Review + Tour GIVEAWAY: Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof

About the Book

Title: Sons of Blackbird Mountain  
Author: Joanne Bischof  
Genre: Historical Romance

After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of Nineteenth-Century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred acre farm. Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family. 

But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection. While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength. 

As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family? Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world? 

A haunting tale of struggle and redemption, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a portrait of grace in a world where the broken may find new life through the healing mercy of love.

My Thoughts

She’d witnessed hatred before, but never in such a precise display. Like soldiers, those men had been. Out to patrol upon this mountain. And now, somewhere out there, women were stirring from slumber after passing the night beside the cloaked men who had stood here under a half-wane moon.

Joanne Bischof is a wordsmith, a most gifted writer who, seemingly without effort, pens the most emotionally creative stories imaginable. Returning to the Appalachian world that first endeared me to Bischof’s novels in the Cadence of Grace series, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a haunting, poignant story of a young widow from Norway and three brothers living in the Virginia backwoods. The writing is lyrical, characters well drawn and so very realistic, the setting becomes a major character, and the story engrossing.

There’s so much complexity to this story – a rivalry between the two younger sons for Aven’s affections, themes of alcoholism, racism, greed, and survival. To say this story and its characters are captivating would be putting it mildly. I read slowly, savoring every word, and didn’t want it to end.

The relationship that slowly builds between Aven and Thor, who is deaf, is hard to adequately describe. Bischof has done an incredible job with Thor’s character, in the expression of his feelings, weaknesses, and difficulty in communicating. Every scene between these two touches on the emotions, and their chemistry is palpable.

Faith is gently woven throughout. I loved this thought expressed by Aven …

Hate wasn’t hers to bear justly and if she tried, it would leave her wrecked upon the rocks she hoped to navigate safely around.

Very highly recommended. Sons of Blackbird Mountain goes on my “best of the best” list.

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

About the Author

JOANNE BISCHOF is an ACFW Carol Award and ECPA Christy Award-winning author. She writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the heartstrings.

She was honored to receive the San Diego Christian Writers Guild Novel of the Year Award in 2014 and in 2015 was named Author of the Year by the Mount Hermon conference. Joanne’s 2016 novel, The Lady and the Lionheart, received an extraordinary 5 Star TOP PICK! from RT Book Reviews, among other critical acclaim.

She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children.

Visit her online at JoanneBischof.com, Facebook: Author, JoanneBischof, Instagram: @JoanneBischof.

Guest Video from Joanne Bischof

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Joanne is giving away

Grand prize of a country crate, a jar of apple butter, a bag of gummy berries, journal, bath salts, honey spoons, copper earrings, and a blackbird sign!!

Click the image above or the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/d140/sons-of-blackbird-mountain-celebration-tour-giveaway