Title: Appalachian Serenade: An Appalachian Blessings Novella
Author: Sarah Loudin Thomas
Published: June 2014
Published By: Bethany House Publishers
Format Read: Kindle for PC, eBook
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Novella
Date Read: September 1 2015
Rating: 4/5
The year is 1945 and the surviving soldiers aren’t the only
ones who have returned home. 15 years earlier, Delilah Morrissey left her small
West Virginia town behind when she married and moved to Chicago. Now, widowed
by a harsh man who left her in debt, Delilah’s only option is to return home to
Wise and live with her sister and family in their small house. Her dreams of
becoming a mother are beginning to run out and she prays she can have a second
chance at the life she always wanted. Appalachian Serenade is a prelude to
Sarah Loudin Thomas’ series called Appalachian Blessings.
I really enjoyed reading about Delilah and the comparisons
of living in a small mountain town versus a large city like Chicago. Set just
as World War II is ending, readers learn very little about how Wise was
affected, other than a brief mention of sugar rations. Because of this I think
that this could have been set in a number of different time periods,
considering how secluded and behind the times smaller communities can be.
Although I would have enjoyed more perspective on the time period, I can see
that this wasn’t the point of the story. The point, in fact was to set up a
backstory for the first book in the series. For this reason I am thankful that
I was able to read this novella before I read the first, even though the Miracle in a Dry Season (Appalachian Blessings #1)
begins ten years later and follows different characters.
Some of my favourite characters in books tend to be strong
independent women and Delilah was certainly that. Determined to help earn her
keep, she gets a job at the local county store, where she begins to get aquatinted
with the owner Robert. Single himself, I found Robert to be quite charming.
Delilah on the other hand was a bit too blunt for my liking. There were times when the
plot came together too nicely, but with a limited length this is
understandable.
My favourite part of this novella was the writing style of
the author. Using descriptions such as: the smell of spring, candies that taste
like childhood and old time metaphors and slang, really set a beautiful tone to
the story. I am very much looking
forward to reading more from Sarah Loudin Thomas.
Appalachian Serenade would be a suitable book to read in
spring, as it follows Delilah’s new beginning in her hometown. I would
recommend this book to those who are considering reading the rest of the
series.
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