What the Mountians Remember is a sweet romance within the construct of historical fiction. Belle Newbold was born a poor miners daughter and when her father was killed in a tragic mining accident her mother grieved fiercely. Eventually her mother remarried, but not to another miner. Because of her beauty she caught the eye of a wealthy gasoline magnate and kept the secret of her poor beginnings so that they would not be ostracized by high society which they instantly became part of. Belle and her mother live in fear that they will be outed by their former poverty. Because Belle witnessed her mothers severe heartbreak she vows to never marry for love, just companionship and the chance to have a family. Fortunately she becomes engaged to Worth Delafield, a wealthy young man of the same mind about marriage. They barely know each other but on a Vagabound fancy glamping trip to North Carolina with Henry Ford and other notables they spend time together and find they are very compatible. Both think they have made the right choice. Of course misunderstandings and such begin to happen all along the way towards true love and it is a sweet, if naive romance. The most interesting part of the story is the building of the famous Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. Belle is commissioned to write a description of the Inn's construction for the media. When she does her research interviewing local mason and construction crews, we the reader go along with her and we learn quite a bit about this historical landmark. Belle has always wanted to honor her fathers writing and she uses this opportunity to tell the stories of the workers who actually did the work, not just the financiers of the project. A major theme of this book is that everybody has a story that is important to be told. I enjoyed this novel very much, well written and an excellent blend of romance and historical fiction.
4 stars.

Many thank to Net Galley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for the opportunity to read/ listen to this ARC audio version of this book.

I thought this was a romance. So romantic. Worth seems os hot. He's brooding and rich and falling in love! He is like "no I can't marry you. I refuse to marry someone I love!"
Adorable. I don't even like men and I like Worth, even if he is silly.
But then BAM everyone is getting TB and the rich people are fighting against sanitariums, or fighting to make sure they are hidden away far from town.
I work in an old Sanitarium and it is indeed a campus situated away from the rest of the city.
The narration was perfect. I picked it for the narrator so I was a little biased but she impressed me once again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"What the Mountains Remember" by Joy Callaway, narrated by Brittany Pressley, is a poignant tale that weaves together the threads of history, romance, and self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century, the story invites listeners to the majestic landscapes of North Carolina, where the unfinished Grove Park Inn stands as a symbol of ambition and beauty.

Belle Newbold, the protagonist, is a character of depth and complexity. Her journey from a life shadowed by loss and obligation to one of empowerment and authenticity is both compelling and inspiring. Callaway's writing is rich and evocative, painting each scene with such detail that the mountains themselves become a character, silent witnesses to Belle's transformation.

Brittany Pressley's narration is a perfect match for Callaway's lyrical prose. Her voice captures the nuances of each character, bringing an additional layer of intimacy to the story. The audiobook format is particularly fitting for this novel, as Pressley's narration complements the atmospheric setting and emotional depth of Belle's story.

What sets this audiobook apart is its exploration of the human spirit's resilience. It's a reminder that the path to finding oneself is often as rugged and breathtaking as the mountains that frame our lives. Callaway challenges listeners to consider the stories we tell and the legacies we leave behind.

In conclusion, "What the Mountains Remember" is a beautifully crafted audiobook that resonates with the heart's longing for connection and the courage to face the past. Joy Callaway has delivered a story that is both a historical treasure and a timeless reminder of the power of memory and the strength found in reclaiming one's story. Brittany Pressley's narration is the cherry on top, making this audiobook an experience to remember.

Although she was born a miner’s daughter in the hills of West Virginia, Belle has spent the past seven years living in luxury due to her mother’s second marriage. Having seen her mother suffer the loss of her father, Belle is determined not to fall in love, but to marry for stability and family. Joining Henry Ford and his wealthy group of adventurers, Belle and her family embark on a camping trip in the mountains of North Carolina, bringing up memories of her youth in West Virginia. No one can know that Belle came from poverty, including her fiancé, Worth. While camping, the group visits the construction site of the Grove Park Inn and Belle’s writing skills are called upon to craft an article about the ”8th Wonder of the World”.

I really enjoyed the setting in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina having been there several times myself. The information about the building of Grove Park Inn was fascinating and I loved how the author included everyday people who worked on the project alongside the financiers. I found myself rolling my eyes a bit at the love story at the heart of the book.

The narration was fairly good although I did feel that Belle came off as a bit whiny at times.

First, we have to pay homage to this gorgeous cover! Don’t you just want to jump right into it!?!

I have loved the way Calloway brings the beauty off the pages and alive before my eyes in her past two books I’ve read, and 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 transported me into another splendid and intriguing story.

What appealed to you the most in this story?

I flew through this book and could not get over the depth, research, and heart put into the story. Callaway vividly brought a little-known chapters of US history to life showcasing the building of Grove Park Inn, Henry Ford’s Vagabonds tour, and the effects of tuberculosis on the working/poor class.

I was absolutely captivated by every aspect of this story, but I of course could not get enough of Belle’s character and seeing her develop as a woman during a time when women were meant to be seen but not heard.

How was the romance?

Oh, the tension and frustration I went through! It was perfect! Belle and Worth complimented each other perfectly with their views on love and marriage, and I could not get enough of their budding romance. I also couldn’t help but lecture them and cheer for them at the same time.

Steam level: PG

Read if you like:

Found Family
Strong Female MC
Drama
Suspense
History
Romance
Heartwarming Story

How was the audiobook?

Brittany Pressley brought this book and each of the characters to life, and I felt like I was watching to book play out like a movie with her ability to capture the voices and styles of each character with their own idiosyncrasies.

How was the pace?

I could not stop listening to this fast paced and emotional story. I even found myself walking extra miles just to find out what was going to happen next!

Do you recommend this book?

Just an absolutely captivating and beautiful story full of so much heart! I will forever remember and recommend this immersive read to everyone. This is a touchingly woven story with moving characters that also shows us the power of love and grief, what we can endure, and how far we can go. Get this book and read or listen to it now!

Thank you, Harper Muse for this gifted copy and audiobook in exchange for my honest opinions.

Historical Fiction at its finest...

In "What the Mountains Remember" Joy Callaway weaves real landmarks, events, and people into a fictional story of self-discovery, stubborn love, and the grit of ordinary people. A beautifully heartfelt page-turner full of detailed imagery and interesting characters. The author clearly did her research to bring the Grove Park Inn and the Vagabonds to life with her distinct imagination and heart.

This story is set in 1913, North Carolina, during the built of the Grove Park Inn. Belle Newbold and her parents are invited along for a glamping adventure, during which the hotel is visited, and Belle starts to write an article about the Inn and all the people taking part in its built. Still traumatized by the loss of her birth father, Belle does not want to marry for love. She agrees to get engaged to Worth Delafield, the owner of the land being used for their campsite, who she has only met once before. Worth feels similar about love matches, but both of them soon come to care more for each other than they intended.

What drew me to this story was the beautiful cover and the atmosphere it promised. I was not disappointed in this regard and thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the mountains and the construction of the impressive Grove Park Inn. Belle, coming from a modest background, pays much attention to the people around her and makes them feel valued, especially when it comes to those people she interviews for her article. Her approach to writing was very wholesome and heartwarming. As a result, this book was an homage to the workers on the construction site.

I really liked Belle and Worth’s characters and their growth. The story turned out to be much more romantic than I thought it would be, a welcome surprise in my eyes.

The only thing that dulled the wholesome atmosphere of the book for me, was Marie Austen, Belle’s cousin. Her character is rather annoying from the start, and the reader quickly learns that something will go wrong whenever she is around. She is childish, selfish, jealous, and constantly scheming for an advantage. Her character is rather one dimensional and did not add much to the story in my eyes.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and surprising read for me. I listened to the audiobook version of the book and can highly recommend this format.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review.

This novel was based on the history of the Grove Park Inn of North Carolina.
Belle Newbold is invited to join a Vagabond camping tour and writes the history of the people that built Grove Park.
A great story of the challenges of being brave enough to find love.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @HarperCollinsFocus for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

I fell in love with this story. It centers around Belle Newbold, a young woman attending a Henry Ford vagabond camping tour in Asheville, NC with her parents. Belle is struggling with the reminders of her childhood as she gets to know the man she is engaged to marry and becomes fascinated with the construction of the Grove Park Inn. Historical fiction isn't typically a genre I pick up, but I'm so glad that I kept coming back to the description for What the Mountains Remember. The setting, characters and the history all come together to create a wonderful story that drew me in. I will be searching out more of Joy Callaway's books.

The narrator did a fantastic job as well!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsFocus and #HarperMuse for a free copy of #WhattheMountainsRemember by Joy Callaway. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to @harpermusebooks for allowing me this audiobook for review. Honestly, I just love #historicalfiction and the cover of this just screams that and of beautiful American mountains … this story has so many themes that I enjoy: rags to riches, a plucky female lead who goes against the conventional expectations of her class and gender to seek her true happiness, MC’s with wonderful heart and souls, fought against feelings, and an actual place and time fictionalized with well-researched actual history of an actual place. The author does all this and creates a story that feels like a warm hug with just enough tension to propel the novel forward in a perfect flow. I really also enjoyed the narrator of this @britpressley who narrated this with multiple different voices of male and female flawlessly and evoked all the right emotions in them! Awesome job! As for the author, @joywcal, her author’s note at the end made me realize that there was an actual place she was talking about in the story, a place that she often visited in her youth, and one that she decided to research and write about in a way that brought to light all of the laborers that helped create the gorgeous resort. (Grove Park, NC) her MC Belle of said rags to riches, had to keep her origins hidden from “polite society” to avoid being shunned (a big part of the tension of the story) and due to her origins, she writes of and tries to help the workers of this estate, who many of were inflicted with TB. The workers of early America, without employer sick leave, were working til they dropped, to avoid their families from starving, infecting others in the process. There is so much to be said about how the author (and Belle) gave a voice to the poor mountain folk, showing the poverty, yet pride and work ethics of those people. I really enjoyed this story & recommend it for those that love early 1900s American historical fiction, mountain resorts, love stories and/or just an overall feel-good story!!
Thanks again to @harpermusebooks for this opportunity. Thanks to Joy (from me, Hope) for bringing this place to my consciousness, I’m sure I’d love to see it one day!!

What the Mountains Remember
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A perfect great Historical fiction story that has everything you want it to be. Unique setting, story, & characters that makes you want to keep turning the pages. Bonus is some fun romance too. I love all of Joy's books. This is another lovely story!
Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity.

Moving from poverty to immense wealth after a tragic accident, Belle Newbold must keep her past a deep secret in order to continue living in luxury and marry well. Set in Edwardian Asheville with a lush North Carolina mountain backdrop "What the Mountains Remember" is the story of a poor miner's daughter learning to trust and let love in.

I wasn't a huge fan of the insufferable cousin and overacting performed by the audiobook narrator, so I definitely recommend reading this one instead of listening. It might make the melodramatic side character more tolerable.

**Thank you NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

Author Joy Calloway has brought to light another piece of history in this fictional story. She combines her research on the construction of Grove Park Inn near Asheville, NC with a fictional story of those who built this magnificent inn.

Belle has not been back to the Inn since her father died and she, her mother ,and stepfather are returning for a "glamping" trip, or what was then called "Vagabonds", with Henry Ford. She hopes to reunite with Worth, her future fiance. An arranged marriage but she likes it that way. So many challenges face Belle on what she sees is a simple way to a life with money and without worries. So many secrets from the past she discovers. But no one escapes life without problems - in the present and from the past.

The Author's Note is not to be missed!

My thanks to Net Galley and Harper Muse for an advanced copy of this e-book and Harper Collins Focus for an advanced copy of the audiobook. Narration by Brittany Pressley was especially good!

Joy Callaway has once again written a page turner. She has a way of creating a time and place in history that I can easily escape into. In this novel, the setting is 1913 Asheville, North Carolina, during the building of the beautiful Grove Park Inn. The heroine, Belle Newbold, is participating in one of Henry Ford's Vagabonds camping tours. Another member of the tour group is Worth Delafield, a man she's agreed to marry, though she met him only once years before. Both Belle and Worth have experienced tragic loss and deep grief causing them both to vow to not fall in love, to protect their hearts from grief again. Their relationship is certainly not a case of "where fools rush in", but a slow burn of two people realizing they are not only perfect for each other, but a balm to the soul of the other. During their stay in the mountains around Asheville, Belle has the opportunity to interview the construction workers on the Inn for an article to promote the Inn's opening. Through these interviews, you appreciate the danger, risk, and incredible craftsmanship behind the Inn, and learn of Asheville's history too. The book is set in April, and lush descriptions of Asheville's landscape make this a great spring read.

WHAT THE MOUNTAINS REMEMBER by Joyce Callaway

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the audiobook of, What the Mountains Remember.

Narration by Brittany Pressley, whose readings are always well done and enjoyable. This is my first read by Joy Callaway and was captivated because of the Grove Park Inn, in the North Carolina mountains. It is a beautiful place to visit that is built on the slope of Sunset Mountain overlooking the tops of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Known by locals as, the
Eighth Wonder
of the World. Joy Callaway brings to life the construction and the grandeur of the Grove Park Inn along with the struggles of the laborers tasked with the construction.

I loved the telling of the famed Vagabonds and their summer wilderness camping trips. In 1913, Belle Newbold, along with her family, are invited by Henry Ford to embark on this spectacular trip; primarily to reunite with her future fiancée, the owner of the land the Vagabonds are using for their campsite. This novel delves into the lives of historical figures like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone which I found intriguing.

The group is invited to tour the Grove Park Inn and Belle finds herself thrust in the position of writing of the construction of the inn. Both Belle and her future fiancé are struggling to fit in society and finding who they are meant to be. A moving novel that explores memories from the past, forging a new future, and how hardships that have been endured can make us stronger. Touching upon hope, self-discovery, and love in this wonderfully researched novel.

@joywcal does such a fantastic job of researching her novels to make them accurate to the time period and have tidbits of truth in her novels. All The Pretty Places was my favorite non-thriller read last year and Joy’s newest novel, What The Mountains Remember is equally as good. The story is set in Asheville, NC while the famous Grove Park Inn was being constructed in 1913. The main character, Belle Newbold is on a family vacation in the area and is tasked with writing an article about the Grove Park Inn for the local paper. The story is historical fiction with a dash of romance. It has themes surrounding socioeconomic issues from that time period, as well as the health and wellbeing of laborers. I cannot recommend this book enough especially if you love strong female protagonists in historical fiction novels. I loved the narration in the audiobook and thought that Brittany Pressley really brought the characters and story to life.

Thank you @harpermusebooks for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Brittany Pressley who does a great job!

This is a historical drama and romance set in 1913, North Carolina. The Vagabonds members, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone and John Burroughs are going on one of their camping tours and along with them is the family of Belle Newbold. The story focuses on the building of a remarkable historic landmark, the Grove Park Inn near Asheville, NC, with a story that intertwines both real and fictional figures.

The nearby town of Asheville, once a tourist destination, is now (1913) used to house tuberculosis patients and in sanatoriums. Belle is horrified when she sees how many people have tuberculosis.

Belle and her suitor, Worth, were as likable of characters as her cousin, Marie, was as unlikeable. I felt the courting between the younger pairs was appropriately done for the timeline.

It was nice to read a historical fiction novel that was not based upon WWII but on another time in history that I really did not know much about. The characters for the most part behaved as expected for 1913, with a car trip to a park for camping by very wealthy families.

3 stars.

Title: What the Mountains Remember
Author: Joy Callaway
Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
Publisher: Harper Muse
Length: Approximately 12 hours and 16 minutes
Source: Thank-you to NetGalley for the audiobook review copy. Thank-you Bethany House and Austenprose for the review copy of the physical book.

Do you prefer to read indoors or outdoors? I love both!

What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway is the story of a young woman named Belle Newbold set in 1913. Belle was a miner’s daughter, but after her father’s death, her mother remarried a titan of industry, Shipley Newbold. Both Belle and her mother are afraid that their past will be found out and they will be thrown out of their life of luxury. Belle is determined to marry for convenience to make sure she has a good life where she never will have to worry about hunger. Worth Delafield seems like the perfect match who can give her all that she asks for. When Henry Ford invites the Newbold family on one of the Vagabond camping trips, Belle gets to know Worth better and determine what is important to her in life.

I just discussed how I want to visit North Carolina and visit the Biltmore estate as part of a review last week. This novel gave me another North Carolina point to visit, Grove Park Inn, which is called the eighth wonder of the world. This Inn is in Ashville, North Carolina and it was a major construction project in the early 20th century.

My thoughts on this novel:
• I loved that this novel focused on how buildings are usually remembered by the person who financed them, but the architect and construction workers who made it possible are often overlooked. I will also put engineer in this category as I have spent my life designing large projects that dignitaries get gold shovels at while I stood in the background. I loved how Belle loved to talk and learn about all the people who worked on this construction project.

• This book was a love story to Asheville and the Appalachian mountains and the people who lived, worked, and died there.

• I really disliked Belle’s “friend” Marie Austen. Marie Austen had a lot of cringe worthy behavior in this book both to Belle and to men. She might win the award for worst fictional friend ever.

• It was interesting learning about the TB crisis in North Caroline during this time period. It’s interesting and sad that there was a real fear that TB hospitals would overtake the community.

• I loved the characters of Belle and Worth. I loved learning more about them and how they learned more about each other and came to an understanding. I also loved how Belle was able to work on an article about the Grove Park Inn and highlight the workers. I enjoyed that she had a coming of age herself and discovered what she really wanted out of life.

• This novel has a marriage of convenience and friends to lovers’ tropes. The romance was beautiful in this novel.

• The camping trip with the Vagabonds was very interesting, but the Vagabonds were very much minor background characters. It left me wanting to know more about their adventures.

• There was a great author’s note at the end of the novel that discusses how the author has visited and been fascinated with Grove Park Inn since she was a child. It discussed her research and changes that she made to make her story work.

• I read this book both physically and on audiobook and kept switching to whatever format worked best for me at the time. I had a lot of travel during the last couple of weeks, so this worked well for me. Brittany Pressley was a great narrator.

• This was my first Joy Callaway novel, but it won’t be my last.

Overall, What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway was an excellent historical fiction novel with a great unique setting, interesting characters, and wonderful romance.

I love the Grove Park Inn so when I saw the cover, I knew I had to read it. I loved the background and details into the building of the Grove Park Inn. Bella tries to play it safe and marry for security over love but is happy to learn that Worth Delafield feels the same way. The love story was definitely second fiddle to the history of the Grove Park, but I thought it was a good read.

An interesting book to read. It is a picture of the haves and have nots. The Vagabonds were a group that Henry Ford started. The very rich would go camping, (More like glamping) They would learn about the area they were in and participate in different "outdoorsy" games. It was all fun and games.
Belle Newbald and her mother are invited to join one of the Vagabond's trips. She heads to the mountains around Ashville NC. What she finds there is the memories of her past that her and her mother have vowed to keep secret. They also visit Grove Park Inn and see the wonder some claimed was the 8th wonder of the world.
Joy Callaway pens an tale of not the rich backers of the building of the Grove Park Inn, but of the workers who actually built the place. It made me want to do more research into the building. What a place!
This was an enjoyable tale and I am glad I read it.