A story filled with history, family, danger and the possibility of love. From the setting to the characters to the story line, this is a great read. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

Red ribbon-you will have to read the book to see how this goes in to the plot!

This book left me on the edge of my seat and staying up way too late to find out how everything would end! I really enjoyed the wise quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The characters of Jeremiah, Ava and granny Burcham were particularly endearing!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham was a difficult book to read. The myriad of characters was slightly confusing even though a guide to each person or family is printed at the beginning of the story. I didn't like repeatedly going back to the list to figure out who was who. There was no introduction to the characters as they appeared in the story. I felt as if I had missed the first book in a series. Now, having thrown my reader's fit, I have to admit The Red Ribbon is an excellent story. Not only because it is based on a true incident but the author captured the phrasing and dialect of the region. I am from the Appalachian mountains so I can say this with confidence. Basham beautifully describes the area of Fancy Gap and Hillsville Virginia. It is a gorgeous part of Virginia steeped in history and traditions. The author states that many of the descendants of the story still live there. Without going into detail of the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre, I can honestly say the writing puts you inside the courthouse on that bloody day. I thoroughly enjoyed the love story between Ava and Jeremiah. Mountain traditions and family loyalty are strong themes in The Red Ribbon and Basham tells a story steeped with both. While the story is sometimes dark, the beautiful way she ties faith into the story brings light to a tragic time in the area"s history

I have read other titles in the True Color series, but I enjoyed this one less than the others. In 1912 Carroll County, VA, Ava is a budding writer with a penchant for trouble and a romantic interest in Jeremiah. They both get caught up in group dynamics that lead to a very nasty outcome for many people. The descriptions of the characters and times were interesting, but the plot just did not grab me and hold my interest. Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing an ARC.

Another novel in the True Color series – this one tackles The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. Pepper Basham sets readers right into the historical setting through her attention to the scenery, customs, and dialect of the times. The true crimes story spills all of the details about some feuding families in an Appalachian mountain town. A seemingly innocent kiss at a corn-shucking contests leads to a bloody massacre, with outlaws on the run and a small town thrown into the spotlight. Ava Burcham and Jeremiah Sutphin find all kinds of dangerous situations as they fall in love during tumultuous and strange times. Not everyone can be trusted, and the pair become eye-witnesses to a deadly shootout just days before their wedding.

I’ll admit that this story wasn’t my usual non-stop action and suspense kind of read. A lot of romance fans will love this one. But I did enjoy this story. The author has an amazing writing style that captures the essence of the time period. I’m a fan of the whole series, which takes little know crime stories in the history of the United States and brings them to life in the pages of a fiction novel. The Red Ribbon let me imagine the chaos of the scene of these feuding families who seem to take the law into their own hands at times. The real-life crime still isn’t resolved as it seems unclear as to who started the whole thing and whether or not some innocent people were held accountable for the crimes.

Definitely check out The Red Ribbon if you are a fan of historical fiction, true crimes, or romance novels when it releases.

Overall Rating:
4 stars (I liked it a lot and would definitely recommend)
Suspense Rating:
3 stars (some suspenseful moments)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own

I've really enjoyed this True Colors series which are accounts of true crimes around the country, usually told from the perspective of fictional people - and most of which I'd not heard of prior to the reading of the book. This one was no different. This book covers the Courthouse Massacre that took place in Carroll County, Virginia in 1912. The event is set up through the tale of fictional characters Ava Burcham and Jeremiah Sutphin, whose friends-to-more story is sweet and romantic. Ms. Basham really sets the stage with the historical details and the beautiful backdrop of the Appalachian mountains. I enjoyed the setting and timeframe and getting to know the characters - both the real ones and the fictional ones. This book had something for everyone. A sweet romance, likable characters, small town drama, mysterious happenings and a serious shootout! Tensions run high amidst the mountain-folk and family feuds begin over a misplaced kiss at a "corn shuckin'". Things aren't always as they seem though, and there is a more sinister thread underlying all of the happenings of Fancy Gap and Hillsville. When things go sideways, Ava and Jeremiah find themselves in the midst of all of the action. I enjoyed reading their tale as much as the historical details of the events. I appreciated that the author put in the note at the end which characters were fictional and which ones were real and what the fates were of the real-life characters. It made it that much more interesting. I would strongly recommend this one to fans of historical romance, true crime stories and even historical mysteries. Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham is a fictional story based on historical facts that occurred in the mountains around Fancy Gap and Hillsville VA in the early 1900’s during prohibition. Ava Burcham is an aspiring writer and wants to investigate crimes in the area, mainly bootleggers. She enlists some assistance from her childhood friend Jeremiah Sutphin. What happens when they get too close to the truth that many does not want to be exposed? Will they find a connection to each other beyond friendship and fighting against crime?
WOW! This book drew me right into the story and I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what would happen next and if the criminals would ever be caught. I got so caught up in the story I almost forgot it was based on facts till the end. It is a chilling and thrilling read. I give it 5 of 5 stars. An excellent addition to the True Colors series.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham. This novel takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountain area during the early 1900s. Families in that area were poor and some managed to make money by making and selling moonshine. Because families and their kin were all involved in this “business”, sometimes tempers flared and fights broke out if one family was thought to be stealing each others’ business. At times innocent people were caught in the crossfire and suffered the consequences. Even if you were in some way thought to be in league with a rival, you could pay the price.

I enjoyed reading about the Blue Ridge Mountain region. I know that this activity was prevalent during this time and that the law was sometimes involved. I thought that Ms. Cox handled the dialect of the region and was also able to show just how poor some of the people lived. I hope Ms. Cox writes more in this genre. I would highly recommend this book to my friends.

I was quite enthralled with this story. It’s based on the courthouse tragedy in 1912 in Hillsville, Virginia. Lots of things, good and bad, happened in the Appalachian mountains. Woodworker Jeremiah and budding author Ava are the main characters. They’ve been friends since childhood and Jeremiah is aware of all the predicaments Ava can get herself into. There have been some unusual deaths in the area and Ava decides to write about the “goings on” for the local paper. She has to use a pseudonym since they won’t accept anything from a woman. After lots of incidents, there’s a trial at the courthouse and Ava and Jeremiah are both witnesses. Things get a little crazy and out of hand. I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical romance.

I finished reading "The Red Ribbon" by pepper Basham, and it was really good! 5⭐. This book was a quick easy read, that had me hooked! I couldn't put it down until I was finished (at 2am). I loved Jeremiah! 💘 😍 And the writing was great! I even teared up a lil bit.
I love history, so it was interesting learning a lil bit about the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. Something I knew nothing about. * I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

What a wild ride this book was! So many twists and turns. I was excited to find out that Pepper Basham wrote a new book so I had to read this one. I love her writing. Anyway, this is a story based on true events. Mystery. Suspense. Romance. Faith. Drama. I loved reading Ava & Jeremiah’s story. Both characters were great in their own ways. Both dealt with grief in their past so it’s no surprise they connected and became close friends. I loved how they both cared for each other. The drama with the infamous Allen family was interesting as it unfolded. The story gets more interesting especially towards the end. The spiritual message was woven really nicely, too; how God loves us and is always with us despite the circumstances. I recommend this book.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Reading this was a chilling experience. Really loved it!
The writing style was perfect and it invoked strong emotions as well.

In the 8th book in the Colour Series, Pepper writes about a young independent girl, Ava, who finds it difficult to stay in her expected place in society during the early 1900's. Pepper has successfully mingled the life of Ava and her beloved Jeremiah into the historical account of the Courthouse Massacre in 1912, in a small hick town of Hillsville.
Ava finds herself in the middle of a shoot out because of her curiosity to see that justice is done. Many at that time were making their own liquor and profiting illegally. Ava had lost her father due to a deal gone bad and ever since she had been determined to see that justice was done.

Unfortunately this time, she just went a bit to far and became involved in a life and death scenario after helping a solo mother and her daughter seek freedom and befriend a young man, Jeremiah.

Ava, placed in a situation that would not suit the fainthearted and unable to be certain who she could trust. With the courage of a mountain lion Ava see's her break and takes it; not knowing if Jeremiah or the law will find her in time.

The Red Ribbon although a bit slow for me in parts, I enjoyed reading Pepper's account of this historical event combined with love, hope, trust, courage and determination; often not able to put the book down.

Suspense. Romance. History. Faith. These are the things that you’ll find woven beautifully together between the pages of this book.
I absolutely loved the main characters. Their personalities were endearing and their struggles real. Their relationship was beautiful and solid—even amid pain, insecurities, and danger.
The suspense and mystery were handled well, keeping me guessing until the electrifying climax.
The faith elements were neither overdone nor too subtle—they shone out naturally thorough the character growth and plot, and even saturated a few gorgeous scenic descriptions.
And speaking of gorgeous descriptions, the setting was as much a part of the story as any character. At times, I could feel the last rays of the setting sun on my cheeks, and hear the rustling of trees in the night. By the time I closed the book, I was longing to experience the unique wild serenity of the Blue Ridge Mountains for myself, and yet, I felt that I already had.
Not once did any aspect of this books overpower another. The suspense, romance, character growth, setting, plot, and faith elements all complemented each other to form a stunning harmony.

(I received a complimentary of this book from the author for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.)

The author hit the ball out of the park with The Red Ribbon. I absolutely adored this story. It had suspense, romance, humor and nuggets of wisdom galore. The Red Ribbon is one of Barbour's True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime novels. Each can be read as a standalone. I have really enjoyed this series. This one definitely had a different tone than the other books. The story centered around a real crime, The Courthouse Massacre of 1912, in Hillsville, Virginia. However, the tone was not quite as dark as some of the other books in the series.

I attribute this to Pepper Basham's unique voice which is full of Appalachian sass and humor. The story focuses on bootleggers, the generations long feuds of Appalachia and the sweet people that call Appalachia their home. Ms. Bashum definitely knows how to pen a sweet romance and a first kiss. But it is her older characters, filled with grit and mountain wisdom, that draws me into her stories. Everyone needs a Granny Burcham in their life. The author's unique sayings had me literally laughing out loud.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a well written book that has just the right amount of suspense, drama, mystery and romance to keep you turning the pages. I love how the author wove fiction and fact together to write a wonderful story. Ava and Jeremiah's story will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Thank you Barbour Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own..

do believe that this is the best book I have read in the true colors series! I have loved Pepper Basham's contemporary stories and this historical romance set against the backdrop of a real massacre was really good.
I loved the way the author kept dropping the little nuggets of wisdom in the story. It had me grabbing ahold of those truths and looking for the light in the story. I really loved how Pepper Basham wove fiction into nonfiction. I had never heard of this incident before and I really felt immersed in the setting with Pepper's perspective.
I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. All opinions are honest and completely my own.

A beacon of hope.

There is no denying how much I enjoy a Pepper Basham story. You can count on me being one of the first in line to read one of her books. When I saw that she would be continuing to one of the best collections to come out of Christian fiction, I squealed with joy. I mean, hello—Pepper kisses plus True Color crime equaled one amazing combination.

Now, some of the stories in this collection are rather dark—The Gray Chamber and The Blue Cloak come to mind, but not The Red Ribbon. The suspense and mystery are present as we have come to expect, but the “kissing author” put her own twist on it in such a way that romance only readers will enjoy it.

Jeremiah and Ava are cute to read as they navigate the waters of “friends to more” and then thrust into the middle of a town feud. Ava’s struggle to overcome her fear and show her strength as her own woman is admirable but I get the feeling that she doesn’t want to be so independent that there is no room for Jeremiah to have a place. And his gentle pursuit of Ava in his waiting is swoon-worthy. He doesn’t rush or push—he also doesn’t hide what is in his heart either.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher through CelebrateLit. A positive review was not required.

Not my favorite Pepper Basham book, but still a good read. What I love about Basham's writing is the slow burn romance. This one lacked the anticipation and longing, focusing more on the mystery than the romance (although there are still some trademark Basham-style sizzling kisses). It was an interesting story (made more interesting by the fact that it's based on a true story), and while I figured out "whodunnit" fairly early on, it was still an enjoyable read.

This was one of my favourites in this series. The feud between all the families were interesting, especially the way everyone perceived the Allens. The way the character Sid was portrayed, the way he helped others in need, did not make him a villain in my eyes as others viewed him.

The fictional plot in between the actual historical events were interesting, action packed and at the end very suspenseful. I knew early on who was involved but didn't realised till the end just how involved.

I just loved Jeremiah and Ava. They were such cute couple and meant for each other. I just loved the romance - it was sweet and innocent and Ava's view on kissing made me smile a few times.