Building on a little known internment camp in North Carolina during WWI, Ms. Thomas crafts a wonderful tale of a missing loved one, fleeing the ominous politics of Germany in the days leading to WWII and finding a new home in the beautiful blue mountains of Appalachian.
Hedda is a loving caretaker of her fiancé’s mother in Germany. Fritz has been missing for 15 years. When they learn of a grave in North Carolina with his name on it, Hedda goes to America to find the truth and bring his remains home to his mother.
The author gives an intriguing mystery about a lost love and shows how the characters grow in their faith. We see how the beginning of World War II in Europe affected the people of North Carolina and especially Hedda as she contemplates going back to Germany when complications arise with her visa. Garland, a guard who knew Fritz, and now a policeman, helps Hedda navigate the puzzle of what happened to Fritz. And a little romance sparks.
Wonderful story of how God works in unexpected ways and brings healing, restoration and grace.
* A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House on behalf of the author and a NetGalley copy through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

These Blue Mountains
Sarah Loudin Thomas
@bethanyhousefiction
July 15, 2025

Summary from the Publisher
For fifteen years, pianist Hedda Schlagel has pined for her fiancé, Fritz Meyer, who vanished during WWI. When she sees a photo of an American memorial to German POWs with Fritz’s name, it sends her on a journey to the US, where she uncovers long-buried secrets and risks her life and future as another world war looms.

My Thoughts
These Blue Mountains is a beautiful story of endurance, hope and love. This is a more gentle novel about WWII than others I have read and in the middle the pace felt a bit slow at times. The plot involving the enemy alien internment camp where Germans were detained during WWI in North Carolina was so interesting to me. Sarah did a great job of weaving history into this novel that takes place at the very beginning of WWII both in Germany and the USA. Hedda is such a lovely main character, a German pianist whose loyalty was an inspiration to me throughout the story. These Blue Mountains is a beautifully written combination of historical fiction and mystery. The love story was very gentle and sweet. I’d definitely recommend reading this one!

Read if you like:
Christian fiction
Historical fiction
Pianists
WWII stories
Hope and faith
Mystery
Medium faith thread

Content Warnings: Nazi violence, antisemitism, exhumation of human remains, death

Thank you to @bethanyhouse and @sarahloudinthomas for sending me a copy of this beautiful novel in exchange for my honest review!

I cannot imagine the pain you must go through when you lose a loved one in war and have no idea what happened to the soldier. The spark of hope growing dimmer with each passing year. Your head popping up every single time someone comes to your door. Hedda Schlagel has been living this nightmare for the past fifteen years. Her fiancé, Fritz, was captured by the Americans during World War One. Fitz's letters just stopped being delivered. Hedda moved in with Fitz's mother to find comfort and a home. The both of them never losing hope. But needing to know what happened to the man they loved.

The day Hedda is flipping through the newspaper and sees a photo with Fitz's name in North Carolina. Hedda feels the pain and the relief that they finally know what happened to Fitz. Hedda heads to American to claim his body and have him finally come home to Germany. What Hedda uncovers is so much more than her finance's body. His grave does not have his body, but that of a woman's. What happened to Fitz and who is this woman? Hedda is determined to uncover what happened to Fitz.

This is a slow burn read. That had me wishing for more connection to the characters. I loved deputy Garland and his connection to Fitz and the night he was buried. Thank you to Sarah Loudin Thomas and Bethany Fiction for my gifted copy.

Throughly enjoyed These Blue Mountains set in the 1930’s leading up to WWII. I was completely hooked by Sarah Loudin Thomas’ beautiful prose as she captures the tumultuous times in Germany & America. My heart when out to Hedda who travels from Germany to North Carolina to learn the status of her missing fiancé. As she navigates a new country & seeks the truth, she finds resilience, hope, & unexpected second chances.

After 15 long years, when Hedda sees a photograph of a monument in North Carolina erected with her supposedly dead fiancé’s name on it, she visits America, with Fritz’s ailing mother’s blessing, to finally find closure & bring his body home to Germany. But, when she arrives, she discovers Fritz’s grave contains the body of a missing young woman who was murdered. Questions abound as she tries to process this discovery. Where is Fritz & was he involved in the murder? After finding a new place to belong & new friends, Hedda also worries about her immigration status & the growing tensions back home.

Deputy Garland Jones was there the night Fritz’s coffin was buried & has questions of his own. He’s completely sympathetic to the beautiful Hedda & wants to find answers for her, but is also worried about what he was unwittingly involved in. As they work together to discover the truth, his feelings for her grow. But, will finding the truth set them free or only create more complications.

This story had so many twists & turns! I don’t want to say too much because there are some definite surprises. I loved Hedda’s strength, kind heart, & resilience after experiencing so many losses. She’s a talented pianist & I loved the way she was able to find a home & new life in the Hot Springs community.

Garland’s such a genuinely great guy! He befriends Hedda from the beginning & I loved how he’s always willing to help her regardless of how she feels about him. Their slow burn romance was achingly lovely & I appreciated the choices made at the end.

I also listened to the audiobook & highly recommend! The narrator did a beautiful job capturing the emotion behind the words & bringing these characters to life. Her German accents were well done & illustrated the straightforwardness of the culture while simultaneously voicing characters with Southern accents.

The mystery & romance had me eagerly turning the pages. The rich historical details really brought this story & time period to life. It was so interesting learning about the German internment camps during WWI here on American soil. She also brought new understanding to the plight of German immigrants during this tension filled time period.

Highly recommend this heartfelt story! I received an advanced copy from the publisher but also purchased the audiobook version. All opinions are completely my own & provided voluntarily.

This novel was so fascinating in that it was partial based in fact and a true story. Hedda has been mourning her fiancé for over a decade. She nor his mother has heard from him since the letters stopped in 1917 and when Hedda comes across a photograph that has his name on a memorial for the German seamen who died, she now has confirmation that he did die during the Great War. Hedda heads to the US to claim and return his body to Germany, but as they are interring the remains it is found that a woman's body is in Fritz's grave. A mystery is now on their hands and Hedda doesn't even know where to begin. How could this happen and where then is Fritz Meyer's body? Holding out hope Hedda wonders if maybe Fritz is still alive, but if he is, how could he have abandoned her and his mother for so long? While Hedda seeks answers, another war is rising in Germany and she is told to stay in the US if she can. But in this time of fear, German's are not very welcome and she has already overstayed her visa. Fighting to find answers from the first war and now this second war just might take that all away and more, when the truth of who Fritz really is comes to light. Such a well written novel! Mystery, history and some romance make for such a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and this storyline. Thank you to the author and publisher for the complementary novel. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

Sarah Loudin Thomas with her compelling exquisite prose vividly transports readers back in time to the early 1930s, in her new novel, These Blue Mountains. Filled with an unexpected mystery, twists and turns, and a slow building romance, this captivating historical Christian fiction book by Thomas will keep you engrossed till the end.

My heart went out to Hedda as she traveled from Germany to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to bring home the body of her fiancé Fritz, or does she? Local deputy Garland is assigned the task to solve the mystery of who is the woman in the grave, and what happened to Fritz. I connected emotionally with not only the main characters but the secondary ones too thanks to the great dynamic complex characters Thomas is known for creating.

I truly enjoyed These Blue Mountains, and highly recommend this gripping well researched story based on a little known part of history that took place in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.

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

This stunning cover and story captivated me. It had many elements I like in a novel: imperfect characters attempting to do the right thing in a strange world. Learning something new. I had not heard of the historical nugget in this book before.

As the author transports readers from Germany to America, we follow Hedda as she discovers truths that force her to adapt to a new way of life. She’d been waiting fifteen long years for information. Hedda was a strong trustworthy woman who kept her promises at a great price. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you flipping pages, I wasn’t sure how things would turn out. I loved the characters’ growth throughout the story. I enjoyed the natural spiritual thread. This would be great for your book club. There is so much to discuss.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

Historical fiction readers will love this book! When Hedda travels to the US to find closure to the death of her fiancé, a discovery will change her future. Hedda was a compassionate and strong person. This story was hard to put down as an unexpected twist changed everything. Highly recommended!

[Thank you to Bethany House Fiction for my gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.]

Set in the 1930’s, this phenomenal Christian historical fiction title follows Hedda, a German citizen, as she seeks to find answers regarding her fiance, Fritz, a German sailor who went missing overseas fifteen years prior. Hedda’s search ultimately brings her to the mountains of North Carolina, where she learns that there is much more to the mystery of Fritz’s disappearance than she originally thought.

This story had me HOOKED from the very beginning! I love Sarah Loudin Thomas’ writing, and her thorough research is always so appreciated. Even as a North Carolinian, I learned more North Carolina history through reading this book!

Read this for:

1930’s/WWI/WWII foreshadow
Germany and North Carolina settings
Multiple POVs
Rich faith themes
Light romance
Mystery
Fascinating history of US Internment Camps for Germans during WWI in Hot Springs, NC

I enjoyed this story so much and have already recommended it to so many of my friends offline.

Highly recommend!

I would really like to know where I have been when it comes to author Sarah Loudin Thomas. I really enjoyed this book and now need to read everything she has written.

Have lived in Asheville, NC for a brief time when I was a child, NC is one of my favorite settings for stories.

I found myself completely wrapped up on this story, wondering how I would act in both Hedda’s and Fritz’s position. I admired Hedda’s determination in going to NC to get to the bottom of the story and the strength she showed as events came to light.

Garland was such a great addition to this cast of characters and it was interesting to me when he began realizing what happened on the night Fritz died.

While I didn’t agree with all of Fritz’s decisions, many of them were understandable as more of the story was revealed. A great example of how all of us contain layers and how one person’s decision, though possible different from our own, doesn’t make either right or wrong.

I didn’t realize there had been POWs in NC and hope to visit the setting of this book one day. The descriptions of both NC and Germany were so well written. I felt like I was in this novel watching it unfold.

Thank you to Revell for the copy of this book. All views are my own.

These Blue Mountains was so different from any other book I’ve read before. It takes place right before WW2, when Hitler came into power.

Hedda was engaged to be married during WW1, but her fiancé who worked on a ship was taken captive by America as an enemy alien. While living in a camp for Germans, he is believed to have died. Hedda never hears from him again. While reading the news back in Germany she sees a picture of a gravesite for Germans who died on American soil inside the internment camps. Her fiancé’s name is on the grave marker. In an effort to obtain closure, she travels to America to bring the remains back home to Germany to bury. When the graves are excavated, it becomes clear that her fiancé Fritz was not buried there.

Solving the mystery becomes her next quest, with the help of local law enforcement. I loved how this book takes multiple twists and turns. It shows the world in turmoil and the plight of immigrants during war time. It is about love that was lost and new connections that come after. It’s about heartache and hope. It’s about making hard decisions. I enjoyed the journey I took with Hedda and the way it opened my eyes to see those around me in this world in a different light.

Absolutely fantastic! This story is set in the 1930s right around when things are getting very bad in Germany. Hedda is German and she has been living with her deceased fiancé’s mother for years. Her fiancé, Fritz, died 15 years ago in America. One day she sees a picture of his tombstone in the paper and decides to fly to America to reclaim his body. Upon arrival she meets Deputy Garland. Garland knew Fritz and helps Hedda. When Fritz’s burial place is dug up, Fritz is not in it but a woman’s remains are. Then we have a mystery of who is the woman and what happened to her, and where is Fritz?
This story is just amazing! I was completely hooked from the beginning! It’s so interesting and engaging. The writing is so good. I love Hedda and Garland. Hedda is so kind. She does run into some complications with Fritz of course but also immigration problems. Garland is determined to help her figure out what happened and his own part in the mystery. I really liked how well they got along and cared for each other. There may be a surprise or two in store for the reader. Great Christian content as well. I just loved everything about this story! I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content: digging up bodies

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

You know how when you go to a favorite restaurant and occasionally something other than your favorite dish on the menu, and while it's good, it just doesn't live up to your favorite? That's kind of the way I feel about These Blue Mountains; it's good, but it is hard to live up to The Finder of Forgotten Things and These Tangled Threads, my two favorite Sarah Loudin Thomas books. Sometimes it is important for me to be aware of the lens I am looking through when reviewing a book, and in this case to realize when past experiences cloud that lens. If Thomas was a new-to-me author I know my reaction to this book would have been a great deal more enthusiastic. It does have a lot going for it. Most of the characters are people who are easy to care about and to empathize with; some of the ones who aren't become so; and the antagonist (even if deceased) does his job well, setting a whole series of events in motion. While I have read a lot of WWII books lately, this one takes a different approach. Rather than have the characters in the thick of things, this book allows readers to experience how those in Germany and America viewed and responded to the changes they saw coming, and to realize how the experiences of WWI and the Depression impacted the lens through which they looked. These Blue Mountains may provide new knowledge for those, including me, that were unaware of WWI enemy alien internment camps in the United States. The information provided about Black Mountain College had me searching the internet to learn more. The themes of forgiveness and reconciliation and of moving forward following adversity are well-written within an original plot. So preconceived notions set aside, I do highly recommend These Blue Mountains and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

“God is good even when the world is not.”

I first learned about the enemy alien internment camp that detained German civilians (not soldiers) in Hot Springs, North Carolina (yes, the US) during World War 1 while reading The Thorn Healer by Pepper Basham. My mind was officially blown. I knew about the camps for Japanese civilians during World War 2 but had no idea about the US internment camps for German civilians in either war. The camp in Hot Springs was particularly fascinating to me as the Germans there showed such great creativity and ingenuity in building a little village for themselves, complete with a carousel and a church built with materials they salvaged, including tin cans. (You can see pictures HERE.) While These Blue Mountains is set between the wars, during the earliest stirrings of World War 2 and Hitler’s rise to power, that internment camp in Hot Springs plays a vital role in the story and continues to intrigue me.

This latest immersive read from Sarah Loudin Thomas once again brings the mountains of North Carolina – and its people – to life in some unexpected ways that settled in my heart of hearts, where ‘these blue mountains’ already reside. We first meet Hedda, a German pianist whose seaman fiance Fritz vanished 15 years ago after being detained at the Hot Springs camp. That would be compelling enough but then she and his ailing mother see his name on a newspaper photograph of a memorial for those who died at the camp, and Hedda travels to North Carolina to bring his body – and closure – home. This is when our story begins in earnest, because it’s not his body in that coffin but that of a woman who appears to have been murdered. So … where is Fritz’s body? If he’s still alive, why didn’t he come home or at least contact his mother? Needless to say, that hook that immediately got me invested in how things would play out… but it isn’t the only – or most important – story being told on these pages.

At its core, These Blue Mountains is about finding ‘home’ and healing in unexpected places and with unlikely people. I loved getting to know sweet Hedda with the heart of gold and watching her become part of the vibrant Black Mountain community, and I really appreciated the nuanced layers the author gave to Hedda’s time in this country. There’s a lot to unpack there – and it would make a wonderful book club read – but I don’t want to say too much more so I don’t spoil any major plot points. BUT I will say this: one of the great powers of story is its ability to help us see things from another perspective and develop greater empathy in the process, and These Blue Mountains did that for me, not only for the people in that time period but for people to whom present-day news headlines apply too. And then there’s Garland Jones, who won my heart with his sincerity and genuineness as much as Hedda did with her engaging spirit. Garland has connections to the Hot Springs Camp too – and to Fritz – which adds dimension to his character and complexity to his deepening friendship with Hedda. Their slow burn romance simmers in the background of the story but of course made this KissingBooks fan quite happy.

Bottom Line: These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas is a richly layered and poignant story that combines gripping history, vibrant and complex characters (Lucy!), a fifteen year mystery, a dash of romance, and the resilient heart of western North Carolina. I became immediately engrossed in Hedda’s story and the history it represented, and I remained so until the last word. I fell in love with Hedda and Garland and the community they have around them, and my heart went through a gamut of emotions while watching the narrative unfold from Germany to the Blue Ridge Mountains. As I said before, this would make a wonderful book club read, with more layers to unpack the more you linger in the themes presented. It’s bittersweet in places, joyous in others, and captivating as a whole, and I predict that you’ll enjoy the journey and its varying forks in the road, just as I did.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

These Blue Mountain by Sarah Loudin Thomas is a Christian historical story that takes place mainly in North Carolina in 1932. Hedda sees a photo of a headstone containing her fiances name and travels from Germany to the US with hopes to move his body home. Things are not what she expected and she finds a great mystery surrounding him and what she and his mother were told.

This is such a good story. It has so much depth and things that happen that it grabbed my attention and held it to the very end. It is easy to imagine the different emotions Hedda must have with all that happens. I enjoyed her character so much. She is so devoted to Fritz’s mother. This is a nicely written story that gives a different look into things that happened during the Great War and Hitler’s rise to power and how the Germans were thought of in other parts of the world.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book; this is my honest review.

Rich backstories of the characters. A fascinating story with settings in North Carolina and Germany in the early 1930s. And a sweet romance as well. Another great story from Sarah Loudin Thomas that readers who enjoy historical fiction will not want to miss.
I read a complimentary cioy of the book through NetGalley and was not tequired to write a review. The opinions are my own.

"These Blue Mountains" is set in 1932 in Germany and North Carolina. I hesitate to call it a romance since only Garland seemed slightly in love. Hedda came to the USA on a temporary visa to retrieve her dead fiancé's body only to discover that he wasn't in the grave and that she didn't want to return to Germany. She overstayed her visa. Even though Garland told her she'd be deported since she didn't meet any of the exceptions for extending her visa, she went ahead and tried to anyway with a predictable result. She seemed to like Garland and her other potential love interest (who mainly wanted a German-born mother for his teen son), but she was completely content being single and teaching piano lessons. When Garland offered to marry her so she could stay, she laughed.

It wasn't until it was clear Garland really cared about her--and she really wanted to stay in America--that she suddenly decided she might love him. Someday. Also, she wanted to continue teaching at the college where her friends were, but Garland lived in a different town. This issue was skipped over (as well as the details about how they got legally married and the visa issue fixed). The epilogue simply showed a happily-ever-after ending.

That said, I enjoyed this as a historical. It was an interesting look at how people in Germany and the USA felt about the rise of Hitler and the changes that brought. Also, how non-combatant Germans had been detained at the beginning of WWI and about the village they made in a detainment camp located in the area. It showed how people might end up illegally in the USA and uncertain how to make things right without getting deported to a country that no longer felt safe. (It wasn't advocating illegal immigration, just used it as a way to increase suspense. Though it did bother me that law enforcement officers knew her illegal status and didn't push her to make things legal quickly.) While Garland did investigate the mystery, that was more an excuse for Hedda to stick around than the focus of the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical novel.

What a wonderful book to kick off the summer! This is my first book by Sarah Loudin Thomas. Our main character Hedda is a pianist trying to find her fiancee, Fritz, who disappeared during WWI. She wants closure after not knowing his fate for years. My heart broke for Hedda and Frizt’s mother, not knowing what happened to him for so long. This is an edge of your seat historical novel that will leave you shocked as you uncover the truth. No content warnings in this book. Although not heavily Christian, we see the main characters praying and leaning on their faith in God throughout the trials they face. I read this book fairly quickly, it’s a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Hedda Schlagel is living a comfortable life in Germany as a piano teacher with the woman who was once destined to be her mother-in-law. Fifteen years after WW1, Hedda still wonders whatever happened to the man she was engaged to, who was captured and kept at a camp in North Carolina, USA. When she sees a news article with her dead fiancé’s name in it, she knows she must go to America to bring his body home.

Deputy Garland Jones is tasked with aiding Hedda to recover the body of her dead fiancé, but when the grave is opened neither one expects what they find.

This story takes place during Hitler’s rise in Germany, which will eventually cause problems for Hedda’s return.

There are rich, historical details sprinkled throughout the entire story bringing the characters to life. The setting is easily pictured as the author takes care to anchor readers in the time and place of the Blue Mountains.

It’s an interesting premise, though I didn’t connect with Hedda. The conflict near the end of the story for Hedda was totally avoidable since she KNEW her time in America was limited. As for Garland’s part in helping her overcome the conflict, I’m not convinced an officer of the law would have done what he did. Throughout the story, this particular conflict is built up and then the story ends with an epilogue where the characters have overcome the conflict. I was expecting more as the situation seemed pretty impossible to resolve (I wanted to “witness” how it was resolved).

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

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas is an engaging historical romance from beginning to end.

This novel is set 15 years after WWI and at the beginning of Hitler’s rise to power. Hedda was engaged to Fritz, who vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp at the start of the Great War. She has assumed (along with Fritz’s mother, Lotte) that he was dead. When she sees a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina, she is determined to go get Fritz’s body and bring him home to his mother. Unfortunately, for Hedda, that’s where things take a dark turn. With the help of Deputy Garland Jones, they try to unravel what happened to Fritz.

I loved the twists and turns in this novel as the reader, along with the characters, gets to unravel the mystery of the woman in the coffin. The attraction between Hedda and Garland was sweet, with a few obstacles keeping them apart, which had me really rooting for them.

With a few surprises, twists and turns, this novel was hard to put down. The research of the time, the alien camp, and Hitler’s rise to power sounded eerily familiar to what is going on in the States right now, and I could not miss the parallels.

These Blue Mountains is a romantic, yet timely novel that will keep you reading way into the wee morning hours. I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley for my honest opinion.