Great book, love this author and how they can keep my attention to the end! The plot is well developed, characters are believable and they obviously paid attention to detail to make the story worth your time to read.

I've enjoyed prior books by this author, and wanted to give this one a try.
It's a homey, rather cozy, historical fiction novel.
You will meet Dr. Daniel Kavanaugh, an eligible bachelor in the small town of Mountain Laurel.
This is the story of how he lives in that small town, doctors his neighbors, tries to keep the peace with the people across the river in a mining town. And about his love life.
Not too much action, but an intriguing story line.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have not read a BJ Hoff book in some time. I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the next title in this series.

This wasn't a remarkable story but it was enjoyable. As you can see in the blurb, the premise isn't complex. There's no need for a critical analysis of this, not that I could give you one anyway :)

This is a nice, slow story that, to me, read like "a day in the life of..." In this case it is more like "a time in the life of a country doctor". A doctor who cares so much for his community and his fellow man that he consistently puts their needs above his own. A man willing to do what is right rather than what is comfortable or expected when he agrees to treat a patient from "the wrong side of the tracks". The 'tracks' in this story is actually a river that divides Mt Laurel and Owenduffy, a coal mining town.

While treating a patient, the doc meets Addie Rose who tends to the sick in her community. Oh Addie... the doc finds her interesting and soon she has him questioning his feelings for one Serena, a not-so-secret love interest.

Treating the patients from Owenduffy is not well-received in Mt Laurel and causes some drama. "Why are you treating those people?"

The characters are well drawn and the ones I liked, I liked and the ones I didn't, ooh, I really didn't like them :) The doctor's original receptionist Audrey, Serena and Brad Nolan all fall into the latter category. This takes place in 1869 so maybe I'm being unfair to Serena, but I didn't care for her attitude.

I enjoyed this and I found myself at times wishing it were longer. It didn't need to be, my sinful self just wanted more - more doctor, more Addie and more Murphy, her dad.

I look forward to the next installment in the series.

It’s been three years since Dr. Daniel Kavanagh settled down in the quaint town of Mount Laurel, West Virginia. The single doctor has a somewhat complicated relationship with the local schoolteacher, Serena Norman. He’s just not sure if she feels the same way as he feels about her or not as she seems to give mixed signals. Just down the road from Mount Laurel lies the coal mining town of Owenduffy, which is considered by most of the town to be a backwoods hamlet, nowhere near as good as their own town. When the mining company finds themselves without a doctor, Daniel reluctantly agrees to visit once a week to take care of the people who live in Owenduffy. Some of residents of Mount Laurel, including Serena, aren’t happy about what they see as Daniel dividing his time among people who are less deserving than they are. So, Daniel finds himself being pulled from both directions as he tries to do what’s best for all of his patients. Addie Rose, the daughter of one of Owenduffy’s coalminers, has a real gift for taking care of the sick and dreams of becoming a nurse. When a receptionist position suddenly opens up in Daniel’s office, what windows of opportunity will God open through the simple decision to offer the job to Addie Rose? Will she find just a receptionist job, a chance to realize her dream of becoming a nurse, or even more?

I really enjoyed this sweet story and it could have easily gotten more than the 3.5 stars that I’m rating it. There were just a couple of areas that kind of hung me up and kept me from being able to rate it higher. But, before I get to that, I really feel like the storyline was well planned and worked really well. Like I said, I truly enjoyed reading the story. I also loved the characters. They were all so well written. Daniel, Addie Rose and her father, Miss Gladys, and the Holliday family are among my favorites. I absolutely adored Sarge! Now, I loved to hate Brad Nolan!! And the mine owner, I can see where he has so much room for growth. Just when I would start to hate him, he’d do something that made me wonder if he might possibly care about his workers, at least a little. Like I said, there’s room for growth. Now, for what kept me from being able to rate it higher, the dialogue just didn’t seem to fit with the time period. In many places, the way people talked seemed too modern to be 1869. It was to the point that any time the year or time period was pointed out, it would surprise me enough to actually jolt me from the story. I’m not trying to be a stickler or anything but it really affected my enjoyment of the story. Really, that’s the only negative I can think of. Otherwise, I loved the book and can’t wait for the sequel so I can find out what happens next. Oh, and I also need to compliment the author on choosing an amazing cover!! It’s gorgeous and was part of the reason I wanted to review it.

Harp On The Willow is one of my favor authors that I have been reading for a very long time. The author tends to leave a piece of themselves on the pages they write. This book is one of deep love 0 love for their work, love for others, love for that very special one and love for the LORD 0 Amen? how could you beat all that love you have Daniel who is a Doctor on the right side of town per se and the miners and Addie Rose on the wrong side per se . Will Daniel choose the right or wrong woman for him? Is the right girl from the wrong side? This is a special book - so enjoyable, tender yet exciting.

Hoff was a new author for me, but this pretty cover was irresistible. I loved escaping into the doctor's world, and within a few pages I was anticipating a doctor-version of a Jan Karon novel. The atmosphere was intriguing and absorbing. I really loved David and Addie Rose as characters and Sarge was a dear.

But as I read along it felt as though all the detail had been poured into the early chapters of the book. The tone slowly changed to a more modern one (the town would have fit better between 1920-1950, rather than in 1869, with the modern sensibilities of the characters and with their speech patterns) and I kept feeling a jar each time I was reminded of the date. Here are some things that pulled down my enjoyment and subsequently my rating:
-David is not described until page 35
-POV switches without warning to several different random people. Most of them don't re-occur.
-SO MUCH TELLING. Weeks would pass over in a leap and be summarized in three pages of "xyz happened."
-Serena is not believable. She's chasing David one minute, thinking to snatch him up and marry him, then not even contacting him for two weeks? The kisses were super awkward. She has a job despite being an heiress and tells her parents what to do...really unlikely in the time period.
-The mine owner's first name changes halfway through the book
-David's younger brother is said to be almost twenty, but was born after David's family immigrated to America, which in one spot was sixteen years ago and in another was eighteen years ago. A timeline chart would have easily prevented this.
-Abrupt ending. Whew, really? All those pages wasted in telling rather than showing, and now I'm told "they had been engaged for two weeks" and I'm supposed to be happy about the ending that skipped all that?
-The married-guy-hits-on-heroine trope. So cheap, so overdone. Eye roll.

If it had kept the tone of the early chapters and had been free of annoying errors and telling, it would have been an easy four star and maybe even a five. But the weak storytelling ended up overshadowing the beautiful setting too much.

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a free review copy.

Harp on the Willow by BJ Hoff is the first book in the Mt. Laurel Memories series. The setting is the small town of Mt. Laurel, West Virginia in 1869. Dr. Daniel Kavanaugh is the new doctor in town, and has to adjust to the town locals and work load. As one tragedy after another happens, Daniel has to examine his life and determine what is important. Is it helping the miners in the next town receive medical care? Is it pursuing a romantic relationship with the school teacher? Or is it realizing that he needs help in his medical practice? Along the way, Daniel learns to trust God and discovers a love he never expected.

I loved the feel of this story. It had the slow feel of West Virginia rural mountains in the late 1860's after the civil war. It focuses on Dr. Daniel Kavanagh MD, an Irish boy made good who has come to practice in the small town of Mt. Laurel Virginia. He soon finds himself helping the mining families across the river in Owenduffy which does not endear him to some of the people in Mt. Laurel. When his receptionist quits, Daniel finds himself asking the daughter of one of the miners who has some healing knowledge to be his receptionist and assistant nurse.

This is a wonderful start to a new series by B.J. Hoff. It is the first book I have read by this author, but I have read many wonderful reviews of his books. The characters especially Daniel and Addie Rose. The respect they had for one another and what they learned from each other made them both stronger people. Their caring and concern for their patients was wonderful, and I felt like I was watching over their shoulder as they helped the people of both towns. Daniel learned that what he thought he needed might not be what he really needed to complete his life. While Addie Rose learned that what she never thought she would have in life might be right there after all.

This book reminded me a lot of another book about a doctor's life: Bryson City Tales: Stories of a Doctor's First Year of Practice in the Smoky Mountains

This book was just released in January. There was a formatting problem with the Kindle edition, and it was occasionally distracting. But I would still highly recommend this historical fiction read and look forward to reading more books in this series.

FAVORITE QUOTATIONS: "If one does not question, nothing will change."

"God protect me from anything that wasn't sent by You."

It has been a long time since I've read something by BJ Hoff. I was excited to see this come up for review. This was a sweet, down to earth, wholesome story. It was a bit slow moving through the middle, and the ending was a bit rushed. The plot may have been a tad predictable, but that doesn't matter when you care about the characters. Bj Hoff's stories are always so character driven. Her characters practically leap off the page, and investing in them always pays off in the end. This was an emotional and satisfying read from start to finish.

Harp on the Willow
by BJ Hoff
Harvest House Publishers
Christian , Historical Fiction
Pub Date 06 Feb 2018
I am reviewing a copy of Harp on the Willow through Harvest House Publishers and Netgalley:

1869 West Virginia three years prior Dr Daniel Kavanagh settled in the quaint town of Mount Laurel where he established a medical practice. Daniel Kavanagh is a single doctor with a crush on the local school teacher Serena Norman.

Just down the road from Mount Laurel is the mining town of Owenduffy, when the company doctor abandons his post. Daniel agrees to visit one day a week, much to the consternation of the fellow residents including his secret love Serena.

Addie Rose the daughter of a Coal Miner has a gift for caring for others. When a receptionist position in Daniel's office suddenly becomes available, what the windows of opportunity will open for Addie Rose just a job or something more.

I give Harp on the Willow five out of five stars!

Happy Reading

I've always loved B.J. Hoff's writing. Poignant and down to earth come to mind. Also, faith is embedded in the whole story that naturally seeps to the surface rather than in-your-face. Wholesome reading!

Dr. Daniel, a bachelor doctor in a small town in the late 1800s, is a wonderful character fully developed. I would have thought, though, that more mommas would have been pushing their daughters at him, except for a certain dainty woman who has captured his attention. There's a scruffy mining town across the bridge that needs Dr. Daniel's attention, where he meets Addie Rose. So there you've got a good mix for a really good story--don't forget the dog :)

Well-developed story line, great premise, well-developed characters, and an explosion. Can't beat it for a great, rainy day read.

Five of five stars.

BJ Hoff has written a tale of prejudice toward Irish immigrants, faith, perseverance, healing, and a tender love story. An inspirational romance with a few surprises and some twists and turns. I enjoyed HARP ON THE WILLOW, however, I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I look forward to reading more of this new historical romance series.
I received a complimentary copy, however, all opinions are my own.

Another winner by BJ Hoff.... beautifully written. Five stars.

Harp on the Willow by B.J. Hoff takes place in the Allegheny Mountains after the Civil War. Daniel Kavanagh is the only doctor in town and has a crush on the school teacher. When the community across the river has an outbreak of sickness and then they loose their doctor Daniel decides to help them out and looses the respect from people in his own town. When other events take place he gets help from a young women from the other town and Addie Rose trains with him to become a nurse. There are obstacles and dangers to overcome from all sides as their feelings begin to change.

I received this e-book from NetGalley for review and all opinions are my own.

I'm not sure if I liked this book or didn't like it.

First off let me start off my saying that I'm not very fond of books that talk mainly in the first person. I don't know why but I've just never liked it. As far as the story line went, I felt like it was too slow. We don't even meet the main love interest until chapters in. The romance was very limited almost as if it was nonexistent.

This is book is appropriate for ages 13 and up for some adult material.

Harp on the Willow takes place in 1869 in a little town called Mount Laurel which borders on the mining settlement of Owenduffy. Dr Stephen Kavanaugh, who himself has Irish roots, is horrified at the situation in Owenduffy and opens up his already busy practice to see to the Irish miners' medical needs, thus annoying the lovely Serena. The day he goes to help a little girl in Owenduffy Chanel's his life forever.
The novel has a good story and likeable characters.

Harp on the Willows is. Very well book. Th plot and characters are well crafted. I anticipate reading more of this author’s books.

"Daniel Kavanagh, MD, was given to defining a good day as one when the elderly and somewhat eccentric Miss Gladys Piper had no more than one imaginary disease that required treatment during her office visit."

Set in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia 1869, this is the story of hard work, loss, love, heartbreak and fear. Dr. Daniel is back from the Civil War, determined to make a difference in the lives of the people of Mountain Laurel. He succeeds for the whole town loves their local doctor. But when the nearby mining town of Owenduffy needs medical care, Daniel is encouraged not to attend 'those people'. He soon finds a capable assistant in Miss Addie Rose, resident of the mining town, and plows ahead, tending to whomever needs medical care.

Rich in descriptions of the land thereabout and full of interesting characters, this one is sure to please many readers who love a long saga by Hoff.

*My thanks to the publishers for this preview copy. All opinions are my own.

A sweet read with a great message. Exploring the lives of people in the coal community this book was interesting and well written, what I expect from this author. I wish there was a bit more of a climax at the end but otherwise it was a great read!