by Joanne Bischof
Aven Norgaard goes to Blackbird Mountain in Appalachia, expecting to her late husband's aunt care for three young boys--only when she arrives, she finds that the aunt is deceased and the "boys" are grown men. The Norgaard brothers live a somewhat isolated life, brewing liquor and keeping to themselves, but Aven is drawn to them all--the eldest, Jorgan, is a brotherly caretaker; the youngest, Haakon is outgoing and interested in Aven; the middle, Thor, is deaf, but Aven is drawn into his world. As Aven works alongside the brothers, Aven realizes she has come to find home--and she hopes she has found love as well.
From the first time he saw her picture, Thor has been captivated by Aven; her arrival on the farm only strengthens his interest in her. Although Thor is a master brewer, creating liquors that have let his family thrive and have given Thor a purpose in life, he decides it's time to break the hold liquor has on him and see if he has finally found someone who will truly listen to him. Both his desire to quit the liquor and to pursue Aven will have profound consequences for his family, however.
Wow! This book is amazing! It's really well written, from details that pull the reader right onto Blackbird Mountain so you can almost smell the cider and the flowers, to characters who tug at your heart, to societal subjects that make you think (but don't get preachy.) Thor's struggles--from his deafness to his difficulty expressing himself to trying to break his addiction--were heart-rending. He's such a complex character--as is Haakon. Irish Aven was just terrific--compassionate and kind but with a little spunk. The subjects--alcoholism racism, brotherly relationships, hurting and healing and forgiveness--are woven into the story skillfully, which keeps it from being overwhelming (or depressing). The beautiful writing really lets the characters shine--there's a lot going on, but the plot doesn't overrun the characters, which happens all too easily with books that have a lot going on. Instead, Bischof has written about about the characters, who deal with various issues (that might not be coming across as clearly as I hope, but I mean that as a very high compliment.)
This was a fantastic book, and I can't wait for the sequel! One of my picks for the best of 2018. 5 stars!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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