A Chance for Kallie Mae by Ann H. Gabhart

ABOUT THE BOOK

Kallie Mae Bertram has harbored two dreams since childhood: to learn to read and to one day marry Quinn Spencer. But her first dream slipped away when her little sister died of a fever and her mother passed in childbirth. Kallie promised to care for the baby and her younger brother, which meant putting aside her own desires in order to keep her family together. But then a moonlight school for adults offers Kallie hope of finally fulfilling that dream.

After Kallie's father forbids her from seeing Quinn, her second dream seems impossible until her frantic search through the woods for her missing sister leads to an unexpected encounter with Quinn--their first meeting in six years. The love they shared as children burns stronger than ever, awakening hopes Kallie thought were forever buried. But with their families locked in a bitter feud, following her heart could cost Kallie everything she's worked to protect.

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart brings history and romance from the Appalachian Mountains to life in her newest Southern fiction novel.

AMAZON

MY THOUGHTS.....

I love this book for so many reasons! It's written by one of my favorite Kentucky authors, set very near to my home, and it focuses on my passion for literacy! Kallie Mae Bertram's greatest desire was to learn to read, but she was left to care for her family after her mother died giving birth to her younger sister Emmy. Going to school seemed lost to her until a Moonlight School for adults began in Morehead, Kentucky! Grown men and women could work during the day and attend classes at night! Was it now possible for one of her dreams to come true?

I enjoyed the romance and history in A Chance for Kallie Mae. I've seen the original Moonlight School in Morehead that paved the way for adult literacy programs across the United States. Author Ann H. Gabhart perfectly captures their hesitation, doubts, and finally elation as they learn letters, words, and sentences! There's also a sweet romance that seemed doomed because of a feud between the Bertram and Spencer families. Kallie Mae had loved him forever, and Quinn was finally aware of her! Would this feud always keep them apart?

Gabhart offers a vivid portrayal of the strength and perseverance of her well-developed characters in 1911 rural Kentucky. A Chance for Kallie Mae is a touching story of family, hope, faith, and endurance. This is a book to read and savor time and time again!

I received a copy from the author, publisher, and NetGalley. There was no obligation for a positive review.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ann H. Gabhart grew up on a farm in Kentucky. By the time she was ten she knew she wanted to be a writer. She's published over thirty novels. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren and she still lives on a farm not far from where she grew up. She loves playing with her grandkids, walking with her dog, reading and, of course, writing. Her Shaker books, set in her fictional Shaker village of Harmony Hill in the 1800's, are popular with readers. The Outsider was a Christian Fiction Book Award Finalist in 2009. Her Heart of Hollyhill books are Small Town, America books set in the 1960's. Angel Sister, a Rosey Corner book set during the Great Depression, will be followed by Small Town Girl. She has also written two books about Mary Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service: These Healing Hills and An Appalachian Summer. 

To learn more, visit Ann's Website      

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MY OTHER REVIEWS OF BOOKS BY ANN H. GABHART

The Refuge

An Appalachian Summer

Along a Storied Trail

When the Meadow Blooms 

In the Shadow of the River

The Song of Sourwood Mountain

The Pursuit of Elena Bradford

A Chance for Kallie Mae

View all my reviews

The Eyes of River: An Appalachian Novel by Cindy K. Sproles

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the shadowed hollers of the early-twentieth-century Appalachian Mountains, Lizzy Haney is on the run.

She's been falsely accused of murder and is desperate to reunite with her brother, River, whose unforgettable green eyes haunt her. The secret in her past is a stinging wound, but it motivates her toward her freedom.

But nine-year-old River, sent through the United States Post Office to his late mother's friend in Knoxville, never arrived. Lizzy's dream of finding him and starting a new life away from their alcoholic and abusive father is ripped away.

Her hope rekindles as she finds an unexpected confidant to help her dodge the law and save the missing youngin'. As she finds herself trusting him, she discovers the truth of the old adage her momma And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

AMAZON

MY THOUGHTS.....

I am a huge fan of author Cindy K. Sproles! Her authentic Appalachian settings, her ability to channel the very best of mountain people, and the in-depth research always evident in her stories...this is why she has become a must-read author for me!

The Eyes of River opens with Lizzy Haney mailing her younger brother by mail so that she can protect him from her abusive father. Did you know that mailing children through the United States mail was an acceptable act in 1913? Another important plotline in this mesmerizing story is also based on historical facts. A respected social worker in Memphis was charged with taking children and selling them for her personal gain. As we learn about Lizzy and River's backgrounds, we are plagued by the mystery of their mother's actions. Was their Momma somehow involved in similar actions?

I adored Lizzy Haney!  Her traumatic childhood certainly left her angry and bitter, but her love for her younger brother was even stronger. This is why she mailed him to a family friend in Knoxville, so that he would be safe until she joined him later. What she didn't count on was his disappearance. Her courageous journey to find River is told mostly through her POV, but thankfully, she is helped by the local sheriff's son, Alton. Will they succeed in finding the truth that will eventually save both Lizzy and River?

If you love a book that chills you with its vivid descriptions, challenges you with its truths, and inspires you with its hope and faith, you MUST not miss The Eyes of River! It is often gritty, but it's never without hope. This mesmerizing story will surely be a contender when the Book Award season begins!

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Kregel Publishers. There was no obligation for a positive review.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindy K. Sproles is an author and a speaker, whose dream is to do nothing more than craft words that speak from the heart. God's plan seems to be for her to write and teach the craft.  With God’s guidance, Cindy is expanding her horizons. We'll see how He uses her.

Cindy is a mountain gal. Proud of her heritage, she was born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains where life is simple, words have a deep southern drawl, and colloquialisms like, "well slap my knee and call me corn pone" seem to take precedence over proper speech. Apple Butter, coal mining, the river, pink sunrises, and golden sunsets help you settle into a porch swing and relax. Family, the love of God, and strong morals are embedded into her life in the mountains. Teaching writers, spinning fiction tales about life in the mountains, history, and down-home ideas find their way into all she does. “I love to write devotions, to seek after the deeper side of Christ, and to share the lessons He teaches me from life in the hills of East Tennessee. I am a writer. A speaker. A lover of God's Word and friend to all.” 

Learn more at her Website     Facebook     Twitter     Instagram

What Mama Left Behind

This Is Where It Ends

Coal Black Lies

The Eyes of River

View all my reviews