The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham

The Heart of the Mountains
by Pepper Basham

ISBN-13: 9781636093253
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: July 1st 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
To escape a forced marriage, Cora Taylor travels from England to the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of her brother, who is working as a teacher in a mission school. She hopes to find a place where her nursing skills and independent ideas will be accepted and appreciated, but nothing prepares her for the wild mixture of isolation, community, brokenness, and hope within these mountains…or in the person of Jeb McAdams.

Returning from the devastation of World War 1 emotionally damaged, Jeb McAdams struggles against the rampant mountain alcoholism to soothe his nightmares. It’s easy to hide within the mountains, or it was, before Cora Taylor arrived. Now, she seems to show up at every turn, bringing her modern ideas, curiosity, and beautiful eyes with her.

Bound by their shared war history, the pair develop an unlikely friendship, which unexpectedly turns into something more. But when Cora’s desire to help the women of the mountains crosses an unspoken line, will Jeb be able to protect this feisty flatlander from the wrath of the mountain men?


My Review:
The Heart of the Mountains is a Christian romance set in 1919 in the Appalachian Mountains. Cora served as a nurse in WWI, and Jeb McAdams served as a soldier. They experienced things that changed them but which also gave them a different perspective that laid a foundation for a friendship. Cora joined her uncle and brother in the mountains to avoid a marriage she didn't desire but also to help the locals with her nursing skills. Some locals weren't happy to have another outsider influencing people, though. Between handling medical crisis and learning to avoid the dangers of the mountains (both animal and certain unfriendly people), Cora's friendship with Jeb grew as they spent time together.

The characters were complex and reacted realistically to events. The historical and setting details immersed me into the story and brought it alive in my imagination. Cora felt that God had used some bad circumstances to prompt her to go to a place where she'd find happiness and contentment helping others. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.