Ибо так возлюбил Бог мир, что отдал Сына Своего Единородного, дабы всякий верующий в Него, не погиб, но имел хизнь вечную.
While I receive many books in exchange for review, I am never required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Review: My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge: Laurel's Dream by Pepper Basham

Official Amazon blurb: "Journey into the Blue Ridge Mountains of 1918 where Laurel McAdams endures the challenges of a hard life while dreaming things can eventually improve. But trouble arrives in the form of an outsider. Having failed his British father again, Jonathan Taylor joins is uncle’s missionary endeavors as a teacher in a two-room schoolhouse. Laurel feels compelled to protect the tenderhearted teacher from the harsh realities of Appalachian life, even while his stories of life outside the mountains pull at Laurel’s imagination. Faced with angry parents over teaching methods, Laurel’s father’s drunken rages, and bad news from England, will Jonathan leave and never return, or will he stay and let love bloom?"

This book... I did not have time to read this book when I got it. But could I leave well enough alone? No. NO I could not. And do you wanna know why? Because a large piece of MY heart resides in the Blue Ridge, and every fall that part aches to go visit Mabry Mill and drive along the parkway. And so, I put the book on my shelf and promised I'd get to it later. Well, later finally came, and from the moment I picked it up, I knew there was no way I would put it down! The story stole me away, and placed me in the mountains. The few times I stopped for a meal or to do something that couldn't wait, I would have to take a minute and reorient. Where am I? What year is it? What time of day? Surely, this isn't only a book? And as soon as I picked it back up, I'd be falling through time and space, right back to 1918 in the mountains. The setting was incredible. The characters, more so. Each and every character made the story more real, and I can only hope there will be sequels. The real, simple, honest faith and the well-written characters drive this book to the top of my 2019 reads. In fact, I sincerely hope someone gives this book a Christy award, since I can't think of a book more LIKE Christy than this! Have I convinced you yet to pick up this book and read it? Let's hope so!

My first ever book by Pepper Basham has me ready to devour everything she's ever written.

I received this book from the publisher, but I was not obligated to leave a review.

5 comments:

  1. Erica!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!! I had to try and find you after I saw your review on Amazon so I could thank you for your kind words!!!! They brought tears to my eyes. Those mountains and those people live in our hearts forever, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad that you saw it! I'm always sooooo excited when an author reads my reviews!!!

      Delete
    2. Believe me, we don't take reviews for granted!!! THANK YOU!!!

      Delete
  2. What a wonderful review! Welcome to the Pepper Basham fan club. I have read everything she has ever published and can't get enough, but Laurel's dream might be my favorite. I really hope she gets to do a sequel!

    ReplyDelete