Miralee Ferrell's Novels discussion

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Thank you, Sarah...I asked Sarah to do this as I felt it might be easier than wading through reviews on the general Goodreads site. I also asked her to post about spoilers, but I should rephrase what I told her. Feel free to go beyond the summary, as long as it doesn't disclose anything important about the story line.

Wishing on Buttercups by Miralee Ferrell—5 stars

“Wishing on Buttercups,” the second installment in Miralee Ferrell’s Love Blossoms in Oregon series, opens in August, 1880, shortly after the action of “Blowing on Dandelions.” Quiet Beth Roberts has finally begun to settle into life at the Jacobs’ boardinghouse with her loving but at times imperious Aunt Wilma, and her dreams of pursuing art as a career seem to be coming to fruition. However, beneath the tranquil surface of her carefully-maintained façade lie ripples of distrust and fear waiting to boil over. Years of stigma and deception have convinced her that if anyone knows her intimately, they will reject her, and she “decided early on that hiding her identity would serve her purposes the best.” She has only vague recollections of her past, and although she has always wanted to discover more, she fears that the truth will prove to be more painful than the burden of not knowing. Any sense of peace that Beth feels is quickly disrupted by inquiries about her past or by the feeling that someone may be trying to move beyond the walls she has built around her heart, and that is especially true where fellow boarder Jeffery Tucker is concerned. She doubts that she will ever be able to cultivate the future that she wishes for as she builds a life for herself in Baker City, Oregon.

This second novel provides a successful transition from its predecessor by exploring the lives of several secondary individuals who were introduced in “Blowing on Dandelions” and expanding the character base while also revisiting former characters. The apparent simplicity of the story belies an undercurrent of complex emotions and situations that demonstrate Ferrell’s uncanny ability to parallel contemporary issues facing women today with those of her characters. Her straightforward, modest writing style immediately draws readers in and speaks to the heart.

Although “Wishing on Buttercups” is mostly a character-driven book, the plot contains ample twists to keep readers engaged and invested. Likewise, the characters themselves are exceptionally relatable. They are three-dimensional, with flaws and strengths, and the overarching theme of learning to love oneself speaks to men and women alike. As Christian historical fiction, the novel emits a soothing message of reassurance and faith while encouraging self-acceptance and compassion. Even readers who do not necessarily espouse Christian beliefs or care for romance or historical fiction will find inspiration and delight within Ferrell’s mellifluous prose. “Wishing on Buttercups” can possibly be a stand-alone novel, but it is best read after “Blowing on Dandelions” and will be followed by “Dreaming on Daisies,” which will complete the trilogy. The “AfterWords” section appended to the novel itself offers an author’s note explaining how the story came to be, as well as questions for individual or group discussion and a sneak peak at chapter one of “Dreaming on Daisies.”

I received an early PDF version of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Wishing on Buttercups by MiraLee Ferrell is about a young lady named Beth Roberts. She has secrets of her own that she doesn't share with anyone. She also has so many things about her childhood that are secrets to her.

Jeffrey Tucker is an aspiring writer living at the same boarding house. He and Beth are drawn to each other, but she is withdrawn and difficult to get to know. However, his heart doesn't let him give up trying.

Beth's secrets...secrets to her and those she holds are eventually revealed. What does she do with her feelings for Jeffrey? How does she handle learning about the unknown in her past? What will happen when some of the past follows her?

This book is well worth reading to find out! The storyline flows smoothly and quickly. I never felt that this book dragged at all. The characters are so real. One really sympathizes with Beth and her circumstances. I found myself totally enraptured in this sweet story that has several twists and turns. This was a page turner...and I found myself reading into the early morning hours. Such a sweet and tender read that held me till the last page. Highly recommend.

I was given this book through The Book Club Network for my honest review which I have given.

Finished Wishing on Buttercups, loved it so much. Did review on amazon.

Wishing on buttercups is the second in a series, continued from Blowing on Dandelions.
Beth is a illustrator and Jeffery is a writer, she is doing it under a different name that will help her family find her, but got a contract for it but he is having problems with getting one. He gets a offer with a magazine but they want drawings to go along with the story. They find out the magazine decided to put their work together. Beth was burned as a child and has scars, keeps them covered up but still sensitive about them. When she was a child the other children made fun of her. Her aunt that she is with at the boardinghouse took her in as a child. She doesn't know what happen to her real parents. A man from her past comes into town to take to take advantage of her finances. She finds outs later that her family is looking for her. This book made me laugh in spots and really helped out after a stressful day at work.



Janice

Wishing on Buttercups by Miralee Ferrell

*****5 Stars*****

When I review a book I often find it hard to put my feelings into words. Sometimes, though, a book touches a part of you that you keep hidden and the words simply pour out on the page. Wishing on a Buttercups was just that book for me. The first book in this series, Blowing on Dandelions, brought back some long forgotten memories from my childhood and spoke to me in its own special way. Wishing on Buttercups touched an inner struggle that I have dealt with since I was a child. I could relate to Beth's scars and her inner turmoil over how the world perceived her because of them. Being born with physical limitations myself, I never saw the world through rose-colored glasses. Instead, I saw flashes of cruelty that is just as often heaped upon us by adults as it is by other children. Miralee tackled this issue with perfection. I love what Aunt Wilma said to Beth when she was worrying about her scars. She said, "But dear heart, your peace can't come solely from your drawings, nor can you find your entire worth there. That must come from God."

She opens the readers eyes to the fact that how God perceives you and how you perceive yourself are the most important things. When you finally realize how much God loves you and see your own self-worth, the way others see you will no longer matter. I would like to share something from the author's note at the end of the story. Miralee wrote: "I don't ever want to write a simple romance without something that drives it. In this case, it was a young woman who's been damaged--not only physically, but emotionally, due to the scars from her childhood. As I thought about that, I realized many of us carry hurts and scars from words spoken or actions taken that we had little or no control over." Miralee not only sees the story, she sees the truth behind the story. Something about this series touches an emotional cord in me and it was compounded a hundred fold in this book. But that's not all I loved about it. The characters displayed a strong sense of family and loyalty and had high moral values. The plot had depth but was also lightened up with a little humor. I laughed out loud when Micah lost his grip on the paint can! The romance between Beth and Jeffrey was a sweet romance that built by degrees as the story progressed. There were so many things that threatened their already tedious relationship and it was very heartwarming to watch it unfold. Miralee has written another story that will leave you wanting more and with new characters introduced into the story it left things wide open for book three. I can't wait to read it! The story was so well written and I don't hesitate to recommend it. If you love historical romance, or simply a story that digs deep to tug at your emotions, you'll love Wishing on Buttercups.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions stated are mine alone and are honest and forthright. If I recommend a book you can believe its a book I enjoyed. I received no monetary compensation for this review.