An Appalachian Summer is an atmospheric novel about the frontier nurses of the Appalachian Mountains, women couriers, and life and love in the in 1930s. With romance aplenty, adventure and lighthearted moments, An Appalachian Summer is a light and easy book to enjoy.

Piper is grateful her family has weathered the crash of the economy so well, even if it means she must go ahead with her Debut Ball. Being pressured by her father to accept an engagement to Braxton Crandall and heartbroken over the silence she is receiving from her best friend and keeper of her heart Jamie Russel, Piper seizes upon the opportunity to join the frontier nursing courier service in the Appalachian Mountains. From the journey there, to the surprises in store for her, it is all a great adventure. She just wants to forget men and romance for a summer, which is fine until a mystery man from her aunt’s past re-emerges, Jamie follows her all the way to the mountains and she must decide where her heart and future will lay.

Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, this is a novel that mixes the past with more modern ideas of women’s liberation and a changing society. I sometimes forgot the time setting and had to do a double take at some of the more casual language and use of jeans and such.

I absolutely adored These Healing Hills by Ann H Gabhart, which is also set in the Appalachian Mountains. And while I liked An Appalachian Summer, it just didn’t grab me in the same way. I loved the scenery and the adventure, the people of the mountain and the other nurses, I just didn’t warm to Piper all that much and I certainly wasn’t intrigued by the love triangle she is dragging around behind her. I really enjoyed Piper’s aunt’s reconnection with a past beau, though, and thought this a nice addition to the story.

If you are looking for a historical read about strong, independent women with a touch of the dramatic in the romance, you’ll enjoy An Appalachian Summer.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

The depression years in the Appalachia mountains were hard but the giving spirit of Mrs. Breckenridge was a very positive influence on the people. Appalachia came alive through the wonderful characters in this story. The nurses and the couriers were truly amazing as they strove to provide care for the women and their babies. Highly recommended!

When I read the info about An Appalachian Summer by Ann Gabhart, I thought it was a sequel to These Healing Hills. It wasn't, but it could have been.

Both books centered on the Frontier Nursing Service in the Appalachian Mountains. This book focused on a young debutante, Piper Danson, who, dissatisfied with life, looks for a way to escape her obligation of getting married to the "right" guy, for all the wrong reasons (status, money, and a comfortable life). So she volunteers to become a courier in the Appalachian Mountains, for the Frontier Nursing Service. Her goal was to avoid thinking about the man she loved, but was "unsuitable" for her to marry, according to her father. She also wanted to not think about the man her father wanted her to marry. A man she felt nothing for. So she runs away, hoping to delay the inevitable. But sometimes, the "inevitable" chases you down until you have no choice but to make a decision.

I enjoyed learning more about the Frontier Nursing Service. Ann Gabhart once again has done her research, giving the reader not only a minds-eye view of the Appalachians but the experience of what the nurses and couriers had to go through. I am convinced I will never eat another chicken again. No, I'm not going to tell you what happens to the poor chicken. Suffice it to say, the author's writing was vivid enough that I am now thinking of becoming completely vegetarian.

I love that the author includes an element of faith in her books, while not being preachy about it. The major theme in this book, for me, was taking that step out in faith when we are unsure what will happen—something Piper had to learn the hard way.

"That can be how faith in the Lord is. You might feel a little trembly when you take that first step of trusting your ways to him, but once you do, you can always depend on that firm foundation of the Lord's love."

A lovely book with a beautiful message. I highly recommend it.

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell, through NetGalley.

"She did say her prayers every night when she wasn't too tired, but had she ever considered the Lord's will in her life? Was it his will that she be here in the mountains beside this woman who knew what to weed out and what to let grow? Would it be too wrong to ask her how she knew what was the Lord's will and what wasn't?" I love this passage that perfectly sums up the theme of this book. With an old flame, a love triangle, and a wandering spirit, this book presents so many life experiences of fluctuation. The reader follows along as Piper, Truda, and Jamie learn to trust their hearts and believe that the Lord will lead them down the right path.

Hope, faith, and love abound as lives converge in the Appalachian Mountains. Reminiscent of Call The Midwife, Mrs. Breckinridge’s nurses and courier service in Appalachia are inspiring.

I connected with these young ladies as they stepped out of their comfort zones to do something bigger than themselves. I loved the rawness and authenticity of the mountain people. The characters were well written and stepped right out of the pages of the book.

Truda and Piper have pushed against the constraints of society. In the mountains they must both face what they learn about themselves. Will they decide to follow expectations or follow their hearts?

I was given a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publishing House by Interviews and Reviews through NetGalley.
I recommend this book.