Wonderful historical fiction that explores a seldom seen issue- the story of the immigrants (in this case German) who moved to farms. It wasn't easy then, just as it isn't easy now. Well drawn and sympathetic characters as well as a good plot made this a very good read.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence my review.

I really enjoyed Harmony Verna’s first historical novel, Daughter of Australia, so I was pleased to have a chance to read her latest, Beneath the Apple Leaves.

The setting is now the farmlands of Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh, and the time-frame is WWI. Verna does a wonderful job of placing the characters (and the reader) into the scene.

The female protagonist is Lili Morton, an orphaned farm girl living with her older sister and brother-in-law. Her life has been a nightmare, with an abusive father (now dead), a brother-in-law who is just as bad if not worse, and a sister who is kind but addled from the trauma of trying to protect Lili. Nevertheless, Lili is generous, sweet, hard-working, and, by necessity, remarkably competent.

The male protagonist is Andrew Houghton, son of a coal miner who has promised his father (now dead in a mining accident) that he will do something else with his life–not throw it away in the mines. Sent to live with an aunt in Pittsburgh, Andrew first finds a job working for the railway with his uncle. But a horrible accident puts an end to that.

Andrew’s uncle is a good man, but life has beaten him down. Originally from Germany, with a last name of Kiser, this uncle (as well as the aunt and cousins) discover that the prejudices of their fellow Americans make it impossible to continue living in the city. They move to a rundown farm in the country, where life just keeps getting harder.

The one bright spot is that Andrew meets Lili. He adjusts to his new life with a calm, clear-eyed viewpoint and a steadiness that helps support his family when everything else falls apart around them. He and Lili make a perfect pair, although first they have to overcome misunderstandings and insecurities that keep them apart.

Like Daughter of Australia, Beneath the Apple Leaves is a sweeping novel that depicts good but troubled people struggling through adversity to ultimately find love and contentment. Historical fiction fans can dive in and enjoy.

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Set in Pennsylvania during WW I, anti-German sentiment spreads across America. As Andrew and his family settle into a rural lifestyle, he meets Lily who carries heavy and dark secrets of her own.

The story had a good beginning, Andrew goes to live with relatives to work on the railroad with his uncle (a German immigrant). They move to rural Pennsylvania where German distrust is high. He meets Lily and their relationship helps them get through everything. The book lagged in the middle and finished with a generic happy ending.

Good vacation read
3☆

My Thoughts

Having read and LOVED Harmony’s debut novel, ‘Daughter of Australia’ I did not hesitate to embark on another journey with her. Would it, however, live up to her first inspiring saga? I can say without the shadow of a doubt, it was right up there beside her first amazing novel. As Harmony states in her acknowledgements,

‘The seeds of this book came from my mother ... who shared the stories - the sorrows and the joys - of growing up on a farm in rural Pennsylvania ... I am humbled and proud of the strength and sacrifices of my German ancestors’.

‘Beneath the Apple Leaves’ is another emotional roller coaster ride, that is the epitome of what good historical drama is all about. This will undoubtedly pull at your heartstrings as Harmony takes you on a journey to another place and time. Yet another powerful drama that incorporates not only the plight of German immigrants during World War I, but topics ranging from the hardships of life on the land, family love and loss, terrible tragedies and great moments of hope and joy.

“It’s too much for any of us. We’re all drowning. Like the whole world is drowning!”

This book is indeed most beautifully scripted from the enduring love story to the emotional heartbreak of unbearable losses. There will be times when you feel, surely fate will cut them some slack for these much deserving characters; but as the war ensues and deliberate harassment and persecution is rife, you begin to wonder if you will get a happy ending. If things could go wrong, invariably they seemed to.

“They’re good people. Love this country as much as the Simpsons. Except they don’t have to attack people to prove it.”

Yet despite, or in fact because of this, these characters will pull at your heartstrings. You just have to read through hoping against hope that life will be kinder to these deserving souls. Will love endure ‘beneath the apple leaves’?

‘With ax in hand, Andrew stared at the enormity of the ancient apple tree. The limbs, old, had witnessed too much suffering. And they seemed to ask to be relieved, to say good-bye. A wind blew and rustled the branches, the leaves waving in surrender.’

This is another amazing journey that Harmony takes you on and you will be swept away as becoming emotionally invested in these characters, especially the stoic Andrew. Such a finely crafted story I cannot recommend highly enough - historical drama of immigrants in early 1900s Pennsylvania.

‘For life began anew, grew again, beneath the apple leaves.’




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

The struggle to find love, happiness, and fulfillment of dreams is at the heart of this very well written novel of German immigrants finding their way in the Pennsylvania countryside. Andrew Houghton has no choice but to go down into the mines in order to support himself and his mother. She, however, is determined that her son will have the life he wants. Emotionally raw and poignant, this is a book to be savored slowly.

Raw,emotional and written as only a Pittsburgh native author could. I am a Pittsburgh native as well! There were mentions of towns,a creek and the descriptions of the land and area as only a Pittsburgh native would know.This book took place in the teens in Allegheny,Westmoreland and Fayette counties. The discrimination against the Germans in this area at the time was just terrible. The raw emotions of this very realistic book will put you through the wringer! This book will take you from the harsh conditions of the coal mines in Fayette county where Andrew longs to be a veterinarian with money saved to the rural Pennsylvania railroad where his aunt has arranged an apprenticeship for him after his father's death in the mines and his mother's mental illness brought on by his death. His mother leaves him behind as she returns to her native country.A tragic accident leaves him maimed on his first week of work. They leave the smog of Pittsburgh for a ramshackle farm. Life is not idealistic though for the family. The rough and tumble land will suck you dry if you let it, it takes without giving much back. Look at the failed crops in the fields. The Spanish Influenza took over 6,000 lives in Pittsburgh about 1 percent of the population at the time.
This is a beautifully told heart wrenching story that will stay with me,as a Pittsburgh native for a long time!
Pub Date 27 Jun 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book. Of course, I love reading about families with their problems. Author descriptions of the land were beautifully written. I know some of my patrons will enjoy this book.

I absolutely loved this historical, sweeping, emotional, story of immigrants in early 1900s Pennsylvania. Such a finely crafted story full of characters that you won't soon forget.

Beneath the Apple Leaves was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing was very well done. It was interesting to learn about how the Germans were treated in the early 1900s before and during World War 1. The author really creates the characters so that you care about Evelyn. Lily and Andrew. Some of the descriptions of the locations, the story, the home and the farm were so poetic, it was an absolutely beautiful book. I will certainly recommend this book to my friends. I was raised on a farm and the descriptions of the fields, the animals, the garden, and the hard work was so realistic. Great book!

The promise Andrew Houghton gave his father that day down in the coal mine remained in his mind as he grew older. Andrew wanted to go to college to become a veterinarian, but the day his father was killed in the mine disaster which killed over ninety men, his destiny changed – Andrew’s promise to his father would be broken. His mother was devastated and retreated into herself – finally she could stand it no more. The contact with her sister Eveline Kiser happened behind Andrew’s back, but before he knew it, he was on a train to meet up with his aunt and her family in Pittsburgh while his mother returned to her homeland…

Within a week of Andrew meeting with his new family and starting his apprenticeship on the trains with his uncle, Wilhelm Kiser, worse was to happen. After his recovery Andrew was sad and depressed but his love of his nephews and their devotion to him helped him through. And when Wilhelm came home and informed his wife of bad news, he also told her he was taking them to rural Pennsylvania where they now owned a run-down farm. Would their lives improve? Or would things worsen?

With America joining the war, the sentiment toward German immigrants was harsh and cruel. Wilhelm withdrew, becoming angry and aggressive. But when Lily Morton turned up one day, her helpful, bright nature was a balm to everyone, especially Eveline and Andrew. Lily lived on a nearby farm and had always loved the farm’s gigantic apple tree and climbed its limbs, resting between the boughs and eating the fruit. But would her presence be enough? What would happen to the family in a harsh, unforgiving climate? And what were the secrets that seemed buried just below the surface?

Beneath the Apple Leaves is another emotional, heartfelt historical saga from the amazing Harmony Verna. Her debut novel, Daughter Of Australia, blew me away and now Beneath the Apple Leaves has done the same. A powerful story about German immigrants, the hardships; hopes and tragedies; love and determination to not be buried in sadness – this author is now permanently on my “watch-out-for” list. Very highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy to read and review.

This book has become one of my favorites, I was brought into the story line from the first chapter and held until the very last. I was left wanting more!! I do hope a sequel is coming in the future! This book reminds me of the prejudices that people of different backgrounds faced during a scary time in American history. The Germans and also the Japanese during the second world war were forced to endure some really dark times and I would hope that as a society, we have progressed enough that we don't make that mistake in the future.
With that said, the story is beautifully written. The characters are vivid and colorful with their own .unique stories to tell. Each has their own cross to bear and none of them are without flaws, but the beauty of the story is that I could relate to parts of each character. I loved the portrait the author paints of the beauty of nature but also the brutal harshness that farm life was without the modern conveniences we take for granted now. It also shows the love, compassion and humanity during a time when neighbors helped each other and a community came together as one. I absolutely loved this book and hope for as sequel as these characters are just too amazing to have their story end!

I love books that follow a family and their journey through life. It is so easy to become involved with the characters and what they are going through. "Beneath the Apple Leaves" by Harmony Verna is one of these sweeping historical family novels. It is the story of Andrew Houghton and his family. They are German immigrants trying to survive on a Pennsylvania farm. Andrew also has a love interest, Lily Morton, who has problems of her own. Despite several tragedies, this family manages to pull together and make a life on the farm. I enjoyed this book. Highly recommended!

Beneath the Apple Leaves, Harmony Verna

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance, General fiction, Historical

I hadn't read Daughter of Australia, but liked the sound of this.
Its a terrific read, very packed full of events, characters and incidents that feel so real, and some heartbreaking sorrow. It does have a HEA for the main two characters though :-) 
Its so intense, so heartbreaking at times, that I read this in three installments instead of my usual straight through. Though I desperately wanted to know what came next, some of the events really pulled at me, the story got so real, so emotional that I needed a break.
Its one I would happily reread too, one that will stay with me for a long time. 

Its set in US at the beginning of WW1, a time when it seemed like every country was at each others throats, and as still happens the media whip up hatred, minorities get spurned at best, murdered at worst by righteous feeling so-called "patriots". Yet these people are doing nothing except living their lives, struggling along with everyone else. They didn't start the war, but they and their families reap the hatred engendered by it. Pretty much as immigrants and Muslims do today in so many countries. I'm ashamed to say the UK is one of them...fake stories, media exaggeration and lies, and people turn into mobs, lose their compassion, do things that many of them wouldn't have dreamed of before.

Of course in this atmosphere some flourish, fan the flames of hatred, turn things to personal advantage and profit, and Frank Morton is one such man. A dangerous and powerful man to be on the wrong side of, and he's got there by some evil methods. He's married to Lily's sister Claire, a lovely lady but very scared, slightly childlike, simple minded, it seems and Lily does all she can to protect her. They have such a sad story, little good in their life until Andrew and his family come to live there. 

Andrew is a solid character, full of strength, morality, fairness and compassion he's a true Gentleman. I loved him all the way through, he was a wonderful man.
His father hates the mines and vows Andrew will have a different path. Sadly though his plans fail, an underground explosion kills him, and as happened back then the house came with the job, so it was Andrew to the mine or 30 days to move out.
Andrews mother arranges for him to apprentice with her sister's husband on the railways and she goes back to Holland. 

After all those things happening you'd think Andrew might have some luck, but he gets the reverse, is badly injured in an accident leaving him permanently disabled. Wilhelm feels guilty and can't stand the shame, so he leaves the job he loved, and takes the family to the farm.
He was brought up on one but vowed never to go back, but Eveline has always wanted to raise their children in the country, rather than the smog ridden city. The farm though turns out to be a wreck and the only good thing to come out of the move is Lily. 

Its a beautifully written, wonderful love story, but a very rocky road to get there. There's tragedies, harassment, deliberate vandalism, anti German sentiments when the US gets involved in the war. At times it feels like if it can go wrong it will. 
In among that though are the gems, the elderly couple who deliver baked goods, of different races who understand mindless prejudice, the Muellers, another local family who've worked hard and now have a prospering farm, the friendship between Andrew and their son Pieter, and of course the very tender, emotional, gentle romance between Lily and Andrew. 
Its very much a romance of the time, nothing outward, nothing seen for a long while when they both hide their feelings thinking the other is too good. Even when they do finally let their feelings show its still a few careful glances, subtle touches, and very chaste kisses. Very much what would happen in those days. 
Its a rocky path though, with lots of misunderstandings and some outright lies and evil manipulations by Frank, who doesn't approve. Lily is his, he wants full control over her and uses her love for Claire to keep it. He really is a nasty, vicious  piece of work. Sadly he's the sort that do well in war-times. 

Stars: five, an amazing read, tender and beautiful romance, and played out in a very realistic setting, characters and events that feel very genuine.
Reaching the finish I was sad to see these people go, though very happy at the final ending. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

This story takes place slightly before and during WWI. The family faces discrimination due to being of German descent. This forces a move from the city and a good job to the country where they are barely able to exist. I absolutely loved this book!