"Sons of Blackbird Mountain" by Joanne Bischof
Aven Norgaard has left behind all that is familiar more than once. When she is widowed in a new and strange land, letters from her late husband's relatives convince her to leave Norway and join them in America. Aven arrives in Appalachia and quickly discovers that the young cousins supposedly in need of a housekeeper are not, in fact, as young as Aunt Dorothe led to believe, and the African-American woman who helped raise them after their mother's death is quite firmly ensconced as housekeeper already. She also quickly learns that the three young men support themselves by crafting hard cider, and one is highly dependent upon his product to dull his pain. While the neighbors enjoy partaking of the brothers' craft and pay well for the product, some are violently opposed to the Norgaards' regard for their African-American neighbors.
Despite their inauspicious introductions, Aven is quickly welcomed into the family. Jorgen, the eldest brother who is awaiting the arrival of his promised bride, exhibits a platonic and polite concern for her well-being. Thorald and Haakon, however, are equally fascinated by the young woman whose arrival begins to reawaken bitterness between the younger brothers. As Aven begins to make herself at home with her new family, the danger and threats the brothers face from their neighbors begin to pale in comparison to the dangerous division rising among them.
Joanne Bischof, whose 2017 book The Lady and The Lionheart won multiple awards, has outdone herself in this masterful new novel. As in her previous work, Ms. Bischof exhibits a unique talent for drawing a reader so far into her setting, one can almost hear the leaves crunching underfoot, feel the brisk edge to an autumn breeze hinting of winter, and revel in the heady musk of ripening apples. While the novel may transport readers to an Appalachian orchard, her characters are the true centerpiece. Ms. Bischof's greatest talent lies in truly developing STORY - a plot which becomes larger than itself, exposing her highly developed characters in all their flawed glory and graciously weaving them together in a way which echoes the redemptive work of God.
I eagerly anticipated the release of this book, my interest growing frantically as launch groups began chattering about it. (I wasn't approved as an advance reader, so I re-read Ms. Bischof's Cadence of Grace series as a consolation while I waited. It was a pleasant distraction and I strongly recommend it, as well.) When I finally obtained a copy of Sons of Blackbird Mountain through my local library, I devoured it, hoping it was worth the hype. Oh, reader - it was! I intend to re-read it before I have to return it. I suspect Ms. Bischof will be dusting a matching set of awards for this novel, which surpasses The Lady and the Lionheart, in my estimation.
Thomas Nelson Publishing has already released the sequel's teaser and cover art. Daughters of Northern Shores sounds equally intriguing, but its expected publication isn't until March of 2019! Oh, dear. I guess it's back to pins and needles and finding more excellent books to distract me while I wait.