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Karen Jones Gowen
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Lighting Candles in the Snow Kindle Edition

by Karen Jones Gowen (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 221 ratings
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Newly divorced Karoline London needs to heal and find her normal again, as older sister Suzie keeps reminding her. But what does Suzie, married to the ideal husband, know about the shattering effect of living with someone tormented by addictions?

When Karoline meets a handsome new man, things just might be looking up. Until the day she learns about a tragic event in ex-husband Jeremy's childhood.

Faced with the horrifying experience that shaped the man she used to love, Karoline reconsiders what she thought was real. In the process, she comes to know the true meaning of love and forgiveness.

(Caution: Due to the serious themes in Lighting Candles in the Snow it, unlike Gowen's other work, contains some profanity as well as scenes that may be too graphic for some readers.)

"Karoline doesn’t know what she wants and dithers, until she knows exactly what she wants, and then she won’t take no for an answer. Once she figures things out…she becomes ferocious and driven and purposeful. It is lovely to watch her blossom and you end with hope, budding love and happiness." ~Lost Inside the Covers

"A modern woman's story, starring the Three Ds: Divorce, Dieting and Dating, in that order....As the story unwinds, Karoline makes her way home in more ways than one." ~Mirka Breen, author The Voice of Thunder

"The writing style was very good. The wonderful recipes included at the end of each chapter were a nice addition." ~ Silver's Reviews

"A story you won’t be able to put down. From heartache to hope, from trauma to triumph, Gowen has created a story that will bring you to tears and then lift your spirits with laugh-out-loud moments." ~Thoughts in Progress
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  1. Print length
    239 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    August 29, 2012
  5. File size
    550 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"When love and trust are cruelly tossed at Karoline's feet, she stomps the hurt to smithereens, bakes a batch of Aggression Cookies, and then goes after what she wants. At turns funny and heartbreaking, Gowen writes a tender story of love, hope, and second chances." --Kathryn Magendie, Author; Publishing Editor, Rose & Thorn

"Lighting Candles in the Snow is a journey of discovery. It is about finding peace, completion, and one's place in life. Not only will it capture your heart, you might shed a tear along the way." --L. Diane Wolfe, Speaker & Author, Spunk on a Stick

"With beautiful imagery and characters you cry for, Lighting Candles in the Snow will break your heart and light hope in your soul. This book is a gift to readers." --L.A. DeVaul, author of Roxanne in La La Land

About the Author

Born and raised in central Illinois, the daughter of a Methodist minister from Indiana and a school teacher from Nebraska, Karen Jones Gowen has down-to-earth Midwestern roots. Karen and her husband Bruce have lived in Utah, Illinois, California and Washington, currently residing near Salt Lake City. They are the parents of ten children. Not surprisingly, family relationships are a recurring theme in Gowen's writing. She is the author of four books.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00943RW8M
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ WiDo Publishing (August 29, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 29, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 550 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 239 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 221 ratings

About the author

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Karen Jones Gowen

Karen Jones Gowen

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Born and raised in central Illinois, Karen Jones Gowen attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She transferred to Brigham Young University, where she met her husband Bruce, and there graduated with a degree in English and American Literature.

Karen and Bruce have lived in Utah, Illinois, California and Washington, currently residing in Panajachel, Guatemala. They are the parents of ten children. Not surprisingly, family relationships are a recurring theme in Gowen's writing.

Customer reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars
3.6 out of 5
221 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Rebecca Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreak, Love and Food...A great read!
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2012
Verified Purchase
I was intrigued by this book right away because it seemed like my own story. As I read "Lighting Candles in the Snow", I was finally finished with a long, difficult divorce from an emotionally abusive marriage, and breaking up with a relationship that had rekindled from 20 years prior. I loved the recipes at the end of the chapters since I too use food sometimes for comfort. The directions for the Aggression Cookies made me laugh out loud, which I haven't actually tried because I know I would just eat them all myself and then feel guilty afterwards. Karoline's story is touching, painful and uplifting all at the same time. Karen Gowen hit the nail on the head with what going through that very difficult period is like. I was surprised by the ending and remain hopeful for both Karoline and Jeremy.
6 people found this helpful
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C.Stastny Books
4.0 out of 5 stars Unique story with colorful characters you grow to love
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2013
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This was a very unique story. The characters, Jeremy London and Karoline, are some of the more flawed characters I've ever read about, yet as you make your way through the book and learn about their challenges and trials, you come to love them. The author did a great job showing the pain of a divorce and the aftermath from a spouse who has major addictions. A novel about moving on in life, forgiveness, and healing.
2 people found this helpful
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tmbryant
3.0 out of 5 stars it felt unfinished
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2022
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Spoiler Alert.
Though I finished the book, I had trouble with almost every chapter of the main character complaining about her broken marriage, about how she couldn’t move on and so forth. It started to become repetitive. Then the ending of the book, seemed unfinished to me. I was expecting more, maybe more like a happy ever after ending since that is basically what the character complained about the whole story. Overall it was an okay book and I do not regret reading it.
One person found this helpful
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KerryT
2.0 out of 5 stars Be a good Morman and stand by your man!
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2014
Verified Purchase
I did not appreciate the way this intelligent college graduate is portrayed as a weak woman who cannot live without her completely flawed (alcoholic and sex addict) wimp of a husband. Could have been a much better story but lacked depth.
12 people found this helpful
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Julie N Ford
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story. Good Writing, Something to Think About
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2012
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Although there isn't anything overly unique about this story and at times I felt like the author repeated herself, I found myself quickly drawn in and emotionally invested in what would become of Karoline with a K. I know a book is worth 5 stars when I find myself actively searching for opportunities to read, when the story brings tears to my eyes and I have to set the book down for a minute or two so I can collect myself and keep reading. Great story.
2 people found this helpful
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Pat
4.0 out of 5 stars Lighting Candles in the Snow
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2023
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This book is about second chances in a once failed marriage. After the divorce, Jeremy seeks out counseling and finally faces his addictions. He then find his way back to the love of his life. Good book.
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glorius light
1.0 out of 5 stars Where is the ending?
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2014
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I got to the last page of the book, not knowing it was the last page, only to find a recipe. The story feels unfinished. The way they got back together just isn't realistic. It was very believable up until then even though the female lead character comes off as whiny and needy. Maybe I'm too far away from being that age. I do know that relationships with addicts do not resolve that cleanly or easily. I wish Ms Gowen had done more research to write that more realistically.
15 people found this helpful
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Dee W.
3.0 out of 5 stars Constant Whining!
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2013
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I really hate to not finish a book. I considered leaving this book go unfinished twice.
It's not that it wasn't well written, it was easy to read. It didn't have many spelling mistakes, It was the whining and stupidity!
The first 20 chapters were of this young couples bad marriage and what a jerk the husband, Jeremy was. And how Karoline put up with him because she was "so in love with him." WHY? Good looks are not a reason to love someone.
Finally after persevering, a story started to emerge. Then, when I thought maybe it's not so bad after all, it ended.
I got this book for free and I'm glad. If I had paid for it I would be upset.
I really don't understand all the good reviews.
Bottom Line, there are much better books out there, don't waste your time.
16 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Jenny
5.0 out of 5 stars transitions from character to character easy to follow
Reviewed in Canada on July 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
This was, in my view, a page turner.

I was quickly drawn into wanting to know more about the characters. The writing was smooth, transitions from character to character easy to follow, as was the portions devoted to backstory (on Jeremy via his mother).

I was surprised at how my emotions were triggered throughout this story, on many levels.

I'm giving this a 5 star because it really is a well told story - I do want to add, though, that I did skim a few sections were the story was rehashing earlier parts and for me it wasn't necessary - that said - at no time was I interested in stopping - I really wanted to know what happened to these characters.

Oh - and the recipes (which really work as part of the story) offered at the end of most chapters are great! Easy and really tasty. (A bonus, for sure.)

This download was free - it really is worth paying for.
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C. Jackson
1.0 out of 5 stars corny & patronising
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2013
Verified Purchase
Cliched characters, unrealistic and two dimensional, little plot development, very boring and difficult to finish. Unless you think everyone is black and white and redemption by religion is cure-all avoid.
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Darlene Mackenzie
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on March 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
Great read!
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