The Growing Year

January 1868. Newly married and settling into life with the handsome, steadfast Dr. David Caldwell, 23-year-old Abigail Gerre believes that she is on the cusp of a year full of joy and happiness. As winter grips the small rural community of Pembroke, Virgina, a newcomer arrives bearing a story Abigail never imagined she’d hear - the account of her father’s final hours as a battlefield surgeon, and an act of heroism he never lived to share.

“The Growing Year” deepens our acquaintance with old friends and introduces us to new ones, stirring poignant memories and long-simmering resentments. Among the new arrivals are the most unexpected of all: David’s brother, Charles, a young man of scapegrace and charm, and his bride, the elegant heiress Louisa Wescott, Abigail’s one-time rival for David’s affection, and the person Abigail hoped never to see again. Relationships will be strained and betrayals revealed, in a year that will test Abigail’s strength and resourcefulness as never before.

“The Growing Year” is a heartwarming story in “The Healing Year” universe, exploring the ties that bind us, the grace of second chances, and the beautiful ways that both a community and the human heart can grow.