Ours for a Season

Written by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Narrated by Stephanie Cozart

An Old Order Mennonite couple's vows and beliefs are challenged in this stirring contemporary novel for fans of Cindy Woodsmall or Shelley Shepherd Gray. Anthony and Marty Hirschler are part of an Old Order Mennonite community in Pine Hill, Indiana. The couple has grown apart since a doctor confirmed they would never have children. Marty longs to escape the tight-knit area where large families are valued, and the opportunity to do so arises when her childhood friend, Brooke Spalding, resurfaces with the wild idea of rebuilding a ghost town into a resort community. Brooke hires Anthony to help with the construction, drawing the Hirschlers away from Indiana and into her plan, and then finds herself diagnosed with cancer. Moral complications with Brooke's vision for a casino as part of the resort and the discovery of a runaway teenager hiding on the property open up a world neither the Hirschlers nor Brooke had considered before. Will they be able to overcome their challenges and differences to help the ones among them hurting the most?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781980005087

Kim Vogel Sawyer

Bestselling, award-winning author Kim Vogel Sawyer wears many hats besides “writer.” As a wife, mother, grandmother, and active participant in her church, her life is happily full. But Kim’s passion lies in writing stories of hope that encourage her readers to place their lives in God’s capable hands. An active speaking ministry assists her with her desire. Kim and her husband make their home on the beautiful plains of Kansas, the setting for many of Kim’s novels.

Reviews for Ours for a Season

[Cathy Strzyinski · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really loved it! It kept me engaged in the characters through the whole thing and it wasn’t “cookie cutter” (kept the storyline unpredictable enough). The only think I’d change is I’d love for there to be a second book with the continuing story! I wanted more at the end :-)

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars.Ours for a Season by Kim Vogel Sawyer is an emotional journey of self discovery, resilience and faith.

Marty Hirschler and her husband Anthony have been married for sixteen years but the past few years have been quite difficult. The discovery she would never have children has sent Marty into a crisis of faith. She has also withdrawn from Anthony and the rest of their community. Her best friend Brooke Spalding's proposal for Anthony to head up a huge restoration project is the answer to Marty's prayers.   Upon their arrival, Marty discovers Brooke has just been diagnosed with cancer and she refuses to allow her best friend to go through her upcoming ordeal on her own. Will Marty finally decide to trust God to help her as she encounters many unexpected challenges in the upcoming months?

Marty has closed her heart to both God and Anthony as she struggles to accept she will never have the family she dreamed of. She is bitter, full of sorrow and resentful as she pushes everyone, including Anthony, away from her.  With Anthony gone on yet another construction project, Marty makes a fervent plea to escape her regular life.  With her prayer answered, she is reunited with Brooke and she finds purpose in aiding her friend in her battle. Over the next several months, Marty gradually begins feeling hopeful for her future.

Anthony is just as disappointed about not having children as Marty, but he remains certain this is part of God's plan. His faith never wavers as he and his beloved wife traverse their new course, but he fears Marty will never find her way back to him. Anthony is encouraged by the changes in Marty and he treads lightly when it appears their marriage might finally recover from the devastating blow dealt to them.

Brooke has come a long way from her dysfunctional and poverty stricken childhood. She is a successful businesswoman who is on the cusp of realizing her goal. Learning she has cancer is a turning point as she realizes her professional success is not the legacy she wants to leave behind. Brooke is fiercely independent and she at first resists Marty's efforts to help her.  Initially feeling unworthy of God's love and grace, Brooke discovers the peace and joy missing from her life as she discovers the healing power of  her spiritual journey.

Ours for a Season by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a powerful novel of faith, hope and friendship. All of the characters are well-drawn with relatable flaws and realistic growth as they begin to heal.  Kim Vogel Sawyer tackles some very difficult subject matter such as infertility, cancer and human trafficking which results in a thought-provoking storyline that has quite a bit of depth.  I absolutely loved and highly recommend this uplifting novel of resilience and faith to readers of Christian fiction

[lindz2012 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 We meet Marty and her husband Anthony. We learn that they can not have biological children of there own. They seem to be having a hard time getting along. Marty seem to not be able to move on from the news and feeling likes something is missing. God seem to have bigger and better plan for her and Anthony.We go though several different kinds of issues and Sawyer bring them to the for front. Brooke got to deal with painful disease and it is brought up which is Cancer. Will she beat it? What is Gods plan for Brooke. What is Gods Plan for Eagle Creek? God decides to bring Marty and Anthony to Kansas?We meet a young teenager named Elliot and a young girl. Will there be healing for these three friends? Will a drifting marriage bring back to life? Will Brooke find her heavenly father? What could Gods big plans be to bring Marty and Anthony and Brooke together?

[lamb521 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: Ours for a SeasonAuthor: Kim Vogel SawyerPages: 338 (ARC)Year: 2018Publisher: WaterbrookMy rating is 4 out of 5 stars.Marty and Brooke have been friends since grade school, but for the last several years they have communicated by letters as Brooke moved to Kansas City and Marty lives in Indiana. Marty is Mennonite while Brooke is agnostic. Marty is grieving the loss of a child and a future without the hope of having another child of her own. Her husband, Anthony, owns a construction business and travels to various cities often. He is trying to escape the mournful face of his wife as it has been over two years since the news of infertility was delivered to them after he suffered through a case of mumps. He has grieved the loss of their unborn child but trusts God to help him through the loss. He and Marty have grown apart emotionally, physically and spiritually. They no longer pray together, and only share mundane conversations when necessary. Then, a letter arrives from Brooke addressed to both that they must open together. What’s in the letter will change the direction of their lives.Brooke Spalding has been a feisty woman all her life. She is ambitious and has done well financially. Her latest project has received investor money to bring an old ghost town back to life as a resort. Brooke knows just the man she wants in charge of renovations…Anthony Hirschler. Brooke hopes he will agree to head up the construction team and bring Marty along so the two of them can be together away from their community to heal their marriage. They agree to come, which turns out to be fortunate for Brooke when she receives some alarming news from her doctor.While the story was interesting, the pace was a bit slow for me. That is the only negative I have for this heartfelt story of loss, redemption, reconciliation and acceptance. The three main characters were likeable and expressed realistic emotions. The deep friendship between Brooke and Marty was so touching! I loved the idea of taking a ghost town and bringing it back to life, restoring the old crumbling buildings to their original sheen. This author’s stories always have something unique and interesting about them. I look forward to her next novel as I know her books are always worth reading.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You might want to have the tissues handy as you read this book, what a journey the author has given us.There are several subjects that are touched on and they are brought to the forefront by the author, and we are able to put faces on all of these.We walk in Marty’s shoes as she goes through life without the foremost desire of her heart, a baby, and yet you will see that God has bigger plans for her, and yes, it is hard to accept and move on.Brook, I felt God put these people in her life, and we soon find out why, and she and Elliot are here for a reason, and oh how blessed we are to get to know them.Come and enjoy Marty and Anthony’s story and find how touched you are going to be, and when the last page is turned, I still wanted more!I received this book through the Publisher Waterbrook Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.