Hope Like Wildflowers

Title: Hope Like Wildflowers

Series: My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge #3

Author: Pepper Basham

Publisher: Barbour

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance

Source: Library

My Review:

Hope Like Wildflowers is the third book in the My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge series. While I recommend reading them in order, this book can stand alone. 

I have read the first two books in the series, but it has been a while. I vaguely remembered Kizzie, but I wish I had reread the first two books so I could remember her better. Kizzie is Laurel's sister from book one (Laurel's Dream), and she was sent away from home for the mistakes that she had made. 

Once Kizzie gets her head on straight, she has immediate conviction and character growth. She is a different person in the best way. She wants to do what is best for her and her son, and despite the difficulties she knows she will encounter, she leaves her new friends and her home and relocates to start over again. 

Kizzie met Noah after he was in an accident and needed assistance. They have an instant connection that they both fight. She is not looking for another man, and Noah knows who holds the purse strings and that he would not accept a relationship between him and Kizzie.

This is a beautiful story of finding God, finding yourself, and understanding your self-worth. Noah is a lovable main character, and his grand gesture toward the end of the book takes the cake. I also recommend reading the author's note at the end of the book, it just adds another element to the story.

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (Amazon):  

An Appalachian Girl Seeks a Place to Belong
 
Return to the mountains of 1910s Appalachia with beloved author Pepper Basham to discover Kizzie McAdams's story.

Kizzie McAdams spent her childhood longing to see beyond the mountains of home, but when her job as a servant in a landowner’s house results in an unplanned pregnancy, her world tips into uncertainty and heartbreak. Disowned by her father, she seeks comfort in the arms of the man who promises to take care of her, but his support is conditional and inconsistent. She finds acceptance in the home of a nearby family who not only offer Kizzie friendship but point her to a deeper understanding of God’s love.

Despite her change of heart, her status as a social outcast brings with it continued threats and alienation so she flees her past in hopes of starting over in a nearby town. But her new world carries many of the same prejudices as the old. It also brings the unexpected friendship of businessman Noah Lewis, a man who lives with the same desire as Kizzie for helping the marginalized.

Unfortunately, Kizzie and Noah’s attempts to help those in need pit them against Noah’s elder brother, a powerful mill owner who holds control of the family finances. Is Kizzie and Noah’s growing romance strong enough to battle family power, social expectations, and Kizzie’s past to capture their happy ending? And when Kizzie’s first love returns to claim her, which future will she choose? 

Read
Laurel's Dream by Pepper Basham

The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham