Francine Rivers

Periodical Reviews

Leota Reinhardt’s garden had always been a sanctuary. She’d named it Victory to keep her spirits up during her husbands tour of duty in World War II. Now an elderly woman, Leota has lost hope and her garden is overgrown with weeds. In the nick of time, Leota’s granddaughter, Annie, comes to visit, hoping to close the gap between her grandmother and her mother, and Corban Solsek, a young, university student studying the elderly, takes interest in Leota for his research project. Hope rebounds as these compelling characters struggle to make peace with the past and bring Leota’s garden back to life. Francine Rivers is a master gardener, deftly pruning brush and deadwood, using poignant humor and bittersweet revelation to open hearts to reconciliation.
—Romantic Times

God works in mysterious ways, and Leota Reinhardt's garden is a catalyst. After 18 years, her granddaughter Annie puts love for Jesus ahead of her mother's stifling demands and re-enters Leota's life. Corban Solsek, a college student needing research for a paper, volunteers to help Leota once a week. Annie's exuberance draws Leota and Corban into a project to restore the backyard garden and make it a "Victory" garden again. In the process of healing the garden, a family separated by misunderstandings and time begins to grow together once more. A couple of plot points dead end, but on the whole, this is an emotionally compelling story.
– Library Journal

Award-winning author Francine Rivers warmly shows how generational secrets can embitter and estrange families. Leota, neglected and alone, is 84. Her daughter shuns her until Annie, her granddaughter, breaks from her embittered mother's tradition of indifference and enters Leota's life to learn secrets never before revealed. Narrator Flo Schmidt captures the spirit of Leota's self-centered daughter and then flows smoothly into the warmth of Annie's character and the idealism of Corban, the college student who brings the story into focus. The pacing is appropriate, the characterization well done, and the ending, although bittersweet, filled with reconciliation and hope.
– AudioFile

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Reader Comments

This is one of the best books I have ever read and reread and reread!
- Lynn

I couldn't get over that Grandma Leota died by a mercy killer. It certainly opened my eyes to how vulnerable we all are even in places where we think we are safe.
- Carolyn

I loved this book. My family has some of the same conflicts. Will there be a sequel? There are still spiritual issues with Bernard - Corban and Sam both love Anne-Lyn - and will Anne-Lyn's community involvement blossom into something bigger?
- DH

I was carried away with this book. I cried right along with Leota and suffered with her. This book touched me so and I have recommended it to several people. It is outstanding!
- Becky Shank

I just finished reading Leota's Garden today. It touched me so deeply. It was like I really knew Leota. She reminds me so much of my Great-Grandmother who passed away in 2004. She even has the same humor, and love of African Violets! While reading I went through a rollercoaster of emotions, but I do think that in reading this wonderful book, I have finally started to deal with my grief.
- Alisha R.

All I have to say is this is a wonderful book. One of our Christian radio stations is reading the book - about 10 minutes a day. I missed out on some of it and decided to get the book at the library. I can not put it down. My friends also love your books. I am planning on buying it as soon as I can afford it. Thanx so much for the lovely reading. God Bless
- Raey Murray

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