Sons of Blackbird Mountain

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: Wow! This book was like a whirlwind, packed full of life into such a short season of time passing in the book. I loved getting to know the vibrant characters, Aven who has left the poor house to find a better life only to find that there are still hard decisions to be made, Thor with his loss of hearing and dependency on the hard cider, Jorgan who serves as the peace keeper between his brothers, and Haakon the youngest who loves boldly but hides hurts. I thought Joanne did a wonderful job of bringing to life a very difficult character, with Thor being deaf and dealing with alcoholism. It made me really ponder what it would of been like to live in a silent world back before there was a lot of resources for the hearing impaired. The book is extremely well written, and includes some difficult subjects like racism, abuse, alcoholism, and some possible triggers. Over all, it is a fine piece of historical fiction. I look forward to reading the next book!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review.

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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.

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The Giveaway looks amazing!

A Grand prize giveaway package that includes:

- country crate

- jar of apple butter

- bag of gummy berries

- journal

- bath salts

- honey spoons

- copper earrings

- blackbird sign

You must follow the link to go to the giveaway. Be sure to leave a comment on my blog and copy the URL when you go, since that will give you extra entries!