Book Review: Dogwood Winter

Dogwood Winter

Book:  Dogwood Winter

Author: Candace West

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: August 24, 2021

A Lukewarm Correspondence. A Tattered Reputation. Two Hearts at Odds.

He is walking away while she is fighting to walk.

After a springtime swim, Ella Steen is stricken with a dire illness, leaving her without the use of her legs. Meanwhile, Dr. George Curtis, the man she secretly loves, faces ruin. For over a year, the crusty New York City bachelor and vivacious spinster have exchanged dozens of letters and formed a wary friendship.

Neither are willing to open their hearts completely. Until they face each other. The past looms between them, however. Does George still love another or is his heart completely free?

A trip to Valley Creek holds the answers. Instead, when George and Ella arrive, they encounter obstacles that force other truths to the surface. Is George brave enough to confront what he fled in New York? Can Ella confess why she hates dogwood winters? Will their hearts survive?

If only their pasts would keep out of the present.

Click here to get your copy!

My thoughts

What a beautiful series ending. I read this one first, but it is perfectly beautiful and heartwarming and emotional on it’s own without the added benefit of the restoration of friendships and relationships from the past 2 books. I highly recommend this series overall.

What these two endure within the first few chapters is more than most people could handle. Such grief and such struggle. Deep and encompassing, I knew it would take a lot of healing to bring these 2 back. And what a fantastic and heartwarming journey it was to read through as they found healing both emotionally, spiritually and relationally.

Candace’s writing is absolutely fabulous and full of southern charm. Timeless, yet right on par with the time period in which she portrayed. She’s definitely a new favorite historical author to add to my list.

Find out more about Candace, including a family recipe. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below!

About the author

Author pic

Candace West was born in the Mississippi delta to a young minister and his wife. She grew up in small-town Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. At twelve years old, she wrote her first story, “Following Prairie River.” In 2018, she published her debut novel Lane Steen, book one of the Valley Creek Redemption Series. By weaving entertaining, hope-filled stories, Candace shares the Gospel and encourages her readers. She currently lives in Arkansas with her husband and their son along with two dogs and three bossy cats.

More from Candace

Biscuits and gravy has been a staple for generations in my family. It’s perfect for any occasion or breakfast, dinner, and supper. Yes, in our neck of the woods, dinner is lunch, and supper is—well, supper.

And then, we have biscuits and gravy with a twist. We’ll shove the traditional aside for a bowl of chocolate gravy. That’s right, chocolate.

Now, don’t get grossed out. Some people believe chocolate gravy is this weird, mysterious concoction made with meat grease. It’s the gravy part that boggles their mind, but it’s actually straightforward and easy—not true gravy at all. Trust me, if you like chocolate, you’ll want to try this. When you butter a biscuit and drizzle the chocolate over it, you’ll get a little taste of heaven on earth.

And you’ll get a little taste of the Appalachians and Ozarks.

My grandparents, both raised deep in the Arkansas Ozarks, were raised on “chocolate an’ biscuits” and passed the recipe down to us. Throughout the mountains and in pockets throughout the country, you’ll find this lesser-known treat on kitchen tables and family gatherings.

Every recipe is a little different. Every family has their own special way of making it. My family likes their chocolate gravy a little thinner while my husband’s family wants theirs to be the consistency of pudding.

In Dogwood Winter, my characters would’ve eaten chocolate an’ biscuits. Their corner of the Ozarks is famous for it. I can see Ella and George, along with the Steen family, gathering around a table, saying the blessing, and passing the fare to each other. The only skeptical one in the bunch would be George, a New Yorker who wasn’t raised on it. One bite would make him a believer.

Have you ever eaten biscuits and chocolate gravy? If not, would you try it?

This is our family recipe.

Chocolate Gravy

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tbs Hershey Cocoa powder

2 ½ tbs flour

Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan

Add 1 ½ to 2 cups of milk (depends on the thickness you want)

Bring to a boil and cook until thickened (3 or 4 minutes) Note: Bring to a slow boil and continually stir. Remove from heat then add 2 tbs butter and 1 tsp of Vanilla extract. Pour over buttered biscuits and enjoy!

Blog Stops

deb’s Book Review, August 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

Connect in Fiction, August 27

Inklings and notions, August 28

For Him and My Family, August 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 30

Reviewingbooksplusmore, August 30

Connie’s History Classroom, August 31

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 1

Texas Book-aholic, September 2

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 3

Daysong Reflections, September 4

Britt Reads Fiction, September 4

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 6

Life, Love, Writing, September 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 8

Giveaway

My book review and giveaway for Dogwood Winter by Candace West, on tour with celebrate lit. Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

To celebrate her tour, Candace is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1161b/dogwood-winter-celebration-tour-giveaway

Comments

11 responses to “Book Review: Dogwood Winter”

  1. megan allen Avatar
    megan allen

    I love this cover! I hope I love the book as much!

    1. Sara Beth Williams Avatar

      I absolutely love this cover too!

    1. Sara Beth Williams Avatar

      It was such a good read 🙂

  2. Debbie P Avatar
    Debbie P

    This sounds like a really good read. That recipe sounds good too!

    1. Sara Beth Williams Avatar

      Yes! Thanks for stopping by!

  3. Emma Avatar

    This sounds really good!

  4. slehan Avatar
    slehan

    Good book for fall reading.
    Thanks for the contest.

  5. Vivian Furbay Avatar
    Vivian Furbay

    Couldn’t find out where to leave a comment for Dogwood Summer. I like the cover and want to read it.

  6. Vivian Furbay Avatar
    Vivian Furbay

    Dumbkopf here put Dogwood Summer in my comment and It’s Dogwood Winter. Sorry about that!

  7. […] This was such a beautiful historical romance and my first read from Candace West. Also this is definitely one of my favorite covers of 2022. You can read my book review here. […]

Sara Beth Williams, Author