Loved this story! As with most historical fiction books I read, I'm amazed at what I learn. I never thought about how turpentine was made, but I have read other books that portray the work camps (harvesting whatever) that sucked the workers in and dug their claws in, making it nearly impossible for the workers to ever leave (thanks to having to buy everything through the camp store.)
In this book, we follow Rae Lynn Cobb, who is forced to leave her home after a tragedy, and disguise herself as a man.
There are some dark moments in this story, times where I was so angry at certain characters and felt so scared for others, that I had to remind myself this was fiction! What always resonates with me though, is the knowledge that it is somewhat based on fact, and that people suffered horrific living conditions just to survive.
The author does such a great job of sucking you in, I felt like I was in the scene, was a part of camp (and the farm later in the story,) part of the character's lives as they journey to build relationships, build a family of sorts, and persevere!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this wonderful historical fiction novel.

I am starting this review by stating that I absolutely loved this book. As I was trying to gather my thoughts and try to articulate them, I came across the review/note that Donna Everhart, the author herself, wrote on Goodreads and was affirming what she was saying and knew I couldn’t have said it better. She said she likes to think she writes “honestly about troubles, worries, about souls lost, and then found.” She writes “about hardships, friendships, honor, and truth.” She continues to say she “hopes to create characters you love to hate, and those you want to root for, cheering them on to The End”. Anyone who read this book, which I hope you will, will, I am certain, agree with me that she has succeeded in all of this with this book. The Saints of Swallow Hill depicts the hardships people endured and lived during The Great Depression, but it is so much more than that. She did such an amazing job with her characters, I truly did hate some (and I am not one to use the term hate easily), and I did root and cheer for others (the brave women of course). I am a huge proponent of women rising from the stay at home mother wives into strong independent women striving to rise above the stigma burned upon them, and I just could not be more proud of Rae/Ray and Cornelia and others. I also rooted for the men who stood up against the bullies and stood up for themselves. I couldn’t believe the situations these men had to deal with day in and day out, of the hard work, sometimes punishments, the tempers, the frustrations. I found myself feeling emotional while reading and I was absolutely and completely engrossed throughout the entire book. I learned so much but it was tied into the story expertly and was not long and drawn out like when learning at school. I haven’t read this author before but I am definitely a new fan and am eager to read more by her. This book is going to get a lot of attention, you mark my words.

When Donna Everhart writes, she builds her stories around little-known or long-forgotten pieces of the South’s history. Her newest novel, The Saints of Swallow Hill, tells the alternating stories of two characters whose personal histories contain compelling incidents that lead to their paths crossing inseparably.

As in her first four novels, those characters battle environmental and economic distresses. “Saints” is set in 1932, a mere three years after the stock market crash, when the country is dealing with the Great Depression and when healing and revival are a distant dream for rural Southerners.

Twenty-eight-year-old Delwood “Del” Reese, an itinerant worker who fancies himself a ladies’ man, is caught with his boss’s wife while working on a farm. In retaliation, Del is assigned a dangerous job in a circular corrugated grain bin that most men would run from. Del survives what normally would have been a deadly incident and emerges a changed man. He takes off for Georgia, looking to find work at a turpentine camp called Swallow Hill.

At the same time, Rae Lynn Cobb, a twenty-five-year-old happily married wife, finds herself in a life-or-death situation of another kind when her kind husband, Warren, is badly injured. When Warren makes matters worse by his own hand, Rae Lynn is forced to grant his dying wish, an act which weighs heavy on her. She cuts her hair, assumes men’s work clothes, adopts the name “Ray Cobb,” and flees to Swallow Hill where she can find work as a turpentiner.

Swallow Hill operates like many turpentine camps—long workdays, segregation, sparse accommodations, camp commissaries designed to keep workers in debt—except for workers assigned to a woods rider/tally man named “Crow.” Crow is a vile overseer who finds enjoyment in others’ pain and suffering. His preferred punishment is to force a worker into “the box,” a wooden coffin-like structure into which a person barely fits. Set outdoors where the sun is strongest, Crow sets the lock and leaves the penalized worker to sweat out his fears without food or water.

Del soon has his time in the box, learning first-hand how inhumane it is, and when he discovers that “Ray Cobb” has been in the box for several days, he saves his colleague from certain death. The chain of events that follow during Rae’s recuperation create bonds that become lifelong attachments between unlikely characters.
When Everhart first mentioned this project, my initial thought was, “Turpentine? Who thinks about turpentine?” But knowing her, I was certain the project would blossom into the heart-grabbing, page turning story that it is, embedded with fascinating daily life details that bring the story to its fullest.

Where the darkest aspects of Southern life permeate her characters’ lives, Everhart never fails to find balance in strength and the brightest spots in which they flourish and succeed. Employing Southern dialogue and multilayered research, Everhart achieves a flawless sense of place and time, never taking her eye off the story or straying from the world she recreates so precisely. Everhart’s literary star power lies in her ability to find the gristle of the historic South and elevate its people with determination and dignity.

The Saints of Swallow Hill is written in the third person narrative through the perspectives of Del and Rae Lynn. The book is set in the American South during the Great Depression. Delwood is seeking redemption after a near-death experience as a consequence of his womanizing ways and Rae Lynn is fleeing her hometown after tragedy strikes in an effort to keep out of jail. Both of their lives intersect at Swallow Hill, a turpentine camp that is far from an easy haven. A story of courage, friendship, and survival as both characters attempt to save each other and themselves.

Thoughts: First of all, LOVE the cover. This one is blurbed as Where the Crawdads Sing meets The Four Winds. I can’t speak much to that since I haven’t read either but this might appeal to you if you enjoyed those. Personally, I found this book very dull and the plot moved too slowly. I really had to push myself to finish. The characters read a bit stereotypical and the antagonists were flat and one-dimensional. The Great Depression isn’t an era I’m really drawn to and it’s hard to be anything but… well, depressing. I typically enjoy depressing reads that make me feel something but this missed the mark. The HEA ending really didn’t fit the tone of the story either. I requested on a limb after seeing raving reviews on Goodreads about how amazing and well-written this is, so I have a feeling this is more of a ‘Me’ issue. I must say I learned a lot about turpentine farming though; Everhart clearly did her research. Aside from not loving the actual story, the atmosphere was very well done. Do not let my review deter you if you’re a fan of historical fiction because a lot of people seem to enjoy this one.

Thank you @kensingtonbooks @netgalley and Donna Everhart for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Something about winter makes me crave reading historical fiction! I was so excited when I was offered a book tour spot for the Saints of Swallow Hill!

This book takes place in North Carolina during the Great Depression. Del is down on his luck when he starts working at a labor camp. He works to collect pine gum (used to make turpentine) when he meet Ray Cobb. Rae Lynn is actually pretending to be Ray and is also hired to work. She is hiding from the death of her husband. Del and Ray form a friendship that’s needed to get through the grueling days and they work together to improve the working conditions.

This book was absolutely wonderful. I have to say I learned a lot about how to make turpentine and what it’s used for! It’s appalling what Del and Ray had to put up with and they never made any money because they owed it all back to the camp. The tenacity that both characters was incredible. Even though the subject was heavy, the story was beautiful. I really enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to reading more from the author.

I totally enjoyed The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart. My first book of hers was The Moonshiner's Daughter. These books were similar in that they took place in a time period of the past and not the present. The characters were not wealthy. They were on the poor side and doing what needed to be done to survive. I think that brings out emotion and grabs your attention.

The majority of this book took place at a turpentine camp in the south. I've read of other work camps where folks went to work to earn a living for their families during the depression. The sad part is they are most often paid in scripts which is only accepted at the company store. So, you can already guess that they don't make enough and wind up in a hole that they will never get out of. I am not sure how our government let that happen. Their earnings had the housing cost deducted as they had to pay to live in the shacks. My heart broke for the people that felt they had nowhere else to turn and were taken advantage of. Donna Everhart brings out the feel of the time. Being caught in a vicious cycle they will never get out of. If they leave the camp in the middle of the night or sneak off without paying, they are hunted down for stealing. They were often killed and if they didn't meet quotas, they were punished. It was a very hard life.

I was involved with these characters and what they went through to survive. I've heard stories all of my life about the hard times my own family went through during the depression. I think they were lucky to be able to live with other family and pool their resources to eat and keep a roof over their heads. Some people were not that fortunate.

If you enjoy reading about other time periods and other ways of life, you will enjoy this book. Donna has a way of writing that lets you get into the time period, the location and the characters lives. Her writing flows so well that you find yourself falling into the dialect and understanding it without any problems. I highly recommend this book. It will definitely make you count your blessing.

Donna Everhart has just earned a place on my favorite author list. I loved this book! It’s a perfect example of why readers love historical fiction.

Set in the south during the Great Depression, the story centers around Rae Lynn, a young married woman who faces a horrible event that causes her to escape to a rough life working in a turpentine camp in Georgia. Disguised as a man, Rae Lynn has a hard time keeping up with the daily quota.

Also at the camp is Del, a young man that nearly lost his life in an accident and is working his way back home to North Carolina. Del excels at the camp, but faces the jealous wrath of Crow, the woods rider and one of the bosses at the camp.

I was captivated by the difficult life in the turpentine camp and the evil of some of the characters in the story. However, there were many redeeming characters that gave this grim atmosphere hope.

As each character comes to terms with their past mistakes, they realize that a better future is possible. The story had an uplifting ending with a strong theme of friendship and forgiveness woven throughout.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to recommend this and give my honest review.

The Saints of Swallow Hill
By Donna Everhart

A Gut-Wrenching Depression-Era Historical Fiction Drama
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Rae Lynn Cobb and her older husband, Warren, run a small turpentine farm in North Carolina. The work is challenging, and when Warren is hurt, Rae Lynn performs a desperate act of mercy. To escape a no-win situation, she disguises herself as a man and heads to the isolated Swallow Hill turpentine camp outside Valdosta, Georgia. The work is even more arduous than expected. There she makes friends with Del Reese, who is also escaping an untenable situation and who tries his best to help Rae Lynn. Despite working tirelessly, Rae Lynn cannot meet quotas, and her vile boss targets her. After a particularly harsh punishment, Cornelia, wife of the heartless commissary owner, offers assistance and friendship.

Rae Lynn, Cornelia, and Del each have different reasons for wanting to leave Swallow Hill. But before they can move forward, they must all come to terms with their past.

REVIEW
The Saints of Swallow Hill is a gut-wrenching depression-era historical fiction novel set in the pine forests of Georgia and North Carolina. Times are hard, and the writing is descriptive and atmospheric. It awakens your senses to the hardships and difficulties the characters face, as well as the beauty of the pine forest as the breeze, blows the needles of the longleaf pine trees.

Author Donna Everhart has woven an intriguing Southern tale complete with hard times, evil, and racism. Several characters in the book are despicable. But all three of the notable characters, Rae Lynn, Del, and Cornelia, show the strength, courage, and determination that carries the novel.

Everhart describes her books as Southern novels with authenticity and grit. This book certainly fits that description. She has written four additional novels, most recently including The Moonshiner's Daughter and The Forgiving Kind.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC audio of this book.

This book was a surprise, a pleasant surprise. I had no idea what to expect, had never heard of the author, and just read it based on the title. The story mostly takes place on a turpentine ranch in North Carolina during the depression where blacks and whites try to work together. These are poor folk and lost souls trying to get by. It starts out slow concentrating on two people--a man and a woman who have yet to meet.
At some point, the story becomes very compelling and I cared what happened to these people.
While reading, I went on Goodreads to learn more about the author and found that she was communicating with readers. She directed me to background research about the Tar State during the depression and I began to appreciate how much work she put into the book.

The book is well-written by a likable author. It is an education of a time long gone although the human conflicts described in the story are with us forever. I also listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration immensely. It was well done and the voices of each character felt true. Either way this is a book worth reading.

This is a new historical fiction from an American author. Her previous books include "The Moonshiner's Daughter" and "The Education of Dixie Dupree". This one is set in the American south during the years of the Great Depression. We are introduced to 'turpentiners' and turpentine camps, mostly worked by blacks under brutal conditions. Turpentine was made from the sap of pine trees and used for many things. It provided an income in hard times. Rae Lynn and her husband run a small operation, but when tragedy happens, Rae Lynn's act of mercy might land her jail. She disguises herself as a man and flees. She gets a job at a turpentine camp. There she meets Del, who is working there for his own reasons. This is a wonderful read and introduces us to a part of history that is not part of our general knowledge. It is a great recommendation for fans of "The Four Winds".

I started this and then stopped because I was not in the mood for heartbreak. It is tough but there are light spots - do not think this is Four Winds type of dreary. I know people are comparing it to Four Winds as a compliment but I don't think it is one LOL

I loved Rae Lynn, she is a great character. I came around to Del also.

I also learned a lot about turpentine, absolutely none of which I knew before.

Good writing. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

I have enjoyed previous books by this author so I was looking forward to reading this one. I was very disappointed when I got involved in the story. While information about turpentine production and how North Carolina ended up being known as the Tar Heel State was interesting, the amount … and detailed descriptions … of sexual relationships was too much for me to stomach. This was a slow read and it just plodded along which did not keep my interest. There are plenty of 4- and 5-star reviews, so this book might appeal to you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 - THE SAINTS OF SWALLOW HILL by Donna Everhart is not like the type of fiction I normally read, but it captured my attention. Which is a big thing for me because I’ve had a tough time finding books that just won’t let me walk away. I was intrigued with this author’s reasoning from beginning to end.

As I turn the pages, I automatically analyze the author’s process and my reaction to it. I ask myself and the author questions. I suppose this is why I can’t read a book without reviewing it, even if I bought it. This book was provided by the publisher for my honest review, so I was extra conscious of how I reacted to it.

Reading is like unraveling a mystery because of how I analyze as I go. THE SAINTS OF SWALLOW HILL revealed my own processes more than most books. It really made me curious.

At first, I swore this book was written by a man because of the way the main character approached sexual encounters and how the author described them. I find that men and women usually write differently about sex, unless it’s a part of the character’s revelation. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with Del’s behavior in the beginning.

That’s what kept me reading, even though I didn’t like the main character and his and the author’s methods. I wanted to know why. After a while, I discovered it was proof of his evolution and I respected the author’s choices.

Once I got through that hurdle, I couldn’t put the book down. Del and Rae Lynn are unusual characters with quirks based on their past. Their struggles are real and believable. The villains are despicable, so although I hated reading about some of their atrocities, I couldn’t wait to find out if they get what they deserve.

Author Donna Everhart’s research into the turpentine camps is thorough. The only criticism I have for this book is that it seemed overly described. Others may find that absorbing. I think it will depend on the type of reader you are.

For those who love fiction, this book should tick all your boxes. For those who like a little romance in your reading, there is bit for you as well. I consider this fiction with romance elements, but above all, it’s exceptional storytelling that I wished was longer because I didn’t want to let the characters go.

Reader have caution – some of the content is gritty, but I wasn’t disturbed by it. I enjoy reading Southern Gothic Fiction, which this book resembles the most, so I’m used to grit.

In the end, this piece of Depression Era historical fiction convinced me I’ve found a new-to-me author of exceptional merit. I will hunt down Donna Everhart’s backlist and look forward to her next endeavor. Thanks so much for helping me end my moratorium on reading and reviewing!

Review by Dorine, courtesy of TheZestQuest.com.

Fans of historical fiction will love this moving, character-driven novel. Set in the rural South during the Great Depression, the story finds Rae Lynn and Del winding up at a turpentine camp in the Carolinas, both fleeing from pasts they wish they could forget. But life is dangerous at the farm too, and the characters struggle to persevere against the harsh conditions and other workers with malicious intents.

“The Saints of Swallow Hill” is simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting. I knew nothing about turpentine farms before reading this book, which is meticulously researched and presents an eye-opening look at this largely-forgotten slice of American history. The story unflinchingly examines racism, sexism, injustice, poverty, and power differentials alongside a helping of human kindness. The characters are complex and richly-drawn, and their dialogue and inner thoughts are authentically depicted in a simple dialect that portrays their lack of education. All in all, a vivid, informative, and enjoyable novel that I won’t soon forget.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

In the American South, turpentine farming helped laborers find work during the Great Depression. With a need to escape their lives in North Carolina, Delwood Reese and Rae Lynn Cobb both end up at the same turpentine camp in Georgia, Swallow Hill. Rae Lynn, disguised as a young man, struggles to keep up with the other men, but Delwood takes her under his wing. These two, along with the others at the camp, fight to get by in these devastating times.

Set in Great Depression era Georgia, the author paints a vivid picture of the difficult times America was enduring, and the hardships people were forced to overcome. The character development was outstanding, and I found myself rooting for both Rae Lynn and Delwood, as well as another character, Cornelia. I appreciated the alternating perspectives of the two main characters, and watching their stories come together. Overall, this was an intriguing and moving historical fiction novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this gifted e-ARC!

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how to review this book. It was a good, solid story, but at no point was I wowed by the writing or any plot twists. I did love (and hate, in one instance) most of the characters, and the plot was intriguing enough to keep me reading. However I just wasn't in love with any of it. This book gets 3 stars, which for me means I liked it okay but am not raving about it. Not sure if I will read more by this author.

TW: physical and mild sexual assault, graphic violence

I loved it! A desperate, gritty story set against a backdrop of hard knocks and hard times, Donna Everhart’s historically researched The Saints of Swallow Hill is the triumphant story of unlikely bonds fatefully formed among the turpentine camps in the rural, Depression era South.

Full review coming on release day in the New York Journal of Books.

What a beautiful story. I've had other books by Donna Everhart on my tbr for some time but this is the first I've actually read and now I can't wait to read the others. The characters were so well developed, complex characters with complex lives. The setting was atmospheric and the history was informative and interesting. The story meanders in a very pleasant way, like life back then compared to now. It was such a good flow for the narrative. I really don't want to give too much away about the specific details because I went in kind of blind and I really enjoyed letting the story reveal itself to me.

Thank you NetGalley, Everhart and publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review. All opiniong are my own.

This was quite unique story for me as I don’t know much about the turpentine camps during the Great Depression. I did however find it to be a very enjoyable read.

Rae Lynn and her husband Warren Cobb ran a small turpentine farm together in North Carolina. When Warren was severely injured and refused to see a doctor, Rae Lynn was left to mercifully relieve him of his misery. But someone else knew what she had done, and to avoid jail time, she disguised herself as a man and traveled to a turpentine camp in Georgia called Swallow Hill.

The conditions there were less than satisfactory, but for men struggling to get by during the Great Depression, it was one of their only options. Rae Lynn, who then went by Ray, worked tirelessly each day but soon became the unfortunate target of one of the woods riders, Crow. When her life was threatened, another laborer/wood rider named Delwood Reese took matters into his own hands. He was hoping for redemption and wanted to improve conditions at the camp, but developing feelings for the Rae Lynn was never part of the plan.

There is so much more to this story, but I don’t want to give too much away. I do have to mention that I enjoyed watching each character develop throughout the book, and I think it was a pivotal point of the storyline as a whole. Seeing them face their pasts and forgive themselves was so important, and I have a lot of respect for anyone who is capable of doing so.

Definitely recommending this one!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3993670970

While I enjoyed the main characters of The Saints of Swallow Hill, I felt as though it took a bit for their story to start being told because of the need for so much background information. I think it’s important to know the era and the setting, but for me, it got a bit lengthy. But, once the book got going at Swallow Hill and we got to know Del and how he handled himself in difficult situations, and Rae Lynn and her background story and lengths she went to in order to keep herself safe, and Crow, Cornelia, and Otis, I really enjoyed the book.
I do feel this author is very talented. I also really appreciate the discussion questions at the back of the book to think about the book in new ways.