Bitter and angry, Margaret Tuttle finds God's grace through the generous acts of love from a woman who has also suffered a great deal.

Margaret Tuttle's story is one of love unsought, for she had been perfectly content with the well-ordered and conveniently predictable life she had arranged for herself.But something dark lurks beneath the surface of her placid and uncluttered being, something dusty with neglect, yet painful to the touch. Birdie Freeman is everything Margaret is not: homely, humble, and generous. It is Birdie who manages, through nothing but acts of love, to dredge up Margaret's memories of things better left buried. Then Margaret discovers that Birdie harbors secrets of her own. "This book reminds me of why I love to read."--Michelle Collings, Editor, Doubleday/Crossings Book Club

Plain and dutiful, Sophia Hess has lived most of her life without ever knowing genuine love. Her professor husband had married her for the convenience of having a typist for his scholarly papers. The discovery of a dark secret opens her eyes to the truth about her marriage and her husband. Eventually nephew Patrick and his wife, Rachel, take Sophia into their home, and she observes from a careful distance their earnest faith and the simple gifts of kindness they generously bestow upon her and others-this in spite of an unthinkable tragedy they've suffered. Dare she unlock the door behind which she stalwartly conceals her broken heart? An insightful and moving portrayal of the transforming power of love

"If it is true, as they say, that a man must walk through darkness before he can become a writer, then I am well qualified." Following this book's original publication in 1998, Michelle Rapkin, Editorial Director of Doubleday/Crossings Book Club, wrote, "In a lifetime of reading, a handful of books stand out-this is one of them." In this story you'll meet Margaret Tuttle, who doesn't know how to give or receive love, and Birdie Freeman, who teaches her how to do both. Secrets are revealed, walls broken down, and lives changed. This is a book you will want to read again and again. From a review in Moody Magazine, Nov./Dec. 1998: "Achieves a literary excellence seldom seen in any novel and will leave no reader-believer or agnostic-untouched and unchallenged."

From the bestselling author of The Memory of Butterflies comes the first in a bittersweet series about love and loss. Kara Hart was scarred by loss--first the loss of her mother and now her husband. She feels broken, with no will to move forward, until her father does the unexpected: he moves to the Virginia countryside to restore an old Victorian mansion. Kara decides to go with him, telling herself that it will only be temporary. The huge house is neglected and derelict, but Kara discovers its breathtaking field of wildflowers and is stunned by their beauty. The house, the grounds, and the quirky neighbors--including a handsome one--are almost as fascinating as her father's sudden willingness to discuss her mother and his own secret past. Kara is finding her new normal when tragedy strikes again, forcing her to make difficult choices. Will she go back to her old life and risk losing all she has gained? Or will she face her fears and give herself the opportunity to grow?

“Perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber.”—Publishers Weekly She always followed the path of least resistance…until it leads her to a small town where she can follow her dreams. When Emma Cantrell’s marriage imploded, she learned a fast and painful lesson about trusting her heart. Then, on a visit to Magnolia, North Carolina, to see her brother, an elegant, if dilapidated, mansion for sale presents the opportunity to start over. Risking everything on her dream of opening the Wildflower Inn, Emma buys the house…just as the storm of the century hits, severely damaging the structure. But a chance meeting with Holly, a bride-to-be in desperate need of a new venue, gives her hope…and the name of a contractor who’ll work fast and cheap, allowing Emma to repair the inn in time to host the wedding and save her investment. A furniture builder who hasn’t picked up a tool in the five years since his wife died, Cameron Mitchell has no intention of agreeing to help this beautiful—and, he’d guess, entitled—woman insisting that he fix her inn. Until he learns that Emma was sent by Holly, the little sister of his late wife. Grudgingly, Cameron agrees to do the work, with one condition: that he be left completely alone. But the more time they spend together, the more Emma touches a part of his heart he was sure died long ago, forcing him to try making peace with his past. Don't miss the newest book in THE CAROLINA GIRLS series, The Front Porch Club! The Carolina Girls series Book 1: Wildflower Season Book 2: Mistletoe Season Book 3: Wedding Season Book 4: The Wish List Book 5: The Front Porch Club

Essays discuss wildflower gardening, the ecology of native grasses, wildland seed collecting, principles of natural design, and plant/animal interactions for California gardens.