In 1933 Louisville, Kentucky, even the ongoing economic depression cannot keep Piper Danson’s parents from insisting on a debut party. After all, their fortune came through the market crash intact, and they’ve picked out the perfect suitor for their daughter. Braxton Crandall can give her the kind of life she’s used to. The only problem? This is not the man–or the life–she really wants.When … Piper gets the opportunity to volunteer as a horseback Frontier Nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains for the summer, she jumps at the chance to be something other than a dutiful daughter or a kept wife in a loveless marriage. The work is taxing, the scenery jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the people she meets along the way open up a whole new world to her. The longer she stays, the more an advantageous marriage slips from her grasp. But something much more precious–true love–is drawing ever closer.Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart invites you into the storied hills of Eastern Kentucky to discover what happens when one intrepid young woman steps away from the restrictive past into a beautiful, wide-open future.
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Read Review Rejoice’s Review of An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart: With as intriguing a blurb as this book has I found that I unexpectedly do not like it. Due to the drama of Piper’s feelings on her hoped-for marriage, I found that the book fell flat. Those that enjoy historical romances may find An Appalachian Summer to be at the top of their to be read lists even if I didn’t like it.
I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
I loved this book. I started it and it immediately pulled me in, to the point where I had to grumble when I would have to set it down. The story of Truda, Jamie, Piper and all the others drew me in. They beckoned to me to read their story because it could be a story for all of us.
What I appreciated most about the book was that despite the Appalachian surroundings, we were stuck in the deep dialect of the area. It made it easier to read when the mountain people interacted with the star players of the book.
In addition, her own storytelling is as though the author was sitting in the middle of the Appalachian mountains and wrote this story.
I definitely give it a five star review.
I received this book from Revell publishing. The review is my own opinion.
This was my first book by Ann H. Gabbart and it was so lovely and well written. I had never heard of the Frontier Nursing Service or the person who began it Mary Breckinridge. I was actually so intrigued I went on a search myself and found her story very interesting and selfless that because of the heartache over the loss of her own two young children caused her to devote her life to the well being of of mothers and children in the remote areas of southeastern Kentucky. I think this made me love the book even more.
The story takes place in the beginnings of the Depression Era and the after the suffragette movement where women have now begun to vocalize their wants to be more than just a trophy wife. This is where we meet Piper at her debut party and right away you can tell she is none too happy about it but wants to please her mom and not disappoint her. She feels like there is more to life and her heart definitely belongs to another.
A the debut party we meet Piper’s escort and man that her father has “arranged” for her, Braxton Crandall, I mean he is okay and I am sure a catch for the time period we are immersed in but right away I knew he was not the man for Piper!
Truda is her aunt which definitely encourages Piper to follow her heart rather than what society and her parents deem from her. I loved Truda!! She definitely tells it like it is and is not afraid to speak her mind. She definitely stands by what she believes. You also get to learn why she is single and cheer her on the entire story. I won’t tell you much but she definitely has her own story within Piper’s!!
When we meet Mary Breckinridge at a fundraising tea she is looking for more volunteers for her Frontier Nursing Service. She sees something in Piper and urges her to try something new. By leaving home, she leaves everything behind, including her best friend Jamie who she has loved since childhood. She learns so much about herself in the mountains and learns that she can do anything put before her.
The love story between her and Jamie is sweet and definitely one you cheer on throughout the story. There are some times when you want to bonk him upside the head but I think that’s how the author meant for you to feel which I love because it means you are totally invested in the story.
If you like historical fiction I definitely recommend this book. I thought it was very well written and I can’t wait to read more from this author. She has already been added to my growing list of authors to read books from!
Favorite quotes:
“Every person should be allowed one idiotic dream in her lifetime.” ~ Truda
I received a copy of this book from Revell . I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Think of a hot, lazy summer day. That relaxed, almost sleepy feeling? Capture it because that’s exactly how you’ll feel reading Ann H. Gabhart‘s An Appalachian Summer.
For Piper Danson, the Depression had not caused her family to lose their money nor her opportunity to marry wealth, but it has taken away her dearest friend. Unsure whether she wants to agree to her father’s chosen match instead, especially when she still cares for someone else, Piper leaps at the chance to volunteer her summer as a Frontier Nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky.
Piper loves horses, but she’s never had to function without conveniences she thought were necessary for daily survival. Like directions that consisted of knowing which boulder to turn by instead of a paved road. Or having a refrigerator or having to milk a cow. But she loves it nonetheless and finds it the perfect opportunity to put men out of her mind. That is, until she receives an unexpected visitor.
What struck me most about An Appalachian Summer was how much I didn’t want the story to end. I wish it had gone on for another fifty pages because I loved being a fly on Piper’s shoulder as she traversed the mountains and wrestled with her marriage options. And Jaime? Not only did I love how his name fit him perfectly, I loved everything about him.
If you pick up a copy of An Appalachian Summer, definitely settle yourself in a hammock for a long afternoon. The hours will go by too quickly as you lose yourself in the rivers and trees of Appalachia.
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I received this book free from Revell in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Book Review—An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart
The year was 1933, America was in the throes of the Great Depression, causing an economic hardship for many.
In Louisville, Kentucky, Piper Danson’s family was one of those who were not affected by the sudden loss of financial security and though Piper should have been delighted at that, she really wasn’t because she was not ready to dress up and celebrate her coming out as a society debutante. Piper wasn’t looking forward to marrying a man her father chose for her, she wanted to marry for love, yet would society allow her to, she thought not as her life seemed to be controlled by her mother’s demands.
If you enjoy reading historical romance you will surely want to read this book. The story will take you from the ballrooms of high society to the Appalachian hills of poverty as you accompany Piper Danson in her quest to find freedom, love and God’s purpose for her life.
You will be amazed at some of the stark contrasts Piper has to face and overcome as a high society debutante who chooses to spend her summer as a horseback courier helping the Frontier Nurses in the Appalachian Mountains.
This book was very informative, inspiring and realistic. It is an easy read that will touch your heart in many different ways.
I received this book free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
–Leona J. Atkinson
You get a sense of An Appalachian Summer pretty much from the opening line. Here is a young lady, pretending. She’s not where she wants to be. She’s not doing what she wants to do. Piper is a character who’s easy to like and hope for! The world is changing, Piper, figure out what this world holds for you!
As for Braxton Crandall, he’s a nice enough fella. I mean, when we look at the times and the Great Depression, he’s a man of the times. He sees a marriage with Piper a fortuitous arrangement for both of them. Piper’s father would agree. While he would agree, he also loves his daughter and wants her to be happy.
And this is where Truda, Piper’s aunt, has a huge impact. Goodness I enjoyed her character. She’s a rare woman for the time who has lived her life on her own terms, not mandated by a man. Thanks to her wisdom, Piper’s family isn’t destitute when the Depression hits.
Unfortunately, Piper’s best friend Jamie and his family don’t fare so well. Understandably, Jamie pulled back after his family lost everything and they moved away. His timing with seeing Piper once again isn’t the greatest… a couple of times during the story.
Most of all I loved the idea of this book about the Frontier Nursing Service. That Mary Breckenridge saw outside of herself and her money to do SO much good with nurses and curriers drew me into the story. I enjoyed getting to know the way of life for the people in the hills and seeing how they take of each other, as well as strangers…unless of course they look like government folk! hahahahaha
This introduction to Ann H. Gabhart’s writing made me feel at home and full of hope. I appreciate how she weaves faith into the tales the hill people carry. While they might believe in old wives tales, they’re balanced out by Truth thanks to the nurses who come to deliver the babies and tend to needs that might arise.
*I received this book for review from Revell. This is my opinion.
Seeking adventure and a relief from the expectations of her parents and society in her hometown of Louisville, KY, Piper Danson becomes a summer courier for the nurse midwives in the mountains of Kentucky. While her father has promised her in marriage to wealthy Braxton Crandall, her heart longs to marry her good friend Jamie Russell. Ann Gabhart has written a delightful novel examining values of honesty, compassion, self-less service, respect, and love for one’s spouse and children. I LOVED this book and highly recommend it!
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All thoughts below are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.
Ann H. Gabhart delights and captivates readers with her newest historical fiction release, An Appalachian Summer. She brings the heart of the mountains alive with charming characters, adorable pets and animals, catchy mountain conversation and little bits of faith tucked in throughout this story. As if that were not enough, she envelopes readers into the story with not one, but two, sweet romances that will warm your heart and make you believe again in young love. An Appalachian Summer is sure to bring a smile to readers’ lips and nourishment to their souls.
Gabhart captivates readers with the oppressing life Piper Danson finds herself smothered by in the height of the Great Depression as a debutante in early summer. While her father wills her married to a rich young man as a business arrangement, Piper yearns for more meaning to her life and has her hopes set on love. She soon finds the opportunity of a lifetime to step away from it all as a volunteer courier in the Kentucky mountains for Mary Breckenridge and the Frontier Nursing Service, creating a story that I will carry in my heart with fondness for years to come.
I absolutely loved learning about Mary Breckenridge and FNS. What an amazing outreach these women had on the area. Gabhart has seamlessly woven rich historic details into this story in a delightful, entertaining way. Upon completion of the story, I did some of my own personal research into Mary and the FNS because it captivated me so much. Gabhart brings this story to life with diverse and charming characters, young love, faith, perseverance, and personal growth. The underlying message of women’s empowerment as well as growing and stretching of oneself through volunteer work showcases how life has a way of changing one’s perspective for the better. I truly loved Piper and Jamie’s story as well as that of Truda and Dr. Jack. Mary herself even captivated me. I found myself smiling, laughing and even shedding a tear or two during this story as Gabhart pulled on my heartstrings. This novel flows well, reads easily and is pure delight while not shying away from the heaviness of the Great Depression and life at that time. It wraps up nicely with a sweet and tender ending as well. I cannot recommend this story enough as an enriching, light read that is heartwarming and fulfilling. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did!
With An Appalachian Summer, Ann H. Gabhart gives readers a thoroughly enjoyable story wrapped in with a celebration of differences. It was easy to get pulled in from the very first introduction of Piper Danson, who wants nothing to do with a debutante season or finding a suitable match, much less doing so in the midst of the Great Depression. It is easy to relate to Piper’s search for an opportunity to do something with real meaning, and to find out who she truly is before settling for a the match chosen by her father instead of marrying the man she has loved since childhood. And it is easy to see why Piper grows to feel the way she does about the Frontier Nursing Service and the people she meets during her time with them.
Piper is different from many of the people around her; her social status dictates that she should marry money, especially amidst the uncertainty of the Depression era, but the love of her heart has lost his family money and along with it, his social status. She does not care for the extravagance of lavish parties when so many others are suffering, and she searches for her own identity in a time when such is not considered necessary. Through the course of this one summer, Piper finds that she is not such a rare bird, nor is she unsupported by the women in her life. She finds beauty and strength in the works and ways of those she encounters during her Appalachian summer, which helps her discover the beauty and strength within herself to follow God’s lead for her future.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.
3.5 stars
“Marry if you must, but only do so for love.”
Piper Danson is watching her future disintegrate into a business contract before her very eyes; her father choosing a young man with the means to give her everything a woman could desire, minus any certainty of love. Sure, an arrangement with the highly desirable son of a railroad magnate might grow into deep affection over time, but Piper can’t help but think that her heart still belongs to another.
“You have the rest of your life to wear fine clothes and gossip with your friends. But first, do something.”
When given an opportunity to leave all talk of marriage behind in the city, Piper takes off for the mountains to joins a noble cause for the summer; volunteering for a horseback Frontier Nursing Service. Who would have thought that cleaning out stables, delivering medicines, assisting mid-wives, painting porches, and even skinning chickens could be so rewarding. And it is, until double trouble finds its way up into the mountains.
“How can you know . . . where He wants you to go . . . . what He wants you to do . . . But you can figure it out if you listen and watch. The mountains are a good place for doing that. You get up high in those hills and the Lord just seems nearer.”
What a pure delight to read! . . . . full of characters with enormous doses of pluck, and a romance that finds itself again over a swinging bridge!
From the ballrooms to the backwoods
I have decided that it must be impossible to write about the Appalachian Mountains without infusing your story with the artistry, imagery, and music of nature. Or so it appears from the ones I have read. An Appalachian Summer continues this tradition with a vivid portrayal of the beauty of this place, along with the people and critters that inhabit it.
I loved being immersed in this world of the past on the verge of becoming the future. Modern and yet so foreign. A world where children are passed from stranger to stranger to bring them to a hospital for care. A world where women have the vote and yet are not expected to work outside the home. A world where the backwoods are still foreign and a little frightening.
The characters were wonderful! From spunky Piper and her aunt Truda to the arrogant Braxton Crandall (honestly, you can’t just call him Braxton!) to the gentle and playful Jamie to the colorful people of the mountains. They came alive and worked their way into my heart. I especially loved when Jamie was unexpectedly chaperoning little Thomas until he could be reunited with his family. The fact Jamie would have undertaken such a responsibility and the way he entertained the frightened young boy was heartwarming and fun!
The Frontier Nursing association was fascinating. To have young women out in an area where strangers were treated with suspicion and greeted with guns, traveling by themselves bringing medicine and messages to care for the women and children. Wow! And even better, this part of the story is not fiction. While several births in the story were witnessed and described, the detail was appropriate and still in good taste.
One of my favorite aspects of An Appalachian Summer was the faith that was such an integral part of some of the characters. The kind of faith that couldn’t help but come out in their speech as they encouraged Piper to look beyond her actions into her heart to be certain that her relationship with the Lord was not mere knowledge. This was a quiet undercurrent of the story, a sure foundation that didn’t draw unnecessary attention to itself, and yet the story would not have been as strong without it.
Read my review of An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
This is one of my favorite books penned by one of my favorite authors and in my opinion one of her best. I first learned of the Frontier Nursing Service and Mary Breckinridge in These Healing Hills which is another must read by Ms. Gabhart So, as soon as I saw this novel I knew I had to get my hands on a copy of it and boy am I glad I did!
Set in1933 during the Great Depression, Piper Danson wants nothing to do with being a debutante or marrying Braxton Crandall. Fortunately, her Aunt Truda is on her side and after a while they convince Pipers parents to allow her to volunteer as a courier in the Frontier Nursing Service. What an adventure this young woman had as she encountered the people of the Appalachian Mountains and what a completely different way of life than the one, she was used to. Piper took to her duties and her beautiful surroundings much better than I could ever dream of doing. I loved the storyline and getting to know all of the wonderful and unforgettable characters within in the pages of this book that will stay with me for quite a long time.
Overall, I thought this was a heartwarming and inspirational must-read novel. It is perfectly paced, beautifully written and one that I highly recommend to readers of Historical fiction. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are completely my own
I adored Ann H Gabhart’s An Appalachian Summer. She is such a wonderful storyteller of the historical Appalachian Mountains. It was entertaining to see what it was like for the people during the Great Depression. I loved Piper right from the start and admired her courage and bravery throughout the book. I had no problem reading it all in one sitting.
I am giving An Appalachian Summer four and a half stars. I hope there will be more Appalachian stories releasing in the near future by Miss Gabhart. This one was great.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
*Sigh* After reading An Appalachian Summer, I wonder how a reader could not consider signing up to be a horse courier for Mrs. Breckenridge’s Nurse-Midwife Service. Sure, the year is 1933, and the locale of most of this unputdownable book is the hills and mountains of Kentucky. The adventure that Ann H Gabhart effortlessly spins rolls from one escapade to the next.
Of course, we might not all be as courageous as Piper Danson, who trades her debutante life for the wild unknown. Who needs to decide between two suitors when there are bigger mountains to climb… literally? What with snakes, men who might shoot before asking questions if a stranger is found on their land, odd jobs the girls have never before dreamed of attempting…life is never dull in these beautiful hills.
This is a journey of faith, friendship, love, and the soul. Faith that the mountain people have and readily share, as one lady on the train does to Piper:
“I’m guessing things has always been easy for you. That can make it harder to recognize what the Lord does for you. You can think maybe you’ve done it all yourself and don’t need him none. But you walk down some rocky trails with troubles on every side , and you’ll be wanting the Lord right there with you.”
Gabhart doesn’t belabor points, but inserts faith as a given for the mountain people.
Friendships. So many different kinds in this story. Some lead to respect. Some lead to good new friends. Some lead to love. *Sigh* It is just so much fun to follow the paths Gabhart winds, almost as twisty as the mountain paths themselves, before allowing her characters to settle their hearts.
There’s magic in those hills. Especially the ones inhabited by Mrs. Breckenridge, Piper, Suze, Dr. Jack, Billy, and on and on. This is a TV show waiting to be picked up.
Be able to say you read the book first.
Notable Quotables:
“…the joy of the song can be in you whether it tickles the ears or not.”
“Sometimes a person had to forget the obstacles and jump into the moment.”
“I think we all have a calling. Sometimes we live up to it, and sometimes we don’t.”
“…every person should be allowed one idiotic dream in her lifetime.”
“You get up high on those hills and the Lord just seems nearer.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Revell Reads. I also bought an ecopy and a copy to bless a special friend with. All opinions are my own, and are freely given.
Ann Gabhart’s books always leave me with a cozy feeling though her characters never have a life of ease. Like the rest of us, they have to work through life’s challenges the best they can. Piper lives in my home state of Kentucky so that really made me feel right at home. But she lived in the times after the big financial crash and chose to spend the summer in the Appalachian mountains as a courier for the Frontier Nursing program. The beauty of the mountains inspire her to seek the life that God wants her to have rather than the life that is expected of her. This is a book worth reading. Also, if you haven’t read “These Healing Hills”, I urge you to do so. It is also about the Frontier Nurses in Appalachia and is very enjoyable.
I really enjoyed the story of An Appalachian Summer by Ann Gabhart. This is the first of her books that I’ve read and hope to read more soon.
Ann did a very good job of bringing her major characters to life, especially the main character Piper. She also did a nice job of describing life in the Appalachian mountains. Not too descriptive but enough to let you know life there is not the same in the mountains as it was elsewhere at that time. The book is set during the Great Depression and this helps show the vast difference between Piper, a financially secure person, and those living in the mountains, just barely surviving.
Piper’s father wants her to marry a man of his choosing, a man she has never met. Piper wants to marry for love and her choice would be her childhood friend. To help her calm her mind and emotions, Piper chooses to spend her summer as a courier for the Frontier Nursing Service. Frontier Nurses is a factual part of the story and gives a glimpse of life for them as well.
There is also the second story in a more minor character, Piper’s aunt Truda, woven into this story. She has her own ideas of life and love and they are not in line with her family.
The story wasn’t a book that you can’t put down, it’s a slower-paced book but that is a good thing. Not all books need to be that intense. The editing was very well done and that is very important to me.
This book is listed as a Christian book but it is not preachy in any way. In fact, to me, it’s more a “clean” book than a Christian book. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. I give the book a 4 out of 5 rating. I liked it well enough to want to read more, but it was not my all-time favorite.
Wonderful through and through:
I just loved this book! I was captivated from the very beginning and found the writing to be engaging and well paced.
I enjoyed learning about the Frontier Nursing Service and the meaningful and valuable work they did. It was lovely watching Piper blossom and grow as she escaped the confines of polite society and ventured into the Appalachian hills during the great depression. Piper and Jamie have been friends since childhood and have feelings for one another but everything seems to be coming between them getting together. It was wonderful seeing love triumph over security and worldly assets.
There were some hilarious moments but I also liked how the author wove the Christian message into the story and the reminder to look around us and behold the majesty of our Lord.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
#An Appalachian Summer# by Ann Gabhart is a Christian historical fiction book. Ann Gabhart won the Selah award. She has written Shaker novels and many other novels. This story takes place in Louisville, Kentucky and the Appalachian Mountains. The time period is the harsh economic down turn in 1933. The economic down turn was a difficult time for people . Their money disappeared quickly in the stock market. The Frontier nurses were making a huge difference in the Appalachian Mountains. . It is wonderful the nurses were able to make a difference for the people in the mountains. The nurses went to the patient’s homes and cared for them in a personal way. They went the extra mile for those in need. This book was very inspiring and also romantic. I know these tough economic times made people discouraged and I am sure the nurses were a light in the darkness. The settings and characters are so well described. Thank you to the author , publisher, netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions are my own. I look forward to sharing my review on facebook, netgalley, Amazon, Bookbub, my blog and with church staff.
Another enjoyable book by author Ann Gabhart, this one takes us into the 1930s Appalachian Mountains with midwives and their couriers. I thoroughly enjoyed this time spent in Kentucky learning about Frontier Nursing.
Gabhart gives us a taste of the mountain scenery in her descriptions and I found that very delightful. But what I really enjoyed were the characters Gabhart wrote about, and I was sorry to see the story end. Debutantes who volunteered to care for horses was really new to me and very intriguing. I wonder if I could do it? To see the needs of those in the mountains was sad at times, yet they persevered and lived life to its fullest. With the author’s style of writing you’ll feel as if you’re right there, living in houses without electricity and indoor plumbing yet loving every minute of it.
This story is heartwarming, endearing, and compelling. If you enjoy historical fiction I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
I loved this book! It is inspiring and uplifting. It is the story of Piper Danson, an affluent young lady whose parent’s survived the Stock Market Crash of 1933. The story opens with Piper’s parents giving her a debut ball where she is introduced to Braxton Crandall, a railroad tycoon. Piper’s father wants her to marry well, but Piper still has feelings for Jamie, her childhood friend. Piper’s aunt Truda introduces her to Mary Breckinridge, a lady raising money for the Frontier Nursing Service. Mary is looking for couriers to tend to horses and convinces Piper to come along. Piper convinces her parents that she needs some time before settling down so she goes to Hyden, Kentucky to help out. While there she sees the poverty of the people. Life in the mountains of Kentucky is nothing like the life she is used to. She makes long trips on horseback delivering supplies, paint buildings, milk cows and learns to fix dinner. She helps the nurses with the sick children and even helps with the births. Through all of this she grows closer to God. She can’t imagine going back home to become just a wife in a loveless marriage. This book will help you see that there are things beyond ourselves and what is right in front of us. God is in control of it all and I think this book portrays that beautifully.
I received an advanced reader copy from Revell for my opinions. I was not asked to give a positive review.