For her second contemporary romance novel, Katie
Ganshert explored some tough personal questions.
Wishing on Willows (Waterbrook Press) is the
story of Robin Price, a widow raising her young
son and running a cafe, a dream she and her husband
once shared. When Ian McKay, a charming
developer, comes to town with his sights set
on her property, Robin’s life flips upside down.
“God got her through the worst of the grief; and
although life isn’t easy, there’s a predictability to
her days that brings a sense of comfort,” shares
Katie. “She doesn’t want to let go of the familiar.
She doesn’t want to open up her heart again,
because she’s learned firsthand that love can hurt
and so much could go wrong. She doesn’t want to
upset the life she’s created for her son, Caleb.”
In Caleb, Katie had fun bringing her own son
to life on the page. “Apart from their physical
appearance, Caleb is pretty much the epitome
of my son, Brogan. Someday, if he ever wants to
know what he was like when he was 4, I will hand
him this book and tell him to read.”
As with all great romance novels, Wishing on
Willows has a swoon-worthy hero, but Ian McKay
is not just some perfectly handsome stereotype.
“Ian is just a guy who’s really trying to do the right
thing,” says Katie. “He wants to
make his dad proud. He wants
to make up for the mistakes
of his past and ultimately is
searching for redemption. He’s
also funny and charming, an
amazing cook, incredibly good-looking
and treats his mama
right—not too shabby a package
if you ask me!”
Yet the heart of Wishing on
Willows is its spiritual message,
shares Katie: “The challenge is
of stepping past our fear into
the unknown and refusing to
let the good in our lives keep us
from experiencing God’s best
for our lives.”