"Lyrical and moving, this novel tells one family’s emotional tale of healing and redemption. Witmer’s latest is storytelling at it’s best; it draws the reader in and never lets go. This deeply captivating take will resonate with readers who enjoy intelligently written fiction.

Summary: In the college town of Larkin, Kansas, Avery Montgomery is surprised when she sees her daughter, Fiona, working at a supermarket. Eighteen months ago, Fiona left town to tour with her boyfriend’s rock band. Avery has heard little from her daughter and had no idea she was back in town. Avery’s husband, Mike, is still furious with Fiona.

As Avery tries to reconnect with her daughter, she discovers some of Fiona’s deepest secrets. Can this fractured family heal when distance between them becomes even greater?"
—Sheri Melnick, Romantic Times BOOKreviews

"Avery and Mike have worked hard their whole married lives to form the perfect couple. Their daughter Fiona was the welcome addition to create an ideal family. She is close with both her parents, sharing her day to day life with her mom and hours with her father in the amateur observatory they built together. It is the life they always dream, the one they both wanted after their own difficult childhoods. But all their dreams are shattered when Fiona runs away with her boyfriend and their rock band. It seems irretrievably broken when after a year and a half, not even knowing she has returned, her parents run into her working at an area grocery store.

Avery's business takes off with an unexpected order for 50,000 of one of her stuffed animals. She must cope with the business details, her aristocratic mother, and her stubborn husband. While Avery tries to build a tenuous relationship with her daughter, Mike is too hurt to even consider reuniting with his daughter. This fissure causes a break in Mike and Avery's marriage as neither can accept the other's point of view. Mike moves to the family farm to support his alcoholic brother and brood within the observatory that reminds him so much of the good times.

Karyn Witmer has written a story of the depth of family love, both that between husband and wife and between parents and children. It also examines the relationship between husband and wife as a separate relationship from family. It is a difficult concept for many couples, an important part of themselves that needs acceptance and nurturing. She includes two love scenes of Avery and Mike that highlight the love, both emotional and physical, that continues to exist between couples of all ages. By interweaving the stories of previous generations with the events of the present, Witmer portrays the effects of the past on the relationships of the future. It is a book of acceptance, forgiveness and the meaning of family.

It is not a surprise to learn that this book is being issued in paperback in September 2006. It should coincide with Christmas reading lists and will be a wonderful addition to holiday reading. The Simple Gift will start new holiday traditions in many families for years to come.

Karyn Witmer also writes historical novels under the name Elizabeth Grayson."
—Barb Radmore, Front Street Reviews

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

"There are some books you just read and some books that you savor. A SIMPLE GIFT is one book to cherish. It begins with the simple gift of a blooming Christmas cactus, passed down through four generations of the women in one family. While the story is reflective of each generation's trials and tribulations in the lives they've lived and choices they've made, it is Avery, her husband, Mike, and daughter, Fiona, who are showcased here; a story where sometimes the simple gift of unconditional love turns out not to be all that simple.

A SIMPLE GIFT is not just a simple gift to readers, either, especially those who relish emotional, often times heartrending stories. It's an extraordinary gift from a phenomenal author that you won't soon forget. With A SIMPLE GIFT, Karyn Witmer has penned a deeply moving, emotionally charged story that reflects each character's viewpoint and showcases every facet of a once close knit family now in turmoil.

The synopsis above says as much as you need to know as to the theme of A SIMPLE GIFT. What it doesn't tell you is how poignant and eloquent is the prose in which it is written. I could go on all day listing adjectives to describe Karyn Witmer's writing, but sometimes perfection can be indescribable. And that's what this book truly is. Indescribably perfect. Inspirational. Unforgettable. So much of a satisfying read, that I read it complete in one sitting, a box of kleenex by my side, and thought about the story and characters for several days afterward.

Karyn Witmer isn't a new author, just in case you don't recognize her name. She also has written some lovely historicals under the pen name Elizabeth Grayson, many of which feature the same character depth and emotional range as this contemporary story has. I'm so happy to see that this author's venture into the contemporary world seems not to have affected her writing one bit.

Either way, whether you enjoy her as Elizabeth Grayson or Karyn Witmer, A SIMPLE GIFT is not to be missed. It's beautifully told, not easily forgotten, and let's face it, there's just not enough books with this type of magic being written today. Don't miss it!"
—Nancy Davis, Romance Readers at Heart

"A SIMPLE GIFT is a beautifully told, deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis. With characters as real as your own next-door neighbors, the novel reminds us how easy it is to hurt the ones we love...and how vital it is that we forget and forgive. A SIMPLE GIFT is a story of love and loss, the price of keeping secrets, the tragedy of losing faith in each other, and the triumph of finding our way home. Fans of stirring, emotional women's fiction will love this story."
—Kristin Hannah, author of THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE

"SUCH A SIMPLE GIFT is a poignant story that lingers in the heart long after the last page is turned. Like the Christmas cactus she writes about, Elizabeth Grayson's novel blooms with warmth and emotion."
—Mary Alice Monroe, author of SEAGRASS

This is truly a wonderful story about family tradition and love. This is the first time I read a novel by Karyn Witmer, but it won't be the last.
—Sheila, a reader.

I've just finished reading A SIMPLE GIFT and my tears are finally dry. This is a book [people] can identify with and take heart from -- not to mention being deeply entertained in the process. I LOVED IT! I have a Christmas cactus that came from a start from my Mom's plant and my daughters have starts from mine.
—Irene Bennett Brown — author of HAVEN