearly quit reading the book, feeling that such a big historical character had no place in a novel and doubted that the story could remain credible. However, I persevered, as I was taken in by the story. Having finished the book now, I've got to say I really enjoyed it. The author dealt respectfully with Mr Lindbergh's character,and did in fact make it believable. Her characters were well rounded, complete with their imperfections, making them more human. A positive side effect of reading this novel is that it made me interested in Lindbergh, causing me to research his life and times. So, really, any novel in which I come away more informed, as well as being entertained gets 4 stars from me.
This is the second book I have read by this author, and although I am going to read an Ann Patchett book next, I will come back to her.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was interested enough to do a little research on Charles Lindburgh . . . what a cad that guy was! Story was heartwarming, found myself rooting for the main character!

[BeverlyB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I wait so long to read this book? Loved it!

[L Y N N · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much more than I might have expected, given the title and synopsis. This would definitely be an amazing book for discussion! So many issues to discuss--both those pertinent to the time and insights for current times!!!

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had tried to read a few books before this, and they just weren't doing it for me--nothing was hooking my interest. So with this one, I was pleasantly surprised that I was sucked in from page one.

This was a very pleasant book. After reading it, it kind of felt like an after-school special or a made-for-TV movie. That's not a dig at it, though. It was educational--I learned a lot about farm life at the time--and the characters just seemed like very strong, solid folks. They were people I wanted to root for and wanted to see succeed.

My only issue with the book, I think, was I found it a little hard to believe how stoically Eva took everything, from the desertion of her lover to singly-raising her baby boy. Sure, she came from hard stock, and I certainly didn't begrudge her strength, but I think the fact that she never seemed to falter or even express any kind of unhappiness or remorse made it a bit hard to believe.

I really enjoyed the writing style here, though, and will look out for any other books from Marie Bostwick.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would actually like to give this 3 and a half stars. When I found this book, I was expecting more of a woman meets pilot, becomes pilot herself kind of story, but instead it turned out to be a fairytale with a lot of great insight into Charles Lindbergh. The heroine is a farm girl with a disability and when Lindbergh lands in her wheat field, a romance blooms. The book proceeds to be a mixture of fantasy and historical detail both, offering a look at life in the twenties thru forties and the beginnings of aviation without being biographical or dull. However, the main characters were all too good to be true. They were all too sweet, kind, and accomodating to be realistic. There was a lot of religious stuff also, leading me to wonder if this is a Christian book and maybe should be categorized as such. All in all, a good read, and I would love to see what this author could do with a story about Amelia Earhart.

[B. Joan Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent character development!

I couldn't put the book down. The author truly painted a picture that was historically accurate of rural Oklahoma during and around the Depression. I was impressed by her portrayal of Lindbergh and all the culture around him.. I have read other books that she has written, but I feel this is her masterpiece! She has presented her characters from a multi-layered manner. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys quilting, history, and reading of people who meet all kinds of challenges!

[Eileen Keane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Bostwick came through once again! Eva (Evangeline) tells us the story of the biggest romance of her life, with a flying ace named Slim. They drift in and out of each others' lives over the next 2 decades; always loving but not committing.
Ms. Bostwick's writing style is like wrapping a warm quilt around, and her characters are like old friends. I always enjoy them.

[Chloe Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book - historical fiction loosely based on young life of Charles Lindbergh. Main character's name is Evangeline "Eva" Glennon growing up in fields of Oklahoma. "Slim" is the name of the young aviator she meets and falls in love with after he lands in Eva's father's wheat field. Beautiful romance but heartbreak story.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, enjoyed this novel by Bostwick. Was nice getting to know the characters, in this series, from the beginning.

Love her writing style and the descriptive prose that makes you feel like you are right there, with the characters, experiencing their lives.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story, a "what if" about an actual famous person in history, but with something that never really happened. It was a different kind of story due to that, but enjoyable.

[Gloria Bredehoeft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagination at its best

Loved how Marie brought the story to life. She wove a real historical figure into the novel seamlessly. Encourage your to read this one.

[Rosemary Bagley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed reading some of Marie Bostwick's books, but I can't say I found much enjoyment while reading "Fields Of Gold." It was almost like reading a book for information, rather than for pleasure. Although I started out being drawn to the character of Evangeline I couldn't forget that she wasn't real. I also had difficulty with the plot. I'm not sure if the identity of the flyer that lands in Evangeline's father's wheat field is suppose to be a mystery, but given the date and details I was pretty sure who he was even before he announced that Evangeline was his mother's name. After the revealing of "Slim's" true name, the relationship between Evangeline and Slim continues in a fairly dreary manner that had me skipping ahead in the book to see if the narrative picked up. I didn't find that it did. Marie Bostwick is very good at description and many times her stories about people's lives beguile me. I just wasn't able to engage with "Fields of Gold."

[IrishFan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had this one on my bookshelf for quite some time, not sure why I haven't read it before now. It was a good story, I liked the twist with Lindbergh, I didn't see it coming when she figured it out. It was a quick read, and not a horrible story. The ending seemed a bit forced and quick to me, but I'm glad that Morgan was safe and was able to come home to Eva. I'm also glad she found happiness with Paul and that she was able to see Lindbergh for what he was and not hold onto that one memory forever.

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very light read. Very light plot...almost Christian lit. Liked the setting in Dust Bowl era Oklahoma, but nothing else was very compelling and it seemed that the author just skipped over writing about anything uncomfortable...sex, war, death, grief, childbirth. Sat at doctor's office most of the day today and read it from start to finish, but not one that I'll remember.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Bostwick skillfully interweaves fictional and real events and people. One of the best facets of the book is the realistic characters. Even the minor characters are three dimensional and I cared about them as they journeyed through life. Another is the detailed descriptions of the settings, particularly during the years of the Dust Bowl.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The whole time I read it, I was picturing my Grandma's house and the town where she lived - which is weird because she did not live on a farm. Her house was from the same era and housed humble people trying to make a living and it fit in my mind. That made it strangely personal.
I loved the struggle of the family, the quilts that were made and the ending!

[Susan Sarabasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down. The best way I know to take in and understand history is from a fictionalized telling of it.

Faith and love are the wonderful underpinnings of this broadranging historical novel spanning the Dust Bowl through WWII.
Another Bostwick winner!

[Fran Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular

This book kept me intrigued through all the twist and turns! A great book to read
I love her 📚

[Faye McPeak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this novel. Marie Bostwick does it again. Loved the character of Eva and also Ruby.

[victoria stankevicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable historical fiction set in Oklahoma before World War II.

[Alyce Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wholesome book, takes place before and during WWII. Would recommend

[Roberta · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I saw this on TMZ!

Oh, Evangeline, you poor, sweet, crippled little girl. You're so noble and selfless. Well, I'll at least give you credit for taking responsibility for your own actions. And Slim you're such a cruel, heartless bastard.

After reading a couple rather heavy (in content, not in tone) books, I was ready for something a little lighter. I wanted something I wouldn't really have to think about. In that sense this book fit the bill. While I can't really say that I liked it, it did keep me reading.

Why didn't I like it? Well, first of all, I understand that this was Marie Bostwick's first novel. If she wants to be a successful writer she needs to get a much better editor. This book is peppered with errors, mainly word omissions. Secondly she needs to flesh out her stories more fully. Everything seems to happen so fast and easily and the characters are all so superficial. Even though this is told in first person, it still seems very one-dimensional. I never got a real sense of Evangeline. She is very insular, like she exists solely on a little farm in Oklahoma and that there is no outside world to measure herself against. Her parents are flat characters as well. They readily accept her fate at a time in history when her behavior would've been considered scandalous. There's no real depth.

And although I've never had any strong feelings about Charles Lindberg one way or the other, I found it really insulting that Ms. Bostwick would take a revered American icon and build a scandal around him for no good reason. This is one small baby step from the National Enquirer.

[NoNameLoves2Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been searching for this book FOREVER. I placed a wanted post in the lost books group and nobody there had even heard of it. This isn't a very popular book on Goodreads, so I can see why nobody knew.

I read this back in 2005 and obviously the story stuck with me. Since then I have flown in a biplane twice. That made me want to remember this book even more because of the biplane in the story. Even though this isn't the happiest book ever, I wanted to find it.

I wish I could tell you why I loved this book so much. I really don't know why. At the time I was around the same age as the MC and I suppose I related to her. I loved the setting. I loved how everyone became excited whenever Slim flew his plane to town. I could just imagine living back then when airplanes were new and exciting (not that biplanes aren't exciting, if you ever get a chance to fly in one DO IT). This was just a great story. I don't think that this book will be for everyone. You probably need to have an interest in how people lived in those days, early flight or Charles Lindbergh. It's kind of a "coming of age" story. There's some romantic aspects involved but I wouldn't read this book based on that fact alone.

I had NO idea that this was a series. I can't wait to reread this and read the next book.

[Fay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant read, the sort of book that's nice when one wants to be more relaxed during a read and not on the edge of one's seat and turning pages just as fast as possible. With that said, I did read it rather quickly! The story is set in Oklahoma before and during the dust bowl days and continues up through most of WWII. It involves small town living and a world famous individual at the same time. It is historical fiction in some ways, given the involvement of Charles 'Slim' Lindbergh. He actually pops in and out of the story only rarely, but his impact on the story is immense. I've really enjoyed Marie Bostwick's series involving the quilting shop in CT and pick up other writings by her on occasion, which is how I came across this book. I hope there is another 'chapter' to be writing about my/our friends in CT before long.

[Tiana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giving this book 2 stars makes it sound like I didn't like it. I did enjoy it, but I don't think it had enough meat or substance to it to merit any more than 2 stars. It was sweet and touching. The beginning seemed remarkably shallow to me, but the end redeemed it at least a little. Still, not a whole lot of substance, so although it was a quick and somewhat enjoyable read, it wasn't a book I'll remember forever. And this may be a silly reason to down-grade a book, but the editing was terrible. There were countless times when a word was omitted or a sentence was worded improperly. That may be a small thing, but it was enough to irritate me. Overall: sweet and enjoyable, but not memorable.

[JayeL · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read. I can tell that Marie Bostwick had talent back in the day. She has really polished her style since she wrote this book. There are some real pearls of wisdom in this book, which made me want to underline them and write them in my quote book. I especially liked one of the last scenes where Eva and Mrs. Hutchinson are talking about Eva's "status"/ place in the town. I had a hard time believing the part about Morgan's father, but just went with it. Bostwick did a really good job wrapping up the end of this book.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. I don't think it was realistic, but that's why it is a story. It was a quick, easy read. I read it thru tears several times
To me, it was much better than her Cobbled Court series.
I was thinking it was the best book of hers I'd read but then I saw I gave 5 stars to River's edge also. I may have to read it again.
I do enjoy WW II era books. I've reserved Wings of the Morning from the library, I thought I'd already read it based on the cover, but it's not listed in my read books, so perhaps I haven't or I forgot to add it.

Judy I, It'll probably be too much of a romance novel for you. :x

[Cricket Muse]

I looked forward to reading about Eva, who might be lame and living in a small town , but she possesses a big soul and has living understanding, even progressive parents plus a true, loyal friend—Ruby.

Components for a strong, character driven novel, right?

Well, along comes Slim with his airplane and a too fast sequence of events changes the plot. I felt duped upon learning Slim was Charles Lindbergh and i reading the author notes there was no historical basis for the story, only supposition. I wouldn’t have begun the book had I known this.

I still like Eva, and believe she could hold her own without a chance encounter from Lucky Lindy.

[Nancy Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read. It's interesting that Marie Bostwick's very characteristic voice hasn't developed in her earlier books. While I enjoy reading her cobbled court books, they are more predictable, and I like her earlier historical fiction books more. She has a real gift for developing her characters in all of her books. You can tell that she lives with her characters and they are real to her. They're always great people. Wish I could meet them!