| Title | : | These Healing Hills |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0800723635 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780800723637 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 361 |
| Publication | : | First published September 1, 2017 |
Deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed at war, Ben Locke has never thought further ahead than making it home to Kentucky. His future shrouded in as much mist as his beloved mountains, he's at a loss when it comes to envisioning what's next for his life.
When Francine's and Ben's paths intersect, it's immediately clear that they are from different worlds and value different things. But love has a way of healing old wounds . . . and revealing tantalizing new possibilities.
These Healing Hills Reviews
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What a delightful tale! Francine’s whole heart is longing for a useful place to call home, after her mother’s long effort of trying to cut Francine down to the size of the mold of her mother’s ambitions. The new venture of becoming a mountain nurse-midwife (She does much more than simply catch babies, thus the “nurse” part) is her effort at finding freedom to make her own choices in life. Kentucky Appalachia in 1945 is represented in charming and not-so charming detail. I also liked the parts that detailed her job and her relationships with the mountain people.
I really liked that the romance in the book is very low-key, and Ben, the young man, isn’t introduced until 1/3 of the way in when he returns from war.
A heartwarming, inspiring, and clean story.
Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy. -
These Healing Hills is the story of a nurse who left her comfortable home to “catch babies” and aid the people of the Kentucky Appalachian Mountains. Despite her supervisor’s and mother’s warnings to not get too close to her neighbours, Francine finds that the mountains and its people- particularly one soldier- are capturing her heart.
I was hoping for something with the same charm as The Heart of Hollyhill series or Angel Sister, and it did not disappoint! I felt like I was right there in the mountains, back in time. I really liked all the characters and reading about all of Francine’s adventures as a midwife. As a bonus, the dog on the cover plays an important role in the story (you can never have too many stories with dogs).
I also liked how the main character was always getting lost. Lol. It always seems like every main character in a book has an uncanny sense of direction. Then there's me, who needs a Google Maps printout of every step if I go somewhere new and who can never remember which way is north or south. So, it was nice to read about someone who doesn't know where she’s going either!
I loved this one! -
4.5 stars.
I suppose stories about midwives, the Appalachian Mountains, frontier and family life, and slow, tender romances just touch my heart. These Healing Hills by Ann H. Gabhart was a beautiful novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Set during the end and aftermath of World War II, this book introduces us to frontier nurse/midwife, Francine Howard, and soldier, Ben Locke, who's a native to the mountains. Besides our two main characters, who both quickly endeared themselves to me, we meet many other unique people in the beautiful and sometimes harsh Appalachian hills. Woody. Becca. Granny Em.
Midwifery is interesting to me, and These Healing Hills got into it a fair amount. What a miracle pregnancy is! What a beautiful thing new life is! What a precious blessing - babies. *smiles* Francine is also a nurse and just helps with random needs of the mountain people. It was neat to learn about frontier nurses and what their lives looked like. In the old-fashioned mountain life, people generally rode horses instead of having cars and had to work hard to keep up their gardens in order to make it through the winter.
In her nurse outfit, blue tunic and trousers, and with her trusty horse, Jasmine, Francine maneuvers the mountain paths and befriends the people. I like how she can have her no-nonsense "nurse attitude", but also has such compassion for her patients, and genuinely cares about them as people, and is interested in their lives. I love how sweetly she falls for Ben.
I like Ben. And Sarge. And the parts they play in Francine's life. ^_^
These Healing Hills was just a really lovely and tender story. With bits of drama and excitement here and there. A heartfelt journey of faith. A story of friendship that slowly blossomed into love. It's something akin to Catherine Marshall's Christy. Very satisfying tale. Looking forward to reading more by Ann H. Gabhart!
I received a copy of These Healing Hills from Revell publishers in exchange for my honest review. -
It's so nice to read a book that catches human nature so well. The gentleness, yet straight-forward characteristic of the mountain people in this book is so refreshing. Fran and Ben's romance may not be extremely different from many others, but the setting and the background creates something incredibly unique and special.
This took me several days to read only because I wanted to savor every scene. It's a slow story that must be read carefully, although there were several intense/action-filled scenes. There were so many lines that I smiled and laughed at. Woody's character made me beam inside and out. He's just the perfect sunshiny fellow. Sometimes I got riled with Fran and Ben with ignoring their feelings, but it was so short-lived and realistic that I couldn't really fault them.
I absolutely loved how Fran thought of the spiritual wisdom her grandmother passed on to her. That was just perfect! And then even in some of the mountain people who didn't want to talk religion, they brought up simple truths from God's Word that was so thought-worthy. This book reminded me of so many things, but especially that the little moments of life are important. Not the huge things we may accomplish, but our daily decisions to help, love, and a be blessing to others. And also to speak to the truth.
Romance-wise everything was very discreet and sweet. There is several mentions about babies, and the love in marriage. But really, I loved how the author portrayed it all. Never blunt...even the birth scenes.
I highly recommend this book because it was a simple delight to read.
*I received this in exchange for an honest review* -
Francine Howard had her life planned out. She was going to marry her high school sweetheart, Seth, when he returned from WWII, make a home, and start a family. But when Seth's sister revealed that he is coming home with a girl from England, Francine is devastated and embarrassed. Already having trained as a nurse, she volunteers for the Frontier Nursing Service in the mountains of Kentucky to receive training to be a midwife. Having been raised in Cincinnati, and discouraged by her mother not to interact with those"hillbillies", Francine is uncertain what she will encounter. What she does find though is a great beauty in the land and a people who value and family and hard work.
Ben Locke has survived the war as a medic and his greatest desire is to return home to his family and the mountains he loves. Yet Ben is restless and unsure what the future holds. When a chance encounter throws him together with Francine, a longing for love awakens in his heart.
Having been hurt by Seth's rejection, Francine too is leary to give her heart to another. As she grows in confidence in her nursing skills and begins to feel drawn to the beauty of the mountains, she learns to trust in the feelings she is experiencing.
For anyone looking for a"clean" historical Christian novel, I would highly recommend this book. -
This book was amazing!!!! I loved this book from the first chapter. Great characters. I love Francine and how she’s a nurse-Midwife. I also love Ben.:)
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These Healing Hills is a delightful historical romance novel. The descriptive writing firmly places the reader in the gorgeous scenery and amongst the friendly people of the Appalachian Mountains. It was wonderful to sink into this story and journey with Fran and Ben as they overcome the obstacles before them, each find a place to call home, and find peace.
Francine Howard didn't start her life looking for adventure, but when her fiancé writes home from the war to tell her he has found someone else, she knows home in Cincinnati is no longer where she wants to stay. Instead, she takes up the offer to travel to the Appalachian Mountains and put her training as a nurse to use as one of the Frontier Nurses. It is a vast change in culture, but Fran soon feels at home there. Ben Locke has spent many years away at war and wants nothing more than to return to his home in the mountains. He isn't sure what his future holds, but the kind nurse with the amazing smile draws him like no one has before.
This book is set just as World War Two is coming to an end. However, at times it feels like it could be set in an earlier era, as the people in the mountain eek out an honest and simple living and the women of the Frontier Nursing Service ride horses across the rugged lands to offer what medical help they can. So the mentions of buses and cars, and women wearing pants sometimes came as a bit of a shock and reminder of the true setting of this story.
The setting was almost a third main character in this book. The mountains truly came to life on the pages. These Healing Hills is beautifully written. It was a long story. While there is no shortage of exciting happenings, from snow storms, babies needing catching and shootings, this book had a beautiful, slow cadence to it that made sinking into its pages a delight. I took the time to savour every moment. However, the ending was way too sudden for me. I was left desperately flicking for pages I might have missed, another chapter, a long epilogue, anything! I thought there was more to learn, endings to be neatly tied in a bow, but maybe that's because I wanted the book to go on forever. I would be content, however, with a sequel or a companion novel... Here's hoping.
The slow sweet burn of the romance in this novel was oh so delightful. Little moments, shared laughter, simple things that brought Ben and Fran together, while they doubt and wrestle with their feelings. It made the ending all the better (if still too short!).
I was totally surprised by just how much I enjoyed this wonderful book. I eagerly look forward to discovering what else this talented author will produce. These Healing Hills is highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical novels with strong characters, detailed and descriptive writing that flows beautifully, a touch of adventure and heartwarming romance.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog
Madison's Library. -
A wonderful story full of colorful characters and fun dialogue, an instant add to my favorites list! Set in 1945 Kentucky, in the Appalachian Mountains, featuring the brave women of the Frontier Nursing Service.
I loved the people in this story, especially the locals who Fran met in her visits, and the aspect of midwifery in 1945. The history of the FNS was fascinating, and had such a positive impact on the health of the people. The difficulty of travelling all over on horseback over rough terrain in all weather, making home visits with little back up, using everything they knew, made them some of the strongest women I've ever read about. Every day was an adventure!
The fun dialogue, especially between Fran and the Locke family, with the local vernacular was very entertaining, along with Granny Em's insights and how the locals perceived any outsiders. Plenty of inspiration is tucked in also, with scripture references, including past conversations between Ben and his father, and Fran and her grandmother adding their wise counsel.
I enjoyed the relationship between Fran and Ben, watching their little back and forth dance of friendship developing. Wished the story could have gone on just a bit longer, but the ending was satisfying. I hope it may continue with another book and it will be a series.
Highly recommend to readers who enjoy Christian historical fiction set near WW2, with a clean romance.
(An e-book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.) -
i am a huge fan of Gabhart's cozy mysteries, but haven't read very many of her historicals. When I was offered a chance to review THESE HEALING HILLS I thought I'd give it a try. Recently my son graduated from A school for the Coast Guard and we drove through "these hills" and saw how massively huge they are. It gives new appreciation to these "pioneer" nurse midwives who traveled them on foot and on horseback to "catch babies" or see to sick women and children.
The story is rather slow, easy to put down, but it was a nice peaceful read, a good escape. I identified completely with Fran, out of her element with the setting (she was a city girl) and getting used to hillbilly lingo, and traversing steep mountain trails on foot. And so many other dangers out where people are likely to shoot first and ask questions later.
Ben is a sweet hero, battle worn, glad to be home, but mourning so much. he has a lot of hurts to work through and a lot on his plate with the death of his dad and his mom and siblings needing so much from him.
I rooted for these characters. Granny Em was a lovely secondary character and some of the others added humor and drama as well.
A great historical fiction read. Historical fiction loves will devour this book.
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own. -
Sent to me for an early review - Another "can't put down " story - Set in the mountains of KY after WWII - Nurse/mid-wife - plently of action, romance, heart warming story - characters come to life -
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This was a wonderful historical fiction novel. The characters are extremely well done and the mountain areas of Kentucky are written about so beautifully that the reader feels like they are there when reading this book.
The year is 1945 and Francine has just found out that the man she planned to marry after he came back from fighting in Europe is bringing home his English fiancee. She doesn't want to deal with this heartache so she joins The Frontier Nursing Service to learn to be a nurse-midwife and take care of people in the Appalachian area of Kentucky. She not only has a real heart for her job but loves the people who live in the mountains. Some of the other nurses fell like they are there to teach the people but Francine soon realizes that she can not only teach but she can also learn from them. When she meets Ben, a mountain man who has just returned from the fighting, they realize that their lives are very different even though there is a spark between them.
This is a lovely novel about life in the mountains in the mid-1940s. It was beautifully written and a joy to read -- the word I want to use to describe it is 'gentle'. I highly recommend it.
Thanks to librarything for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. -
I had the pleasure of reading this for possible endorsement and fell in love with the story from the first page. Here's my endorsement.
What a wonderful story! Filled with true-to-life characters (including some four-footed ones) and fascinating historical details, These Healing Hills is a beautifully written, heartwarming story of life in the Appalachian Mountains at the end of the second World War. Ann Gabhart combines vivid descriptions, meticulous research, and a deep understanding of the human heart to create a story that will linger in readers’ memories long after the last page is turned. This is a book to savor, not just once, but over and over. A true keeper. -
What a great story situated in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky! I loved hearing about the adventures of a young midwife nurse. Oh, how much Francine learned while helping to "catch babies", the term mountain people use when a baby is born. It was very interesting how this author explained the life of these people. Also the author talked about the beauty of the land. I could picture how gorgeous, but how difficult it would have been without modern conveniences that we take for granted.
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Being from Kentucky this was a great book. I loved the vivid descriptions and the way Gabhart took me book to the mountains.
The characters were so easy to love, will most of them were. I enjoyed going home in this heartwarming read.
You are going to get lost in the mountains with Fran and like me you just might enjoy it.
Well crafted read and you are going to be left wanting more. I loved the ending. I just might be Gabharts biggest fan.
This is a 5 star two times read! I HIGHLY recommend this book.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own. -
I am never happier than when I crack the cover of a historical fiction novel and encounter a piece of history I've never heard of before. Such was the case with "These Healing Hills", and learning about the Frontier Nursing Service that operated in the Appalachian Mountains, offering midwifery nursing care (or digging out bullet wounds for that matter!) The author has done a great job at bringing the Mountains to life, capturing their beauty along with the strength of the people who lived there. Gabhart has crafted some wonderful and endearing characters in the plucky Francine as she seeks to heal from her past, and the likeable Ben Locke, who seems torn between his home in the mountains and all that the rest of the world has to offer. The romance that simmers between them is sweet to behold, and readers will enjoy watching them grow over the course of the novel, as they live life alongside the community around them. Although some parts of the novel move faster than others, there is plenty of drama woven into the plot to keep you absorbed in the story. And the way that Gabhart depicts the stereotypes against the mountain people by outsiders is so remnant of the way that people continue to be judged by their differences to this day. The story offers a needed reminder that we all need to take the time to get to know people where they are at, discovering that we aren't so different after all!
Ann H. Gabhart continues to give life to endearing and uplifting stories that satisfy the heart, and "These Healing Hills" will not only please her wide fan base but appeal to those looking for good historical fiction. I award this novel a solid rating and give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. -
I really found myself rooting for young Francine Howard as she began her new career as a baby catcher, or midwife, in the mountains of Kentucky.
The author made those mountains so alive with word pictures that I found myself crossing the creeks, and going over the rocks. Such a great story, with the end WWII we are with the veterans and those left behind. Most of all we meet the mountain people and you will really fall in love with some of these unforgettable individuals.
Will our girl end up loosing her heart to these people and maybe someone else, or will her mother get her way and she will go back home to Cincinnati? How about our young soldier and the responsibilities that are now placed on him, will he take advantage of the GI bill, or stay and help family?
I really enjoyed this story, and made me want to move and live here, but that grass usually looks greener on the other side.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review. -
I don't think I have ever been disappointed in an Ann Gabhart book. She is one of my favourite authors and These Healing Hills proved once again why.
In These Healing Hills, she created pictures so vivid I felt like I was watching a movie. That is the work of a great writer. It was easy to see the "mountain people" who Fran grew to love and to see why a city gal would stay. Ms Gabhart's characters are well developed and seemed to jump off the paper (or Kindle in my case) and become so real you did not want to let them go. Which is my only complaint about this book. It ended without letting me know what happened next. There was no epilogue. I have to imagine what Ben and Francine will do next.
My imagination is not as vivid as Ms Gabhart's. I hope she writes a sequel.
I loved getting to know more about the Frontier Nursing Service as well. I had never heard of them before.
The theme that God always has a plan seemed central to this story, but not in an overly preachy way. I really enjoyed this book and I know you will too.
You can never go wrong with an Ann Gabhart book. I highly recommend it.
This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing. -
"No one comes here by accident." --Frontier Nurse Saying
I loved this book. And, much like the mantra of the frontier nurses, I know I didn't come to it by accident, either. In fact, I rather think that anyone who is compelled to read this book will come away feeling the same. After all, when looking for inspirational fiction, the title itself accurately portrays what a reader will encounter with this story: new starts after a time of reflection, and lives that encounter healing after hardship, with a soft dose of biblical wisdom naturally mixed into the character's thoughts and conversation, much like life as many still know it.
Nurse Francine Howard is the kind of woman that I could be friends with in real life. Not the type to mope about after a breakup, she chooses a new path that takes her away from the hurt and into hard work that helps her focus on others, while finding her own strength. Meanwhile, soldier Ben Locke has to re-encounter his home with fresh--though war weary-- eyes. Do either of them belong in the Appalachians? Is that really even the question?
Regardless of the reason the book was timely in my life, this book is timely in a number of broad ways. First, a great number of readers have digested "Hillbilly Elegy," by J.D. Vance, so we know the rest of the story a bit more intimately than we would have even a couple of years ago. Also, many of us, regardless of our political beliefs and news channel(s) of choice, are in need of a bit of healing over the divisiveness afflicting our country and world these days, not to mention the natural disasters. Books like "These Healing Hills" help us step back and re-evaluate, and know that there is hope after all. Especially well written and edited books like this one.
(BONUS: SWEET DOG STORY!! See him on the cover below?! Also, check out the short book trailer inserted below my picture. And don't forget to enter the giveaway!)
You have a new fan, Ann H. Gabhart, and Revell (a division of Baker Publishing Group). Thank you for the review copy in exchange for an honest opinion. -
These Healing Hills by Ann Gabhart
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Kindle
Timeframe: 1945
Location: Appalachian hills, Kentucky
Characters:
Francine Howard: Nurse, beginning midwife training
Ben Locke: Medic returning from WWII to Kentucky hills
Woody Locke : Ben’s talkative young brother
Mary Breckinridge: Founder of Frontier Nursing Service
Granny Em: Elderly wise-woman and healer
Betty Dawson: Stoic nursing teacher from New York
Francine’s “intended” writes from England near the end of WWII to say he’s fallen in love with another woman. Devastated, trying to figure out what God has for her life now, she applies and is accepted to the Frontier Nursing Service midwife program. She leaves her home and mother in Cincinatti, and heads for the hill country of Kentucky, in Leslie County. She would apprentice, then have her knowledge and skills tested, eventually receiving a midwife license.
She’s promised a horse and a dog to get from house to house in the back woods. Her fears are moonshiners, snakes and getting lost… which happens often as there are only unmarked dirt roads/trails and a map she cannot seem to follow. Fortunately the mountain people are friendly and will help whenever possible, like Woody, a fun, talkative teenager who finds her lost on her first day there, in the woods just trying to find the hospital to which she was supposed to report…on foot.
A new way of life in the hills, and a new vocabulary for this “brought-in” girl who is learning to “catch babies”. Here she meets Woody’s older brother, Ben, who was a medic in the war, returning after an injury. They are both leery of each other. He's leery of her because she’s not from there, and she's leery of him because he is in no way as friendly as his brother Woody. But her being a fixture in the hill folk homes, and how they’ve taken to her, gives her a fighting chance to win many hearts, including Ben’s. But her teacher, Betty, warns her not to take to their ways, and to maintain an emotional distance because these are “different” people with backward ways and beliefs.
I’ve enjoyed many Ann Gabhart books and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I live near these Appalachian hills, and am familiar now with a different way of speaking than I’d ever heard before. So it was fun getting inside the homes, inside their communities and to hear old proverbs, and maxims and pearls of wisdom in this book.
I nearly gave it a 4.5 star-rating because of the ending, but when I heard there's another book to follow, the ending made sense.
Very good book, one I can completely recommend! -
Ann H. Gabhart is a master of her craft. With so many books to read and so little time (well, when I'm not in quarantine 😉), I tend to stick with authors I'm already familiar with. By taking up These Healing Hills, I took a chance on a new-to-me author and was repaid with a few hours of effortless reading and wholesome entertainment. Gabhart's words planted my feet in the rich mountain soil of Kentucky. You never knew what to expect while following Francine Howard on her nursing rounds—visiting people of various ages, temperaments, and eccentricities. I laughed, I learned, and I lived in their world for a time. The story never plodded along, but the author did take her time developing her characters and their bonds so as to deliver the maximum impact for her audience. I was extremely satisfied with how the story ended and I look forward to reading An Appalachian Summer (June 2020) as well as exploring Gabhart's extensive backlist.
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Francine Howard has her life all mapped out until the soldier she planned to marry at WWII's end writes to tell her he's in love with a woman in England. Devastated, Francine seeks a fresh start in the Appalachian Mountains, training to be a nurse midwife for the Frontier Nursing Service.
Deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed at war, Ben Locke has never thought further ahead than making it home to Kentucky. His future shrouded in as much mist as his beloved mountains, he's at a loss when it comes to envisioning what's next for his life.
When Francine's and Ben's paths intersect, it's immediately clear that they are from different worlds and value different things. But love has a way of healing old wounds . . . and revealing tantalizing new possibilities.
Reading an Ann Gabhart book is like sitting down with a friend to pass the time in the best possible way. Her descriptions, her characters, her setting (this setting!) are all so wonderful. Everything in her books just goes down deep in your soul, reminding you of a happy place and when life was easy. But it's not all easy in her books. Don't get me wrong. Her characters have hard times, but her telling is amazing. I loved this book and the people that populated it very much.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via Net Galley. My review is my own honest opinion. -
I really did enjoy this book!! I think it's one of Ann's best yet!!.
I enjoyed it so much because of the Kentucky backdrop.
I enjoyed learning about the mountain people and their ways. I laughed at Fran for some of the things she said and did. I thought she fit in rather well and she didn't really have to try very hard to do it.
I fell in love with Woody because of his energy!! I wish I had a bundle like him!
I almost felt sorry for Ben. Ben has seen and done things that he didn't want to. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and comfort him.
I think I'm crazy for wanting to do that to fictional characters but oh well. You gotta love them and the authors who brings them to life!!
I just couldn't put this book down!! It's a page Turner from the moment you open it.
I could just imagine myself hearing Granny Em. How old is she anyway?
I enjoyed hearing her wisdom of advice to Fran, Ben and his family.
I think she'spretty special!! All grannies are!! I know mine was!!!
I strongly recommend this book.
I received this book for free. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own -
This was a very sweet and relaxing read! It was slow-paced, but not boring. Perfect for when you just want something heart-warming to read curled up in a cozy chair. ;) My favorite part of the romance was honestly when Francine and Ben first met each other... that was definitely one of my favorite scenes! Lol... anyway, I loved the details that brought the mountain and the people living there to life, as well as Francine's backstory. That was so well crafted - especially the parts involving her mother. I enjoyed the romance a lot - a good mix of humor and sweetness. (At times I wished it wasn't the trope where both are so set on keeping distance from each other and not admitting they're in love! That always makes me want to shake the characters... but hey, maybe that's part of the reason I kept reading. To see what each would do about it.)
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These Healing Hills will warm your heart
This is the first book by Ann Gabhart that am have read. It won’t be the last. The story of a nurse-midwife in the mountains of Kentucky, just after World War II, These Healing Hills is filled with adventure, hope, and promise. Th characters are believable, the setting is enticing, the story is rewarding. I could not put it down. -
These Healing Hills (2017) by Ann H. Gabhart is a very sweet stand-alone story. This novel was just released on September 5, 2017. This book comes in all forms including eBook, and is 360 pages in length. With a full-time job and a precocious five-year old at home, this novel took me four days to read. I received a free copy of this novel directly from the publisher, Revell of the Baker Publishing Group. In no way has this influenced my opinions of the story. All opinions expressed in this review are mine. I give this novel 5 STARS. This novel is a Christian Historical Fiction set right after WWII in Kentucky, and details the life and many adventures of a Frontier Nurse in the Appalachian Mountains.
This is the very first Gabhart novel that I have read, but it certainly will not be my last. These Healing Hills is an excellent story. It has everything a reader could want: well-written characters, amazing depictions of the Appalachian landscape, medical adventures, and a sweet love story.
Prior to reading this novel, I had never heard of the Frontier Nursing Service. What an amazing group of courageous and intelligent women. The main character in this novel is Francine, a brand new frontier nurse. The adventures she encounters as a nurse are some of the best written, highly engaging scenes in this book. The pages flew by whenever Francine was working with a patient. I was totally captivated! So much so, I had to take multiple breaks from the reading of this book in order to research actual Frontier Nurses. I spent hours reading about the adventures of these amazing women. So, if you pick this book up to read, just know you may take multiple breaks Google searching!
At the start of the novel, Francine is escaping her home because the man she believed she was engaged to during WWII came back with a new English fiancee. Totally crushed, she allows the Appalachian setting and people to help her overcome her sadness. As she grows in confidence as a frontier nurse, she slowly heals from her fiancee’s betrayal, and starts to fall for Ben Locke, a WWII medic newly returned from his four years overseas. Both Ben and Francine are excellently written. Their individual struggles over the course of the novel are authentic and realistic. What I love the most about these characters is that they both go to God when in doubt. Gabhart did an excellent job of illustrating that any mountain may be climbed as long as God is by your side. Totally love that this theme is constantly illustrated metaphorically via the Kentucky landscape, which really becomes a main character in and of itself.
I cannot say enough excellent things about this novel. It is fast-paced, highly engaging, excellently researched, and lovely. I will be thinking about the Frontier Nursing service, the Appalachian setting, and the characters from this novel long after I have posted this review. This novel has endeared itself to me, and I highly, highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed choosing this book as your next read! -
It's 1945 and Francine thinks her future is secure. She's planning to marry Seth as soon as he's back from the war. When Seth writes her that he's in love with someone else Francine is devastated. Because Seth will bring his new love to America she decides it's time for a change. She signs up for the Frontier Nursing Service midwife training in the Appalachian Mountains. When she arrives she feels at ease straight away. Francine loves the mountains and she enjoys working with people, but there are many rules and customs she isn't used to. Has she made the right choice leaving everything she knows behind?
Ben's family lives in the mountains. He hasn't seen them for quite some time, being a medic in the army. The horrors of the war have greatly affected him and he's glad to go home. However, when he arrives he doesn't have a clue what to do with himself. What should his future look like now that he has the time and the freedom to make his own decisions? When he meets Francine he immediately feels she's special, but they're from different worlds. Can they be friends and maybe even more or do their backgrounds stand in their way?
These Healing Hills is a fantastic book. I was immediately intrigued by Francine. She's optimistic, strong and capable. She's kind and caring and never loses her faith. I loved how she takes the time to be there for people. She's a wonderful person and that makes this book incredibly beautiful. Moving from a life filled with luxury in the city to a much simpler and more basic one in the mountains isn't always easy and it was fascinating to read about her challenges. Francine makes mistakes and it's in those moments she has her most interesting meetings. I loved her connection with Ben, it's genuine and feels exactly right. I couldn't turn the pages of These Healing Hills quickly enough to find out what would happen to these two amazing people.
Ann H. Gabhart skillfully paints a gorgeous picture of the Appalachian Mountains. I could certainly understand why Francine would love being there so much. I enjoyed reading the vivid descriptions of both the surroundings and the inhabitants that made the whole story come to life very well. I liked how Ann H. Gabhart pays attention to every single detail. She's made sure the story perfectly suits the era she's writing about. It especially was a lot of fun to read about the songs they were singing. She combines lightness with serious topics and balances this exactly right. The result is a charming, entertaining, multilayered, thought-provoking and romantic story. I loved everything about These Healing Hills, it's a brilliant book. -
A MUST READ!!!!! This is one of the best books I've read this year!!! And the best book I've read of Ann's! The whole plot was very intriguing to me from the beginning and I was drawn deeper still as Fran starts her journey. Feelings of Christy echo in the first few pages, but soon the story grew into it's own! I LOVE these characters from the main to the sub. I was fearful something bad was going to happen, since life in the mountains is hard at the best of times, but I was refreshingly overjoyed. I also LOVE the pace of the story, at first it felt a little strange as the timeline took some pretty big steps, but as things progressed I was happy Ann didn't dig into great detail on some scenes. Francine has become one of my favorite characters, and one that will stick with me! Then there's Ben, who you can't just help but fall in love with, and yes the dog on the cover isn't just for looks! ;) I think he was probably my favorite character! :D The setting is gorgeous and Ann's details of the scenery are just right, enough to paint the picture without giving too much description. There was just one thing that I did NOT like about this book....IT ENDED! LOL! I knew it was coming, but when I got there I was thrown into Reader's melancholy and nearly started all over from the beginning again! Oh overall I JUST LOVED THIS BOOK! I HIGHLY recommend it, and dub it a MUST READ!
Songs: "Froggie Went a Courtin' " (though while the book says the snake eats the mouse the version I read says it was the cat. ;) LOL!),
"He Leadeth Me",
"Same Power" by Jeremy Camp,
"Toora, Loora, Loora",
and "Amazing Grace"
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC
Psalm 46:1-2
~ASC
*I requested and received this book from Revell for the purpose of reviewing it. This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about These Healing Hills. ~ASC
