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"To escape a forced marriage, Cora Taylor travels from England to the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of her brother, who is working as a teacher in a mission school. She hopes to find a place where her nursing skills and independent ideas will be accepted and appreciated, but nothing prepares her for the wild mixture of isolation, community, brokenness, and hope within these mountains...or in the person of Jeb McAdams. Returning from the devastation of World War 1 emotionally damaged, Jeb McAdams struggles against the rampant mountain alcoholism to soothe his nightmares. It's easy to hide within the mountains, or it was, before Cora Taylor arrived. Now, she seems to show up at every turn, bringing her modern ideas, curiosity, and beautiful eyes with her. Bound by their shared war history, the pair develop an unlikely friendship, which unexpectedly hints to something more. But when Cora's desire to help the women of the mountains crosses an unspoken line, will Jeb be able to protect this feisty flatlander from the wrath of the mountain men or will he end up losing much more than his heart?"--… (more)
User reviews
We meet people that are very wary of new flat landers, and those that embrace Cora, and what a heart she has for these people.
We meet Jeb who literally comes to Cora's rescue.
Some of the happenings here are hard to understand, these people have long held beliefs, along with many superstitions, that Cora did not share, but opened her mind and heart to helping!
In the end I wondered if those I now cared about would even survive! Page turner for sure, and throw in some sweet romance!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.
Cora and Jeb’s story is a beautiful tale of redemption, and finding purpose in the midst of heartache, pain, and regrets. Learning about the Blue Ridge Mountain culture was enlightening through
If you enjoy historical romance, this book is the perfect summer read for you. I received the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.
I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Heart of the Mountains from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.
THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS
(MY HEART BELONGS IN THE BLUE RIDGE #2)
by Pepper Basham
Jeb and Cora are suffering, they don't think anyone else feels the same way that they do, since they've survived the heartache of war.
The book is set in 1919 in the Appalachian Mountains. Jeb
I like Cora and Jeb the best, out of all of the characters. They both have big hearts and are willing to go above what anyone else would be willing to do, to help a person in need. Cora is a nurse, who hopes to use her skills to assist anyone who's willing to accept help from a "flatlander." Jeb works at a local sawmill, and he also has side projects that he keeps himself busy with, to escape his war memories when they start closing in on him.
There are several other characters in the book, that are intriguing.
I did not read book #1 in this series, LAUREL'S DREAM. This book, #2 is a stand-alone. There were a couple of unsettled areas for me in this book, but they may very well be solved, in future books.
I liked the way the book is in the inspirational, Christian genres, but does not come across as preachy or condescending.
Highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of #theheartofthemountains by #pepperdbasham from #barbourpublishing I was under no obligation to post a review.
#favoritebooks #inspyfiction #christianhistoricalfiction #coverlove #barbou
I absolutely loved the characters! Cora Taylor, who is fleeing from an arranged marriage in England ends up in a mountain community in North Carolina. There she discovers a life she's never known, and she slowly adjusts, with the help of Preacher (her uncle Edward), Teacher Doctor (her brother Jonathan), and the war veteran who's trying to escape his tragic memories of World War I. Jeb McAdams helps Cora despite his initial reservations and proves to be one of the best fictional heroes ever.
The Heart of the Mountains is filled with romance, faith, and the power of forgiveness, and I was deeply moved by the conversion story involving Jeb's father, Sam. This is historical Christian fiction at its best and I can't praise it enough!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
With its 1919 Appalachian Blue Ridge Mountains setting, “The Heart of the Mountains” is primarily a romance, complete with the inherent challenges, dangers, and customs therein. Cora Taylor arrives in Maple Springs after fleeing her family’s upper-class home in England to avoid being forced into an unwanted marriage, following the earlier path of her brother, who teaches at a local mission school. In spite of her experience on the war front over the past year, she still finds herself overwhelmed by how primitive her new surroundings are, and determined to prove herself, she considers that “Surely, she couldn’t just entrust everything to God. She’d had to fight so hard to make her place in a world where people thought she was too young to manage the devastation of nursing in war and too ‘female’ to do anything but end up as the wife of a rich man.” Even today, the struggle lives on, whether it’s based on gender bias or any other form of preconception. It is so much easier to try to take matters into our own hands than it is to trust the One who is truly in control. However, as the longsuffering Caroline McAdams wisely tells Cora, “But prayin’ is where we admit we ain’t the lords of our own lives, nor of any lives, to be true. And, as I study on it, God uses prayin’ to change my heart into what He’s wantin’ it to be in sun or rain, ‘cause I’m trustin’ His love and His plan.” This profound statement speaks to the place where our will and God’s will come into alignment, which is when mountains are moved and miracles happen.
There are a myriad of life lessons contained within “The Heart of the Mountains,” all gently stemming from the truth of Scripture. As Cora observes and experiences more of the mountain life, she begins to realize the beauty and goodness amidst the hardship. Having less doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is worse off. Cora herself admits to local resident Jeb McAdams: “But I’ve felt more alive and more myself in the middle of the hardest days, than I ever felt in the easiest. There was purpose and this…this joy in making a difference, in offering even the smallest hope to those who were hurting or heartbroken. I don’t think I would have seen it before in my gilded world, but I do now. And I don’t wish to go back to what I was before.” Likewise, as is the case with life today, most of those in bad situations do not want to stay there and did not land there intentionally. Acting with kindness and love will always accomplish more, and as we live out the gospel, we will find more ways to share it with those who need it the most.
While a sequel to “Laurel’s Dream,” which offers more backstory on the secondary characters, “The Heart of the Mountains” can be read as a standalone. It is such an inspirational, uplifting story that will touch every reader regardless of background. On a personal note, I love that Basham included a dulcimer in one of the scenes; my mom, who passed away last year, played the mountain dulcimer, and it’s rare to find it in a novel. Speaking of loss, Cora’s statement to Jeb resonated with me as well: “We trust that God’s love for us and the people we’ve lost is even bigger than ours for them. And so, whatever He’s chosen for their lives is a much better plan than one we can imagine.” Our relationship with the Lord is based on trust and our eternal hope in Him, and as with her other novels, Pepper Basham perfectly exemplifies this with “The Heart of the Mountains.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
Cora was someone I admired because she stepped out of her safe life into a world where strangers were hard to befriend and danger was close as she traveled in the mountains where many liked their privacy. Running away so she would not be forced to marry someone she didn’t love , she travels to her brother’s place. She was not prepared for the journey ahead and found herself in an environment that would teach her to trust, forgiveness and never give up. Her skills as a nurse are valuable but not everyone welcomed her into their home.
Jeb has a tender heart but also has a past that haunts him at times. Being in the war made him witness death in a brutal way. He likes to keep to himself but a certain woman has piqued his interest. It’s not everyday a refined woman is heard screaming on the side of a cliff. I liked how he came to Cora’s rescue and treated her with respect. I couldn’t wait to see how these two would interact with each other.
It is a hard journey to witness as Cora tries to adjust to mountain life. The people that live there have their own ways about them. They don’t take kindly to outsiders and are very protective of their secrets. It is evident that Cora wants to be accepted but Jeb warns her that not everyone will trust her. I enjoyed watching Cora start to understand why God had directed her path to this place where comfort and peace was not always visible.
The illustration of how God loves us no matter what we have done was well written. I think we all have felt like we can’t be forgiven but God shows us grace and loves us unconditionally. Witnessing how women are treated wrongly, alcoholism that turns people into dangerous threats to others, to learning the ways of the mountain people, Cora realizes that God is teaching her to love others without judgment. With Jeb close by to protect her they find a connection that will see them through hard times. The author is so gifted in telling a story that digs deep into your heart that it helps you remember that we are never alone.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
The style, language, and premise is similar to Christy. An outsider enters the mountains, is rejected by many, yet forges ahead with a mentor. As Cora Taylor falls in love with the mountain’s unique culture and people, I was in rapture as I read one the best Christy-like books out there(and there have been several lately, but all pale in comparison to Basham’s offering.
You will physically ache for the mountain people as well as the outsiders who wish to help them.
So many heroes in this book. But besides the Cora and Jeb(a couple who will live in my mind forever), Caroline McAdams is a wonder. Her trust in God is rock-solid, even in horrible times, and she exhibits unconditional love. She looks beyond actions and sees the heart desires.
“God did love His children. Anyway and always. No matter how broken or lost.” The characters in the novel grapple with (among other themes) social justice, racial equality, and fighting against unimaginable odds. Would Cora be trampled underfoot by all the obstacles in her new world? “People dealt with grief in so many different ways. Some wore their wounds better than others. Some sank beneath the pain, others soared.”
I love finding nuggets of truth for today, my “Notable Quotables,” and Pepper Basham provided so many. What a glorious book!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, plus I bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Cora
Basham's story deeply resonates with empathy, kindness, faith and hope as the main characters struggle to find their way in circumstances neither had ever imagined. The Heart of the Mountains is a poignant story about overcoming adversity and deepening faith. Cora and Jeb's endearing love story will stay with you long after you have read the last page.
I received a review copy of this book from Celebrate Lit through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Ponder on God’s truths and good memories to counteract the bad ones. The Great War is over, but the memories do not disappear as quickly for those who survived. Jebediah McAdams returned without his
Cora Taylor, a volunteer nurse, returns from the front to an arranged marriage that she will never consider. Running away from England to the wilds of the Blue Ridge might seem a little over board, except for her brother at the other end. Wow - how different life would be did not even enter her imagination. I must admit, the incredible detail made me want to run away as well.
This fabulous early copy was received through Barbour Publishing, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. These thoughts and impressions are my own and are just the beginning of the mark that this book has made on my life!
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.
I was so excites to have the honor to read another Pepper Basham book, and this one did not disappoint. This book takes readers back close to where Basham grew up when Cora Taylor travels from England to these Mountains to find her brother, after her father planned her
I love, love, love this story. Pepper Basham has a way of writing that draws you into her stories and you just can’t leave. I love that she writes her home town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as her family as inspirations for her stories. I have a soft spot in my heart for the Blue Ridge Mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway because it is close to where I live, and we have made many, many trips down the Parkway, stopping along the way, getting to know the people. This makes this book so much fun. I really appreciate the cast of characters and the way they grow and develop along the way. I felt I was right there in the story with them, and I Love’s that! Basham deals with some tough issues in Jeb and Cora’s story, and she handles these issues like the professional she is. Readers are sure to see the love, forgiveness and redemption through Jesus in this story, but never fear, it is written in such a subtle way its fits well as part of the story. I Always love they way Basham weaves the faith and the Christian life into the lives of her characters.
If you love a good historical fiction that is post WWI, you will love this one I am more that happy to give The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham Five Stars!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.