A welcome addition to the published stories featuring packhorse librarians. Although it isn't the best of what's available, I none the less enjoyed the reading and wood recommend to those who love reading and would appreciate the Appalachian setting and the peek into an interesting historical moment.

Kim Vogel Sawyer has created a captivating, historical romance with “The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow”. Capturing the locale and essence of the mountain people of Kentucky following the Depression and weaving it into a page turning novel is KVS’s gift.
The intricate steps to pull the reader into the story begins with the character of Addie and ends with Nanny Fay and Bettina…oh, cannot forget about Emmett. The characters become like friends and the reader is reluctant to see the story reach its conclusion.
Forgiveness and redemption are intricately woven in the fabric of “The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow”. For an uplifting story, this is a must read.


I was provided an ARC e-copy for a review of the book.

This is a delightful book full of wonderful characters as well as history. An added bonus for me is it is considered a Christian Romance and it was. The writer does a fantastic job of creating delightful characters and keeping readers interested throughout the story. This is a well-developed and written book. The wonderful aspect of this book is it is also a Christian Romance. A sweet story that has heart that brings you into a world that is as compelling as any other romance without some of the other elements you find in other romances. You still feel the love and beauty of life.

“It’s a bit unnerving making a trek to an unknown place, where everyone is a stranger.”

Kentucky 1856, Depression Era. Addie was at college, getting ready for her final exams when she's told that she can't continue, because her parents hadn't paid the bill. Quite a shock. She had to find a job. She had a part time job in a library and learned of a program that President Roosevelt started, bringing books to the poor people. There was an opening in Boone's Hollow delivering books and it paid very well. She was afraid but was left little choice. It turned out to be the hometown of a fellow college student that she briefly met recently. He was looking for work too. Deeply moving story of these two and the people of Black Mountain. Superstition, old grudges and ignorance were a hallmark of this small backwoods town, where everyone knew everyone else, back for generations. Beautiful story of God's love and Grace. You thoroughly get to know these people, true to life. Where it seemed hopeless, God's love and light shown in.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheLibrarianofBoonesHollow #NetGalley #KimVogelSawyer #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalFiction

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"Stories can stir compassion, can inspire integrity, can show different lifestyles and problem-solving skills."

the setting and the characters drew me into the story like you wouldn't believe. oh to be in the time where the hardships of the great depression are something I never experienced firsthand but came to life off the page.

I was excited to read this because I am a huge fan of the author. However, I did not think this was one of her best! There was no conclusion to the story and there were many loose ends! Thus, I would have enjoyed it more had the story wrapped up nicely. Still, I recommend this for fans of Melanie Dobson!

Though Sawyer has written many novels before this, I have not read anything by her before. This being my first foray into her works, I was hoping for the first book to be a good one.

Addie Cowherd learns that her family has lost all of their money and she must make shift and drop out of college. Emmett Tharp has just finished college and feels aimless as no one will hire him. In the midst of the Great Depression, both figures find themselves going to Boones Hollow. For Emmett, this is home and he starts there at the coal mines with his father. For Addie this is where she starts working at the library as a packhorse librarian. Both face their own trials, but end up facing them together trying to bring books to the people of Boones Hollow.

Overall, I really enjoyed the characters in this story. Addie and Emmett both had me intrigued to see what would happen with them going forward and where they would end up. I have to be honest though, my favorite character was Nanny Faye. She was the best character to read about, had the most interesting back story. I would read a whole book about Nanny Faye. I am sure she had a life worth reading about. I also really loved to see the packhorse librarians through this light. It was interesting to see how they operated.

I think my only real issue is I wish there was more of a resolution to what happened to Belinda's father. We think he was captured by lawmen, but we don't know if he was or he ran. He could come back and cause trouble.

Thanks so much for the ARC!

Sonaba bueno en teoría pero la verdad me aburrí, me cuesta mucho engancharme con libros cristianos y ojo que soy católica pero no sé por qué no me atrapan, capaz me convence lo religioso pero no la trama o viceversa.

I enjoyed this book.
It had interesting characters and I could identify with the setting.
It was a fun read.

This book has joined my list of favorite books. Addie is a junior is college and finds out that her father lost his job. Addie’s parents can no longer afford her college classes. Addie takes a job as a packhorse librarian where she delivers books to families in the hills of Kentucky. This small town in full of superstition and rumors. Addie must work to fit in.
The author does a great job creating a book where the reader becomes invested in the lives of the characters. I also enjoyed some of the historical elements like discussions of the Great Depression. I might end up buying a hardback copy of this book.
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

Kim Vogel Sawyer has such incredible talent for bringing stories to life and The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is yet another novel where her talent shines. Set during the height of the Great Depression, the novel follows four characters that have four very unique personalities and perspectives, a very character-driven approach to the narrative that gives each player such depth. I love that we (the reader) get to experience four different perspectives, receiving narration from Addie, Emmett, Bettina, and Nanny Fay.

Out of all the characters Addie is hands down my favorite. She is the strong heroine that has a heart of gold, and is beautiful inside and out. Her continued perseverance and determination, despite her circumstances, are very motivating, as is her faith and overall outlook on life. Things haven't been easy for Addie in her young life, but she takes everything with such grace. It was truly a breath of fresh air to read such an authentic character, so much so that I put down the book feeling refreshed and motivated to follow Addie’s lead. I want to be Addie when I grow up!

Emmett is a genuinely sweet guy, and I enjoyed watching his relationship with Addie blossom throughout the story. One thing I really admired was that the focus wasn’t just on romance, but on building relationships, and helping each other, as well as the community.

The real treat was getting to see Nanny Fay and Bettina’s perspectives, each woman very unique from the other, giving a different flavor, yet at the same time giving balance to the narrative as a whole. Both Bettina and Nanny Fay are misunderstood, each in their own right, and I honestly don’t know how I would’ve felt about Bettina if I didn’t have her personal perspective to guide my emotions. She is definitely one of those characters that can be hard to love until you find out about her situation, and you switch from annoyance to pity.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is a fascinating look into not only the economic effects of the Great Depression as a whole, but also on the Appalachian Mountain region and its hard working inhabitants. I love that we are learning more and more about the horseback librarians, and the WPA program. I think this was a genius idea from President Roosevelt that should be remembered.

Though I enjoyed The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow as a whole, I must say that the ending was a bit of a let down for me, even if it was a happy ending, but that is my only complaint in an otherwise flawless novel. You can feel such heart in the author’s writing, this story touching my soul in more ways than one, and I feel so honored that I was able to read it.

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow takes readers to the hills of Kentucky during the Great Depression. Those of us who didn't live through it have no concept of the hardships that many people endured.

Addie Cowherd's first indication that her life had changed came when she was called into the dean's office and expelled from the University of Kentucky for nonpayment. Horrified, she calls her parents only to find a disconnected number, then her father's office, only to find he's lost his job at the bank. Finally, she tracks them down to a boarding house where they've taken a single room. Knowing she can't move in with them, she stays in her room at the college - that she paid for herself, using her part-time library wages. Unable to complete her degree, she is determined to find a job and help her parents. When her mentor offers her a job delivering books by horseback to the hill people of Boone's Hollow, she's unsure of her riding ability, but willing to try anything. Can she find acceptance among these people for whom change is a bad word, and tradition is everything? Addie has so many strikes against her going in - she's an outsider. She's educated, and she lives with Nanny Fay, a woman ostracized by the locals for her healing potions - how can she ever make a place for herself when no one is willing to be her friend?

Emmett Tharp grew up in Boone's Hollow and earned a scholarship to the University of Kentucky. His degree was supposed to get him out of the tiny mining town where the only jobs for the men of the community are in the coal mine. Unfortunately, the economic downturn has made jobs in the city nonexistent. He's overqualified for the jobs that are open, and doesn't have the right pedigree for the ones he's qualified for. Forced to return to his parents' home, he takes a job in the mine which gains him the pride and respect of his father. When the community's head librarian collapses and is forced to resign, Emmett's mother steps in and convinces him to apply. Taking the job puts him in close proximity with Addie, a young woman he met his last night at UK. It also puts him more firmly in the sights of Bettina Webber, a young girl from the community who has her sights set on Emmett to get her out of her abusive father's home. How can he tread the fine line between boss and friend while keeping Bettina at arm's length?

When someone vandalizes the library, Addies' parents' book donation saves the horseback librarian program, but can Addie keep her job when no one will accept books from her? Can Emmett find the saboteur, and keep his feelings for Addie under wraps?

This was such a powerful story! From the dark, oppressive feeling of the Depression, to the suspicions of the hill people for anyone who was even slightly different, to the joy and excitement over even a few crates of books, and the power of story to gain acceptance, this book has it all. Bettina's story was so tragic but it showed pretty forcefully the differences between someone born in Boone's Hollow and an outsider like Addie.

Readers who enjoy history will enjoy this step into the 1930's in the hills of Kentucky. There is some romance, but it's mostly a story of perseverance in the face of great adversity. I listened to part of this and read the rest, just to get a feel for both. I can definitely recommend this book. Sawyer did a great job of telling Addie and Emmett's tale!

I live in Eastern Kentucky and work in a library so this book fit me like a glove. I loved it. I loved the characters and the story. A young lady from Georgetown, KY who is no longer able to attend the University of Kentucky due to her parent's financial hardship takes a job as a packhorse librarian in Harlan County Kentucky. Being an outsider, she has trouble being accepted there in the beginning. Through her Christian teachings and determination she persists and eventually finds her place there in the mountains of Kentucky with new friends and a beau. Great characters with an uplifting story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction, Christian fiction or clean romance stories.

Ever since I first read Catherine Marshall’s Christy novel years ago, I’ve had a fascination with the Appalachian mountains and the people who live there. Now that my daughter and her family have moved to Kentucky in the foothills of the mountains, I’m even more interested.

This book did an amazing job of capturing the time and the people. So few historic fiction authors are able to accurately portray life in other times, but Kim Vogel Sawyer is a master. She doesn’t just plug in a few period details and force them into a modern day telling. No, she truly takes the reader back into the time period and immerses us in the environment. We are truly transported in time.

Each of her quirky characters come to life on the pages. Even the smallest of background extras has a personality. We see the struggles and challenges that each character faces. There’s no black and white, good and bad, but lots of grey people grappling with how to handle each situation.

Finally, I love how the spiritual themes are so carefully woven into the story so that rather than jumping out and calling attention to themselves, they quietly speak their word in the background.

If you’re looking for something to read that will transport you to another time and encourage you in your spiritual walk, pick up a copy of this amazing book. It releases today and is available wherever books are sold. I’d love to hear your thoughts when you read it.

Inspired by the real WPA program that sent librarians on horseback to deliver books to hill families in Kentucky, Kim Vogel Sawyer immersed herself in Appalachian history to tell this captivating story. A page Turner.

I thought this was a very touching and beautifully written story. I like how this book is from three different points of view. Addie is a young woman trying to go college during the 1930s, but when the depression hit her father lost her job and could not afford her to keep attending college. While she was there she briefly met Emmett who was just about to graduate. After searching for a job so she can pay the school the WPA offered her a job as a horseback book girl delivering books to the mountain folk of Boone's Hollow where Emmett happened to grew up. While there she is faced with challenges where the local folk do not take kindly to her because she is boarding with an older lady who they believe is a witch and someone not to trust because she married a man who was part Cherokee. This is a great story about faith and how you can try and use to to over come challenges.

The time setting of the book is 1936. Main character Addie encounters financial problems that drastically change her life. An immediate need for a job sends her into Boone's Hollow as a pack-horse librarian. This was an existing program created during the depression. Addie is an outsider and faces a battle with prejudice and superstition. She strives to treat people with the love of God. There is healing in this story. The ending is unique. At times, it was very hard to stop reading. I read an electronic version as part of a launch group

This is a Historical Fiction that takes place in Southern American. This book was beautifully written. This book as well developed characters, and the story was character-driven. I really loved this book, but I have to say the ending left me wanting so much more. I have to say I love the cover of this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Waterbrook Press) or author (Kim Vogel Sawyer) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Addie Cowherd has led a sheltered and privileged life since being adopted as a young child. She is happily attending college, unlike many girls raised during the Great Depression. That is, until her life is thrown upside down. Addie's adopted father loses his job, leaving the family homeless and Addie forced to leave school. She is left trying to find a job at the same time as many others in America. When she is offered a job as a Pack Horse Librarian in rural Kentucky, Addie jumps at the opportunity, but is she really ready to live in a world so very unlike her own?
Emmett Tharp lived a hard life in the Kentucky hills before earning a college scholarship. He is now graduated, but discovers he he cannot find a job anywhere. Emmett finds himself returning to his hometown, however, he is now seen as an outsider. Will Emmett be able to find a place he belongs?
Kim Vogel Sawyer has written a good work of Christian Fiction. I hesitated to read this book, because Christian Fiction is not a genre I generally enjoy reading. However, I greatly enjoy books about books and libraries. While I thought this was a good book, I do not think I was the author's intended audience. I believe that Christian Fiction enthusiasts would like this story and the way that the characters apply biblical teachings to their lives and hardships.
#TheLibrarianofBoonesHollow #NetGalley

Librarian of Boone’s Hollow Review

This is my first read by Kim Vogel Sawyer and won’t be my last! This story takes place during the Great Depression. It follows bookworms Addie Cowherd and Emmett Tharp. Addie has been kicked out of college because the her father has lost his job and both of her parents had to relocate to a boardinghouse because of the staggering economy. Addie also had to leave her librarian job she loved. During her last few days in college, she meets Emmett who graduated later on. Addie gets a job as a traveling librarian in Boone’s Hollow, the same town Emmett is from. As the only one with a college degree in Boone’s Hollow, Emmett desperately hunts for a job but it proves tough because of the economy. He eventually finds success in that department. Addie’s time in Boone’s Hollow is met with suspicion at first but some folks start to warm up her towards the end.

Both Addie & Emmett were great characters. Their romance was sweet but it only really happened towards the end. There was a little build up tho. We also get the perspectives of Bettina and Nanny Fay. Nanny Fay was a great character with a lot of heart. Bettina was unlikable but knowing what she goes through will have you reaching your heart out to her. She does grow at the end.

Overall, this was a nice read.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."