The Right Kind of Fool was another wonderful Appalachian tale penned by the talented Sarah Loudin Thomas. Vivid descriptions of the book’s setting blended with compelling characters and situations held me captive until the very end. A narrative of a summer in a broken family’s life, the story was a beautiful example of strength and bravery, love and reconciliation, faith and the power of the human spirit to overcome overwhelming obstacles.

Loyal Raines could not have been given a more appropriate name. He embodied the meaning of his name and more with his unquenchable determination to be “normal” despite his handicap. I loved how he did not allow his deafness to hinder him and how his brave actions brought his over-protective mother and his guilt-ridden father back together to provide Loyal the family he had always wanted.

Skillfully written with a steady plot that includes a suspenseful mystery set among the mountains of Appalachia, The Right Kind of Fool is a novel that will stay in my memory for quite awhile. I have enjoyed all the other books by this author but this one is special. I hope other readers will enjoy it as much as I did.

When Loyal was told to stay home, he snuck away to the river and discovers a dead body.

Loyal was a great protagonist. He refused to let his inability to hear prevent him from finding answers to the mystery he found himself in. I found myself empathizing with the character as he considered how to make himself understood to his hearing counterparts.

I loved the characters in this book.  They seemed like people you already know. The woman with the absentee husband who devotes herself to the church, the father who works too hard, the child trying to prove his worth to a parent, the man seeking redemption in the eyes of the people he loves...we get a glimpse into multiple lives as we watch the mystery unfold.

Near the end of the novel, there seemed to have been a rush to wrap the mystery up so the focus could shift to other things.

There was a theme of sacrifice throughout this novel as there were a number of characters who were willing to give up their freedom or happiness to please the people they cared about. It brings to mind the ultimate sacrifice which Jesus made for sinners.

The Right Kind of Fool was a great read. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publishers through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

The Right Kind of Fool

This sweet, gentle book was exactly what I needed. Even though it is essentially a murder mystery, the themes of friendship, first love, family ties, and belonging make it the perfect comfort read. Sarah Loudin Thomas has a lovely writing style. Her pacing is perfect through out. I love the character's growth and the family dynamics. Loyal is a wonderful hero. I hope to see more books that feature main characters with disabilities in the future. His hearing impairment added such depth to the story. I hope we get to visit Beverly, West Virginia again.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher for the purpose of review.

A thought provoking story about a young deaf boy, how he happens on a dead body, and what kinds of unexpected events this brings to his summer.

Sarah Loudin Thomas has done an exceptional job at bringing Loyal to life. Excellent voice, and then an intriguing storyline.
Seekers, searching for meaning in life, forgiveness, acceptance, and much more.
This tale is rich in so many things.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I'll be honest, I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this... A powerful novel that sneaked it's way into my heart chapter by chapter.

The Right Kind of Fool is not your everyday murder mystery, no, it is so much better.

The father who didn't know his son, the mother trying to protect her son, and the boy who could no longer hear, each point of view was written in such a way that you will be pulled into a story of learning, reconciliation, hope, and a family's love.

I am so glad I picked up a copy of "The Right Kind of Fool" and it may have wiggled into a top ten favorite books this year...

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

What an exquisite, captivating story! This is the first of Sarah Loudin Thomas' books I've read, but it won't be the last. She does a beautiful job of writing from the unique perspective of Loyal, a young deaf teenager in 1934 rural West Virginia. I loved the way she was able to incorporate sign language into the story! When he accidentally discovers a dead body one summer day, a whole chain of events is set in motion that changes how everyone sees him - his parents, his friends, the community, and even himself.

While the mystery keeps the plot moving, the richly engaging characters are the stars of the show. Loyal’s growth throughout the book is compelling, as he is forced to make some hard choices. I loved the way he and his father begin to see each other from a new perspective and learn from each other as the story progresses, and Loyal and Rebecca’s growing friendship provided more touching moments. I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, especially Joanne Bischof's Blackbird Mountain series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"The Right Kind of Fool" is historical fiction set in 1934 in West Virginia. A mystery motivated the events and was the focus of the story, but the point of the story was how the family came to appreciate each other and united once again. Loyal's father was asked to help the sheriff solve the crime. Loyal didn't see the actual murder but saw enough that he knew critical clues. Two other kids were involved, including one who's at ease interacting with him even though he's deaf. The adults didn't initially realize that Loyal had useful information, and later Loyal wanted to solve the mystery by himself to prove that he didn't need to be isolated and protected. The father (and mother) and the kids made some bad decisions for good reasons, and they had to work through the consequences of those actions. They learned and grew from it, becoming better people.

The main characters were complex, realistic people. The mystery was interesting and based on some historical things that were happening at the time. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the time period to life in my imagination. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I highly recommend this well-written historical fiction.

I enjoyed reading this novel as it deals with many relationship issues. Creed is a troubled father, plagued by guilt at the thought of causing his son's deafness. His wife is over protective of Loyal, fearing that letting him have some freedom will cause more harm. Husband and wife have an opportunity to heal their relationship, if they are willing to forgive old hurts. And Loyal is in the midst of it all, facing so many challenges. I liked how Thomas developed his character, making a few mistakes but being willing to be courageous too.

This novel is about characters. There are friendships at stake, like between Loyal and the two kids he likes but finds are tangled up in the murder. Loyal must decide whether friendship or truth is more important. Creed has so much to figure out about himself and the relationships he has with his wife and his son. At times he must choose between obeying the law and doing what he feels is best for his son.

Interwoven through the character and relationship issues is the murder. It provides a good framework for characters to grow and issues be resolved. Thomas did a good job of providing plenty of suspects yet keeping the actual killer veiled until near the end.

I highly recommend this coming of age novel. Loyal courageously comes to grips with his deafness. Creed is able to move through his feelings of guilt and inadequacy. And the community learns that being different is not a bad thing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The Right Kind of Fool, by Sarah Loudin Thomas, is a great story of a thirteen year old boy, Loyal. He lost his hearing and speech after getting sick as a young boy. Shortly after, his father moved to the mountain near the family home, visiting only for short times. Loyal was at the river when he ran across a dead man. He ran to his father for help. HIs father, being a former law enforcement worker, takes charge of reporting the incident while keeping his son out of the investigation.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is well written with strong characters, lots of action and many twists and turns. It was hard to put this book down as I wanted to know who done it. I enjoyed seeing how determined Loyal was to keep the other children safe and to become friends with them while teaching them how to communicate with him. I especially enjoyed how the father just dropped everything to help solve the crime and work on his relationship with his wife and son.

I received an ebook copy of this book from Bethany Publishing through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

Creed, Loyal's father, had been all kinds of a fool for leaving his wife and deaf son. Even if he felt responsible for the loss of Loyal's hearing. When Loyal came to him for help after discovering a dead man, he began to realize that. Only a fool wouldn't see what a kind, clever, and brave young man his son had become. And only a fool wouldn't humble himself and do all he could to woo his wife back into loving him. And only the right kind of fool would take a chance to undo his mistakes.

The Right Kind of Fool is a deeply emotional story about broken people working to put the pieces of their lives together. It is told from the perspectives of all three members of the Raines family, Loyal, Creed, and Delphy. I loved the lessons each of them learned as they dealt with the repercussions of the murder.

I felt that I was able to understand Loyal's world of only four senses. He was so kind, capable, and courageous. He understood that the world around him experienced things he didn't because he couldn't hear and yet that never stopped him from wanting the freedom to simply be a boy. Or from wanting to be treated like the independent young man every thirteen-year-old boy feels he is!

The mystery deepened as Loyal and Creed attempted to solve it. And though I thought I knew exactly what happened - I realized I couldn't be right! The mystery played a prominent part in this story even though it was much more about the Raines family dynamics.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction wouldn't be foolish taking time to read this wonderful story!

Things don't have to be perfect to get the job done. That was something that Creed Raines had been a long time in learning. Sarah Loudin Thomas challenges her readers to consider the cost of seeking perfection, the cost of making safety and security top priorities. She does this through immersing readers in Loyal Raines' coming-of-age story. Having lost his hearing nine years earlier as a four-year-old, Loyal's deep desires to fit in in a hearing world, to be loved and supported by a father who was burdened with guilt, and to be trusted by a mother who wanted to shelter him, propel him through both the difficulties and adventures of the summer of 1934, the summer he found the dead man on the river bank.

I read this book in two days being compelled to put aside much else in order to see how Thomas would work out all of the different aspects of this story. She wove a beautiful tale of learning, trusting, loving, and redemption. I most highly recommend The Right Kind of Fool, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

This author brilliantly takes readers inside this fourteen-year-old boy’s deaf, mute world as Loyal tries to communicate with the hearing, who think that talking slower and louder will help him understand what they are saying. I felt for him as he is frantic for someone to realize the urgency of the situation.

Parents of special needs children often become estranged and play the blame game. Such is the case with Loyal’s parents Delphy and Creed. Creed used to be sheriff of this small town in Virginia until he ran away to the hills to be alone . Which had his wife Delphy throw herself into learning all she could about how to communicate with her son.

My heart ached for this young boy and his parents as they try to communicate with Loyal to find out what he saw. Loyal seeks out his dad, who finally understands he’s found a body in the woods. After this news spreads to this small community, his parents try to shield Loyal from the town’s ignorance and fear. The author has the characters and this situation spring to life as Loyal and his friends try to piece this puzzle together in hopes of tracking down the killer. My heart hurt for Loyal and his family as they faced this tragedy.

The author tells readers she first got the idea for this story when she learned of a murder that happened in 1932, West Virginia. The person who discovered the body was a young deaf-mute….”From that seed sprouted Loyal – a thirteen-year-old boy who’s deaf but not altogether mute. And he does indeed use American Sign Language, something that must have been an oddity in a small town in 1930s West Virginia.”

This story will have you looking differently at the world around you and how to communicate within our community and to others that are different. I liked how Loyal’s parents realized they had to let their son grow up. They couldn’t protect him from everything in this world (every parent has to learn that lesson).

This book is one that would work well for your book club pick. There is so much to discover in this story. If you haven’t read a book by this author, you’ll definitely want to experience this story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

Oh man, this book! This book! Right from the get-go it totally tugged at my heartstrings. I'm totally a character-driven reader, so if you don't give me good characters, you've lost me. Well, with this book, there are so many characters to absolutely fall in love with. There's 13-year-old Loyal, who is bright and loving and wants to fit in despite being deaf--and who also wants to both make his parents proud and do whatever he can to help them. There's Creed, Loyal's father, who blames himself for Loyal's deafness and has retreated from his family, living and working on a nearby mountain and only visiting his family periodically. There's Delphy, Loyal's mother, who is desperate to protect her son and who wishes her husband would come back while simultaneously wishing she didn't care about him so he couldn't let her down again. It's tough to pick which character to love the most; they all were so REAL and their pain and worries and hopes were so vividly portrayed. Take such beautiful characters and weave them together, and wow, what a great start to a story. I loved reading every single one of their interactions, as the three of them are trying to figure out how to interact with each other. They're all good people who are trying hard so you know it's going to turn out all right in the end, but it was still so touching to read each moment.
So, take amazing characters (I won't get into the secondary characters other than to say they were great, too) and then add in a really interesting plot (I couldn't wait to find out whodunit!) and a setting that is so well-written that you just immediately feel like you've slipped into West Virginia in 1934, and you've got one heck of a book!
This is one of those books that will stick with you. I adored it from start to finish. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year!
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I loved this story, a mama bear with her claws out, no a human mother that wants to wrap her thirteen year old son in a tight cocoon, and why? Well, Loyal is deaf, he seems to be brilliant, but because he can't hear his mother protects him constantly. I cam see why she is feeling that way, but this boy is now stumbling on manhood, and the first time he spreads his wings, he ends up finding a body.
You will love Loyal's Dad Creed, and see the blooming relationship between father and son, and why now? He feels responsible for the loss of his son's hearing.
This story is rich in small town life, and during a time of revitalization in this country, and greed.
I loved how this boy blooms and spreads his wings, including making friends, and making others see him beyond his disability!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas
Loyal, a thirteen year old deaf boy is swimming in a river when he notices some unusual activity which turns out to be related to a murder. Scared, he goes up the mountain to retrieve his estranged father from his cabin. His father works with the sheriff to piece together the clues of the murder. This is the beginning of a most unusual summer of growth for Loyal and his family.
Sarah Loudin Thomas creates a world containing the most interesting and realistic characters. They lingered in my thoughts after the story was over. I especially enjoyed reading about the changes in Loyal’s father, Creed.
Her weaving of different threads of the plot kept my interest sustained in the story. The events did not seem contrived, but very possible, as the mystery unfolded.
Because I grew up in West Virginia, this story felt a little like going home for a visit. I really enjoyed reading it and think readers who enjoy historical fiction will want to read this, too. I am grateful to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

"The Right Kind of Fool," by Sarah Loudin Thomas, centers on a murder investigation in a small West Virginia town during the Great Depression. The main character is a young deaf boy named Loyal Raines, who found the body while swimming in the river without his mother's permission. His father, Creed Raines, has lived in the mountains throughout most of Loyal's life. Creed and Delphy (Loyal's mother) must put past hurts aside if they are to rekindle the love that once was, and become a true family once again.


I received a complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

After losing his hearing when he was younger, Loyal has grown up shielded from all sorts of danger, and the chance of being normal. His dad moved up on the mountain out of fear and shame. However, a murder turns Loyal’s family life upside down while, at the same time, setting it back on the right path.

The murder serves as a catalyst that changes the attitudes of several people in the story. The main characters, and a few supporting characters, must come to grips with how they have been living and decide whether or not they will continue living that way. Though God is only mentioned a few times, His messages of forgiveness and obedience are clearly seen. The action and suspense of the investigation are at the forefront of the story, but these themes are at work in the characters.

Loyal and his family and friends grow closer to one another and learn that disabilities are only a hindrance if you allow them to be. Since we are all different in some way, there is no need to be ashamed of your differences.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

'In many ways, God doesn't let us get away with anything. He just leaves us to make our own beds and then lets us lay in 'em.....whether we like it or not.'

Sarah Loudin Thomas's books are so full that they just won't turn you loose until the book is finished. Her first did that to me and they continue to have that affect.

Set in 1934 West Virginia, thirteen year old Loyal Raines, who is deaf, slips away to swim in the river on a hot day even though he's been told to stay home. Then he finds a dead body. His normally absentee father, Creed, tries to help, but the effects of this crime spread throughout the town in an alarming way.

Even though the murder is a central part of this story, what struck me most about it was the powerful emotions between Loyal and his father Creed...the man who thinks he's responsible for Loyal's deafness. The emotions Thomas brings in this story are heart-rich and deep. A captivating read as she takes us through the small town in depression WV and the reader is fully invested in the lives of the characters in the book. I know I was captivated. Well done! Recommended.

*My thanks to Bethany House Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion here is entirely my own.

THE RIGHT KIND OF FOOL by SARAH LOUDIN THOMAS takes place in Beverly West Virginia in 1934 and tells the story of a shattered family and their gradual restoration. I love the way this author writes with such sensitivity about the characters' feelings, drawing us right in.
Creed Raines feels so guilty about his son Loyal's deafness that he is hardly ever at home, preferring his mountain cabin and digging ginseng to living at home with Loyal and Delphy, his wife, and working as sheriff.
Delphy, on the other hand, tends to over protect her deaf son and hardly lets him out of her sight.
When Loyal comes across a dead body and runs to his father for help a whole new life unfolds for the family. That is all I am going to tell you excepting to say that it is a story about loyalty, bravery, family values and friendship. We are also shown that everyone is equally important to the Lord and we should never under estimate someone with a disability.
It is an enjoyable and inspirational read and one I can highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

The Right Kind of Fool


A gorgeous tapestry of words and a cadence recalling Delia Owens,Chris Fabry and Charles Martin inform this character driven piece set in 1930s Appalachia. When a deaf teenager finds a dead body he is unexpectedly reunited with the father who abandoned him and his mother long ago. And as family is reforged so are secrets of a small community exhumed.


More than just a mystery, though the shooting ( inspired by a historic one ) definitely has many tenets to untangle, this is a book of quiet wisdom and of love: a couple reunited, a father learning to love his son through his fears of inadequacy and a love for the still, beautiful land of the ridges and mountains, customs and quirks of small-town West Virginia.


While Loyal and his mother Delphy are lovingly dimensional, this is Creed's story. It takes a talented pen to weave in the compassion needed for this man whose selfish actions in the name of protection drove him away. As it takes the same gift to sew in the grace that Loyal shows his father again and again. In a quiet look, in an exchanged hug, in the slow but sure way that Creed begins to learn his son's new language

Expertly researched, skilled and soft,The Right Kind of Fool winnowed into places this reader hadn't known she wanted to discover and unravel. And like the best kind of books, I will live with these characters now and wonder about them and how their worlds go on and on without me now that I've closed the chapter I was allotted to see of their lives.


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