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The Dandelion Field (A Banister Falls Novel Book 1) Kindle Edition
This handsome firefighter makes a living coming to the rescue, but Gin doesn't need a man to fight her battles.
After Raine’s dad walked out, Ginevieve Lightly never lived in one place too long, a rambling lifestyle that defined her daughter’s youth. When their car dies in Banister Falls, Wisconsin, Gin promises Raine they can stay until she finishes her senior year of high school. Gin will do anything to make sure her daughter has a bright future . . . a future that’s compromised when Raine reveals she’s pregnant.
Dan Moretti has only ever called Banister Falls home. After losing his best friend in a tragic accident, Dan devoted himself to responding to fires, rescuing the helpless, and guiding Cody Bennett, his best friend's son, through life. With Cody being the epitome of the good kid, it was an easy job. Until he says four little words: “The baby is mine.”
Knowing gossip of Raine's pregnancy will erupt sooner or later in the small town, Gin's reflex is to grab the suitcase and escape to a new city, a new life. But with each passing day, Gin's feet stay rooted in Banister Falls, and she falls a little more for this local firefighter who shows her not all men abandon women at the first sign of smoke.
As Gin and Dan do the best they can to guide the two teenagers through their early entry into adulthood, they discover together that romance can bloom in the rockiest of situations. And God can turn the pieces of a broken past into a beautiful new beginning.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherZondervan
- Publication dateJanuary 27, 2015
- File size1875 KB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“This is a wonderful and heartfelt small-town, feel-good story. Told from three different points of view, the story weaves themes of forgiveness, family and learning to trust God when faced with life’s struggles. The characters feel genuine, and the tender tone, as well as the ending, is sure to bring a smile to readers’ faces. With great attention to detail, Springer has written an engaging novel filled with romance, family drama and touch of humor.” – Romantic Times -- Romantic Times
About the Author
Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother’s typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books—which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written 19 books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin. Visit her online at kathrynspringer.com Facebook: Kathrynspringerauthor
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The Dandelion Field
By Kathryn SpringerZONDERVAN
Copyright © 2014 Kathryn SpringerAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-310-33963-2
CHAPTER 1
Okay, Ginevieve. What's bugging you?"
Besides being called Ginevieve?
Gin's back teeth snapped together so she wouldn't be tempted to say the words out loud. Even though a side dish of sarcasm accompanied every blue plate special Sue Granger served to her customers, Gin's boss didn't tolerate it from the hired help.
"Nothing." Gin knew she sounded like a surly twelve-year-old, but she couldn't help it. It had been that kind of morning.
"Right." The handle of a wooden spoon found a sensitive spot between Gin's shoulder blades and dug in like a cattle prod, herding her toward the back of the diner. "You got ten thumbs today, and none of them are working right."
"Sue—"
"Sit."
Gin sat.
Sue maneuvered her barrel-shaped frame into the booth and shoved a plastic coffee carafe across the table.
"When you hired me, you said you weren't going to be my mother," Gin dared to remind her.
"If I remember correctly, I also told you not to jerk my chain." Sue's top lip peeled back, revealing a row of teeth stained a delicate shade of sepia from years of smoking filterless Camels.
Gin hadn't forgotten. And so far, out of a healthy respect for the woman who signed her weekly paychecks, she hadn't touched her chain either.
The day after her car died in Banister Falls, Gin had spotted a Help Wanted sign in the window of a diner two blocks off Main Street. The building, propped up between Eddie's Bar and an auto parts store, wore a shaggy coat of charcoal-gray paint. The tattered awning, pulled low over the windows like an old tweed cap, shielded its weathered face from the sun.
My Place. Some people might think the diner's name showed a complete lack of imagination. Or a surplus of arrogance. But the moment she'd met Sue Granger, Gin knew it wasn't either one. The hand-painted sign above the door was a victory banner. Through bits and pieces of kitchen gossip, she'd discovered that Sue had broken free from an alcohol addiction and an ex-husband who'd kicked her around instead of the dog.
Gin's own life hadn't exactly been the proverbial bed of roses, but compared to Sue's, she'd given up all whining rights. She wasn't about to claim them now.
"Really. I'm fine. But I better get back to work." Gin strove to keep her voice light. "My boss let a waitress go last week for slacking off."
"Was that the rumor?" Sue snorted. "I can deal with a person slacking off once in a while. It's stupid that gets you fired." She leaned forward, elbows on the table, hands steepled together. "Now. Tell Dr. Susie everything."
Gin couldn't. That's what was driving her crazy. She had no clue what was going on with her daughter.
Ordinarily she wasn't the kind of mother who overreacted. Besides that, she and Raine were close. They didn't keep secrets from each other. The girl left her journal lying around in plain sight. Read parts of it out loud, for goodness' sake.
Maybe she isn't happy here.
Guilt seeped in, adding another layer to the weight that had been pressing down on Gin since she'd left the house that morning.
Banister Falls, Wisconsin—population 8,112—wasn't exactly a hot spot of excitement for an eighteen-year-old girl. Or her thirty-six-year-old mother, if anyone was asking. But it was Raine's senior year, and she was the one who'd made Gin promise they would stay put until graduation. Even though the thought of staying in one place for more than a few months left Gin with what Raine liked to call the Turtleneck Sweater Syndrome.
Gin didn't like turtlenecks. They were uncomfortable. Tight. Like someone's hands were wrapped around her throat, cutting off her air.
And Gin needed to breathe.
"One. Two."
Gin's head snapped up and her gaze met Sue's, fascinated and terrified as to what would happen if her boss actually made it to three.
"Raine wasn't feeling good when I left for work," she blurted.
"So?"
"She said it was cramps."
Hormones. A girl's get-out-of-jail-free card.
"But you don't believe her."
"I should." Except Gin had seen the statistics on eating disorders in teenage girls. As she'd hovered outside the bathroom door, it sounded like Raine had been throwing up.
On the way to the diner, Gin had taken an inventory of the food she'd seen Raine eat over the past few days. Tuna melts for supper. A bagel with cream cheese for breakfast—the girl loved carbs—but Raine had turned down the slice of lemon meringue pie Gin brought home from work the night before.
Sue snapped her fingers under Gin's nose. "Hello. Still having a conversation here."
"I think she might be bulimic." There. She had said it out loud. But saying the word didn't make her feel better. Now Gin felt as if she were going to be sick.
"Bulimic, huh?" Sue fished a pack of Camels from the pocket of her stained apron and struck it against the side of the table in a blatant disregard for the grease-spattered No Smoking sign that divided the salt and pepper shakers.
Gin's fingers twitched. She'd quit years ago, but fear had the power to resurrect a small contingent of nostalgic, nicotine-loving cells. "Raine's always been thin, but she's never obsessed about her weight the way some girls do." She suddenly remembered that Raine hadn't asked for lunch money the day before.
"Morning sickness?"
The question slammed into Gin. Her entire body jerked from the impact. "Sue!"
The older woman didn't flinch. "Just a question. My first-grade teacher said there was no such thing as a stupid one."
"Except that one." No matter that she was speaking to her boss, Gin wasn't in the mood to be polite. "Raine wouldn't ... She isn't even dating anyone, for Pete's sake. She has a ... a friend. They worked together on a school project a few months ago, but that's it."
Sue opened her mouth. Closed it again.
"What?"
"None of my business."
Now it was none of her business? Gin's eyes narrowed. "Do you know something?"
"Yeah." Sue's voice was as dry as an AA meeting. "Teenage girls who claim that a guy is just a friend."
"This one is. Trust me. He's not the type that would get Raine's attention." Or hold it. Gin had met Cody Bennett once, and he could be the poster child for small-town Middle America. Clean-cut, upright, and green as a cornstalk.
"Whatever you say."
"Raine's a great kid," Gin persisted. "She has goals. Dreams."
Sue pursed her lips and blew a plume of gray smoke into the air. Shrugged. "So did we."
CHAPTER 2Four missed calls.
Dan Moretti frowned as he scrolled through the list of phone numbers. All from Evie Bennett and all within the past few hours.
He was about to press number one on speed dial when Hopper Jones, the youngest member of the crew, poked his head around the partition that separated Dan's sleeping quarters from the rest.
"Evie called while you were gone. Twice." Hopper's teasing smile, all but hidden under the tangle of rusty barbed wire he insisted on calling a mustache, warned Dan that the news had already circulated through the fire station.
Adrenaline spiked, heating the blood that pulsed through Dan's veins as he downloaded the information. "Did she say why?"
"That's a negative, Captain. I told her you were at an all-day training session." The smile slipped a notch. "Do you think everything is okay?"
"I'll give her a call." Dan dodged the question. "I'm heading home now anyway." He peeled off his T-shirt and waited for his friend to leave before he returned Evie's call.
She answered on the first ring. "Danny."
The slight hitch in Evie's voice was as unusual as a call to the fire station when he was on duty. "What's wrong?"
"Cody." Evie said the one name that had the power to send Dan's heart crashing into his rib cage. "The vice principal called and said he left the school grounds without permission right after lunch. She wanted to know if I knew about it. If he had an appointment or got sick and forgot to check in with the nurse."
Her words funneled out in a single breath, and Dan tried to sort through them as he propped his shoulder against the locker and yanked off a boot. "Cody went home sick?"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you. I don't know because he hasn't come home at all." Evie's voice thinned, her usual calm stripped away, leaving the bare wires of her deepest fears exposed. "He missed supper and he's not answering his cell phone. I called Sam and Ben, but they didn't even know Cody had left early."
"How did he get to school this morning?"
"He walked ... but when I got home, the Jeep was gone. He must have come back for it."
"I'll take a drive through town." Dan reached for his coat as adrenaline burned away the fatigue from a day spent teaching an incident command seminar at the local technical college. "Maybe he drove out to the ridge."
"It's February! The campground is closed for the season. Why would he go there?"
"It's his thinking place."
"But Cody always answers his phone ..."
Unless.
The unspoken word pulsed in the silence between them.
Dan dragged in a breath. "Cell phone batteries die. And reception is spotty out there, so he might not know you've been trying to reach him. I'm sure he'll be walking through the door any minute."
"Okay." Evie didn't sound too sure.
Dan could picture her standing in front of the window in the living room, spinning her gold wedding band round and round on her finger. A common default whenever she was upset—as if touching a part of Max, however small, would give her courage.
Dan didn't hold it against her. The shield from his best friend's helmet, charred and misshapen from the heat of the flames, was pinned to the visor of his truck. He and Evie both had their touchstones. Their ways of keeping Max's memory alive.
He tried to think of something that would make her smile. "Did you check J. C. Penney?"
Silence followed the question, and Dan hoped she didn't think he was making light of the situation. She'd called him in for reinforcements that time too. Dan had left work and helped her search every aisle of the store. They'd finally found the missing six-year-old in a far corner of the footwear department, lining up a pocketful of plastic action figures on a bunker made from discarded shoe boxes.
"He's eighteen. He's supposed to know better."
Dan heard the shimmer of a smile in her voice and released the breath he'd been holding. "He's still a guy. Sometimes we forget. I'll call you soon—and don't worry."
"I won't."
They both knew she was lying.
(Continues...)Excerpted from The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer. Copyright © 2014 Kathryn Springer. Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- ASIN : B00IWW5BDE
- Publisher : Zondervan (January 27, 2015)
- Publication date : January 27, 2015
- Language : English
- File size : 1875 KB
- Simultaneous device usage : Up to 5 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 347 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,635,210 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #3,103 in Contemporary Christian Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #6,927 in Contemporary Christian Romance
- #15,078 in Religious Romance (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Kathryn Springer grew up in a small town where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child, she spent hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of reading - which turned into a desire to tell stories of her own.
Kathryn has written over thirty books and lives and writes on a lake in northern Wisconsin. She enjoys long walks in the woods and the change of seasons (although sometimes she wishes the "change" between winter and spring didn't last quite so long!) When Kathryn isn't at the computer, she's spending time with family and friends, paging through cooking magazines or sitting in the sun. A really, really good day includes all three!
Visit her website at kathrynspringer.com or find her on Facebook or Instagram at Kathrynspringerauthor
Customer reviews
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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers enjoyed the book and found it engaging. They appreciated the well-written characters and vivid descriptions. The storyline was described as captivating, powerful, and gripping. Readers enjoyed the faith aspects throughout the story and found it a wonderful Christian novel written from a Christian perspective. They also appreciated the realistic content, vivid scenes, and subtle humor. Overall, customers described the book as an artful work that stirred their souls.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it enjoyable, inspiring, and one of the best fiction books they have read in a while. The story makes the point that anyone can make a mistake well, with effortless humor.
"...Life is messy, God heals! What a great book :)" Read more
"...I was impressed with the goodness and Godliness of the men in this story...." Read more
"Loved this book...one of my favorite authors. She has an amazing way with words and can certainly turn a phrase...." Read more
"...heart of love, finding forgiveness ..... this is one of the best fiction books I have read in some time. Any lady over the age of eighteen..." Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and the author's skill with words. They find the book easy to read and praise the author's writing abilities.
"...The secondary characters are so vivid as well that you can't help but fall in love with this town and these families...." Read more
"Kathryn Springer is an excellent writer; she has a special talent of taking her characters on difficult personal journeys while weaving in humor and..." Read more
"...Clean read and even though there is a teen pregnancy, nothing is described...." Read more
"Loved this book...one of my favorite authors. She has an amazing way with words and can certainly turn a phrase...." Read more
Customers enjoy the story's quality. They find the story sweet, captivating, and powerful. The characters, vivid scenes, and gripping storyline are described as compelling and unusual. Readers appreciate the author's ability to add history and suspense to the novel. The Christian thread in this clean romance is solid yet not preachy.
"...Such important messages of faith, grace and love are woven throughout the story. This novel is truly a work of art that stirs one's soul!..." Read more
"I was pleasantly surprised with this contemporary love story; which could be classified as YA or adult, since there are 2 separated stories running..." Read more
"What a wonderful story. I can't believe I let this one set in my kindle so long before reading it. It's tender and sweet with plenty of '...sigh'...." Read more
"Nice plot. Easy reading." Read more
Customers find the book heartwarming and engaging. They say it stirs their souls and keeps them thinking about the struggles the characters face. The book captivates readers from the beginning with its wonderful storyline and great message about love, compassion, and faith.
"...This novel is truly a work of art that stirs one's soul! I just wish there were more than 2 books in the series!" Read more
"...It is beautifully written with compassion and insight. I truly appreciate when a book earns its stars and admire authors who have a gift with words...." Read more
"...Having said this, what a touching, sweet, deep love story. By the end I even wanted Evie to have a happily ever after...." Read more
"...It was true to life and it was interesting how different people reacted to the situation...." Read more
Customers enjoyed the faith aspects in the story. They found it a wonderful Christian novel written from a Christian perspective. The book is described as a story of learning to trust and feeling worthy of love, first through Jesus. Readers appreciate love stories with a Christian hero. The romance was solid yet not preachy, and the characters were fun and believable. Overall, the book was well-written and had an exceptional understanding of people.
"...Such important messages of faith, grace and love are woven throughout the story. This novel is truly a work of art that stirs one's soul!..." Read more
"...Is she going to run again? This is a wonderful story of learning how to trust & feeling worthy of love, first through Jesus & then through people we..." Read more
"...Found myself wishing I had said that. Her characters are fun and very believable...." Read more
"...The Christian thread in this clean romance is solid yet not preachy...." Read more
Customers enjoy the realistic content with likable characters and vivid scenes. They appreciate the subtle humor and imagery.
"...editing, to the technicalities of writing, to lifelike characters, vivid scenes and captivating storyline, this one is a winner...." Read more
"...It was true to life and it was interesting how different people reacted to the situation...." Read more
"...Otherwise, it was clean, well written, likable characters, realistic (no one got kidnapped or developed amnesia-another personal annoyance of mine!)..." Read more
"Really enjoyed the realistic situations and interactions between characters. We all struggle with insecurity and trust...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's artwork. They find it a work of art that stirs their souls. The title is cute and they hope to see all the characters again.
"...This novel is truly a work of art that stirs one's soul! I just wish there were more than 2 books in the series!" Read more
"...It's a cute way to have created the title and I hope to see all of these characters in the second which I haven't purchased yet as I find the price..." Read more
"Fun look at Banister Falls..." Read more
Reviews with images
Raine and her boyfriend Cody end up pregnant during their senior year of high school and Raine fears the worst. Will Cody leave
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2023I read a lot(!), and this book is one of my favorites that I've reread many times over since it was published. It's hard for me to express how powerful these love stories are!
The journey of Ginevieve and her daughter, Raine, is one that is so raw and full of judgement and pain. Yet two amazing men see inside to the beauty and strength and will not give up on these women. The secondary characters are so vivid as well that you can't help but fall in love with this town and these families.
There are layers of my own judgement that has been peeled away as I see into these brave women's hearts. Such important messages of faith, grace and love are woven throughout the story. This novel is truly a work of art that stirs one's soul! I just wish there were more than 2 books in the series!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2015Kathryn Springer is an excellent writer; she has a special talent of taking her characters on difficult personal journeys while weaving in humor and wisdom. Gin, Raine, Cody and Dan are such rich characters full of life and flaws just like the rest of us. Gin Lightly did not know how to settle into life and push through the hard times --- until she met Dan, the Moretti's and most of all God's redeeming grace. Raine knows she wants more out of life than living out of a suitcase, but what is it she wants? She doesn't know until she finds the peace that passes understanding. Everyone thinks Cody has all the answers, until Raine turns up pregnant. Expectations, dreams and fears come crashing down and are replaced with a journey of growth and joy. Life is messy, God heals! What a great book :)
- Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2015I was pleasantly surprised with this contemporary love story; which could be classified as YA or adult, since there are 2 separated stories running parallel with each other throughout this book. I was impressed with the goodness and Godliness of the men in this story. Dan was a fireman with a heart of gold and Cody was a stand up teen who took the high road when he made a mistake. You had no choice but to root for them to win the women of their hearts. Gin and Raine were walking wounded who desperately needed a Father's love. They found that in Christ as well as in the two men who loved them. Great story about forgiveness and redemption, even in the midst of bad choices and mistakes. Clean read and even though there is a teen pregnancy, nothing is described. I definitely will be checking out more of Kathryn Springer's books in the future!
- Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2015Genevieve (Gin) couldn't convince her boyfriend to marry her 18 years ago when she got pregnant, her mom's many boyfriends abused her, several boys hit on her so she ran. She had serious trust issues. So, she and Raine kept running from town to town. Gin didn't want to stay long enough in one place to form friendships & then be disappointed. Somehow Raine convinced her mom to stay her senior year in this last town so she could graduate with kids she'd known for 9 months! Then, Gin meets local firefighter Dan who's the town's hero. Dan's best friend, Max, died in the line of duty as a firefighter. Max left his young wife Evie & 6 year old son Cody. Dan had always loved Evie & Cody, so it was natural to look after their needs, being there for them, teaching Cody things a dad would. Everyone assumed he & Evie would marry, but it's been 12 years since Max died & they haven't even kissed! And, then Cody meets Raine in his classes. Is Raine's life looking too much like Gin's? And, what about the sparks flying between Dan & Gin? Is she going to run again? This is a wonderful story of learning how to trust & feeling worthy of love, first through Jesus & then through people we meet. Hope there's a second book following!
- Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2023Loved this book...one of my favorite authors. She has an amazing way with words and can certainly turn a phrase. Found myself wishing I had said that. Her characters are fun and very believable. My only disappointment is that there are only two books in this series....she could have written so many more.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2015What a wonderful story. I can't believe I let this one set in my kindle so long before reading it. It's tender and sweet with plenty of '...sigh'. The Christian thread in this clean romance is solid yet not preachy. The characters are true examples of flaws, mistakes, consequences, hopes and triumphs that mirror life and love. It is beautifully written with compassion and insight. I truly appreciate when a book earns its stars and admire authors who have a gift with words. From the excellent editing, to the technicalities of writing, to lifelike characters, vivid scenes and captivating storyline, this one is a winner. If you are on the fence about reading it, take the chance. You are in for a very pleasant surprise. The book is a complete stand alone so don't worry about an unfinished ending. I highly recommend this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2015Nice plot. Easy reading.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2016This is a very unusual love story ..... there are several hurting hearts, all of various ages, and all at various stages in their lives. Dealing with past abuse, being widowed young and raising a child, a single person at loose ends, an unplanned pregnancy ... so many sad lives, so much grief .... Coming to know God, learning of His powerful heart of love, finding forgiveness ..... this is one of the best fiction books I have read in some time.
Any lady over the age of eighteen would truly enjoy this story. If you love an intense, gripping story with a very satisfying ending, this book is for you.
The sequel, The Hearts We Mend, we available.
Top reviews from other countries
- JaneReadsReviewed in Canada on January 30, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome story
This book captured my attention right from the beginning. I loved these characters and did not want to put it down. Gin’s witty and sarcastic responses were entertaining and her way of keeping others at bay. Raine and Cody have made a mistake but turn to God for the answer on how to move forward. Their mothers (Gin & Evie) each respond differently to the situation and family friend, Dan, is caught in the middle. I really liked Dan as he put his own needs and wants aside to be there for others. I liked how Dan challenged both ladies and did not pick a side; he showed everyone involved the love of God and provided support. The teenagers, Cody & Raine, set a good example for the adults around them. They are willing to admit the mistake they made and turn to God for guidance. I enjoyed the flashbacks which gave the reader insights into how Cody & Raine’s relationship formed and the relationship that Dan had with Max (Cody’s dad). I did not like Evie at the beginning but she changed over the course of the story and grew on me. I look forward to reading her story, I think Evie and Gin could become really good friends in the future. Two of my favourite scenes were the one at the airport and the one in the tree house. The ending did feel a bit unfinished, I was thinking an epilogue giving readers insight into how the characters were doing down the road, but then I realized there is a book 2 with these same characters. I really enjoyed this story, it’s about flawed people, mistakes made, the power of faith and hope in a future.