A nice historical with a little mystery, a couple of very different romances, and some realistic family dynamics that are well developed and fascinating.

I have to admit that I didn't particularly like, Beth, the heroine. She came across as self absorbed, she deliberately misinterprets people's actions and words, she is naïve to the point of gullible, and waffles in her actions at times. I also found her to be tender-hearted, gentle, sensitive to other people's pain, forgiving, loyal, and strong in her moral character.
I loved Jeffery! He is a good man, he is determined to be independent, kind and gentle, quite understanding, and he also has a sense of humor. He isn't perfect, though, sometimes jumping to conclusions and a bit jealous at times when it comes to a certain girl.
The characters that live in the boarding house are diverse, flawed, quirky, fun, interesting, and enjoyable. There are also some near-villains that are delightfully despicable and the reader is glad when they get their comeuppances.

While I found a couple of the situations in Wishing On Buttercups to be a little implausible, the imagery is very rich and the reader feels transported directly into the story. My little movie-screen-in-my-brain found much to work with in this book and even after I had to put the book down to do other things I found myself replaying scenes and wondering what would happen next. The book does get a little slow in spots but it's worth the time spent, I actually finished it in less than a day.

I will note is that I have not read book one in this series, Blowing On Dandelions, but I really didn't feel out of the loop at all. It can be read as a standalone but I am definitely going to go back and read book one when I get the chance.

Overall Wishing On Buttercups book is a very enjoyable story and any reader that likes historical fiction will likely enjoy this book.

(I received a copy of this book from the Publisher through The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own)

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Wishing on Buttercups is a wonderful and touching story set in Oregon in the 1880's. It is about a group of people living in a boarding house. Though the story is most specifically focused on Jeffrey and Beth, the other housemates provide a cohesive and interesting framework. Beth has had a rather sad beginning to her life and it has affected her significantly. Jeffrey has left his wealthy, influential family behind and is working hard to make his own way in life. I really enjoyed reading Wishing on Buttercups. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys a complex story that focuses on human nature and times in the late 1800's.

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When I review a book I often find it hard to put my feelings into words. Sometimes, though, a book touches a part of you that you keep hidden and the words simply pour out on the page. Wishing on a Buttercups was just that book for me. The first book in this series, Blowing on Dandelions, brought back some long forgotten memories from my childhood and spoke to me in its own special way. Wishing on Buttercups touched an inner struggle that I have dealt with since I was a child. I could relate to Beth's scars and her inner turmoil over how the world perceived her because of them. Being born with physical limitations myself, I never saw the world through rose-colored glasses. Instead, I saw flashes of cruelty that is just as often heaped upon us by adults as it is by other children. Miralee tackled this issue with perfection. I love what Aunt Wilma said to Beth when she was worrying about her scars. She said, "But dear heart, your peace can't come solely from your drawings, nor can you find your entire worth there. That must come from God."

She opens the readers eyes to the fact that how God perceives you and how you perceive yourself are the most important things. When you finally realize how much God loves you and see your own self-worth, the way others see you will no longer matter. I would like to share something from the author's note at the end of the story. Miralee wrote: "I don't ever want to write a simple romance without something that drives it. In this case, it was a young woman who's been damaged--not only physically, but emotionally, due to the scars from her childhood. As I thought about that, I realized many of us carry hurts and scars from words spoken or actions taken that we had little or no control over." Miralee not only sees the story, she sees the truth behind the story. Something about this series touches an emotional cord in me and it was compounded a hundred fold in this book. But that's not all I loved about it. The characters displayed a strong sense of family and loyalty and had high moral values. The plot had depth but was also lightened up with a little humor. I laughed out loud when Micah lost his grip on the paint can! The romance between Beth and Jeffrey was a sweet romance that built by degrees as the story progressed. There were so many things that threatened their already tedious relationship and it was very heartwarming to watch it unfold. Miralee has written another story that will leave you wanting more and with new characters introduced into the story it left things wide open for book three. I can't wait to read it! The story was so well written and I don't hesitate to recommend it. If you love historical romance, or simply a story that digs deep to tug at your emotions, you'll love Wishing on Buttercups.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions stated are mine alone and are honest and forthright. If I recommend a book you can believe its a book I enjoyed. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

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Wishing on Buttercups, the second installment in Miralee Ferrells Love Blossoms in Oregon series, opens in August, 1880, shortly after the action of Blowing on Dandelions. Quiet Beth Roberts has finally begun to settle into life at the Jacobs boardinghouse with her loving but at times imperious Aunt Wilma, and her dreams of pursuing art as a career seem to be coming to fruition. However, beneath the tranquil surface of her carefully-maintained façade lie ripples of distrust and fear waiting to boil over. Years of stigma and deception have convinced her that if anyone knows her intimately, they will reject her, and she decided early on that hiding her identity would serve her purposes the best. She has only vague recollections of her past, and although she has always wanted to discover more, she fears that the truth will prove to be more painful than the burden of not knowing. Any sense of peace that Beth feels is quickly disrupted by inquiries about her past or by the feeling that someone may be trying to move beyond the walls she has built around her heart, and that is especially true where fellow boarder Jeffery Tucker is concerned. She doubts that she will ever be able to cultivate the future that she wishes for as she builds a life for herself in Baker City, Oregon.

This second novel provides a successful transition from its predecessor by exploring the lives of several secondary individuals who were introduced in Blowing on Dandelions and expanding the character base while also revisiting former characters. The apparent simplicity of the story belies an undercurrent of complex emotions and situations that demonstrate Ferrells uncanny ability to parallel contemporary issues facing women today with those of her characters. Her straightforward, modest writing style immediately draws readers in and speaks to the heart.

Although Wishing on Buttercups is mostly a character-driven book, the plot contains ample twists to keep readers engaged and invested. Likewise, the characters themselves are exceptionally relatable. They are three-dimensional, with flaws and strengths, and the overarching theme of learning to love oneself speaks to men and women alike. As Christian historical fiction, the novel emits a soothing message of reassurance and faith while encouraging self-acceptance and compassion. Even readers who do not necessarily espouse Christian beliefs or care for romance or historical fiction will find inspiration and delight within Ferrells mellifluous prose. Wishing on Buttercups can possibly be a stand-alone novel, but it is best read after Blowing on Dandelions and will be followed by Dreaming on Daisies, which will complete the trilogy. The AfterWords section appended to the novel itself offers an authors note explaining how the story came to be, as well as questions for individual or group discussion and a sneak peak at chapter one of Dreaming on Daisies.

I received an early PDF version of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

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