An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart

Good Day!  I hope you have had a good week.  Dead-End Detective by Amanda Flower comes out August 25.  It is the first A Piper and Porter Mystery.  Behind the Frame by Tracy Gardner releases August 11 and it is the 2nd novel in A Shepherd Sisters Mystery series.  Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien publishes August 25 and it is the 6th A Noodle Shop Mystery.  An Amish Singing by Amy Clipston contains four Amish novellas and it will release on September 1.  So many books and so little time to read!  

Mary Breckinridge 

An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart has Piper Danson making her debut in Louisville, Kentucky in May of 1933.  Her parents have picked out Braxton Crandall as the perfect suitor for Piper since his family’s railroad fortune survived the crash intact.  Piper’s father, Erwin wants Piper to have a secure future and believes love will grove after marriage between the couple.  The day after the ball, Truda Danson (Piper’s aunt) hosts a tea with Mary Breckinridge as the guest of honor.  Mary created Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, Kentucky.  The nurse midwives help the woman and children in the Appalachian Mountains.  Mary recommends that Piper volunteer as a courier for the summer if she can get her aunt to sponsor her.  Despite objections from her father, Piper prepares for her summer adventure.  Her thoughts, though, do keep straying to Jamie Russell who has been her longtime friend and the man she loves.  Jamie’s family lost their money in the crash which is why Erwin Danson finds him unsuitable.  Piper departs for Kentucky where new experiences and hard work awaits.

Hyden Hospital

An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart is a pleasing historical, Christian novel.  I thought it was well-written with interesting characters.  Piper Danson is twenty years old and not ready to settle down.  She would like some adventure.  Piper hears Mary Breckinridge speak at a tea arranged by her Aunt Truda and immediately volunteers.  Piper loves the mountains with its natural beauty and even enjoys the hard work.  She learns a variety of new skills while making friends with her fellow couriers, the nurse midwives, patients, and the families that inhabit the area.  I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the Appalachian Mountains the quirky people who lived in them.  They residents do not take kindly to strangers especially governments types, but they love Mary Breckinridge and her workers. Piper is a woman finding her path in life.  She is also given a chance to take God into her heart and discover love.   Truda Danson was a delightful character.  She was a woman ahead of her time.  In today’s world, Truda would be running a large corporation.  There was only one man who captured her interest and Truda never heard from him again their quick encounter at her debut ball.  Jamie Russell has been Piper’s lifelong friend who never told her how he truly felt about her.  When the Russell family lost their fortune, they decamped to Danville.  Jamie finds his way to the mountains where he gathers information for articles he is writing for a paper.  Can romance bloom in the mountains?  Unfortunately, the course of true love is not a smooth one.  There are a variety of secondary characters who include the other couriers, nurse midwives, a hardworking doctor, and Jamie’s opposition.   I enjoyed reading An Appalachian Summer.  A story about strong women, faith, hope, and love.  An Appalachian Summer is a charming story that took me back in time among the people who live in the Appalachian Mountains.  

Mary Breckinridge and the nurse midwives

An Appalachian Summer is available from Amazon* along with other major booksellers.  If you enjoy An Appalachian Summer, I recommend These Healing Hills by Ann H. Gabhart.  It is available through Kindle Unlimited.  You can find other novels by Ann H. Gabhart here. If you would like to learn more information about the Frontier Nursing Service, click here. Thank you for visiting today.  Murder in a Scottish Shire by Traci Hall is on deck for tomorrow.  It is the first novel in A Scottish Shire Mystery series. I hope you have an inspiring day.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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