This is a wonderful, adventurous, historical romance. Although Cora was completely out of her element geographically, I loved that her time served nursing in the war made her abundantly capable of everything that was thrown at her as soon as she steps foot in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jeb is drawn to Cora pretty much immediately and as their friendship grew, I loved the element of kindred spirits, being able to empathize with one another because of Jeb's time in the war. Their chemistry is spot on and quite enjoyable. I love characters that can laugh with one another and at themselves. This story also doesn't shy away from the difficulties and differences that mountain people faced during the early 1900's. Their way of living, superstitions, and rules are so different from our own...and even those living outside the mountains during that same time period. It's fascinating.
All in all, a well written story that's sure to please fans of Historical Romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoy reading books based in the Appalachian mountains. Cora leaves England to avoid an arranged marriage, and heads to the Blue Ridge mountains to join her brother. Serving as a nurse after World War I, she struggles to leave the memories of the war behind. When she meets Jeb, she soon realizes he is struggling with his own demons after serving in the war. I loved seeing how their relationship starts to blossom from their friendship-especially when Jeb looks at Cora and “his lips took to itchin’ like he landed face first in a natural bouquet of poison ivy”. The author, Pepper Basham, uses words like “spark a woman, betwixt, and get on down the trail” to help you draw you into the story from this time period My favorite quote was “whatever He’s chosen for their lives is a much better plan than one we can imagine”. How true this is and really speaks volumes. I highly recommend this book and found it very captivating.

All words and opinions are my own. I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

I had high expectations for The Heart of the Mountains since it's written by Pepper Basham, a talented author who writes authentically about Appalachian life from her personal experience. I was not disappointed; the novel has an incredibly strong sense of place in terms of natural geography and the beliefs, customs, and language of the mountain people.

Set in 1919 in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this is a story of contrasts. Jeb McAdams is a well-respected mountain man with a strong love of his family and an incredible talent for creating carvings, furniture, and homes from wood. Cora Taylor flees her familial home in England to escape an arranged marriage and reunite with her brother and uncle who live and serve in the area. The one thing they have in common is trauma (PTSD in modern terms) from their experiences while serving in World War I. Jeb and Cora meet in a very unique way, and their lives continually intertwine as Cora is shocked by many local customs and beliefs, but eventually she sees the beauty her brother described so vividly in his letters.

My favorite type of Christian romance is one with lots of "chaste steam", a term I use to describe romantic tension and longing without crossing a moral line. This story is overflowing with chaste steam, mostly between Cora and Jeb, but they weren't the only ones. It was so appropriate the author used the term "sparkin'" to describe physical attraction because sparks were flying all over these pages.

Ms. Basham does not shy away from difficult topics in this story; in addition to PTSD, her characters experience alcoholism, physical abuse, miscarriage, prostitution, racism, animal cruelty, and death. In fact, there's so much action packed into this 250-page novel, at times it felt overwhelming and unbelievable.

Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed The Heart of the Mountains and recommend it highly to readers who wish to immerse themselves in early 20th-century Appalachia in a story with strong faith elements.

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

Finally!! I have finally read my first Pepper Basham book and THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS blew me away. Pepper knows how to engage the reader and had me feeling as if I was right there on the trails with Cora and Jeb.

I was pulled into THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS from the first page and I stayed that way until the very last page. The twists and turns keep coming and I had to know how it was going to end! Every time I thought I knew where this story was going, a few pages later, Pepper Basham threw me for a loop and I knew I was wrong!

THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS is a quick read and unputdownable! There were quite a few times when reading it that I wanted to reach into the pages and hug a few of these people with what they were feeling and what they were going through. I found myself laughing one second and then tearing up the next. If you are looking for a beautiful story to pull you out of your book slump, you can’t go wrong with THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS. Pepper Basham is now an author I want to read more of.

The twists and turns in THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS are going to keep you up late into the night trying to figure it out. One minute you believe you know where Cora is going with her life and the next you are sitting there shaking your head, wondering what the heck just happened. I had my ideas, I had it all figured out, or so I thought, and BAM…….wrong again! Many of the people Cora came in contact with are broken. The conditions they deal with in the mountains will break your heart over and over again. But they are strong people and know how to persevere. Once you start reading, trust me, you aren’t going to be able to stop! When everything is finally revealed, well, you won’t believe it!

THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS begins with Cora facing many life changes. She has just run away from England where her father was arranging for her to be married to a horrible human being. I thoroughly enjoyed reading THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS. I loved the banter between Cora and Jeb. It is heart warming, but also a harsh reality of the situations the mountain people dealt with and it is filled with so many different emotions. There is so much going on in this story, but Pepper Basham does a wonderful job of weaving all the pieces together. All of the characters will have you feeling sad and then giggling on the same page. More than once I wanted to be there with my new found friends! Once you finish devouring this story, you are going to want to tell everyone you know about this awesome book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through JustRead Publicity Tours. All opinions are my own.

I started reading The Heart of the Mountains and instantly fell in love with the story, the setting and the characters. I realized it started sounding familiar, so I did a little research and realized it is the second book in Mountain Dream Catchers series, which I also loved. Cora and Jeb are one of the sweetest and most innocent couples. The setting . is in the Blue Ridge Mountains and things are not easy for the families who live there. It is filled with one adventure after another, which makes for a fast read. If you haven't read the first book Laurel''s Dream, start there, you won't be disappointed. I want to thank Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this great book. The comments in this review are my own.

The Heart of the Mountains is one of those stories that I didn’t want to end. Actually, I’d quite like to be in the Blue Ridge mountains hanging out with Cora and Jeb. Cora found herself under pressure to marry a creep. To escape him, she flees England, to the mountains where her brother is serving in a mission school. Cora nursed at the Front during the Great War and knows the signs of a fellow survivor.

Jeb McAdams is just such a person and is carrying a lot of guilt because his friend did not return with him. Cora’s brother is married to Jeb’s sister and when he rescues her from a mountain lion, the two strike up an uneasy friendship that blossoms to more.

The first thing that struck me was how quickly the characters wormed their way into my heart. Cora with her post war stoicism and Jeb with his brave but determined recovery from the horrors of the front.

As you’d hope with a story set in Appalachia (a word Pepper herself taught me to pronounce correctly), the description of the surrounding mountains is beautiful. But my favorite part of The Heart of the Mountains is the way the mountain characters jump from the pages. Each one is vividly painted with cleverly chosen words.

There are a number of tricky situations and the power of salvation winds its way in very nicely too. There are several very clever twists throughout and this book was a pleasure to read.

This is a wonderful story and highly recommended for those who enjoy historical romance. I received a copy through NetGalley, my opinions are all my own.

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#BookReview: THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS by Pepper Basham

I was not aware that this is a sequel to Laurel’s Dream but I think this can be read as a standalone. I liked Cora’s will and determination to survive in the mountains. Jeb’s love for family, skills and good heart made him a good fit for Cora. They are great duo

I enjoyed the sweet romance between Cora and Jeb. But this book also talked about hard issues like alcohol addiction and prostitution. Death and chaos was there too. People in the mountains fear a lot of things so it was not for the faint of heart. I liked reading Willow’s wise words. Her faith was new but felt deep due to her experiences. My grandmother was so into herbal medicines so I found Granny Nurse’s knowledge of natural medicines interesting. Pepper Basham fans will enjoy this book as well.

Thank you Barbour books and netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars.

This is my first book my this author (yes, I know it's the second in a series, but fortunately, they're more like companion novels than books that need to be read consecutively), and I enjoyed it. Was it the best book I've ever read? No, but it was generally well written, had characters I cared about, and did not contain anything I found objectionable

I'm not sure why I struggle a little when reading Christian romances. After all, I am Christian, and God is very much a part of my life. But for some reason, I always find it a little cheesy when fictional characters do the same things I do every day (like praying and talking about God). If I could get past that weird obstacle I've created for myself, I'm sure I would have given this book a solid 4 stars.

Both Cora and Jeb were likable, admirable characters who sought to do what was right even when it inconvenienced or hurt them. They had caring hearts and strong minds. I liked watching their relationship develop. A few of the side characters were pretty one dimensional, like Clark Greer and Imogen Carter. But most of the other characters felt believable.

I would be interested in reading the first book in the series if my library ever purchased it.

How it ends: (view spoiler)

Note: Nothing bad. Mildly implied, totally off page sex between a married couple (honestly, nothing is on the page).

The continuation of Laurel's Dream, but it can stand alone. This one continues the story and Cora, who I loved in the first one flees England to the mountains where her brother lives. Although you don't see much of Jonathan and Laurel. She instantly forms an attraction to Laurel's brother, Jeb. Slim pickings in the mountains and I guess.
Both of them were involved in the war and suffer from a little shell-shock/ptsd. They're now doctoring people who aren't always open to their new remedies and there are plenty of rumors to be squashed. People who need healing and a lot of drunkenness to be avoided.
Some topics may be triggering, but at the same time it's a fairly lighthearted romance story under the setting of gorgeous mountains, woods, streams, but the real struggles of living in the mountains after WW1.
It's a similar plot to the first one, so you know what to expect.

Nice sequel to the author previous story set in post WWI Appalachia. I thought the two main characters had real depth.

"But prayin' is where we admit we ain't lords of our own lives, nor of any lives, to be true. And, as I study on it, God uses prayin' to change my heart into what He's wantin' it to be in sun or rain, 'cause I'm trustin' in His love and His plan." ~Mama McAdams

Pepper Basham returns us to the Blue Ridge mountains and the families we met in Laural's Dream. In The Heart Of The Mountains. I really enjoyed visiting with the McAdams family. Pepper has a way of bringing her characters to life, giving them challenges and joys that keep one reading well past their bedtime. I think Jeb and Cora are two of my favorite mountain characters followed closely by Jeb's mama Caroline McAdams. So brew up a pitcher of sun tea and a stack of molasses cookies to enjoy while reading The Heart Of The Mountains.

I was given a copy of The Heart Of The Mountains by the publisher with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

A wonderful story! I loved Cora and Jeb their characters were well written and had me wanting to know more of their story. The beginning of the book is stellar and sucks you into the pages with Cora coming to full understanding of how dangerous the mountain can be. She has backbone and is tenacious about using her nursing skills to work beside her brother to help the mountain people. The difficulties she faces and the chance at a romance completely upend her world takes the reader on quite the ride that leaves the heart strings being pulled and the love for the backwood characters resting upon your heart.
Was given a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

As with the first book, this did not disappoint! The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham was as beautiful, heartfelt, faith filled and adventurous as the first one! 5 stars!

After reading Laurel’s Dream, I was so excited to dive back into the Blue Ridge Mountains to learn more about Cora Taylor and Jeb McAdams. Laurel’s Dream followed Jonathan Taylor and Laurel McAdams, so in this story we were blessed to see Laurel’s brother and Jonathan’s sister’s story unfold.

I live in Tennessee and love the Appalachian settings so much as it reminds me of back home in East Tennessee.

To escape a forced marriage, Cora Taylor travels from England to the Blue Ridge Mountains to find her brother, who works as a mission teacher there. She hopes to find a place where she can use her nursing skills and as she continues her travels, she meets Jeb McAdams. Jeb is returning from World War I as he meets Cora. They start to become fast friends as they face many difficulties. The story takes off from here.

Jeb and Cora are beautiful characters who have such a grounded connection together. I loved every moment they were together. Pepper Basham writes AMAZING mountain stories.

I laughed, teared up, felt their feelings – the characters in this story are beautiful. This story is filled with action, love, faith, grace, mercy, romance, forgiveness, redemption, and a beautiful family. My favorite part in this was the ending. It was beautiful and action-packed. So many beautiful southern references and I love the way they talk – it reminds me of my grandparents’ time.

I am dying to know more about other family members, primarily the missing sister we continue to hear about. I hope the next story will be about her journey! I can’t wait.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for provide me with an Advanced Reader Copy to honestly read and review. I will be reading more of the Blue Ridge series in the future! I will also be posting a review to Amazon, Instagram and discussing on my YouTube channel, BookLoverAmanda.

Wonderful book! Many things touched my heart! I admired Cora Taylor who ran away from England where her father wanted to force her into a marriage she did not want. The Blue Ridge Mountains were different from anything she'd known but Cora was determined to use her nursing skills from WWI to help the mountain people! Delivering a baby was a new experience for her! After winning the respect of the mountain people, Cora became known as "Nurse Woman". Jeb McAdams fought memories from the war but was determined he would not end up like his alcoholic father. I liked when Jeb's mother told Cora "Prayin' is where we admit we ain't the lords of our own lives, nor of any lives, to be true. ...God uses prayin' to change my heart into what He's wantin' it to be in sun or rain, cause I'm trustin' his love and His plan." Although they are not part of a series, I recommend reading Laurel's Dream before The Heart of the Mountains. Both books make me think of Christy by Catherine Marshall--one of my favorite books! Pepper Basham is a talented author! I highly recommend The Heart of the Mountains to everyone! I received advance copies of the book from Barbour Publications and NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

What a tale! Pepper Basham tells the vivid story of an English nurses’ personal journey to find her life’s purpose in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Joining Cora on her journey of faith, family, and love was Jeb McAdams, a healing Great War veteran and mountain man.

Rich details bring to life a diverse cast of characters and thier, sometimes unforgiving, lives in the mountains. While there are deep plot points addressed, Basham’s style of writing balances out the darker times with light hearted, tender moments of love and friendship. The faith elements are present throughout but feel true to the time and well placed. Both characters have strong faiths, so religion and faith in God are mentioned enough to make this a true Christian romance for me. However, The pace was excellent, and the plot itself keeps the pages turning!

As for the romance between Cora and Jeb: 10/10. Honestly, the chemistry was there, yet the relationship was founded on trust and respect. They were made for each other, although they struggled to come to terms with the idea at first. Cora was an entertaining, strong and kind lead and I loved watching her character grow as she adapted to each situation and voiced her options, never coming off as unpleasant. And Jeb? Heart eyes for this man I tell you. Charming, kind, supportive, what wouldn’t you want in a hero?

The second installment in the blue ridge mountain series (the first being Laurel’s dream), you can read this one as a stand alone and not feel lost. The secondary characters were so endearing, I hope to see more additions in the future (please!).

Needless to say, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good historical, Christian romance!


I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a chance to read this in exchange for my thoughts!

The Heart of the Mountains works well as a sequel to Laurel's Dream (My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge), but also as a stand-alone story. It takes little imagination to envision the lovely, rugged Appalachian Mountains. Unique, memorable characters are spun into this poignant and inspirational tale of intrigue, redemption, and inspiration from fan-favorite author Pepper Basham.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

Rating 4.5

“But I reckon God wouldn’t have given tears to us if He didn’t mean for us to use them now and again.”

With the start of this story, I have met a brave young woman who I quickly realised do no back down at the first challenge. Cora was a character to easily love and connect with. Jeb, the hero, was a strong male character, his strength coming from his fight to choose better and rise from circumstances and memories.

The start of this story was a bit slow for me with a slow build to a more action filled end.

From all the books I have read to date, this author is talented and delivers strong stories fitting to the era and location. This was another enjoyable historical read that took me right along the mountain people and getting to know them and their ways along with Cora.

The author has a beautiful way of penning words.

"She looked at him in a way that made him feel like he hadn’t lost half of himself in the trenches of Europe."

I loved how though Cora found the mountain vastly different to expected, she embraced it and the people and learned their ways, using what she learned in her skills. Cora was also not afraid to face the dangerous elements to help others.

"Any sound person would likely run off, but thanks to her stubborn streak and some sort of crazy love for. . .crazy, she fell right into the world here."

Fans who love the romance Pepper D Basham always delivers, will not be disappointed. The romance, though not conventional, was smile worthy and there were toe-curling kissing scenes to satisfy all the lip itching.

“Love’s worth being brave, ain’t it? Brave again and again and again.”

For readers who enjoys a bit of danger, suspense, and action, will find scenes to their liking as well.

“Mama’s always said that God uses prayin’ to change us more than us changin’ anything else.”

The Spiritual thread within these pages was strong and there was one of the strongest and emotional redemption stories as well.

The Heart of the mountains is a story of both the beauty and the brutality of life in the Appalachians in the early 1900s. A tale of long held mountain traditions meeting up with the outside world. When the two worlds collide for Cora and Jeb, each is reeling from the war in Europe. Cora discovers a place where she can be of service, and Jeb finds in this feisty, independent young woman, someone he can see himself with for the long haul, if she is brave enough to withstand life in his world. A wonderful story of faith and family, and perseverance in the midst of hardship.
I hope to read more from this author soon.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishers via Netgalley. I was under no obligation to give a review.

“Just one more page”….is the motto of this new book by Pepper Basham. ​In the story, The Heart of the Mountains, I was​ engrossed in the story from the very first page. ​Cora's story grabs you from the first sentence. As we share Cora's experience in her new home, Maple Springs, as the reader we enjoy a truly unique story. ​The action​ in the story​ is almost nonstop, with twists and unforeseen turns leaving you gasping and holding your breath. ​T​he characters are engaging, including some villains that you really just want to reach into the ​p​ages and smack, as well as characters that you cry with and wish that you could sit around the table and have a nice talk with. Cora, the protagonist of the story, is gritty, charming and determined, but both Caroline Mc​Adams​ strength and love for her family had me wishing that I could sit with her and have a nice cup of tea. Granny Brucham is another character that I would have loved to have learned more about. She compliments Cora’s youth beautifully and helps her find her true calling. ​This was a story that I felt like I "fell" into the story and kept turning pages to see what would happen next. I finished the story with a "Bravo", but dear publisher, I need another story! I won't put a spoiler here, but there is room for at least a few more stories based off of this book. That is how awesome and well-written it is!

Such a sweet love story between Cora and Jeb! I loved The Heart of the Mountains just as much as the previous book, Laurel's Dream. I found it to be touching at times, funny and serious. I even shed a few tears which I haven't done in quite a while when reading. There are so many great side characters and I really hope to see more of Jeb's family in the future!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Published 1 July 2022.