Come to the Garden by Jennifer Wilder Morgan is a fictitious account of a God-loving woman who finds it difficult to share her extraordinary encounters with Jesus and the heavenly realm with others. It is Jennifer’s birthday, but she is oblivious of that. What she does know is that a strong scent of roses is coming from her kitchen. In her garden on her birthday, Jennifer meets her guardian angel – Margaret. God has given Margaret a special assignment to help Jennifer better understand God’s messages and show her that there is nothing to fear when it comes to sharing God’s greatness. Her journey with Margaret will reveal the many unique ways that God connects with His children and how we, even at our darkest moments, are never alone.

Jennifer’s garden is an ideal setting for two friends having a light discussion about whatever is on their minds. The rest of the world and some quick breaks from the garden setting are given to us whenever Jennifer tells one of her stories to Margaret. As an angel, Margaret certainly fits the profile. She is a guide in every sense of the word. Even with all of the knowledge she must have of everything that goes on in heaven, she often quotes verses from the Bible and relays them to Jennifer to get some of her points across. Margaret, as fictitious an angel as she is, is a guide to everyone who reads this book.

Encounters with God that may occur in the form of dreams, visions, soft whispers, or awareness of a presence are explored in the fictional work, Come to the Garden: A Novel, by Jennifer Wilder Morgan. Ms. Morgan begins the novel with the main character, Jennifer, recognizing a strong scent of white roses and following the scent outside to her own backyard and garden. The scent belongs to her guardian angel, Margaret, who appears to Jennifer throughout the next several days. During these visits, she imparts sacred teachings and explains Jennifer’s lifelong memories of these divine encounters. These explanations are based within the framework of Christian biblical understanding. Although Jennifer is already a person of strong faith, Margaret assists her in dealing with fears and doubts she has had regarding these encounters.

Jennifer Wilder Morgan’s book, Come to the Garden: A Novel, will certainly appeal to Christian readers who desire a deeper understanding of mystical experiences. The story is engaging and pleasant, yet rich in meaning. The author has included numerous scriptural quotations to connect personal experiences of the Divine with biblical beliefs. Ms. Morgan’s writing style is clear, concise, and organized. If a reader would like to return to a certain section or teaching, it would be quite easy to find it. The last chapter of the book, Scripture and Other References, is very well done, thorough, and complete. This is a book that a faith-filled reader will want to keep and refer to again and again over the years as there are many lessons to be learned within its pages.