Laurel's Dream - Book Review

I may have mentioned before that Pepper Basham is one of my favorite authors, which may be why I'm excited to share this book today. Laurel's Dream is the first in one of Basham's Appalachian series. If you enjoyed An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart or any of Basham's other books, you will love Laurel's Dream.

Plot Summary

When Jonathan Taylor is rejected from military service because of his limp, he crosses the Atlantic from England to serve in the Appalachian mountains as a teacher. Laurel McAdams has big dreams different from most mountain girls’ and when she meets Jonathan, she finds a kindred spirit who encourages her aspirations. But not everyone is thrilled about a “flatlander” coming to their parts. When an unforeseen disaster dismantles their plans, can the couple see this as a twist in their dreams or will it destroy the friendship they treasure?

Personal Thoughts

Jonathan and Laurel were adorable. Jonathan's cultured Britishness and Laurel's free spirit went together despite how different they were. Their individual struggles added depth to the story and I loved how they helped each other with their problems. The last quarter of the book took my by surprise, but it was a wonderful twist to the story.

This book was a great introduction to Appalachian culture. I learned a lot about "mountain ways" and the differences in how flatlanders and those in the mountains lived. While Basham shared a lot of information, it was integrated into the story very well and didn't seem like an information dump. Rather, it added to the plot.

Notes

Steam Level: 💋💋💋

This is the first book in the My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge series.

For those of you who have read Laurel's Dream, what did you think of it? For those of you who have not read it, would you? Tell me in the comments below!