I have never been to Biltmore Estates (it’s on the list to see, for sure!) but reading this book felt like a trip there and what was equally as wonderful, to the scenic, surrounding villages within the The Blue Ridge Mountains.

Set between 1915-1924, this story is told through three people and through different timelines. Like tangled threads, this story begins and seems a bit complexing at first but once I got the hang of it, the story became beautifully alive! Most of the story goes back and forth; we get a little glimpse into the present day story and then a little glimpse backward into the story.

Secrets, lies, deceit, and loss are woven and threaded together with friendship, redemption, heritage and second chances. It is as captivating as it is moving and hopeful.

This stories theme is rich and beautiful with so many parallels between weaving and woodworking (the main characters livelihoods) and this messy thing called life.

I highly recommend for fans of historical fiction!

This story is about the power of our choices and the ripple effects of abandonment and loss.

Set in the early 1900s in the shadow of the Biltmore Estate, this book features three young people who were recipients of the Vanderbilt’s generosity and were trained in traditional crafts such as weaving and woodworking.

Despite rising to become a master weaver, Lorna Blankenship’s creative juices have stopped flowing and she soon runs into problems when a commission stretches her ability. Not only has her pride forced her to do something she regrets later, but it also creates a tangled mess in her life.

Gentry Cutshall feels she’s not cut out for tutelage under the master weaver. Although Gentry is naturally creative and artistic, she’s distracted by a quest that consumes her. Gentry’s life becomes a tangled mess, too, and the only way she can fix it is to give up her most treasured possessions.

Arthur Wescott’s gift in woodworking and his generous heart make him an important person amongst the Biltmore Estate craftspeople. It also gets him tangled up when he reaches out to an estranged family member and offers a hand up.


I thoroughly enjoyed this enlightening story highlighting the traditional mountain crafts of Appalachia and the friendships formed among the estate workers at Biltmore Estate. It was interesting to see the ripple effects of choices and how each of the three processed their abandonment or loss. Although I loved Gentry’s quest and how she chose to deal with trauma by playing her dulcimer, it was Lorna who edged her way into my heart and swayed my judgment of her, ultimately causing me to root for her and keep me engaged in the story centered around restoration and second chances.

Sarah Loudin Thomas is a new-to-me author, but I’m already excited about her upcoming WW1 historical fiction. Thomas has the ability to make the setting come alive and that’s very important for me.

I came for the cover and stayed for the story!

I was gifted this copy by Bethany House and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas is an emotionally moving story. This Christian historical fiction novel is set between 1915 and 1924 in Asheville, North Carolina, told by three different points of view, with biblical themes of forgiveness, sacrifice, and redemption.

Thomas drew me in immediately with her detail and captivating descriptions, and due to her picturesque prose I became so immersed in the story that I felt like another character within the story. I could taste the snow on my tongue at the cabin with Vivian, Gentry, and Lorna in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and was so enraptured by the beauty and sumptuousness of the master weaver’s fabric I could feel it.

Throughout the story I was reminded of a famous quote by Walter Scott,
“O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!”

Thomas’s meticulous attention to detail and compelling characters, not only captivates her readers with fascinating history, but also emotionally and stimulatingly causing one’s senses to go into overdrive in a good way. The descriptions of the intricate weave of the fabrics that were woven in this book, and how it affected each person who saw it, helped make me envision it right along with them, drawing me deeper and deeper into this story. I highly recommend These Tangled Threads, this Christian Historical fiction work of art, written by Sarah Loudin Thomas.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own.

Set in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 1900s, These Tangled Threads tells the story of a woodworker and a weaver who work for Biltmore Industries. The story moves between the different timelines - though they are only set about seven years apart - as we learn how Lorna and Arthur got to where they are and what happened to our third character, Gentry.

The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is almost a character in the book. While it doesn't really play a part in the story, the decided difference between the wealthy and the workers is also apparent. Arthur is a good man who manages to love with his whole heart even after a tough childhood. I found Lorna unlikeable for most of the book due to her deceitful ways, but the author did a nice job of showing how she got to be that way. Young and passionate Gentry floats in and out of the story while still being a catalyst of much of the plot.

I enjoyed this book, and I think lovers of historical fiction will too. This is Christian fiction so expect church going and pastors.

Family friendly.

Love the Biltmore setting of this historical fiction novel. Told in two time periods by three different characters, this story took a bit for me to get straighten out. Loved the weaving aspect! Lorna, Gentry and Arthur each had complex backgrounds which made the story. I do wish the author had written a note about her research and historical facts. Recommended!

Rich in the history of the Biltmore Estate and those who lived and worked there. This is a captivating story with a slow moving romance. I have never been to the Biltmore but after hearing about it and reading this book, I would love to visit. It added to the experience that the author worked there and knew a lot of the background.
The story brought out some history about the Vanderbilts and the personality of Cornelia, the favored daughter. But the prominent story was about the weaving house and Lorna Blankenship who was a master weaver. I loved it also because I have been sewing for over 60 years. It was interesting to learn about the methods of making cloth and also discovering that there was a woodworking shop on the premises. That is where we find Arthur Westcott, who slowly wends his way into Lorna’s heart. He is a devout Christian who helps Lorna selflessly when she searches for the weaver of an original and beautifully unique fabric. For Lorna, there are hard lessons to learn as she grows in her faith. With the themes of forgiveness, restoration and hope, this story also shows that things progress in God’s time.
Another exceptional story that makes you think.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of th3 author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

A sweet story of owning up to wrongdoings, forgiveness, second chances, and finding true love.

I really liked that Lorna and Gentry and her mom eventually found their way and especially that they did it in a way that protected themselves while still being honest. I also loved reading about weavers. Such a complex craft.

I liked how sweet Arthur was and that he had his own craft in carvings.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Engaging book. The story follows Lorna, Gentry, and Arthur through several years. I loved each of these characters and was cheering them on as they went through different struggles. Very subtle faith content, almost buried. Several great lessons taught. For example, the truth will set you free. The book was rich in history and description. For me, two of the most powerful scenes were during the flood, and toward the end, the reunion on the mountain top. I was blessed with a free ARC, and I’m leaving my review voluntarily. I will definitely be reading more by Sarah Loudin.

Master weaver Lorna Blankenship has spent her life working for the Biltmore Estate Industries as both a weaver and instructor. When the weaving portion of the industry starts to fail, Lorna makes a decision that will change her life forever. Her guilt and shame cause Lorna to reject the friendship of the one man who has constantly encouraged her and stood as her friend over her years of working for Biltmore Estate Industries.

When a client demands Lorna create something new and astounding for Cornelia Vanderbilt’s upcoming wedding, Lorna knows she must revisit her past sins to secure her future.

With the help of the man she rejected, Lorna embarks on a quest to find the mysterious weaver and designer who has the power to break or save Lorna’s career. As she follows the tangled threads cast by her lies, Lorna discovers how other lies have changed the course of other’s lives. She also discovers how each of us can extend and receive unmerited grace.

What I Loved About This Book

The author weaves a story that shifts back and forth in time while following three characters: Lorna, her young apprentice Gentry, and Arthur. As they make mistakes, seek redemption, and forge new bonds, their lives become a testament to the power of forgiveness and grace.

Readers who love historical details will enjoy learning about Biltmore Industries and life in North Carolina near the turn of the last century. Fans of Lynn Austen will enjoy this book.

This is a review of These Tangled Threads by Sarah Thomas that will be released on April 2, and there isn't a high enough rating that I can give this story because I loved it so much! Rarely does a title do justice to the book in my eyes, but this is a perfect title for this story that is about 4 lives that are all tangled up, some by their own doings, and some by situations out of their control, but how they must work together (with the help of the Lord even though that's implied) to untangle these threads in their own lives and also in their lives together! Rarely do I call a book beautiful, but this story really is beautiful! It is real, painful at times, and I shed many tears, but also much joy when I read it, and smiled and signed when I was done because it was such a great book! In the relationships, I see love and betrayal, frustration and grace, selfishness and selflessness, all wrapped up in an amazing story! So I highly recommend this book, and it will go on my favorites list! 5 stars if I must rate it, but again that rating doesn't do it justice!

Oh how I loved this story! The writing is beautiful! It starts out with two different timelines that are 7 years apart, and 3 different POVs. There is a lot happening in this story: Lorna steals a pattern design from Gentry, Gentry is looking for her mother, Arthur is in love with Lorna, and more. All three of these characters are friends of sorts. They all go through some tough and surprising situations that in turn help them grow. I really loved all the characters. I didn’t like Gentry at first but then I really liked her. I also loved all the side characters. I loved how this story was set around weaving. Overall this was a great read and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley and the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This book took me a bit longer to get into then the atuhor's other books--having THREE different times periods (particularly ones that were so close in time, only separated by a few years, rather than decades) threw me off a bit initially. I was also a bit wary with the characters--Arthur, I loved from the start, but both Lorna and Gentry had me on my guard and I wasn't sure if I liked them or not! I think both women were realistic characters and their behavoirs were consistent with their life experiences, so they were well-written (definitely realistically flawed), just not always 100% likable! I did enjoy seeing their growth in the book and how things played out for both of them as well as for sweet Arthur.
The setting--both the time period and the location--drew me in right from the start. Having never heard of Biltmore before (I spent the first half of my life in upstate NY and the second half "out west" and I can count the number of times I've been south of the Mason Dixon line on one hand--and none of those trips took me within 100 miles of Biltmore), I was really fascinated by the whole concept of the estate and the work that done there in various industries. It was just really interesting to me and in some ways, that might even have overshadowed the characters a bit for me! I also loved the details of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Thomas is just so good at her settings, bringing places I've never been to life with such skill! (After reading one of her books, I always want to plan a vacation to go see the places she describes for myself, and that was definitely the case again with this book!) I also know absolutely nothing about weaving but was totally drawn in by the descriptions of that as well.
All in all, another wonderful novel by a talented author! 4 stars.

I read a DRC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Although I have enjoyed other books by this author, this one really didn’t hold my interest, but I did finish it in order to write a review.

I live in North Carolina about two hours from the .Biltmore House and have visited there several times. I had not know about Biltmore Industries before reading this book, and I enjoyed learning about that somewhat. But oh my, the time changes throughout, especially at first, were dizzying and somewhat hard to keep up with, IMO..

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review. Three stars.

I've enjoyed other books by this author, and I've often wanted to visit Biltmore estates, so the subject matter and author caught my attention. However, it wasn't quite what I expected. I didn't know anything about this part of history (Biltmore industries--weaving, in particular), so that was interesting. I also enjoyed the time swap nature of the story, but it was occasionally confusing to keep things straight. Gentry was spoiled and a know-it-all, and Lorna was a bit over the top. Both characters were hard to connect with, root for, and like. Vivian was my favorite, though she wasn't one of the three lead characters. I did expect a bit more with the faith message, though themes of restoration were included, along with friendship, trust, family, and women's rights.

These Tangled Threads is an interesting novel about the Biltmore Industries, specifically the weaving industry. Lorna Blankenship is the master weaver at the Biltmore, and she has been tasked with weaving a special fabric worthy of a wedding dress for Cornelia Vanderbilt. The problem is that Lorna hasn't made an original weaving ever. She has bought some patterns for weaving her cloth from a young girl, Gentry, who was working under her supervision and passed them off as her own. Because she hadn't had a fresh idea in a while, she was tasked with making one more weaving--suitable for a wedding--and then she was being fired. She heads out into the back country of the Appalachians to find a specific weaver.

Arthur is a friend Lorna has known for years and carves wooden items that the Biltmore sells to tourists who come and tour the mansion. He finds that his parents have died and that he has a brother who has been in and out of trouble almost his whole life. He wants to do his best for his brother and bring him to sobriety. While both Lorna and Arthur travel, their paths cross frequently and Arthur has cared for Lorna for a long time, He's just waiting for her to return his feelings.

This is a time swap type novel but the times are so close together that it is confusing at times to figure out which era things are happening. It might have been a bit more cohesive if Sarah Loudin Thomas had just made the book a narrative instead of jumping back and forth between times. At least it would have been easier to read for me. For this reason alone, I give the book four weak stars. I wish I could do half stars, but the sites where I post won't allow half stars.

Bethany House Publishing provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

These Tangled Threads
A Novel of Biltmore
by Sarah Loudin Thomas
Pub Date 02 Apr 2024
Bethany House,Bethany House Publishers
Christian| Historical Fiction| Romance


Bethany House and Netgalley have provided me with a copy of These Tangled Threads for review:


In the shadow of Vanderbilt mansion, three young friends were scattered seven years ago by a hidden betrayal. Lorna Blankenship fears she lacks the creativity required to create an original design for Cornelia Vanderbilt's 1924 wedding when she is commissioned by Biltmore Industries. If only she knew where to look, an elusive artisan in the Blue Ridge Mountains could save her.


Her only option is to seek out the relationships she abandoned in shame in order to find the mysterious weaver. Lorna is forced to confront her wounds and regrets as she unravels the tangled threads of her past. It will be a risk to lose the job that shapes her identity as well as the chance to regain friendship and love restored.

I give These Tangled Threads five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

This is my first book by Sarah Loudin Thomas and I’m now eager to read more of her wonderful work. This novel is a work of historical fiction set mostly in Asheville, NC with visits to West Virginia, and also Johnson City, TN (just 20 minutes down the road from me). The chapters alternate character perspectives and timelines spanning the years 1916-1923.

Tangled secrets, tangled emotions, and tangled family ties all unfurl in this beautiful book. The biblical themes of forgiveness, sacrifice, and redemption are woven throughout. I highly recommend this for lovers of Christian fiction and historical fiction.

Tremendous thanks to Austenprose and Bethany House Fiction for affording me the opportunity to read this ahead of publication. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes; opinions expressed are honest and mine alone.

Fans of Historical Fiction and homespun arts will be happy readers of THESE TANGLED THREADS, by Sarah Loudin Thomas. Taking place in and around the magnificent Biltmore, located near Ashville, N. C., this story features weaving and woodworking, done by most of the characters, with quite a bit of detail and technique included. The details can get boggy if you’re not in to the minutiae.

Another feature of Thomas’s tale is three POV’s and multiple timelines. The bulk of the story happens over a relatively short time period of 9 years. It’s a rough ride at the start of the book with a change of narrator and time period every few pages. Readers haven’t had much time to understand who the characters are, their motivations, relationships with each other, etc. IMO, it would have been better to have one character tell their story and become well established. Once that happens, it’s easier to bring in other POV’s/characters and nuance them into a fairly complex storyline, such as this one.

I have been to Asheville and the Biltmore numerous times. The town has become a Mecca for art and artists and the Biltmore has tried to maintain its historical identity as an American castle with the British landowner or laird/caretaker feeling. The gardens and grounds are spectacular year ‘round and the architecture is glorious; an obvious full time job to maintain. A full display of American crafts and products crafted and produced by Biltmore Industries is on display, many of which are mentioned in the book Thomas is engaging with the descriptive prose. I’ve no doubt that tourism to this area will tick up because of her efforts!

Themes include: friendship, honesty, trust, alcoholism, family, social class dynamics, women’s roles and rights, handicaps, physical and emotional, and more. None of these issues were presented in a way I found to be particularly triggering but sensitive folks have been advised. There are no issues with language, sexual content or violence.

If you’re looking for a book that won’t assault your senses but will deliver characters with flaws that grow and change, lovely southern locations with historical significance and homespun crafts that might stretch your budget a bit, THESE TANGLED THREADS might be just the read for you📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

Biltmore - the title of a modern-day castle - is the setting for this latest novel by Sarah Loudin Thomas. Secrets, lies and 3 lives intertwined with joy and heartache - capture your attention from the outset. Lorna is a master weaver for Biltmore Industries. One of her apprentices is high-spirited Gentry and they immediately clash and begin a difficult and heart-wrenching relationship. Enter Arthur who is a woodworker who also works at Biltmore Industries. He had a heart of gold and would do anything to help Lorna, Gentry and all those who come in contact with him. With a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this tale of broken friendships, deceit and ultimate forgiveness, is a powerful tale.

I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions expressed are soley my own.

Lorna Blankenship, an accomplished weaver working for Biltmore Industries, has run out of ideas for new designs. When she is commissioned to design a special fabric as a gift for Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding, Lorna panics. Forced to admit to some mistakes she made in the past, taking credit for designs that were not her own, will Lorna’s life and livelihood be ruined? Although the transitions from one time period to another are sometimes confusing, readers get a fascinating glimpse into the workings of the vast Biltmore estate during the early 20th century and the 1930s.