If you’ve familiar with my blog, you’d know I’m a big Pepper Basham fan (and almost fell off my chair when she friended me on social media!). She’s written some fabulous books… and they just keep coming!
Last month, I received an advanced copy of Ms Basham’s latest novel, Hope Like Wildflowers, thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing. However, since this is the third book in the series, I had to read the first two. So I went on the hunt and soon realised I’d owned Laurel’s Dream and The Heart of the Mountains since January 2023!
It’s a special moment when your TBR pile delivers. 😉
Laurel’s Dream kicks off the historical McAdams family saga. Set in Maple Springs in 1918, the breathtaking yet dangerous Blue Ridge Mountains play a starring role in this story. Laurel McAdams hopes to one day attend college and return home to teach local children, but life for mountain folk is hard, and achieving one’s dreams is harder. When the new schoolteacher arrives in town, Laurel and Jonathan forge a friendship through the many challenges they face.
While there were amusing moments throughout, this book contained a gritty realness. Poverty, mule-headed mountain men, and the sad decline of health and safety over the winter months set this romance apart from many Christian romances I’ve read. Yet despite the struggles and dangers of mountain life, faith and hope thrived.
The Heart of the Mountains follows Laurel’s brother, Jeb, and Jonathan’s sister, Cora. This romance overflowed with adventure and suspense, and despite some unsavoury characters and challenges, hope prevailed. Having spent time with the McAdams family, I was excited to return to the Blue Ridge and snag another “book boyfriend”… because Jeb McAdams is the real deal. A war veteran who’s the epitome of a gentleman, the hardships of his mountain upbringing and his trust in God shaped his attitude to life and willingness to help others. Traits which came in perfectly when Cora fell into his world. Literally.
As with Laurel’s book, this story doesn’t shy away from the uglier side of life, and I applaud Ms Basham for “keeping it real” without traumatising readers too much. 😉 The wins and moments of healing and restoration were that much sweeter.
Hope Like Wildflowers is the tumultuous story of Kizzie McAdams—the missing sister mentioned in her siblings’ books—which left an indelible mark on me. Kizzie’s journey starts in 1917 and shares what happened to her after she left the McAdams home. The title says it all: it’s a hope-filled redemptive love story. While romance plays its part, the focus is on our Father’s unconditional love for us. A lesson Kizzie slowly learned from the first bleak paragraph through all the frightening and heartwarming experiences she stumbled through.
This story isn’t set in the Blue Ridge, so I missed the McAdams’ but enjoyed meeting new characters, encountering unfamiliar places and watching Kizzie overcome new trials. Ms Basham dragged my emotions through the ringer, but I delighted in each moment. And the Epilogue? Absolute perfection and exactly what I needed.
Have you read a historical series with an ideal balance of reality and hope? Let me know in the comments below.
Until next time,
