SONS OF BLACKBIRD MOUNTAIN by Joanne Bischoff, reviewed by Winnie Thomas

Be still my heart! What a truly magnificent read—so poignant and captivating! I just finished this book, and I’m having a hard time trying to put my feelings into words. I spent the last part of the book alternating between wanting to know the ending and not wanting it to end. Now I’m anxiously awaiting the next story in the series!

Joanne Bischof has a special gift for creating unique settings and intriguing storylines. She also excels in making multi-layered and complex, yet realistic, characters come alive on the page and endear themselves to the reader. Aven, the heroine of Sons of Blackbird Mountain, fascinated me from the start, as did Thor with his disabilities and endearing personality. The relationships between Thor and his brothers were intriguing and sometimes intense, and Bischof masterfully portrays them in a way that shows why they interact the way they do. The secondary characters were also vividly drawn and added much to the story.

Some hard topics are tackled in this book—alcoholism, deafness, family relationships, and more, but the author does a superb job with them. Messages of hope, redemption, forgiveness, and love of family are woven through the story, and add to the beauty of it.

If you haven’t read any of Joanne Bischof’s books yet, do yourself a favor and grab this one. You won’t be disappointed. It’s one for the keeper shelf, and I’m sure it will be one of my favorite reads of the year.

BACK COVER BLURB:
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.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson/NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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