Review:Growing Only Dandelions by Joan Hugues

Author Joan Hugues

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Biography

Joan P. Hugues is a first-time author making her publishing debut with Growing Only Dandelions.  Joannie (name of preference) lives in the United States on Long Island within the state of New York.  She is married to Jay, her High School sweetheart, for over 25 years and shares three children together, Jason, Jake Ryan and Juliet.  Joannie’s children motivate her to achieve her dream of becoming a best-selling author.  She longs to show them that dreams can come true.  Not by talent alone, but through perseverance. 

Joannie works as a Paralegal at a law firm and is the founder and President of JT’s Law Foundation Corp., a not-for-profit charitable organization that advocates against child food choking through education.  Additional information about JT’s Law is available at www.facebook.com/JTsLaw  For pleasure, Joannie immensely enjoys drawing.  The book cover and author photo used for Growing Only Dandelions are pencil artworks created by Joannie based on images of her daughter Juliet. Visit www.facebook.com/SignaturePeace to view a catalog of Joannie’s artwork.

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Book Summary 

Growing Only Dandelions is an inspirational story of a woman who has a near-death experience that propels her on a spiritual and emotional journey. This unconventional supernatural manuscript dares the reader to consider the possibility of a present and loving God through a narrative that triggers one’s imagination to question every action and inaction.Bethany, a wife and mother, is enjoying a beautiful day at the beach with her family. She falls asleep while her husband and son swim in the ocean. Awakened by the winds of an approaching storm, Bethany is alarmed by how dangerous the water has turned. She frantically searches for her family before rushing to the water and jumping into it. Bethany struggles against the treacherous waters and slams her head against a reef on the ocean’s floor. Falling unconscious, Bethany says “I never saw a more brilliant light.”Bethany opens her eyes in heaven and her spiritual and emotional journey begins. She is escorted through a long corridor by a man insisting that she must see “Him” right away. They swiftly walk alongside an endless stream of people shuffling forward slowly in a single filed line. Some of them are curious and reach out their arms to touch the woman being chaperoned to the front of the line. Upon contact, their “ugliness” (i.e., personal, shameful life event) is revealed to Bethany. A person calls out to her by name. Bethany recognizes that it is the voice of her estranged father. Her hatred towards him is palpable. He steps off the line and touches her wrist transporting her mind back in time to when her “ugliness” started as a young child from his abuse. Throughout the novel, Bethany is transported back in time to those milestone moments in her life that shaped her own “ugliness”. Growing Only Dandelions highlights the presence of God through strategically placed relationships, purposely left “signs” and guardian angels, all of which are gifted to us through his grace.

Growing Only Dandelions 

By Joan Hugues

Review by HeidiLynn's BookReviews 

First, I want to thank Joan Hugues for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Growing Only Dandelions by Joan Hugues was a little out of my comfort zone but I took a chance on it anyways. In many ways it was a very refreshing read.

This book is dedicated to Joan’s three children: Jason, Jake Ryan (love that name) and Juliet. She wants you to know that you always know that you are loved. Sometimes beauty is hidden in the ugliness. Never neglect the “gifts” that god has given you.

One thing that stood out that out to me and had me smiling is Bethany’s deep love for her son Edward. She thanked God for him every single day! Not to mention how much she loved her husband John. How those two were her world! It is so refreshing to read a book having a woman claim how much she loves both of them unconditionally. Joan did a beautiful job sharing her life story with them.

Joan writes incredibly well at the climatic scenes when an incident happens out at sea. She had me at the edge of the seat worried for her boys. Then worried about her. These scenes she wrote were some of the best in the whole book.

Then the book took a unique turn of events. Bethany went to Heaven where she met some unique people and learned their stories. Plus, she saw loved ones from the past. Some she did not care to see and some she was happy to see. Joan then takes you back in time and shares stories of them with you.

Unfortunately, the mobi I received read for this review was not formatted correctly. The paragraphs were off and it was difficult to see when one started and the other finished.