This Mystery based on true stories was fabulous. The idea of clans fighting over moonshine routes and other intrigues was something that I could really get into. The mystery and romance were balanced well and there was character growth in the fictional characters that made them almost real. I loved the attention to this historical details though I did struggle to keep track of all the characters, but as many of them were real, I can't see them being left out. I loved the glimpse of history and the world in which these people lived. Real mysteries are almost more unbelievable than those that are fictional.

I received an eARC of this book and this is my review.

With Red Ribbons, Pepper Basham offers readers a gift of strong characters, vivid setting, and a plot that will engage. Step back to the turn of the century in Appalachia, when feuds were real and long-standing. Work with the heroine to breach the divide between the factions while trying to stay alive and wrestle with her past. Reach for the future with her…and learn with her that kissing can be might fun. This book is filled with heart, hope, and history. Highly recommended to readers who love their historical romance with a layer of suspense.

The Red Ribbon is part of a series of books dealing with crime. Each book is written by a different author and is entirely standalone.

I don’t usually pick up books like this. I am not a fan of true crime stories. But the author Pepper Basham is one of my favorites for contemporary romance, so I had to read it.

I figured out that I need to know about the true crime part before I can really get into the book. I was really ambivalent towards the book to start, but once I looked up the history of the event, I got into it. The chart were great. Ava was a bit annoying to start. But she redeemed herself. And Jeremiah is a great hero!

Loved it. It was so good!
I received a copy of this book to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise.

The story of Fancy Gap, Carroll County, Virginia was riveting. The characters, whether historical or fictional, were real. They lived life; they struggled with love, hate, truth, dishonesty, corruption, the past, the future, fear and joy. Wow, what page turner! This is one those books that made me really annoyed with interruptions! I could not read it fast enough. I felt the author wrote from personal knowledge and intimacy with this story. It flowed well and quickly.

Two of my favorite quotes are:

“Ain’t nothin’ quite like a happy ending to make you feel like spring and Christmas is happenin’ at the same time. “ Granny Burcham.

“When she typed the last sentence, tears dampened her face. A weight somehow transferred from her heart to those words, and she realized this was her gift. Her calling. Finding truth and hope in the middle of real life stories.”

I received an ARC of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley.

The Red Ribbon was very enjoyable. Ava and Jeremiah are characters you can't help but cheer for and want the best for. While this book did focus on a true event, it had a different vibe to it than the other True Colors. Not bad, just different. I would say this was more of a romantic story center around a true event. Where the others to me felt like more of a suspense story with a romantic side storyline. That being said the writing was wonderful! I highly recommend The Red Ribbon, as well as all the other True Colors books.

The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham is a delightful story. I loved the twists and turns. The main part I enjoyed was the slow burning romance between Jeremiah and Daffiodil. I'm not a huge fan of romance. Usually I shy away from the romance and head straight to the mystery. But I enjoyed all the ways Jeremiah would work hard to protect her and build her a future home. He even created a room for her in their new home. He showed he loved her more than just staying it and allowing his emotions to run across the page of the story, driving the plot. The mystery was a nice treat too. It captured my attention. The only issue I had with the story is I wish the story was longer, so I could see more of the background of the feud. It didn't feel explained enough. As a reader, we were lead to the background of the feud, but never shown what the feud actually was. Overall, I enjoyed The Red Ribbon and can't wait to see what the next story is about. Some of these stories are a hit out of the park for me while others don't fit with what I accept, but Basham's is definitely a good one.

I received a complimentary copy of The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham from Barbour Books through Celebrate Lit, but the opinions stated are all my own.

A mesmerizing story based on a real event in Appalachian history: The Courthouse Tragedy of 1912, Hillsville, Virginia. This well written tale flowed with mountain charm, with bits of faith and wisdom added to bring hope amidst the tragic events. The characters felt so real I felt like praying for them at times! I loved Ava and Jeremiah's story. They had both dealt with great loss at young ages, yet overcame it with faith and the help of others. I loved Granny Burcham's bits of wisdom, and the tender memories of Ava's father reminding her that God was with her, singing over her. What a lovely reminder that is for all of us, that God does not abandon his own.
The ending was a perfect wrap up, worth all of the angst. The historical notes at the end were interesting too, especially given the author's personal connections to the area.
This should appeal to historical fiction fans who like stories based on real events with a bit of grit, faith and tender romance. Highly recommend! 5 stars

The Red Ribbon set in Carroll County, Virginia, is a well-written, noteworthy book inspired by a true event, the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. The plot flows at a steady pace, and the historical characters are seamlessly meshed with the fictional ones. The story revolves around a young couple, Ava and Jeremiah. I loved these two characters for their strength and resilience in spite of all the “bad stuff” affecting their lives. For me, their sweet romance overshadowed the crime element in the story. Ms. Basham with her flowing, expressive style and expert storytelling skills, makes all the characters come to life; and you can feel their emotions. Her use of the Appalachian dialect enhances the story and adds credibility to the characters. I also love the strong faith element woven throughout the story. The pervasive theme of hope lightens the load of the hate and greed that precipitated the murder and mayhem in Hillsville. A favorite quote: “She could focus on the losses and pain, allowing those dark thoughts to color the filter of every other scene in her life, or she could choose thankfulness, gratitude, and the belief that God touched it all with hope—held it all—and never took His attention away from her. She chose hope.” A good lesson for all of us!
I appreciated the cast of characters information at the beginning of the book and the author’s historical notes about the massacre and the fates of the real-life characters after the Courthouse Tragedy. The Red Ribbon is part of the True Colors Historical Stories of American Crime series. I highly recommend this book and the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This book started a little slow but quickly gained momentum, with several twists on the way to the end. An aspiring
writer/seamstress sets out to investigate a series of goings on in the small community while her beau tries to keep her safe from the doers. Like each volume in the True Colors series, this book fictionalizes an actual crime event. This series piqued my interest in historical fiction, in which I initially had no interest.

The Red Ribbon on one of those stories that suck the reader into the world and lets them experience the everything for themselves. I loved this read because it introduced me to a new world, a small town and interesting characters that I might never have experienced otherwise.

This book is part true crime, part fictionalized story and fully addicting. The way the author wove her tale really challenged me to the rules and laws of a different culture. The feuds between families and clans, the love between two friends, the heart and tragedy all wrapped up in this elegant story.

I highly recommend this story and this series to all true crime readers, mystery lovers, clean romance readers, and all those looking for an amazing escape into a new world. I received an ARC via NetGalley, Barbour Publishing, Inc, and the author and I am leaving an honest review. I will be buying this in paperback to add to my amazing collection of this amazing series.

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I will be posting my review on all available sites on release day, October 1st, 2020 (as per the publishers request not to post before 30 days before release): Amazon, Bookbub, Goodreads, Google, BN, and Kobo.

I will also be sharing my enjoyment of this story (and my review) on the following social media sites as well as recommending this book (and series) in any groups that might enjoy this content.:

https://m.facebook.com/elysian.fields.520
https://www.instagram.com/elysian_fields_reader/
https://twitter.com/ElysianFieldsRe

This was an interesting story made even more intriguing since it is based off of real events! Ava Burcham experiences many tragedies in her life, yet undergoes great spiritual and emotional growth throughout the narrative. There is plenty of action that made me want to keep reading. There is a list of the characters at the beginning of the book and I recommend reading that over a couple of times. I read this on a kindle, so I couldn't just flip back and forth to keep track of everyone, but I think that would have been helpful. Overall, I enjoyed it and it was another great Pepper Basham book!

I have not read anything by Pepper Basham but I enjoyed this book and her writing style.It is the 8th book in the True Colors series. It is based on a true story but fictionalized. The history behind this book is a courthouse massacre.
The main characters are quite well defined and believable. Ava is a spunky, young adult that was orphaned. Jeremiah is her childhood friend. The story revolves mostly around them. They are brought to life in this book and it's like reading about a friend of your friend. The story flowed well and kept my interest throughout. It was not boring at all and it was a book that was hard to put down at times.
This is a Christian book in a very good way. It is not preachy but shows how you can depend on God. It also shows that you can have growth in your Christian life.
The copy I read was ARC from Barbour Publishing and Netgalley. Sometimes ARC need more editing but this book did not. It was very well done and I would not have realized it was an ARC if I didn't know it.
I would recommend this book to my friends. I give it a 4 out of 5-star rating.

The Red Ribbon is a great addition to the True Colors Series. Well written with an edge of your seat plot. If you enjoy historical fiction you will not be disappointed. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Pepper Basham’s book The Red Ribbon is a historical fiction book based on true events from the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre in 1912. This book is very intriguing and really held onto my interest. I loved the main characters Ava and Jeremiah and I felt that their love for one another was beautiful. The characters are all very well developed and the story is something that a movie could be created from. I enjoyed reading about the outlaws and the culture of this town. I feel like a lot of the themes from this book are also relevant in today's society. This book perfectly mixed my love for true crime, historical fiction and a powerful female lead all in one.

Synopsis: In Carroll County, a corn shucking is the social event of the season, until a mischievous kiss leads to one of the biggest tragedies in Virginia history. Ava Burcham isn’t your typical Blue Ridge Mountain girl. She has a bad habit of courtin’ trouble, and her curiosity has opened a rift in the middle of a feud between politicians and would-be outlaws, the Allen family. Ava’s tenacious desire to find a story worth reporting may land her and her best friend, Jeremiah Sutphin, into more trouble than either of them planned.

What I loved most about this book was the fact that Basham included a historical note at the end of the book to inform the reader about exactly what came to be for all the characters involved. This would have taken immense research and I really appreciated the inclusion of this. I also appreciated the list of characters and a little blurb about each at the beginning of the book. I often referred to this throughout the book and found it helpful. Once I finished the book I read even more into the true events from this tragedy online.

If you like historical fiction that involves suspense, danger, and a little romance this is definitely the book for you! Thank you Netgalley, Barbour Publishing, and Pepper Basham for this advanced copy. You can find this one in stores in October 2020.

I was so excited when I found out Pepper Basham was writing an installment of the "True Colors" series! I so enjoy both the series and her writing, so I had high expectations of "The Red Ribbon" -- and it absolutely met them.

This is one of the few series installments I found I could read at night, lol; it wasn't "scary" or eerie like some of the others ("The Grey Chamber" comes to mind; a great book, but man, defo one for broad daylight!). Fans of Catherine Marshall's "Christy" book will certainly enjoy this read, also set in the Appalachians. I felt like I was right back with some of her characters!

Basham is from the very county she's writing about, which really lent an added depth to it. That can make things harder *or* easier to write about, and she did a great job at dealing with a tough topic and series of events -- especially where, as she notes in the afterword, descendants of those involved are still alive today!

Excellent read, and recommended.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wonderful story! Gripping! I couldn't put it down! Ava and her best friend Jeremiah live in a small community in the mountains, where some families are in a feud with other families. One man is accused of crimes and there is a trial being held for him and all chaos breaks loose. It was a tragic massacre that historically it actually happened. Fascinating story throughout! I enjoyed reading this book and will probably read again and again!

This is going to be my favorite book by Pepper Basham! I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, but she makes me want to be. Ava and Jeremiah are both fascinating characters, and from page one as a reader I was drawn into the time period and conversation as if it played out before my eyes.

And may I mention that kiss?? As Granny Burcham would say, "There's some mighty fine writing going on here!'

If you like historical fiction that’s based on real events, you will find this book intriguing. Basham has created some memorable characters to join the historical figures in this story of the 1912 Hillsville Courthouse Massacre, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I had a hard time putting the book down, wanting to find out if Ava and Jeremiah manage to survive in the midst of feuding families, as well as figure out which are the good guys and which are the bad ones. I’ve enjoyed all of the books I’ve read so far by Pepper Basham, and this one is as well done as the others.

This book is part of a series called “True Colors -- a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime,” each written by a different author.

I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book with no obligation to post a review
#TheRedRibbon #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 3
Plot development: 3
Characters: 3
Enjoyability: 3
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

Pepper Basham's The Red Ribbon is romantic suspense based on a true story. I love the way she weaves a romantic plot through a horrendous crime. She also manages to infuse humor and the gospel into this Appalachian Tale. I fell in love with Ava and Jeremiah and found myself cheering them on, also feeling their pain as events unfolded. The plot kept me guessing and Pepper sprinkled clues all through the story. So grab yourself a pot of sassafrass tea and settle back for Appalachian feuding with some spectacular kisses thrown in.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen Matthew 28:20

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.com with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.