I loved this 4 short stories. I have always been intrigued by the packing horse librarian. The common between this stories. They are set in the same era. The depression. And they have strong female characters who you Will fall in love with. And the love and how proud the Mountain people are brings tears to my eyes. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

5 stars, Packhorse librarians
THE LIBRARIAN'S JOURNEY
Including
LOVES TURNING PAGE by Cynthia Hickey
IN THIS MOMENT by Patty Smith Hall
BOOK LADY OF THE BAYOU by Marilyn Turk
THE LAWMAN AND THE LIBRARIAN by Kathleen Y'Barbo

This is a nice collection of novellas are all set in 1936 during the Great Depression, as FDR (the 32 of the US) implemented the Packhorse Librarian program. Each novella is set in a different place, the Ozark Mountains, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Though the WPA program officially administered the Packhorse project in the remote hills of Appalachian Kentucky, similar programs could have been implemented in other places.

Each of the four women in this compilation suffered from a lack of love and a lack of funds. Each one needed a new adventure in their lives. Highly recommend. I like to read all of the written stories about Packhorse Librarians and understand how their lives were in this daring program.

#netgalley #barbourpublishing kindly provided me with a complimentary copy of #thelibrariansjourney I was under no obligation to post a review.

This is a collection of stories about Packhorse Librarians in rural Appalachia during the Great Depression. These librarians were hired to ride out into the very rural areas and bring books for people to read to inspire literacy. It was part of a WPA program funded by the US Government to give people job opportunities.



What I enjoy about these types of books is that each story is a comfortable length for sitting and reading all at once. I recommend this book to those who want a quick, satisfying read.



I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion

I have found that this has become a hot topic as of late. But it is a really great part of history and I loved the bits of romance mixed into these stories. I didn't love all the characters and every story, but being a librarian I just had to read this anthology.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

THE LIBRARIAN'S JOURNEY is a most enjoyable collection of short stories. What's not to love in a book about books and horses? !

Love's Turning Page by Cynthia Hickey is a delightful romance novella with some suspense and a good Christian message running through it.
The story takes place in Hickory Hollow during the Great Depression. Grace Billings, an avid reader, gets a job with the pack horse library initiative to help her family financially.. She is the oldest of eight children. She loves taking books to the mountain folk and is even more delighted when Anthony Lawrence, the handsome school teacher, becomes involved in a project to teach adults to read.
I like the characters and the love for others that is shown by Anthony and the Billings family. It is an enjoyable read.

For Such a Time by Paddy Smith Hall is a romantic novella with a strong Christian message, a good story and lovable characters.
Ruth Sims and Will Munroe are back in Pine Mountain after their engagement broke up six years ago, and are working together with the borrowing library. As they go out amongst the mountain folk they do more than just drop off books. Will, as a school teacher, deals with their reaching needs and Ruth, as a nurse, deals with their health needs.
That is all I am going to tell you excepting to say that I really enjoyed this novella.

In Book Lady of the Bayou, Marilyn Turk tells the story of Lily Bee Davis, whose teacher training came to a stop due to the Depression and who is now introducing the folk around Cypress to literature as part of the pack horse library. On her rounds she meets the reclusive concert pianist, Lamar Stewart and his daughter Evie, amongst other interesting characters.
It is a lovely story in which the biblical principles of loving and serving one's neighbour come out strongly.

The Librarian and the Lawman by Kathleen Y'Barbo is an exciting romance novella in which Lottie Kent, who has lived in fear since her family left Lexington for Kenova when she was twelve, finally comes into her own as a pack horse librarian in Potter's Creek. She is surprised to come across her "near fiancé", Clay Turnbow who is under cover for the FBI pretending to be a timber buyer.
The characters are interesting, the plot well worked out and the Christian message is good, with the emphasis on waiting on the Lord for His perfect timing. It is a most enjoyable read.

I was given a free copy of The Librarian's Journey by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

It hasn't been that long ago that I reviewed a book about the WPA horseback librarian program in the Appalachians. In the last year or so, it has become more common to write about this obscure part of history. It is fascinating to read history woven into fiction and this was such a great topic to tackle in that regard. Some of the authors in this collection of stories took liberties with the settings of the actual history of the program, but the novellas are still enjoyable.

It saddened me to see that one of the authors passed away and another author stepped in to write the story in her stead. Darlene Franklin is a favorite writer and her loss will leave a hole in the world of Christian fiction. My thanks go to Kathleen Y'Barbo for stepping in and doing an admirable job of filling her shoes.

All of the novellas are enjoyable to read and will while away a too-hot afternoon (I'm currently in a heatwave of epic proportions), especially with a glass of iced tea at the ready.

The horseback librarian program took books to the most rural areas to encourage literacy and learning for families who had no other way to get to town to borrow books from the library. The people were poor but proud and it was hard for some to accept that the books were not charity, but something that was available to everyone.

A couple of these novellas offer second chances between youthful sweethearts and grown-up love with a bit of intrigue thrown in for good measure, others are just the sweetness of love that grows from friendship.

In some respects, Dolly Parton has taken a page out of President Roosevelt's book and is providing books to children to encourage a love of reading and learning. All a parent or grandparent or friend has to do is sign the child up on this website.

Four strong stars.

Barbour Publishing and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.