Ours for a Season: A Novel

Ours for a Season By Kim Vogel Sawyer Marty Hirschler has always wanted to be a mother but her dream is not to be. Her pain and longing has made her life in Pine Hill, Indiana, almost unbearable as friends and family continue to grow their own families. Her discontent is driving a wedge between her and her husband Anthony. And her faith has suffered as a result of this unanswered prayer. When Marty's childhood friend asks Marty and Anthony to leave Indiana for a short-term job in Kansas, Marty feels that this is the chance she needs to heal her broken heart. And the chance to reconnect, in person, with Brooke after all these years is worth the time she'll be away from the familiar. Brooke Spalding is a woman who knows what she wants and she's determined to turn every opportunity she can into a profit. Brooke needs no one in her life, her childhood convinced her of that. She's going to turn an old ghost town, Eagle Creek, into a multimillion-dollar resort and she wants Anthony to handle the construction portion of the restoration. But just as she is on the cusp of realizing her dream of being able to retire by 40, she is hit with a devastating medical diagnosis - cancer. With Brooke's need for assistance during this time of illness, Marty begins to see that her childless state may actually be a blessing in disguise. But with any restoration project, there are always unforeseen issues to deal with. When a trespasser is discovered they find a teen runaway who was in a situation that made running her only hope of escape. Trafficking is something that Marty and Anthony had never experienced in their Old Order Mennonite life and it opens their eyes to a need that may be one that they can fill. Ours for a Season is an engaging and moving story as Marty, Anthony, and Brooke all go through this time of trial. I like how this chance offers all to reexamine their lives and grow into better people. I really feel that the underlying theme of children (biological or not) are in our lives for just a season before they grow into a season of their own. I received this book from the publisher through their book launch program. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ours for a Season is the latest novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Martha “Marty” Hirschler lives with her husband, Anthony in Pine Hill, Indiana. Anthony owns Hirschler Construction and is frequently gone on construction projects for weeks at a time. The pair have grown apart since they learned that they cannot have children of their own and adoption is not a venture they can afford. Marty has lost her faith in God since her prayers have failed to be answered and desperately wants to get away from her family oriented community. Marty is surprised when she gets a letter addressed to both herself and Anthony from her English friend, Brooke Spalding. Brooke along with a group of investors have purchased land in northeast Kansas that used to be a thriving town. Her plan is to restore the town into a resort and she wants Anthony to oversee the construction. Brooke hopes the time away will help Marty and Anthony repair their marriage. When Brooke is diagnosed with cancer, she needs Marty’s help to get through this difficult time. It draws Brooke and Marty closer together along with giving Brooke an opportunity to learn about God. Anthony becomes faced with a moral dilemma when he learns Brooke plans to have a casino on the property. Then a runaway teenager is discovered on the grounds and the group learns the horrors of human trafficking and the difficulties teen’s experience in the foster care system. Anthony, Marty, Brooke and their workers will face a variety of challenges while in Kansas. Will they be able to overcome these hurdles and how will it impact their future? Ours for a Season contains good writing, but the story is a slow starter. I had a hard time getting into the story. Ours for a Season improved as I got further into the book along with the pacing. It was hard to like Marty in the beginning. Marty is depressed over her childless life. She sees families, pregnant woman, babies and children every where she goes in her town. Marty does not want her husband going away so often for work because she feels alone. However, Marty does not want to be around family or friends. When the opportunity from Brooke arrives, Marty feels it is the perfect solution (to run away where there are no children). Anthony could have been more understanding (though it has been two years) and sympathetic to Marty’s feelings. I began to warm up to the characters as the story progressed. I did feel that the first part of the story was too long (it became a Marty pity party). I liked Brooke Spalding. She is a strong, smart female who had a dream and did everything in her power to achieve it. However, Brooke was kind, thoughtful and never ruthless. I would have liked more on Brooke especially at the end. The point-of-view switches between Marty, Anthony and Brooke. It can be confusing (at first), though it does allow a reader to learn what each character is thinking and feeling. Ours for a Season has a good flow as we transition between the characters and situations. The ending was good, but it felt rushed. The author handled the subject of human trafficking deftly. It is a serious problem and I liked the solution presented in the story. The Christian theme is present throughout the book (having faith, power of prayer, God is in charge of our lives). There are good spiritual insights presented and you will continue to ponder on them long after you finish Ours for a Season.