An Appalachian Summer by Ann H Gabhart Review

Hello Friends :)

Can you believe it's already almost August?

I feel personally like the month of July went by so fast, maybe partly due to the fact that I was able to get away to the lake with my family for a few days.

I've also been reading some pretty amazing books within the last couple of weeks, and that may be another reason why this month seems to be speeding on by.

For today's post, I'm looking forward to sharing my review of one of those books with you, and this one is especially exciting as it's my first time reading a book by this particular author.

An Appalachian Summer by Ann H Gabhart:

Source: Compliementary Copy Provided by the Publisher as Part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: June 30th, 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian Fiction

Synopsis:

When Piper gets the opportunity to volunteer as a horseback Frontier Nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains for the summer, she jumps at the chance to be something other than a dutiful daughter or a kept wife in a loveless marriage. The work is taxing, the scenery jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the people she meets along the way open up a whole new world to her. The longer she stays, the more an advantageous marriage slips from her grasp. But something much more precious--true love--is drawing ever closer.

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart invites you into the storied hills of Eastern Kentucky to discover what happens when one intrepid young woman steps away from the restrictive past into a beautiful, wide-open future.

(synopsis from the Indigo website)

My Review:

This was my first experience with an Ann H Gabhart novel, and I was completely blown away by this beautifully written novel set in the Appalachian mountains during the economic depression. In An Appalachian Summer, the reader meets Piper Danson, a society girl who dreams of far more than the future her parent's currently have mapped out for her. A chance encounter leads her to the decision to volunteer as a horseback nursing courier up in the mountains, and she knows this summer is going to be unlike any she's experienced before.

At it's core, this beautiful story speaks of taking a step of faith to follow God's plan, even when it seems scary or impossible to do so. We see this message portrayed in Piper's decision to be a courier, but we also see it played out through the other main characters. Jamie's been in love with Piper for as long as he can remember, but he's had it made clear to him that he'll never be good enough for her. His brother wants him to follow in his footsteps and secure a decent future for himself, but Jamie feels he'd be selling himself short if he were to settle for such a life. Piper's aunt Truda has never lived the life that was expected of her, and she's never forgotten the brief encounter she had with a med student in her debut days. It may seem crazy to some to take the risk she decides to take, but she feels confident that it's where she's being lead to be. Perhaps most inspiring of all is Mrs. Breckinridge's story- a courageous lady who turned her own grief into a way to help others from suffering her same fate.

I could barely bring myself to put this one down once I picked it up, and I can guarantee it will not be my last experience with a novel by this fantastic storyteller. I loved the emphasis on faith and romance, and choosing to follow His path, but I also loved how strong of a part friendship plays throughout the entire story, and I think any reader could honestly pick up some important lessons from how the mountain people choose to lives their lives. Any reader who picks this one up is going to be immersed in a heartwarming story that truly comes to life on the page, and it will leave you wanting to set off on a daring adventure of your own.

Final Rating: 5/5.

This one is most definitely going to end up being one of my favorite reads of 2020!

Thanks so much to Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy of this story to read and review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.