Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham: Book Review & Giveaway!

About the Book

Book:  Hope Between the Pages

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Historical

Release date: April, 2021

Uncover the Story Behind a One-Hundred-Year-Old Love Letter

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Clara Blackwell helps her mother manage a struggling one-hundred-year old family bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina, but the discovery of a forgotten letter opens a mystery of a long-lost romance and undiscovered inheritance which could save its future. Forced to step outside of her predictable world, Clara embarks on an adventure with only the name Oliver as a hint of the man’s identity in her great-great-grandmother’s letter. From the nearby grand estate of the Vanderbilts, to a hamlet in Derbyshire, England, Clara seeks to uncover truth about family and love that may lead to her own unexpected romance.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

More from Pepper

Books are a uniquely portable magic – Stephen King

Appalachia is known for having a high illiteracy rate. A place of beautiful scenery and rugged landscapes, the people of the mountains developed stories through oral storytelling much more than “book learning”.  As a young girl growing up in this world, I loved hearing my granny share tales from up to five generations ago, filling in the narrative gaps between a birth date and a death date on a tombstone – giving flesh and breath to the stone-etched names.

It’s no surprise then, with a heart cultivated from rich oral stories, I fell in love with reading. Books became that “portable magic” that took me places my little Appalachian community couldn’t provide. I fell in love with the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew. Wept through the end of Bridge to Terabithia and Old Yeller. Traveled to the plains with Sarah Plain and Tall and fell in love with horses with The Black Stallion. But when I was in seventh grade, I read my very first “British” novel, The Secret Garden. In that one introduction, my world expanded into mysterious English manor houses and British classics. Before long, I’d consumed Jane Eyre, Austen’s classics, some Dickens, Dracula, Frankenstein…and the list goes on! And then…I found Tolkien and Lewis – and the ‘real’ world swelled into OTHER worlds.

I’m grateful for true stories of book-loving pioneers traveling into the world of Appalachia to provide books and literacy training to “my people”, because I know some of those books made their way to my tiny elementary school library…and not only brought me the chance to discover stories, but to write them too!

Isn’t it amazing how books can do that?

In Hope Between the Pages, I wanted to bring the same awe and discovery I felt as a child (and continue to feel as an adult reader) to the story of two people whose words had seemed small. Stories stretched their worlds, but the stories also gave them wonderful imaginations and positive perspectives. It’s still amazing to me that ink-and-paper words can make such a lasting impact on hearts and minds. They can lead us to dream, teach us new things, encourage our hearts, help us to think outside the box, swell our imaginations, broaden our horizons, and encourage our hope.

Books are not a replacement for real adventures and relationships, but they certainly provide a beautiful “door” into other lives and worlds that we may never have a chance to experience in real life. Sadie, my historical heroine, and Clara, my contemporary heroine, both have kept close to home but traveled greatly through books…and BOTH are given the opportunity to reach beyond the bindings to discover real-life adventures. I’d like to think that their love for stories helped them have the courage to step away from the page and into their own tales even more prepared than they would have been without stories.

What are some of your favorite books you read as a child? Did any of them influence you to become a more avid reader?

My Thoughts

Hope Between the Pages by Pepper D. Basham has Clara Blackwell inheriting the families one hundred-year-old bookshop.  Unfortunately, to finalize the paperwork, Clara needs to find a copy of the deed.  It takes Clara on a journey into the past to learn more about Sadie Blackwell who began the bookshop.  Clara’s journey takes her from the Biltmore Estate to England in the hopes of finding the elusive deed.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this split timeline novel.  It is well-written with developed characters.  It is easy to follow the two storylines with strong female characters.  The two storylines are woven seamlessly together into one engaging tale.  You can tell the author loves books.  There are wonderful descriptions of books, libraries, and bookshops along with great book related quotes.  Some wonderful books are referenced.  I like that the author had Sadie able to help match people with books.  I loved the notes between The Library Fairy and The Book Goblin.  They were humorous, sweet, and romantic.  Faith and Bible references are knit into the story in a way that enhanced it. My favorite quote from Hope Between the Pages is, “Any story that begins with a library is bound to be one excellent tale.”   This is my first time reading this author and it is definitely not my last.   Hope Between the Pages is a great escape read. True bibliophiles will enjoy this enchanting story.  I am eager to read the next book in the Doors to the Past series when it comes out in June. I hope it is as enticing as this bewitching novel.  Hope Between the Pages is a romantic tale that will beguile booklovers.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book.  Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click here to enter. Good Luck!  Hope Between the Pages is available from Amazon*.  You can get a free preview of Hope Between the Pages here.   The first book in Doors to the Past series is The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman.  The next Doors to the Past novel is Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse which releases June 1.  Do not forget to leave a comment for extra entries in the giveaway. The images I used today are of the Biltmore Estate, the Biltmore library, and Bookbinder's in Biltmore Village.  I hope you have an uplifting day.  I will be back tomorrow with Lemon Drop Dead by Amanda Flower.  It is the 7th An Amish Candy Shop Mystery.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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