An Appalachian Summer

By Ann H. Gabhart

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781493423095

Ann H. Gabhart

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of many novels, including The Pursuit of Elena Bradford, The Song of Sourwood Mountain, and In the Shadow of the River. She and her husband live on a farm a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Ann enjoys discovering the everyday wonders of nature while hiking in her farm's fields and woods with her grandchildren and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. Learn more at AnnHGabhart.com.

Book preview

Praise for River to Redemption

Sometimes a story is almost too wonderful to be true. Thankfully, the bit of history at the heart of Gabhart’s latest novel is absolutely true, providing the perfect platform for a tale of love and generosity that will restore the reader’s faith in mankind. From the deeply compelling opening pages to the satisfying ending, readers will be inspired to examine their own lives and whether or not they ‘pray believing.’

Sarah Loudin Thomas, author of the Appalachian Blessings series

"Ann H. Gabhart’s River to Redemption will both capture your heart and bolster your spirits. Each of the well-drawn characters stepped off the pages and into my heart. This story will remain with you long after you’ve read the last page. A genuinely wonderful book."

Judith Miller, award-winning author of The Chapel Car Bride

"Ann Gabhart weaves a sympathetic tale set in pre–Civil War Kentucky. Rich in historical detail, River of Redemption reveals the heartbreaking reality of slavery in the first half of the nineteenth century, one young girl’s dangerous quest to end it, and a slave’s strong faith in God’s timing and providence. You will fall in love with these unforgettable characters."

Jan Drexler, award-winning author of The Journey to Pleasant Prairie series

Praise for These Healing Hills

Gabhart paints an endearing portrait of WWII Appalachia in this enjoyable tale about two people trying to find their place in the world and discern what it means to truly be home. . . . Gabhart handles the Appalachian landscape and culture with skill, bringing them to vibrant life.

Publishers Weekly

Books by Ann H. Gabhart

An Appalachian Summer

River to Redemption

These Healing Hills

Words Spoken True

The Outsider

The Believer

The Seeker

The Blessed

The Gifted

Christmas at Harmony Hill

The Innocent

The Refuge

HEART OF HOLLYHILL

Scent of Lilacs

Orchard of Hope

Summer of Joy

ROSEY CORNER

Angel Sister

Small Town Girl

Love Comes Home

HIDDEN SPRINGS MYSTERY AS A. H. GABHART

Murder at the Courthouse

Murder Comes by Mail

Murder Is No Accident

© 2020 by Ann H. Gabhart

Published by Revell

a division of Baker Publishing Group

PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.revellbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2020

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-2309-5

Scripture used in this book, whether quoted or paraphrased by the characters, is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

This book is a work of fiction. Where real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales appear, they are used fictitiously. All other elements of the novel are drawn from the author’s imagination.

The author is represented by the literary agency of Books & Such Literary Management.

To my beautiful granddaughters—

Sarah, Fiona, Ashley, Katie, Jillian, and Raegan

And my handsome grandsons—

Austin, John, and Matt

Contents

Cover

Endorsements

Books by Ann H. Gabhart

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

The First Chapter of another Historical Romance

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Back Ads

Back Cover

CHAPTER

ONE

MAY 20, 1933

Piper Danson’s cheeks hurt from smiling for what seemed like hours with no relief in sight. More people waited in line to take their turn in front of her and pretend happiness over her debut into society. Then again, their smiles might be sincere. Piper was the one feigning excitement as she repeated socially appropriate words of welcome.

Her ridiculous gauzy white dress looked made for a sixteen-year-old instead of a woman with two years of advanced studies at Brawner Women’s College. If only she could fiddle with the neckline where it chafed her skin, but a debutante didn’t adjust her clothing in public. She pretended everything was wonderful and that she loved all the flowers presented to her in celebration of her coming-out party. But the cloying odor of so many flower arrangements made her feel as if she were at a wake. Perhaps she was. The funeral of her freedom. Time to pick a man and marry.

That wasn’t exactly right. More like time to accept the man her parents had chosen for her and settle down into a proper life, the way her sister Leona had done after her debutante season four years prior.

Where was Jamie Russell when she needed him? She quickly scanned the room before the next person stepped in front of her. Jamie was nowhere to be seen. His absence was disappointing, but hardly surprising. Not now. Not after his family had lost everything in the stock market crash. While debutante balls had surely waned in importance for him in the face of such misfortune, she still expected him to come to hers. If only someone would open the ballroom’s balcony doors to let in some air. She considered fainting simply for the novelty of it, but her mother would never forgive her. Besides, fainting was for fragile girls. Piper was anything but fragile. Tall, willowy for sure, but strong enough to rein in the most fractious of horses.

How beautiful you look. One of her mother’s friends took Piper’s hand.

Piper held on to her smile and tried to remember the woman’s name.

You are so lucky to have this lovely ball with so many families struggling right now.

Piper didn’t know whether to keep smiling or look sad. Perhaps this woman’s family had fallen on hard times. Her dress did look like last year’s fashion. Piper glanced over at her mother for a clue. Not only had her mother’s smile not wavered, it looked genuine, as if produced specifically for this very woman.

Piper murmured something polite and continued to smile too, although she thought having such an elaborate event at a time when men stood in soup lines out on the streets of Louisville was reprehensible. Were it not for her mother, Piper would have flouted Emily Post’s guide to proper etiquette for a debutante and escaped to somewhere. Anywhere away from this receiving line.

But she couldn’t disappoint her mother, who had worked tirelessly to organize this ball as though Piper’s future depended entirely upon a successful debut. Piper had managed to put her off for two years, until now at twenty she was a bit old for a first-time debutante. She told her mother that, but she would have none of it.

We may have been wise to wait a few years in between Leona’s and your debuts. Especially with the situation as it is, her mother had said.

That was the closest her mother ever came to speaking about the depressed economic state of the country. She chose to sail above it, as though money were the least of her worries. She had been a debutante in better financial times and married the man her parents thought she should.

When Piper had asked if she loved her father when they married, her mother avoided a straight answer. My parents had my best interests in mind. Love grows with time.

Whether love had grown or not, her parents were comfortable with their union. Her mother maintained appearances and ensured their two daughters and son had the advantages of an upper-society life. Her father supplied the necessary funds to make that possible through his partnership in a prestigious law firm, although the family had made some adjustments due to a reduction in clients able to pay the firm’s fees.

The guest list was shorter than when Leona had her debutante ball, the hotel ballroom smaller. Piper didn’t care. She had tried to convince her mother to simply have a tea and forget the ball. Her mother was aghast.

What would people think? She had actually turned pale at the thought. Appearances are important. Vitally important for your father’s firm. If clients thought we were affected by the situation, then they might fear bringing their concerns to Danson and Harbridge.

But a tea would be so much more sensible. Piper paused and then added, Considering the situation. When her mother’s eyes narrowed on Piper, she knew she had made a mistake using her mother’s word for the depression.

While her mother, who had the look of a hothouse lily, might be several inches shorter than Piper, she could be hard as nails when crossed. That’s enough, Piper. You will have a ball. Leona had a ball. A very successful one where she captured a perfect husband in Thomas Harper. Now it is your turn.

When Piper opened her mouth to continue her protest, her mother held her palm out toward her. Not another word.

Now Piper looked out to where Leona sat with her perfect husband. She looked absolutely miserable, but that could be because she was well along with her first baby. Leona was petite like their mother, and no matter how flowing her dress, her condition couldn’t be hidden. Some of the ladies were no doubt whispering behind their hands that Leona should have stayed home, started her confinement. A proper lady didn’t parade her expectant body around for the whole world to see.

From the look on Leona’s perfect husband’s face, he wished they were both home. Or at least, Leona at home and he in his accounting office making sums add up. The man was ten years older than Leona and continually looked as though his cheeks might crack if he smiled.

Piper again resisted the urge to massage her own cheeks before they did crack. After tonight, she was not going to smile for a week. Maybe two. What was there to smile about anyway, with Jamie not showing up at this mockery of a party? He had to know about it, even if he had moved to Danville with his mother after his father’s fatal heart attack. Brought on by the collapse of the Russell fortunes. Or so people said when they weren’t gossiping that perhaps he hadn’t had a heart attack at all but had taken an overdose of some sort.

People did like to gossip in the social arena. As if they had little else to do but find fault with one another. Piper held in a sigh. She was definitely fodder for the gossips with her late debut. A girl of twenty should already be married or at least promised to someone. Piper could almost hear the whispers. If that girl doesn’t watch out, she’ll end up the same as Truda Danson. Alone. With no prospects.

As if she’d beckoned her with the thought, her aunt Truda stepped in front of her.

You look like you just swallowed a raw fish, my dear. Truda took both Piper’s hands in hers and gave them a shake. A very slimy one at that.

Fortunately, Piper’s mother had turned to signal the musicians since all the guests had been greeted. She either didn’t hear Truda or chose to pretend she hadn’t. Piper’s mother often turned a deaf ear to her sister-in-law. That made for a more peaceful family life.

On the other hand, Piper’s father failed to follow her mother’s example. He and Truda often had very animated discussions about matters of politics or money. Truda, who held a position in the bank their father had founded, was the main reason Piper’s family hadn’t lost everything in the slump. She feared a crash was coming and talked her brother into selling the family stocks that were next to worthless a mere month later.

Millions of dollars of investments disappeared into thin air. But Truda wisely socked away the Danson money in a fail-proof account. Piper’s mother wasn’t at all sure she hadn’t stuffed her mattress with it, but wherever it was, they had avoided ruin.

I’m smiling. For the first time that evening, a real smile sneaked out on her face.

That’s better. Truda gave Piper’s hands another shake before she turned them loose. She lowered her voice. I know you would rather be jumping your horse recklessly across fences or curled in a corner with a book, as would I. The book for me, not the horses. But instead, here we are, making your mother happy. A daughter has to do that at times.

Did you? When Truda gave her a puzzled look, Piper went on. Make your mother happy.

Oh heavens, no. Poor dear had to give up on me. Truda laughed. Although I did indeed wear the white dress that looked as atrocious on me as this one does on you. Green is your color. No pale sickly green either. Vibrant green to make your eyes shine like the emeralds they are. She winked. That would have set those Emily Post readers on their ears. Who decided Post was the expert on everything anyway? Why not Truda Danson’s Rules of Etiquette?

Piper’s mother gave Truda a strained smile. Really, Truda, you promised not to upset Piper’s evening.

Not to worry, Wanda Mae. Truda’s face went solemn, but her eyes continued to sparkle with amusement. I will refrain from speaking any more truth the entire evening and speak only words that will tickle my listeners’ ears.

Piper and I will appreciate your restraint. Her mother motioned Piper toward the dance floor. Now, go. Braxton is waiting to usher you out for the first dance. I hear he is an excellent dancer. Do try not to step on his toes.

But he has such big feet, Mother dear. Truda whispered the words near Piper’s ear as they moved away from her mother.

Piper stifled a laugh.

Does the young man indeed have big feet? Truda peered out at the guests as though checking shoe sizes.

Braxton’s feet are fine. My feet are the clumsy ones. Piper sighed, her giggle gone. She’d taken dancing lessons. Her mother insisted on it, but though she learned the steps, the smoothness of their movement escaped her.

Then you should do something else. Something better. Truda turned her gaze back to Piper.

But a debutante must dance to the tune played for her.

Perhaps for this evening, but come tomorrow you can pick your own tune. It is 1933, dear girl. We are no longer in the dark ages where a woman has no say in the choices she makes. Truda gave Piper’s arm a squeeze. Marry if you must, but only do so for love.

Mother says love will grow.

So it can. Properly nourished. Truda raised her eyebrows. But a good seed well planted in the rich loamy soil of romance puts down the strongest roots and grows best.

Did you ever plant such seeds? Piper had never heard of Truda having a suitor.

Truda shook her head without losing her smile. I was born before my time. Independence in a woman was not admired twenty years ago. Nor was I beautiful enough to encourage young men to court me in spite of that stubborn lack of coyness. Or perhaps I never met the right man to tempt me to court him.

They say I look more like your daughter than my mother’s. Piper smiled. So perhaps I will be in the same situation.

Come now, child. You are much lovelier than I ever hoped to be. Didn’t your mother just say this Braxton was waiting to sweep you off your feet? One of the Crandalls, isn’t he?

Yes.

Your excitement at the prospect sounds a bit lacking. I can’t remember which one he is. Point him out. Truda looked out at the guests again.

He’s beside Thomas. Piper didn’t look his way. She could feel him waiting for her. A nice man. Already established in his family’s business. Something to do with railroads. Her father claimed him a good match. Love would grow.

Hmm. A pleasant-looking fellow. Tall enough so you won’t have to worry about towering over him if you wear a shoe with a heel. That’s good. Men don’t like to feel short. That’s why they sometimes prefer those petite girls, but I say be glad you’re tall enough to reach the high shelves in a cabinet. A useful ability. Truda let her gaze wander around the rest of the room. But where is that curly headed boy with the burnished brown eyes who was always trailing you around before you went off to college? Jamie Russell, wasn’t it?

He must be otherwise occupied this evening. Piper pretended she didn’t care.

Or uninvited. We do close ranks against the less fortunate, don’t we? Such a shame about his father. I hear his brother is trying to revive their business. Manufacturing washing machines, I think. Or was it stoves? Either way, no one can afford new things right now.

Yes. Piper looked around at the ornate room, the flowers, the plates of food. Unless one is a debutante.

Try not to sound so thrilled. Truda laughed softly. Or so much like me. She gave Piper a little shove. Go. Dance with Braxton of the Crandall railroad fortune. Tomorrow you can take a vow of poverty and walk a different path. But for tonight, be your mother’s daughter. A blushing debutante.

A flush did climb up into Piper’s cheeks as she turned toward Braxton but stayed where she was. Surely a blushing debutante should wait for the man to approach her.

She scarcely knew him. Since he was five years older than her, he’d been away at Harvard while she and her friends first tasted the freedom of stepping out. Then she’d been away at school except for holidays or summers when she spent every moment possible with Jamie.

She wanted to glance around again to see if perhaps, invitation or no invitation, Jamie had come. But instead, she kept her gaze on Braxton Crandall. One might consider him handsome. A strong chin line, a nose not too big, neatly coiffed brown hair parted on the side. He excused himself from the group around him and came toward her. She had to wait until he stepped nearer to see that his eyes were a grayish blue. He was clean-shaven. That was a plus. Piper had never cared for mustaches.

She almost laughed aloud as she imagined Truda’s voice in her head. Well, I should say not. A mustache never looks good on a lady. That’s why some wise person invented tweezers.

The nonsensical thought did help. Her smile was genuine and whether it was meant for Braxton Crandall or not little mattered. His own smile got wider.

Miss Danson. He reached for her hand. I do think you, as the lovely lady of the hour, are expected to lead off the dancing. Would you grant me the pleasure?

Piper inclined her head and let him take her hand. As they walked toward the dance area, she hoped for a slow waltz where she could count her steps, even as she remembered the last time she had danced with Jamie. A fast Charleston that had them laughing and leaning on one another in exhaustion when the music stopped.

With Jamie, she never had to count steps.

CHAPTER

TWO

A balcony door opened and music floated out to where Jamie Russell leaned against the brick wall around the Grand Hotel’s prized rose garden. The hotel’s brochures spoke glowingly of the beauty and peace it afforded all their guests.

Jamie felt none of that peace. He shouldn’t be here. He had told himself not to come. Better to stay in Danville where his mother had found refuge on her brother’s estate.

Uncle Wyatt was a physician. While well respected in his town, he was not rich. He claimed any doctor worth his salt could never get rich. Too many needed his services without the coin to pay. Especially now. But he was thrifty and had preserved his inheritance from his much more ambitious father. Part of that inheritance was the family house and acreage in Danville. Jamie’s mother had inherited a like amount of money, along with a second house in Louisville.

All was lost when Jamie’s father’s loans were called in after the crash. He had so wanted to be rich. None of them knew how deeply he went into debt to buy stocks. It seemed a failsafe prospect, with how the market kept booming. For a while it had worked. Profits mushroomed. His father bragged about doubling his money. He repaid the loans but turned around and borrowed more. The gains were there to be grabbed by those brave enough to play the market or foolhardy enough to think stocks would continue rising instead of the bottom dropping out. The crash took it all.

Not only from his father. Others ended up in the same sorrowful position after the ticking of the stock market tape on Black Tuesday.

Jamie had never cared much for numbers. He liked words. Hated the hours he spent in the family business, figuring supply and demand. Supply had overwhelmed demand and now nothing was worth anything. Certainly not Jamie himself, if money were the measure of worth.

Money did seem to be the measure at events like the one playing out in the ballroom above him. He could go in. He was appropriately dressed. The creditors hadn’t taken their clothes. Only their self-respect. And his father.

Financial ruin had been more than his father’s heart could stand. A stronger man might have fought through. Come back from nothing. Jamie’s older brother was that kind of man. Simon was working to revive the family fortune by finding investors to finance a new manufacturing venture. He claimed the economy had to improve and people would again want to spend money.

Perhaps they would, but now all commerce moved at a snail’s pace. Still, a new president seemed ready to bring the country out of the depression. President Roosevelt’s fireside chat had come through the radio to bolster the courage of men like Simon. So much so that Simon was thinking of changing from manufacturing washing machines to making radios. Even during this downturn in fortunes, people still wanted their radios. That was the future. Simon was every bit as ambitious as their father had been but with a more conservative bent. No loans to gamble on the market. Only on his business future.

Jamie, at twenty-two, was five years younger than Simon and five years older than their baby sister, Marianne, who would never have an elaborate debut party like the one going on in the hotel. That worried their mother, who feared their loss of fortune would keep Marianne and Jamie from finding a good match. Simon was already married with two children. Fortunately, he had made a good match, a lovely lady. An inheritance from her grandmother kept them from losing their house.

Simon and Estelle could have been on the guest list for Piper’s party. If so, Piper’s parents probably hoped Jamie wouldn’t ride Simon’s coattails through the door and mess up their plans to match Piper with a more likely husband candidate.

Not that Jamie and Piper had ever mentioned marriage back when they were forever together. Before the crash changed everything. Jamie had been able to continue his education. Uncle Wyatt made sure of that. Jamie had just graduated from Centre College in Danville. A fine college that had tried to prepare him for the future, if he only knew what that future was.

Simon said he could work for him as soon as he got the new business up and going, but Jamie hated the thought of being stuck behind a desk, adding up figures. Uncle Wyatt said he could consider medicine, but the sight of blood made Jamie queasy. Teaching was a possibility, although the idea didn’t excite him. Nor would it excite a debutante’s parents.

He looked toward the balcony and wished Piper would step outside. He hadn’t seen her for months, but at one time they could almost converse without words. Guessing each other’s thoughts had been a game they played. She was better at it than him, always knowing when he was thinking blue instead of red or yellow. At church, sitting on opposite sides of the aisle, if he looked toward her, she was always turning to look at him at the same time.

He wondered now why he had never told her he loved her. Why he hadn’t made her promise to marry him when they came of age. She would have kept her promise whether her parents thought she should or not.

Perhaps he should climb up the trellis to the balcony. Be a Romeo to his Juliet. But then that story hadn’t ended so well for Romeo or Juliet.

That didn’t mean he couldn’t still ask. Step up to her and ask for a dance. Any dance she wanted to do. A waltz. A Charleston. A dance for life.

Piper, I am here. In the rose garden. He pushed the thought toward her and stepped out of the shadows. He felt foolish, but he couldn’t tamp down the hope, making his heart beat faster. If she came outside, that would mean their special connection hadn’t been broken by his change in fortune.

The music stopped. The balcony doors opened, and Piper stepped out. Jamie’s smile faded when a man followed her. They were obviously together. He recognized the man. Braxton Crandall. The son of the man Simon hoped would invest in his radio factory. The Crandalls’ railroad money hadn’t disappeared in the crash.

Jamie moved back into the shadows. Money did matter. In so many ways. Perhaps not for love but for all those practical things a person needed. Love wasn’t practical.

What if the two had slipped out on the balcony for a kiss? Jamie could not bear watching that. Better to leave without anyone knowing he was there. He pulled in a quick breath when he brushed against a bush. If they heard the rattle of leaves, he hoped they would think it was the wind.

He resisted the urge to look back toward the balcony as he went out the gate. Nor did he think goodbye. Instead he thought the words he should have said when he was sixteen or nineteen or twenty. I love you, Piper Danson.

divider

Piper was sorry she suggested stepping out on the balcony to Braxton. She should have sent him for a drink and then slipped out alone for a breath of fresh air. His hand was on the small of her back as though they were still dancing. A possessive touch. She eased away from him.

Her cheeks warmed as she realized Braxton might think she hoped for a kiss. That was often the purpose of a couple escaping a dance floor onto a balcony. She remembered a few such times with Jamie. Before the crash changed everything.

Yet, she had still expected him to be here. She almost felt as though he was there somewhere, thinking about her. She bit back a smile as she remembered how they used to see if they could guess each other’s thoughts. Perhaps she should have sent thought messages to ask him to come. She didn’t care that his family no longer had money. He was young. She was young. Opportunities would surface. But then, what if she was wrong about Jamie caring for her? He had never told her he loved her. They had never talked of marrying someday. She had assumed it, but she might have assumed too much. She stared up at the sky where a few stars were showing up. Jamie, why aren’t you here?

A rustle of brush in the rose garden grabbed her attention away from the stars. Someone is in the garden.

Braxton had his hand on her back again. Perhaps a young man went out to steal a rose for his sweetheart.

Piper looked up at him with an easier smile. What a romantic thing to say. She had no reason to hold him at arm’s length simply because she was pining after Jamie. She had promised her parents to at least get to know Braxton, whether any sparks ignited between them or not.

The polite lines on Braxton’s face melted away as he smiled back. Piper hadn’t considered that he might find their association tonight every bit as awkward as she did. Had he agreed to be her escort because he was attracted to her, or was it nothing more than a match of fortunes made on a bank floor?

Roses are the language of love, are they not? he said.

She would have preferred he had stayed with romance instead of bringing the word love out between them, but it was simply a word. She was being too sensitive. Neither of them was ready to think love. She didn’t expect to ever be ready. Not with Braxton Crandall, no matter how nice he turned out to be.

If only he’d quit touching her back, herding her this way or that. But that was how dancing was supposed to be. The man leading. The woman following. Her mother said that was the way a woman’s life was as well. A good wife following her husband’s lead.

Piper supposed her mother was right. Women needed to be wives and mothers to keep things in balance. To keep the world spinning on its axis. The Lord said to go forth and be fruitful. There was Adam and there was Eve. Abraham and Sarah. Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob and Rachel. Well, Leah in that story did complicate matters a bit.

Love could complicate matters. Or the lack of love.

Another rustle in the garden below drew her attention and she moved closer to the railing to look down. A man slipped through the gate to the street. Shadows hid his face, but something about him was so familiar she had to bite her lip to keep from calling out Jamie’s name.

She wanted to race back through the ballroom, down the stairs, and outside to run after the man. She hadn’t seen Jamie since his father’s funeral at the end of summer. Months ago. They had held hands under a tree near the family burial plot and promised to write. Both clinging to a past forever lost and avoiding the very real future that would never be the same.

Jamie moved with his mother to his uncle’s house. Piper went back east to school. The holidays when she’d come home, he was in Danville. Not an impossible drive to Louisville, but he hadn’t come to see her.

They exchanged a few letters. His oddly stiff and impersonal. How are you? I’m fine. But of course he wasn’t fine. It didn’t take much reading between the lines to know that. Perhaps he had found a girl closer to home. One who wasn’t hundreds of miles away at college. It seemed a reasonable assumption for the change in his correspondence. She may have been the only one thinking they were more than friends.

The person in the garden couldn’t have been Jamie. He wouldn’t have lurked there in the shadows. He would have come in. Thinking it might be him was merely

Reviews for An Appalachian Summer

[veragodley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story is easy to read and kept my attention. Being a nurse for 35 years and the fact my family comes from rural Kentucky, I enjoyed reading this historical fiction about both. I also admired that the leading ladies were strong and independent. I would like to have seen a more spiritual development in the main character, Piper. Overall I give this book a 4/5.

“An Appalachian Summer”, Piper, a strong- willed young lady,, finds herself questioning life’s expectations. She is one of the fortunate society girls of 1933 who is still able to afford a debutante ball after the crash of ‘29. However, Piper longs for more than societal approval and the wealthy match her father has in mind; she wants to marry for love! With the help of her father’s independent and successful sister Trudy, Piper talks her mother into first allowing Piper a summer of assisting nurse midwives with the Frontier Nursing Service in the mountains of rural Kentucky. Here Piper discovers that by serving others, she comes to learn more about God, herself, true love, and friendship. (Reviewer M.P.Godley)

[ladytaluka · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I read 100 pages of this, after winning it through the Early Reviews. I was hoping for a little romantic fluff...but this was just boring. I kept waiting for it to get interesting and I'm finally calling it quits.

[medwards429 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thank you in advance to the publisher, Revell, for providing a complimentary copy to review through Interviews & Reviews. A positive review was not required or requested, and all words are my own.

I first saw this book because of a JustRead Tours social media takeover which I was a part of. I was supposed to get a copy through them, but sadly – the publisher failed to send them out. So, when I saw it on Interviews & Reviews – I decided to request it. The story definitely drew me in and it was a “must read”. It also didn’t hurt that the cover was simply gorgeous with all the purple in it. That sunset! WOW!

So, yes, the cover was the first thing that grabbed me!

I loved the idea that it was set in 1933 following the stock market crash, and prior to World War II. 1933 is important to me as my grandmother got married that September when she was 16. In October 1934, she had a son but he died a month later in November. I know the conditions for having children were bad in that time. She actually was in a larger city (near St. Louis, Missouri), and access to hospitals was better than the women in this book had. That gives this story some perspective as to how vital a service like this was.

As my grandmother off and on grew up on farms, this was an interesting look into a life I had only heard about through “hand-me-down” stories. I do know of some relatives who lived in the Appalachian area.

This story is actually based on the real life Mrs. Mary Carson Breckenridge (1881-1965; granddaughter of Vice President John C. Breckinridge) who founded the Frontier Nursing Service in 1925 which also led to the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery. The school graduated its first class in 1940.

Readers will be interested to know that the Frontier Nursing University in Hyden, Kentucky was reported first (1st) by U.S News & World Report of graduate schools of midwifery and 14th among family nurse practitioner programs in 2011.

Stories like this really give an interesting and entertaining look into history.

And, speaking of the stories – at the heart of those stories are the people/characters involved. This is told in third (3rd) person from Piper’s POV along with Jamie’s POV).

I instantly admired Piper. From the beginning, her reluctance to fall into the “debutante” lifestyle was admirable and a refreshing change. Instead of being served, she wanted to serve. She wanted to do something before settling into her life and I really loved that she made that decision. It was a shame her father, nor ill-fated suitor, Braxton could see it. Thankfully, Piper had no interest in him. For some reason, he reminded me of Hockley from the movie “Titanic”.

Aunt Truda was an absolute delight. Her honesty was candid, refreshing, and definitely added some perspective on the expectations of the times.

Jamie was definitely an admirable character because he didn’t give up on Piper. He also kept things low key and was mild-mannered. Of the male characters, I felt he was the strongest one. Despite his losses, he still maintained his personality and dignity.

Another character was Dr. Jackson Booker who had a connection to Truda. With that, the reader gets two (2) romances i with this beautiful read – Piper/Jamie and Truda/Jackson though there is more focus on Piper and Jamie.

The plot was absolutely moving. Gabhart’s vivid, colorful writing with authentic vernacular for the time and location, along with short chapters certainly made this a quick read. I was really surprised how interested I was in this – especially given my “history” with historical romance. And, I was surprised I didn’t want to put it down.

I got the feel for the society of that time – some of the ideas were, compared to now, quite silly. One was about pregnant women didn’t parade their expectant bodies around and thus pregnant women, when they started showing, were to remain confined at home. Instead of celebrating pregnancy, it was treated as something shameful. And, given how miraculous it is – that is quite the shame. But, that is why reading books such as this are also important.

It was also interesting to see how the different “classes” handled the stock market crash.

I enjoyed reading about the technological advances (vehicles) which were still combined with horse and buggy travel, along with travel by train. In addition, the book highlights the medical advances. Despite having hospitals, the Frontier Nursing Service was there to provide healthcare to those who had limited access, such as the mountain people of rural Kentucky, as well as remote and impoverished areas which. This drastically reduced the mother and infant mortality rates. Girls like Piper were often couriers and assisted the nurses along with the hospital staff.

There is some humorous talk about moonshiners and revenuers (IRS, FBI). As one character stated – one does not discuss religion, politics, moonshine, or revenuers; which lightened the tone of the story.

Piper learns more than she bargained for when it comes to life in the hills, but doesn’t shy away from the challenge. She also gets some valuable life skills. And, some aspects were almost funny. The chicken prep directions were, to me, hilarious; as was her trying to get the chicken.

To add to everything, Truda and Jamie both show up in Wendover. Both are there to “seek” out the people they still have feelings for. One lesson Truda learns, and it is one that is personal to me – some things are meant to be, even if decades had to pass. For Piper, it is coming to terms with balancing what is expected of her and what she wants.

Of course, Braxton also shows up calling for Piper as well to add even more drama.

There are some dramatic moments in this book that caused me to pause for a moment, and one was a teary-eyed moment. This is definitely a stunning and almost heartbreaking read, and it is a story that will stay with the reader for quite a while.

The publisher is a known Christian/faith themed group so there will be some bible and faith references, along with a strong belief in God. The references are not central to the plot so the reader won’t feel as though they’re being preached to. While a “clean” read, there might be a slight questionable “roundabout” reference to reproduction on page 75 (chapter 9).

Fans of the author and genre will no doubt enjoy Gabhart’s latest release. This was my first time reading Gabhart’s work, and I truly enjoyed the book.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ann H. Gabhart shares another story that centers around The Frontier Nursing Service and its founder, Mary Breckinridge, but this time her heroine is a young woman who leaves her Louisville, home for a summer job in Hyden, Kentucky. Piper Danson has known a life of wealth and luxury but her family has experienced the effects of the Great Depression and her parents tell her that they've found a man with money that she can marry. Piper, however, wants more! She wants to feel useful, she longs to make a difference, and she yearns for true love, so accepting a job as a courier for the Frontier Nursing Service in the summer of 1933 may be just what she's looking for. But can she ride a horse through the mountains, muck out horse stalls, and even help deliver babies? What else will Piper encounter during her summer in Appalachia Kentucky?

Piper Danson is a wonderful character and I admired her determination to help others and the special bond that she shared with her Aunt Truda. When her long-time friend Jamie Russell showed up to do a series of newspaper articles on Mrs. Breckinridge and her nurses, I fully understood why he had been Piper's 'teenage dream'. It is, however, Gabhart's description of the mountains and the people who lived there that grabbed my heart. Those strong, hardworking people greatly needed the medical care provided by the Frontier Nursing Service but they were proud people who didn't readily accept help or easily give their trust to strangers. Watching Piper and the others earn that trust was truly heartwarming and inspiring and it reminded me that all of us need to do more to serve others.

Set in my home state of Kentucky, and written by a favorite Kentucky author, An Appalachian Summer offers not one, but two, romances and a wonderful message of faith. I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy historical Christian romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. There was no obligation to write a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

[asheley-627878 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story takes place in Kentucky, in 1933. Piper Danson has just had her debut in Louisville, where she was escorted by the handsome and wealthy Braxton Crandall. Piper's parents want her to marry Braxton because of his family's financial stability, as they were able to maintain their wealth while so many others lost everything during the stock market crash and the Depression that followed. But alas, the thought of a life of society and money bores Piper. Plus, she is in love with Jamie Russell, but her family won't approve of a marriage with him because his family is one of those that lost their fortune.

Piper decides to do something adventurous and leave home to work with the Frontier Nurses up in the mountains of Kentucky. Acclimating to a lifestyle that requires hard work is tough for her, but rewarding, and ultimately Piper learns a lot about herself. Best of all, she finds the confidence to start making her own choices.

I was drawn to this story because of the Appalachian setting and because parts of the plot were centered around nursing. (I am a nurse!) I loved reading about Piper riding up into the Kentucky mountains on horseback and I loved that she was able to learn about hard work and public health. It was a lot of fun watching Piper's confidence grow, and it was inspiring to watch her eagerly learn skills that she had never been exposed to before (cooking, painting, washing clothes, etc.). I also loved all of the people that Piper met through the Frontier Nursing program.

There is, of course, romance throughout the story where Piper is concerned. She has to figure out what she wants to do about marrying Braxton without hurting him and upsetting her family. She also has to figure out what to do with the very real feelings that she feels for Jamie. There is a smaller, secondary romantic plotline in the story that I LOVED.

This one was a lot of fun for me. I read it one over the course of about a week when things were exceptionally busy at my house (and a little bit stressful). I really looked forward to picking this book up for a little while before bed every night.



Thank you to Revell Publishing for sending me a finished print copy of this book for review!

[polarmath · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this story as I enjoy reading books that give me an insight into history, but weave it in a story. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Piper to go against her parents and the life she was brought up in to become a volunteer courier for the Frontier Nurses. She had to take on a very different lifestyle, interact with different people, and even fall in love. A great read.
I received a copy to read, the review is mine.

[thedeffenbaughs6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[becky_l-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*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.

[grammy57 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Piper Danson is a debutante in Louisville, Kentucky, who gets the opportunity to assist the Frontier Nursing Service, nurses who bring medical care and assistance to people in the East Kentucky Appalachians during the 30s. I immediately looked up the service and was pleased to find that it is real, as is its founder Mary Breckinridge, who also figures into this story. I appreciate a good historical novel that is about something that really existed at its center. I also appreciated that the author did an excellent job of portraying the people of the Appalachians in a positive light, something that doesn't always happen. I've read too many books with very bad dialect! The story is predictable, but it is enjoyable, and I learned a good bit while reading. The message is powerful also.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a lovely story. We get to go back to the Great Depression in 1933 in this engaging novel. I thought it was well-written with realistic characters. The author captured the time period and I enjoyed her word imagery. I will share my full review soon!

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s the height of the Great Depression, but Piper’s family isn’t suffering. Her father hadn’t lost his fortune, unlike many in those days. Piper was suffering in a different manner. She acquiesced to her mother’s wishes and made her debut into society. However, a stirring speech by one Mrs. Breckinridge spurred her to become a courier for the frontier nurses on the Appalachian Mountains for the summer. Piper went from being a society debutant to mucking out horse stalls, along with many other tasks. The nurses were vital to the well-being of the mountain folk, especially the pregnant women. But Piper had an ulterior motive: she desperately wanted to escape the marriage plans her father had initiated, because she was in love with another man. However, her true love’s family had lost their fortune in the crash, and Piper’s father deemed him unworthy to marry his daughter. Author Ann Gabhart has penned a delightful novel of historical worth that weaves together fact with fiction, telling a story of struggle and of romance in her own talented way. The setting is so well described and the characters so real, readers will themselves falling back in time to another time and place. It’s a wonderfully told tale with strong and inspirational female characters.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have loved every book I have ever read by this author and this one did not disappoint. In fact this was one of my all time favorites. It was so interesting to read about the young women who went to the Appalachian mountains to become midwives and others spent their summers helping as Frontier Nursing couriers. Piper was from a rich family but knew that she was missing something so she volunteered as a courier. Here she learns that money is not everything. This was very inspirational. I could not put this down. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[gincam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful storyteller Ann H. Gabhart takes readers on a heartfelt and uplifting journey back to the Kentucky Mountains in the era of the Great Depression. Piper Danson's family is surviving the economic disaster better than most, and her parents have chosen a man for her to marry whom they think will continue to provide for Piper in the manner to which she is accustomed. The problem is that Piper wants a different kind of life for herself, and Braxton Crandall is not the man she envisions to share her future. Her lifelong friend, Jamie Russell, is the one who knows her best. However, his family suffered terribly in the economic depression, and he has become somewhat distanced. When Piper learns of a chance to work with a frontier nursing program as a horseback courier, it sounds like the answer to her prayers. It will be a summer of hard work, personal growth and revelation, and a deepening of faith. When Piper and Jamie are reunited, will it be just a reunion of old friends, or has the time come for two yearning hearts to finally become as one? Ann H. Gabhart, a Kentucky native, is a very special storyteller. Her descriptions of her home state, its people, its culture, and its heritage are like a painting colored by words. As always, there is the underlying message of deep and abiding faith.

Book Copy Gratis Revell Books

[sonja.hoeke.nish7358 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was simply delightful. At the cusp of her life and not knowing which direction to go in life, she hears the words "do something" and hears Mrs. Breckinridge tell the experiences of the Frontier Nursing couriers in the Appalachian Mountains. Without much hesitation, Piper Danson hears the call, although not the life or direction expected of her by her parents.

She leaves behind a chance of courtship and an old flame to help the nurse midwives in the mountains.

I loved this book and I want to read others set in this same time frame and beautiful setting. There wasn't a dull moment in this book, which was well paced and totally engaging. It was so well written and adventures were exciting and you could see the growth in Piper over her time there. I can say only the best compliments to the author. It was simply excellent!

I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing. All thoughts are my own.

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love reading historical fiction and learning about something that existed in the past that I had little to no knowledge of. An Appalachian Summer is about the Frontier Nursing Service that was started in the hills of Kentucky to provide nurses and mid-wives to the people in the area. The organization eventually evolved into a hospital and a graduate school of midwifery. Today it is a highly ranked school for nurse-midwifery and family nurse practitioner programs.

The novel begins in 1933 at Piper Danson's debutante party. She has had two years of college and doesn't want a coming-out party but agrees to it to make her mom happy, even though she is miserable all dressed up and in the spotlight. Her parents' goal is to help her find a rich husband who can take care of her and who she can learn to love over time. Her goal is to live life before she settles down as a wife. She knows that there is a whole world out there that she wants to explore but she isn't sure how she's going to make it happen. Her best friend, Jamie, isn't in attendance because his family lost all their money in the depression and he is no longer accepted among the rich. Her aunt, a bit of a rebel, has a tea party where Piper meets Mary Breckinridge, the founder of the Frontier Nursing Service in Kentucky and is excited to be asked to be a horseback courier with the Frontier Nursing Service for the summer. Once she convinces her parents to let her participate in the program, she boards a train to Kentucky and her adventure begins.

Life in the mountains of Kentucky is nothing like her rich pampered life. She is expected to make long trips on horseback delivering supplies, paint buildings and milk cows. She helps the nurses with the sick children and even assists at births. She is thrilled with her new life and can't imagine going home and getting married to the rich man that her father has picked out for her but what choice does she have? Society was structured so that she didn't have many choices in her life. Can she find a way to change her future from what her parents expect to what she needs - a beautiful wide open future filled with true love.

This is my first book by this author and I look forward to future books. This was a light hearted book with characters that represented this time period. I loved learning about the nurse program in Kentucky and about the adventurous woman who kept it running during a time that women had few choices in their lives.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A look back at a difficult time in our history, people are still reeling from the stock market crash that devastated the country. The author gives us both the ones who were able to hold on to their wealth and others who fell and lost everything including family members.
We are given a young woman, Piper, her family has kept their fortune and she has just had her debutant, a few years later than most, she has graduated from college.
We also meet a young man, whose family were not a fortunate and fighting back for survival. He also has graduated from college and trying to find his way, knowing that above all he loves Piper.
Now this is the second book set here in the Appalachian Mountains, and we are again with the Frontier Nurses and catching babies.
Come and get lost in these mountains, meet some delightful children, they tell it like it is, and those that will give what little they have.
We get to enjoy Piper as she embraces this very different life, and wonder what path she will further journey on!
I received this book through the Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

[wearylibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Piper comes from a wealthy family and is expected to marry the man her parents have chosen. She is in love with Jamie, but his family lost all their money, making him unacceptable. Piper decides to go to Appalachia as a nurse cucourier, just to spite her parents.

I was disappointed that there was not more about life in Depression Era Appalachia.

[huberk-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart
Baker Publishing
June 30, 2020
Pages: 355
Reviewed by mrsboone4, Green Forest, AR, USA
Rating: 5 Stars
Review date: June 21, 2020

Piper Danson has lived a life of privilege. Even though many families in the USA lost everything, her family is still quite wealthy. Piper's mother insists that Piper have a debutante ball, she hates every minute of it. Her best friend Jamie Russell wasn't invited to the ball, because his family lost their fortune. Braxton Crandall of a railroad empire is whom her father chooses to be her husband. What can Piper do? She does the only thing she can, she runs!

Her Aunt Truda Danson hosts a tea, giving a lady who has started a charitable mission high in the Appalachians a chance to do a little fundraising and also recruit some couriers to come help the staff take care of the horses for the Frontier Nursing Service that she started.

The FNS is a wonderful medical mission whose goal is to decrease maternity mothers and their infants' premature deaths. They not only provide prenatal care, but also shots and medical supplies to all who are in the area.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I can picture myself it Piper's shoes, except that my family wasn't rich and my marriage wasn't an arranged one. Read the book and find out what happens with Piper's future.

I am very thankful to LibraryThing for the complimentary copy of this book. I was under no obligation to post a review.

[koalamom_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's the 1930s - the Depression is still raging, but Piper has her Society debut - more for her mother than her and is supposedly supposed to marry by summer's end - mostly for her father than her.(She has someone else in mind for a mate.)

But instead of spending her summer involved in a whirlwind courtship and wedding preparations, Piper decided to spend it in Appalachia helping a woman who has set up health care there. Knowing little about what is to come, she goes into it with wild open eyes and takes on anything and everything.

In the end both the man she loves and the one her father wants her to marry show up - how will it end?

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed An Appalachian Summer by Ann H Gabhart. The story, set in 1933, shows love, turmoil, beauty, and love of nature. The story centers on Piper Danson, a young woman who must reason with love and her future. Will the future be with Braxton Crandall and a life of easy comfort or with Jamie Russell and a life of struggle and of uncertainty. For Piper, the summer brings her as a volunteer as a courier in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky with the Frontier Nursing Service. What dedication of these women who assist the mountain women in childbirth and sickness. The story flows with the beauty of the mountains, but also with the hardships and the persistent belief in God. The ending proves to be too predictable.