Daughters of Northern Shores(Blackbird Mountain #2)
By Joanne Bischof
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
March 12th 2019 by Thomas Nelson
“The Norgaard brothers and their families will steal your heart.” —Catherine West, author of Where Hope Begins
Heartache and regret, boldness and sacrifice. What will restoration cost the beloved Norgaard family?
Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.
Having fled the farm after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s which is already at stake through a grave illness brought to him as the first prick of warfare.
Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.
From Christy Award–winning author Joanne Bischof comes Daughters of Northern Shores: the highly anticipated sequel to her moving novel Sons of Blackbird Mountain.
My Thoughts
Daughters of Northern Shores is another outstanding epic by Joanne Bischof, one for my “best of the best” list, and impossible for me to adequately review with any words of mine. This novel is filled with exquisite romance, emotion, poignancy, suspense and adventure. Anything that Bischof writes is excellent, but for me, she shines best in Appalachian settings. My ancestors lived in the southern foothills of the Appalachians, so I’m well acquainted with the area and its people that she brings to life.
What author would ever be inspired to create a Deaf hero? Or a hero who was almost – not quite – but almost guilty of rape? But Thor and Aven’s romance is like no other, making me think that true, deep feelings can be better expressed without words. And as for Haakon, I have to question if I sometimes think that God’s ability to transform and restore has limits. This is what Bischof does so well, create overtly flawed characters and make you care deeply about them, yearning for their redemption with all your heart.
Book #1, Sons of Blackbird Mountain, concluded with what seemed to be an irreparable tear in relationships, but with elements reminiscent of the biblical Prodigal Son and even Jacob and Esau, Bischof creates a beautiful tale of repentance, forgiveness, grace and restoration. This story begins four years after Haakon’s flight, and is bookended with scenes involving a young Norwegian woman he met while at sea, one who casts great influence upon him…
Perhaps her insinuation for him to rise to a greater challenge had been a beseeching for him to thread wholeness and restitution into whatever wrong had sent him to the far side of the world.
The same four years have brought much happiness to Thor and Aven, but all that is in question with Haakon’s return and the reemergence of the family feud with the evil Sorrell family. This story is one that I wanted to read quickly, yet slowly so as to savor each word and nuance. The characters from this whole series will long live in my memory.
Very highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Prism Book Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Other Books in the Series
Sons of Blackbird Mountain(Blackbird Mountain #1)
By Joanne Bischof
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 339 Pages
July 3rd 2018 by Thomas Nelson
From the bestselling award-winning author of The Lady and the Lionheart
“Beloved author Joanne Bischof doesn’t disappoint with her latest beautifully written, heartrending tale . . . a quick favorite for historical romance readers.” —Elizabeth Byler Younts, author of The Solace of Water
A Tale of Family, Brotherhood, and the Healing Power of Love
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.
Praise for Sons of Blackbird Mountain:
"Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a quiet gem of a historical romance. Refreshingly real and honest in its depiction of flawed but lovable individuals, it introduces characters readers will want to meet again." - CBA Market
". . . the novel provides an interesting glimpse of the time period and some complex social issues among neighbors in an area still recovering from the Civil War." - Historical Novels Review
"VERDICT Christy- and Carol Award-winning author Bischof (The Lady and the Lionheart) creates endearing characters and a heartwarming story line in this unforgettable novel about the power of family, love, and the true meaning of home. Fans of Kristy Cambron, Julie Klassen, and Susan Meissner will love this one." - Library Journal
About the Author
Picture courtesy of https://joannebischof.com.
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.
She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children.
Tour Schedule
Tour Giveaway
One winner will receive a print copy of DAUGHTERS OF NORTHERN SHORES and a Thomas Nelson/Zondervan custom tote bag (book and bag shown are examples, not actual prize)
US only
Ends March 20, 2019
I love the Appalachian area. It’s beauty is breathtaking!
ReplyDeletemauback55 at gmail dot com
I just recently read The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof and now look forward to reading Sons of Blackbird Mountain and Daughters of Northern Shores.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Appalachia but I've read quite a few books set in that area so it would be fun to visit. I've read all of Joanne Bischof's books because she is an excellent writer. Her books are always "must reads" for me.
ReplyDeleteI've never visited he Appalachia area. I enjoy Joanne Bischof's books and I'm excited to read this one!
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