I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof Series: Blackbird Mountain #1
Published by Thomas Nelson on July 3, 2018
Genres: Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Small Town & Rural, Victorian
Pages: 352
Source: NetGalley
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A Tale of Family, Brotherhood, and the Healing Power of Love
After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of nineteenth-century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred-acre farm. Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family.
But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection. While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength.
As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family? Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world?
A haunting tale of struggle and redemption, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a portrait of grace in a world where the broken may find new life through the healing mercy of love.
Before I even get into my thoughts on this book I need to share some information that may be triggering for other readers. The Sons of Blackbird Mountain make alcohol, booze, or I’ve seen the archaic return of the word liquor in general vocabulary. That being said there is also the topics of alcoholism, domestic abuse, racial tension, and even sexual assault in this book. The topics are handled delicately and not overt or in your face while also sharing the true impact of people and families and even community. Alcohol is a strong theme, and overcoming alcohol as well. Don’t let that detract from your enjoyment of this book however as it is well rounded and filled with overcoming and hope and faith in God and humanity and family and love.
Despite the hardness of life, and let’s face it life then has filled with hardships, this book really spoke to me. It wasn’t deep in ‘religion’ or even overt faith. But it was filled with faith. Aven left the only home she had ever know, despite the lifetime of want she had lived, and went to a new country to stay with her husband’s family that she had never met. She had faith that life had a purpose and she could build one for herself in America. She crossed an ocean for the love she had been shown by an aunt expecting find a family of young boys. Not what she got. In the slightest. But she chose to stay. She chose a family. And she chose love. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t simple. And without faith in herself and faith in family she may have chosen a different path. But she didn’t. Eventually, we have to stop running from stuff and run to stuff. And eventually we have to embrace our ‘stuff’ and find a way through it. Thor had to do that as well. Thor with his language barrier that he allowed to excuse his drinking. Thor with his hardness to outsiders. Hardness due to fear of being embarrassed and fear of being judged. Fear. However, through it all they found themselves.
Part of me struggled with this book. I felt lost with keeping everyone straight. It took a little while for me to find my grove with this book. At the same time I fell in love with this book. I’ve not read this author before but now I can’t wait to read all her books. And wait impatiently for the next book in this series. I appreciate authors that take on hard topics, topics that Christians tend to shy away from – or worse condemn- and face them head on. Bischof did that with grace and finesse and compassion. She tackled alcohol. She tackled it in such a way that did not judge but loved. She showed both sides of alcoholism and that is can be overcome. She didn’t shy away from a strong main character who happened to be a deaf mute. That same character who also had an issue with hard cider, though he apparently made an amazing hard cider. The same character who chose love. Chose family and faith and tolerance and sobriety and love. At the end of the day, no matter how hard the path or where it takes you. . . choose love.
About Joanne Bischof
A Christy and Carol Award-winning author, Joanne Bischof writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. She was honored to receive the SDCWG Novel of the Year Award in 2014 and in 2015 was named Author of the Year by the Mount Hermon Writer’s conference. Her 2014 novella This Quiet Sky broke precedent as the first self-released title to final for the Christy Awards. To Get to You, her 2015 release, was the second. Joanne’s 2016 novel, The Lady and the Lionheart, received an extraordinary 5 Star TOP PICK! from Romantic Times Book Reviews among other critical acclaim. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children and is currently working on a new 2-book series for Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins Christian (releasing 2018).
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