Book: With Winter’s First Frost
Author: Kelly Irvin
Publisher: Zondervan
At age seventy-three, Laura Kauffman knows she is closer to the end of life than the beginning. If God willed it, she would join her beloved late husband soon. Even so, Laura wonders what purpose God might have for her in this winter of her life—and why this season seems so lonely.
Widower Zechariah Stutzman is facing his own barren season, despite the great-grandchildren swirling around him. With his Parkinson’s worsening, he had no choice but to move in with his grandson’s family, though now he feels adrift and useless.
When Laura offers to help with Zechariah’s five great-grandchildren after their mother has a difficult childbirth, Zechariah is unsure how he will adjust to the warm but tart demeanor of this woman he has known since grade school. But soon Laura and Zechariah learn they are asking God the same questions about loss and hope. And they begin to wonder if He is providing answers after all.
With Winter’s First Frost reminds us that God’s purposes always bear fruit—and sometimes love is sweeter with age.
Book Review:
With Winter’s First Frost is the story of widows and widowers. Laura and Zechariah have both lost their spouses and are seeking to find their place in the late years of their lives. They will face more heartache, but perhaps they might face it together.
This was such a sweet, poignant read. I adored Laura and Zechariah’s story. Both are endearing characters that you will fall in love with from the very beginning. And the banter between them! Be still my heart. The banter is pure gold. I could easily picture my own grandparents and how they used to act as I read the conversations between Laura and Zechariah.
The nuances of each character made them all special to me. It wasn’t just Laura and Zechariah that I worried about. I also needed to find out what would happen to Hannah, Abel, and Tamara…along with everyone else. As I expected since this is an Amish novel, the thread of faith was nice and strong. Laura and Zechariah repeatedly stated the mantra that God’s will be done. That is as it should be. God’s will above our will.
With Winter’s First Frost is a great reminder that growing old does not mean you have lost all purpose for your life. It only means that you have a new purpose and a wealth of experience that those around you should be happy to hear. A second chance at love can appear at any stage in life.
I recommend this book for all readers…no matter their age. The main characters might be elderly, but that only makes their advice that much more valid and necessary and their second chance at love more powerful. Never discount the advice of your peers. They won’t be around forever, and someday you’ll wish you could ask them just one more question.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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