Monthly Archives: February 2024

Her Secret Hope By Shelley Shepard Gray

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I have so looked forward to reading this 3rd book in the “A Season in Pinecraft” Series.  Lilly has moved to Pinecraft to have a fresh start.  She has the support of her two friends that have made the transition there a few years ago and now have families.

Her past holds some painful secrets that she believes have held her back from being happy.  She is delighted to quickly be hired as a housekeeper at the Marigold Inn.  Life can’t be better. She is near her friends; she loves her job and feels accepted by the staff.  She has no desire to marry and hopes to buy her own home someday.

That is until Eddie Byler, an Amish farmer on vacation with his grandmother, November, checks into the inn. (Love her name!)  

Her new life seems too good to be true and the past is behind her, but that isn’t how life works, is it?   Challenges and problems develop testing her in ways she had never dreamed.

My heart ached for Lily. She came for a new start and may have left some things behind, but she brought with her lack of self-worth and insecurities.  She didn’t realize these were the root cause of her unhappiness from her past.  Always second guessing herself and failing to see her wonderful qualities kept her in a constant state of anxiety.  I could feel it!

I loved Eddie’s grandmother November!  She was fun and spunky.   No one was going to coddle her or tell what to do!  Her independent spirit and desire to enjoy every moment was a delight.  I liked her no nonsense wisdom she did not hesitate to share with those who she felt needed.

Both Eddie and Lilly lacked in communication skills, struggling to express themselves.  It was painful to watch them grow in this area, but rewarding to see the results.

The way the all characters not just the main ones, interacted gave so much depth to the story.  The unexpected turns and surprises kept me turning pages!  I truly enjoyed the book

I received this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program and Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions stated are my own.

Appalachian Song By Michelle Shocklee

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The story transpired in 1943 but is being told in 1973.  A
 slip of paper with his birthday and the name of a midwife was all he had to connect him to his past.  Just a short time ago, famed country and western performer, Walker Wylie, had everything a person could want.  That is until his father died and his mother had revealed he had been adopted 30 years ago.  He is angry, bitter, broken and driven to locate his birth parents. 
Why did the reject him?  He has questions. 

He has to have help. He reaches out to Reese Chandler, a midwife that works in the mountains.  She is adopted and was told as soon as she could understand.  Unlike Walker she has no desire to look into her past.

Very quickly they find Bertie Jenkins the midwife on the piece of paper.  The story that unfolds is captivating and beautiful.  Nothing like Walker had imagined.  I loved the Jenkins sisters Bertie and Rubie!  Bertie’s no nonsense take charger personality and the way she ordered her thoughts with wisdom and simplicity was delightful!  Rubie though slow in mind shocked me with her insight and sweet compassion. 

The 5 spinster sister’s story of living alone in the hills even after their father died was incredible.   Reading about their interaction and family dynamics let me get to know them personally.   I especially liked hearing how they managed without much money or no modern convinces. They had a strong family unit even with such varied personalities.   Their love and compassion for Walkers young mother who came to them in desperate need was inspiring!  

I enjoyed learning about, Songbird, Walkers mom and who she was compared to who he thought she was. Even more so the true reason she gave him up for adoption.  It just showed how we can assume so much on how we feel without knowing the facts. 

I got so emotionally involved with the sister’s and Songbird’s stories that I couldn’t put the book down! There were two highlights in the book for me. One was Bertie and Rubie being reunited with Walker, whom they loved dearly and thought they would never see again.  Second was the change in Walker’s attitude once he learned the truth.  Oh and of course the surprise ending but that I will never tell!  You have to read the book.  I thoroughly enjoyed all of it!

I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions stated are my own.