Season Books In Order

Publication Order of Melinda Foster Books

Season Series is a set of inspirational novels by bestselling American author Melanie Lageschulte. Melanie wrote the first novel of the series “Growing Season” in 2017 and has been averaging two novels a year since. She is also the author of the novella “A Tin Train Christmas” that was published in 2017. He grew up in northern Iowa on a farm, where she spent a lot of time with farm animals and hence knows all about country living. However, she moved to the city and spent much of her later life in Des Moines, where she was an editor and reporter for the “Des Moines Register.” She was laid off from her job in 2014 and was lost on what to do next, having spent much of her time telling factual stories to the residents of Iowa. The uncertainty of unemployment was tough, particularly since she had no income coming in and had to consider big life changes. She had lived in the city for twenty years but also knew about country living and hence began thinking of an idea for a novel that combined both worlds. The lead character of her debut novel thus gets to break away from the pressures of urban life by moving back to the country. When Melanie is not writing her novels, she loves to volunteer at animal shelters, bake and sew.

The “Season” series by Melanie Lageschulte is a coming to age narrative featuring one of the most compelling protagonists in a novel. Melinda Foster is a former journalist that just lost her job at “Twin Cities,” where she had worked in advertising for fifteen years. As would be expected, she is devastated until her aunt throws her a lifeline. She invites her to the little community of Prosper in Iowa as she wants her to help run her hardware store. It is a small town with barely two hundred people but it would do as Melinda was desperate. She sublets her flat in Minneapolis and uses some of her savings to rent a farm in Iowa complete with a huge garden, sheep, chickens and a dog named Hobo. The series is a whirlwind of sheep wrangling, canning, chicken chasing, gardening, and even a tornado. By the time the third novel comes around Melinda has let down roots and is even thinking of settling down by buying the farm and staying in Prosper for the long term. It is a feel-good tale without the usual trope of handsome and rugged countryman swooping in to save a woman that is out of her depth. While Her reinvention is not without incident, she handles it well to make for a very relatable heroine. The novels also include quirky neighbors and friends, all of which combined make for a compelling narrative.

“Growing Season” is the debut novel of the “Season” series that introduces Melinda Foster, a 39-year-old that just lost her job. She was the victim of downsizing and is befuddled since she had worked for the company for more than fifteen years. Meanwhile, her aunt learns of her plight and thinks that she could kill two birds with one stone. Her uncle is unwell and hence she is the main caretaker, which means they have no one to work in their hardware store. Her aunt asks her to go to Iowa, to the small town of Prosper to help run the store. Her parents would prefer that she live with them while she is back home but she thinks she is too old at thirty-nine to move back in with her parents. A little exploration around town and she chances on a for rent sign out in the country. She drives down a dirt road and sees an old house that she thinks she would like and calls the number. The rent is very low and she believes she found a bargain though since it is far out of town. She may just have signed the deed to make herself a country girl. some of the responsibilities expected of her include collecting chicken eggs, harvesting and weeding the garden, and taking care of the goats. She also needs to find a way to keep the barn and house in good repair.

“Harvest Season” the second novel of the series starts from where the debut ended. Prosper, Iowa had been hit by a tornado and left the farming community devastated. Summer is now coming to an end and Melinda is looking forward to cooler weather. But she still needs to take care of the garden and the animals that her landlord Horace had left in her charge in exchange for cheap rent. The harvest season is upon her too as she now has fresh vegetables that need to be picked and canned. When the community comes together to find a way to help rebuild Horace’s barn, which had been damaged by the tornado, Melinda has an opportunity to meet her neighbors. She is soon one with the farmers and their wives as she lives and talks just like them. This is farm life at its best and the author writes something in the mold of a James Herriot novel as Melinda’s life is full of funny incidents such as getting chased around by a ram and ending up trapped in her car. But the Fall is a time for introspection for her as she has a difficult choice to make. Should she try her hand once again at a corporate job or should she stay at the farm where she is getting really good at farming.

“The Peaceful Season” the third novel of the “Seasons” series opens to Melanie having decided to buy the farm. The bank has confirmed that she qualifies for the loan and she has canceled her lease in Minneapolis as she does not believe she will be going back there. The banker is surprised at the price as it is well below market rates. Melanie knows that Horace needed to sell as he was living in foster care and had no intention of coming back to Prosper as he was too old anyway. Melanie had also managed to control the kitties that had been giving her a lot of problems. She had got them into cages and would be getting them neutered and vaccinated. It tore her heart hearing them cry from the cages but it had to be done since she did not want them breeding out of control. She is also planning for Christmas and Thanksgiving in her new home and wants to make it a perfect celebration of the season. But things are not going as well as she had hoped and she may have to change her plans.