Sons of Blackbird Mountain ~ Review

Sons of Blackbird Mountain
Blackbird Mountain #1
By Joanne Bischof

Aven Norgaard is making a new life for herself leaving Norway and her old life with its pain and sorrow to joining her late husband's Aunt Dorothe and cousins in Blackbird Mountain, Virginia. But what she finds isn't quite what she expected from the letters that she had exchanged with Dorothe.

Yes, there is a family with sons that could use some tending but they are not the children she had anticipated helping to tend. Rather the Norgaard boys are men who are her age or older. There is Jorgan, the eldest, who has a steady head and is soon to wed. The second son, Thor is deaf and mute, dealing daily with a silent pain that has held his heart in its grip since his mother's death. The youngest Norgaard is Haakon, who is bold and brash and carries a pain of his own.

Adjusting to her new life is complicated by the fact that the Nogaards support themselves through the brewing of hard cider and Aven, well aware of the issues her late husband had with liquor, is understandably concerned about the Norgaards, especially Thor. Thor longs to be free of the grip drink has on him but his past attempts have ended in failure. As the crafter behind the cider, Thor is daily tempted by his brew, a brew that brought his own father down. But Aven's arrival gives Thor the motivation to attempt to break its hold one last time.

The ruggedly beautiful and mountainous Virginia of the 1890s is a land still caught in the pain that was wrought by war - a war that divided a nation and changed the lives of so many. Many seeking to hide their pain and anger in the warm and addictive embrace of liquor. And those around them paid the price of liquor's cost - beatings, lack of necessities (food, clothing, etc.), and worse. This is the world of the Nogaards of Blackbird Mountain. This is the world that offers Aven Nogaard refuge following the death of her husband.

The Nogaard brothers are tightly knit with a close relationship but there is a secret pain that has driven a small wedging sliver between Thor and Haakon, one that has kept them from the relationship that they could have had. Aven's arrival is about to further test their bond as both men find their hearts turning to a red-haired Irish beauty with a caring and compassionate spirit.

I have to admit this was an interesting look at how those without hearing have been treated and the way that they are able to communicate. The opinions of some that signing was uncultured and primitive is not surprising and yet at the same time is. It is amazing how differences have always been a way to put down some while raising others. Differences should not be seen in such a light but rather as the unique gift we have each been given and from which we are to grow.

This book would be an excellent book club selection and I for one would be wondering what gem each person would glean through their reading. Would it be the post Civil War era, a particular character, or just the effort and care put forth in the making of a drink?

I received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through TLC book tour with no expectations but my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A Tale of Family, 

Brotherhood, 

and the Healing Power of Love

After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of Nineteenth-Century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred acre farm. Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family.

But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection. While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength.

As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family? Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world?

A haunting tale of struggle and redemption, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a portrait of grace in a world where the broken may find new life through the healing mercy of love.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes and Noble | iBooks

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About the Author: Joanne Bischof

A Christy and Carol Award winner, Joanne Bischof writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children.

Connect with Joanne

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Joann Bischof’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, August 20th: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot
Tuesday, August 21st: Let Them Read Books
Friday, August 24th: What is That Book About – author guest post
Monday, August 27th: Read Till Dawn
Tuesday, August 28th: Running Through the Storms
Wednesday, August 29th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Thursday, August 30th: Read Eat Repeat
Tuesday, September 4th: The Lit Bitch
Wednesday, September 5th: Blooming with Books
Thursday, September 6th: @createexploreread
Monday, September 10th: Broken Teepee
Tuesday, September 11th: Splashes of Joy
Wednesday, September 12th: Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
Thursday, September 13th: View from the Birdhouse
Friday, September 14th: The Sketchy Reader and @thesketchyreader