Powner has crafted a strong debut with this emotional, heartfelt story. The characters and what they go through are realistic and relatable. I enjoyed reading about the community program for teens.

Key themes of second chances, loneliness, forgiveness, and redemption will likely resonate with many readers. The faith element is woven throughout, but it's not overwhelming.

Such a delightful book with an incredible story line. The author kept me interested with many unexpected happenings in the plot. The reader can see the end of the story but not the path it will take. It was an encouraging reminder that every little thing makes a difference.

Simply said, Katie Powner’s debut novel knocked my socks off. I laughed, cried, and was personally touched by the faith element woven into the stories of these now beloved characters. Powner’s skill with character development is masterful, their personalities leaping from the page, especially Gerrit and Hannie. I can’t wait to see what this author produces next.

I had a hard time putting this book down!
Gerritt, a 63-year-old dairy farmer who has just sold the family farm, and Rae, a 15-year-old girl, form an unlikely friendship when Gerritt discovers Rae using his homeplace barn as her retreat. The changes that occurred in each of the main characters seemed realistic and positive.
I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.
I hope Katie Powner turns out more winners like this novel! Hard to believe it was her debut!

A story of a man who really gave up everything for his job. Not any job and all consuming job of a dairy farmer, they really never have a day off, and their problems never really end. Gerrit Laninga has spent his entire life working the family farm, and more so after his older brother died.
This kind of work, comes at a great expense, he missed so many things and really was never there when his children were growing up.
When the time came for him to throw in the towel, well we get to see how he goes about trying to pick pieces. I could just see his wife, and loved how she handled "I told you so". A good hint was that suitcase that sat there and sat there!
Watch who God puts in his path, and see how he has come to conclusions, and kinda gets knocked over the head for the wrong assumptions.
Can this family ever heal? Will the teenage girl find her path? How about the young man with the bad home life? Watch as Gerrit touches so many lives now that he has all this time on his hands!
A book that will touch your heart and hope for the future!

I received this book through NetGalley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

Katie Powner’s debut novel is a heartfelt story about forgiveness, friendship, and family restoration. Gerrit and Rae seem like an unlikely pair at first, but their friendship turns out to be a catalyst for much-needed change in both of their lives. They are both relatable characters - a teenager facing big life decisions and an old farmer trying to find his purpose again. There are definitely some lighthearted moments too, especially the ones provided by the cat, dog, and rooster who find their way into these pages! Overall, I thought this was a sweet, touching story, and I look forward to reading more from Katie Powner.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Reminiscent of The Five Wishes of Mr Murray McBride or Tuesdays with Morrie, this book involves the unlikely friendship of a young teen and an older gentleman. Each are facing crossroads in their lives, and each finds a friend and support in the other. Rae has had her entire life planned out for her, but isn't sure it's the plan she wants. Gerrit is ending his career, selling his farm and moving into the next phase, but with some marital difficulties. The two run into each other by accident and end up learning a lot about life! A must-read.

I loved this book y'all. This book tells the story of Gerrit who is forced to sell the only thing he has given everything to 'his farm' and his journey to reconciliation with his family, his faith getting a shakeup and the lives he touched and of course his friendship with fifteen year old Rae Walters .Eish I loved how their paths crossed in moments they both needed a friend. I loved it all, the plot,characters and the dog *wink*. Katie Powner give us more books . Huge thank you to the amazing folks at Bethany House for my eArc in exchange of an honest review

Her debut novel, Katie Powner has me anxiously awaiting any more novels she might be writing. This is the kind of story I am looking for, a story with feelings and emotions, but not romance, a true-to-life story, a story that has you turning the pages because you want to know if the characters made it through, if they were able to restore relationships.

Gerrit is a crotchety man recently retired from farm life and struggling to find his way back to his wife, his family, even to his own life, to find peace with himself.

Rae is struggling to live up to her parents' expectations and feels like it all depends on her to hold everything together.

Then there's Morgan and Taylor and Kylee and David and Gerrit's wife, Hannie, and his children, Evi and Noah and, of course, the neighbor across the street.

I just loved this book. I want to read Christian fiction, but get disillusioned because it all seems to be boy meets girl, the end. But this book had depth: broken relationships, redemption, prayer, so, so much. I can't say enough good about it. I just wanted to sit and devour the book almost from page one and quite frankly, I did sit for way longer than I should have this morning until the book was done. So thank you Katie for an excellent debut.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed were my own.

A wonderful and heartfelt story about second chances. The characters are realistic and relatable. Gerrit's pain will touch reader's hearts as he struggles with decisions, both past and present. The added annoyance of his next door neighbor adds to Gerrit's character. I loved that Gerrit was allowed to work through his issues. Through the eyes of Rae, readers will see the pressure that some teens feel when goals are set for them by others. I loved the community program for the teens. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommended!

THE SOWING SEASON is KATIE POWNER's début novel and I cannot recommend it highly enough for the very real characters and the excellent Christian message. In fact I am looking forward to more novels from this author, who has such insight into human nature. It is a story about loneliness, forgiveness, redemption and second chances. There is also a strong hint of humour.. Gerrit Laninga is forced to sell the family farm and realizes too late that he has sacrificed his wife and children to keep the farm going. Meeting Rae Walters in his barn and going with her to help out with the Community Hope Program at the Greenville Community church, helps him relate to young people and makes him regret the way he ignored his own children's needs.
Rae makes a habit of escaping the pressure at home, where she is expected to excel at everything, by hiding away in the old barn.
I like the way that the Community Hope Program helps the bitter and angry Gerrit and fifteen year old Rae see what really is important in life. Gerrit reminds Rae of her beloved grandfather, Papa Tom. and Rae reminds Gerrit of his estranged daughter Evi. Papa Tom used to quote Galatians chapter six verse nine, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up," as does Mark who runs the program, and it is interesting to see seeds of hope, reconciliation and friendship sprouting in their relationships.
I loved The Sowing Season, finding it a most enjoyable and inspirational read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.