I’ve been caught in the Great Depression lately, and oh the stories that time period can tell! Addie Cowherd has been enjoying her comfortable life with her adoptive parents when the world comes crashing down around her, and she’s forced to abandon her college degree. Thankfully fate smiles on her, and she sets off to earn a wage as a packhorse librarian with the WPA. Meanwhile, Emmett Tharp has no choice but to return to his hometown after graduation, and a wondrous series of events puts them in the same place at the same time. Their friendship develops, and Addie begins to settle in, becoming acquainted with the folks in Boone’s Hollow like Nanny Fay, Bettina, and more than a few shotguns and snubs from the folks on her route. Addie seemed a little too perfect to me, and I wish that the romance between she and Emmett had been a little more fleshed out, but I loved the little bit of mystery and the beautiful relationships demonstrated in the story, as well as the strong faith element. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a review.

There is some mystery and good historical elements, but I was slightly disappointed with the lack of romance. The ending is a bit abrupt, and the epilogue not quite conclusive. Nevertheless, this is a delightful, cozy novel with some Christian elements.

I truly enjoyed this story. I found myself thinking about it even after I'd finished reading it.

The characters were well developed and the story line itself pulled you in page by page. There were a couple twists that made the story that much more intriguing. The scenes were painted so well that there was no problem visualizing the town, the house, the library, the woods.

I highly recommend this book.

Disclaimer: I received a print copy of this book from the publisher with no expectation in return. The words and opinions above are my own.

Well I was captivated by this story from the very beginning. Imagine being told you can't attend school when there is basically only finals left! Wow what a great beginning. And then, the thought of a traveling librarian (basically). Um.....yeah. Grab my attention even more. Follow that with romance, some action, a swoony hero, and some secondary characters that I just loved reading (even the one I considered bad at first), and you've got yourself a great read!

Sawyer had be at the word librarian, but oh this book was so much more than just about a librarian. It was about finding where you fit in, how you can make it on your own, and overcome the hurdles that life throws at you. Addie did not have an easy road at all, and yet her determination kept her going. And that Bettina. WOW! I can't really give a lot away, but she is one of my favorite secondary characters of the year. There is so much to love, and hate lol. I kind of hope there's a future book about her!

All in all, this was a great historic read. Highly recommend to historical romance fans! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Amazing book! Very uplifting. Highly recommend, Kim Vogel Sawyer has a very captivating style of writing. She makes you want to keep reading!!

Adelaide Cowherd is forced to leave college just shy of finals, due to her father losing his job and financial struggles linked to the Great Depression.She takes a job as a packhorse librarian in Boone's Hollow, working with the WPA.

Emmett Tharp returns to Boone's Hollow with a college degree. But fitting back in a mining town proves difficult, even within his own family.

An entertaining read, set in 1936 during the Depression. I admired Addie for her never give up attitude and how she always tries to meet every prejudice with kindness.

I enjoyed getting to know the 4 main characters throughout, Bettina probably stands out as one of the most interesting. One minute I wanted to hug her and the next I wanted to give her a good talking to, I ached for her trapped in a situation not of her own doing and looking for escape. Nanny Fay is a sage woman, walking closely with the Lord, and I loved her heart for others, even when they had shown her nothing but unkindness in return. Emmett is hardworking and intelligent, he wants to contribute to his family, I liked that he was never ashamed of his humble beginnings.

Overall, this was a enjoyable read, with one of my very favorite settings the hard scrabble mountains of Appalachia during the 1930's. It had endearing characters trying to navigate live in the unforgiving mountains, though I wished that we had gotten to know more members of the community and explored more of their personal challenges. Another wonderful novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer!

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Intriguing story! The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is a fascinating look at the Great Depression and the packhorse librarians employed by the government during that time to remote regions of the Appalachian Mountains. I loved it. I highly recommend it.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hallow
by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Addie Cowherd gets shaken when she finds out her parents have not paid her college bills. Because of this she can’t sit for her final exams. As she unpeels the onion of that news, she discovers she will need to support herself, and possibly her parents. From there she ends out in the backwoods community of Boone’s Hollow, working as an assistant for Mrs. West, a librarian who runs a lending establishment supported by the WPA. Books are sent out by horseback for the community to borrow, read and return when their rider comes through the next time.

There have been a lot of books written on this theme in the last few years. I’m a library fan. As a consequence, I have eagerly read as many as I can get my hands on, and this one does a good job of hitting all the high points. There is conflict, concern for safety, there’s romance, revenge, the rooting out of evil, the installation of order and a gift of even more books! Where this one is different than some of the others is in its heavy Christian lean – scriptures, prayers and hymns aplenty. Even the sensitive issues are handled in a way that would please my more conservative friends and family.

Best of all, it is a story that my Shaker ancestors might say of the pages: “To turn, turn will be our delight, til by turning, turning we come round right.” I recommend it as well. It is a tale that gets your attention with all that is out of order, but as it progresses is restful and peaceful, with plenty of space for redemption and change of heart.

A sincere thanks to Kim Vogel Sawyer, WaterBrook & Multnomah, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

#TheLibrarianofBoonesHollow #NetGalley

I enjoyed this compelling historical excursion into the tough mountain community during the Depression. Hard times force Addie Cowherd to leave the city for the unknown—she finds work as a rural library delivery girl, unaware of the difficulties she will face or how this experience will change her life. This novel makes a good companion to Suzanne Woods Fisher’s The Moonlight School and Ann Gabhart’s An Appalachian Summer and These Healing Hills, which I have also enjoyed and reviewed in the past. If you like a gritty story of determination and real life, this book offers that and much more. The characters tug at your heart as well as make you ponder life’s circumstances. I recommend this well-developed tale. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own. #TheLibrarianofBoonesHollow #NetGalley

Loved it! I read another book about the WPA librarians on horseback in Appalachia, so I already knew it was a fascinating topic. Highly recommend!

As a history lover and a librarian, I was very interested in this book. It was a charming book that created characters that I loved getting to know. I loved reading it and enjoyed the picture the author made of the historical time and place.

If you haven't read about the Pack Horse Librarian Project that was established during the 1930's by the WPA, reading The Librarian of Boone's Hollow is a great place to start. When funds drive up, Addie Cowherd is forced to leave college and take a job as a packhorse librarian in the hills of Kentucky. Unfortunately, the Boone's Hollow community is suspicious of her as an outsider, especially since she has agreed to rent a room from Nanny Fay. As Addie struggles to fit into her new community, Emmett Tharp, a recent college grad that Addie has briefly met before, also shows up in town. Addie and Emmett's paths cross muliple times. Both characters must learn how to overcome obstacles thrown their way.

This book was a perfect fit for me since I have enjoyed learning about the Pack Horse Librarian Project over the past couple of years. It seems like there have been several historical fiction books set during this time period and this one was well written. If you are a book lover like me, you will enjoy learning how these librarians brought books and knowledge to the hill people of Kentucky. There are some interesting characters in this book besides Addie and Emmett that helped add some drama to the plot line. I would love seeing a prequel book featuring Nanny Fay or a spin off book with Bettina in it. Thanks to WaterBrook Multonomah and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed in this review are my honest opinions of the book.

Took a long time to get into this story for me because the author spends too much time detailing the mundane aspects of life. Did pick up toward the end though when the story focused more on the characters. Okay story little preachy for my tastes.

In the mood for a quick, "nice" book? This one fills the bill. Although this is "Christian Fiction," I believe readers looking for a gentle read set in the Great Depression (1936) and the coal-mining mountains of Kentucky will enjoy this story.
There is a love story here, but not a classic romance. And love is covered in its many aspects: love for fellow individuals, love of parents, love of reading and knowledge, love of nature, the search for romantic love, and the love of God. Other topics include domestic abuse, learning disorders, "outsiders", etc. It all sounds heavy, but it isn't.
For those that avoid "Christian fiction" because it might be too "pushy", I still think this one can give you an enjoyable read and some food for thought about how we treat our fellow man/woman/child. This one does preach, but you can still skim and pick up the story, if you wish.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this advance copy.

I am now a fan of this author. This was my first novel by her and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, the characters, and the setting was so descriptive you were captured by the story in the first chapters. An excellent book club selection. Would love to read more about the people’s stories Addie is writing.

My personal Rating- Five Stars

{Please note the topic of abuse (though never detailed) and adjust the stars according to each girl encase of triggering.}

Ohhhh. This was such a wonderful book and I’m so thrilled to mark this as my first five-star book of 2020.

{Psst, if you’re looking for a video review, please check out this video—it’s pure fangirling over this plot and characters, but, oh well. 😉 }

I’m not sure where to begin, so let’s just start:
We see the point-of-view of four characters, Addie, Emmett, Nanny Fay, and Bettina.

Starting of with my favorite character—and now one of my favorite characters of all time—Addie. Addie is an absolutely precious human being. She kindness and caring for everyone and living out the Golden Rule of treating others how you would like to be treated was so beautiful. That message is something I believe in needed not only in this crazy year but in everyday life. I think some may think her to be too perfect, but I thought there were quite a few glimpses into her thoughts and actions of her having to remind herself to look for the blessings—no matter how small of a blessing—and her realistic emotions. I loved her attitude towards life, others, and how level-headed she was. I could go on and on, but let’s just wrap up with that this character inspired and challenges me to be better.

Emmett. As far as leading guys go, he wasn’t my absolute favorite, but he was a really good guy. He treated others with respect and was a likeable character.
Time for a side note: Addie & Emmett. This “romance” was so incredibly clean with not even a single kiss or noticing of an ankle. (Did I just poke at the majority of historical Christian Fiction? Ooops.) Their relationship was so sweet but yet so innocent and calm. None of the major amounts of butterflies or accidental touches like in other books. It was so clean and so sweet, it was so lovely.

Nanny Fay. She’s been branded as a witch in Boone’s Hollow because of her late husband’s family having Cherokee blood and because she makes helpful teas and balms with natural ingredients. When you find out her story, you realize that she had many opportunities to turn bitter and angry, but she did not. She held fast to the Lord and was so kind to everyone even when others didn’t treat her kindly. I adored Nanny Fay and Addie’s faith conversations and that truly added even more to my enjoyment of the story. The faith content was phenomenal and both of those characters were so refreshing to see.

Bettina. Ah, Bettina. If we didn’t have her point-of-view, we probably would dislike her and not feel much—if any—compassion towards her and her situation. The negative content/content warning for this book comes from Bettina’s parts. Her father is a mean drunk that verbally and physically abuses her. She wants out of her current circumstances and has a plan for it to change.

I so enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the characters—especially Addie and her mindset. I enjoyed the wonderful faith content and I enjoyed the sweet, clean romance. I feel so satisfied at the ending and how everything wrapped up. Please do expect me to chat about this book often on my BookTube channel, because this has become a new favorite my mine. :)

This is the third book I’ve read about the WPA. I think the topic is fascinating. I didn’t like this one as much as the other two, but it was still enjoyable and a quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is a fascinating look into one of the many occupations created by Roosevelt during the Great Depression. The characters that populate this book feel true to their setting, but familiar as well. I loved the multiple viewpoints this book was written from, particularly as conflicts popped up throughout the story. It really helped each character feel real, with real motivations, rather than caricatures.
The history of this book was really interesting. Sawyer brings the time period to life, with all of its beauty and difficulty. There were a few times the story lagged for me, but the characters kept pulling me back to it. I enjoyed getting to see what rural Appalachia would look like during that time.
In all, I enjoyed this book. It was well-written, had plenty of real-life conflict, and fascinating history throughout it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Set in the Appalachian mountains during the Great Depression, "The Librarian of Boone's Hollow" is inspired by the real WPA program that sent librarians on horseback to deliver books to hill families in Kentucky.
In this novel, Kim Vogel Sawyer tells the story of aspiring novelist Addie Cowherd, hometown outcast Emmett Tharp, abused Bettina, and misunderstood Nanny Fay. In the mining town, family feuds go way back, and strangers are not accepted, which is what the characters need to navigate.
The book weaves historical facts with a story that's captivating and engaging. And the romance is understated, which I appreciate. I also appreciated the insight into prejudice, family structures and friendship.
"The Librarian of Boone's Hollow" encourages me to respect all peoples and show kindness and love to everyone, especially the people who are mean. While the message is Christian, it's not preachy and will appeal to readers who like historical fiction with a touch of drama and romance.

I enjoy Kim Vogel Sawyers books and this did not disappoint. If you have enjoy historical Christian fiction this story set in the mountains will keep you engaged.