This book is a masterpiece.

With beautiful prose, Bischof narrates a modern and historical tale, a reminder in the darkest of nights that there is hope because God is faithful—a message that I'm sure resonates with so many of us. I know it did for me.

While I don't read much adult historical fiction, or Christian fiction—I mainly read YA—I was able to immediately sympathize with the characters and their struggles. The way Bischof was able to weave their backstories and immense tragedies they both had gone through in a way that felt natural and flowed with the plot takes skill. I especially love how vivid all the characters were.

In many ways, this book was very character-driven. Unlike most historical fictions, THE GOLD IN THESE HILLS didn't have anything huge going on setting-wise. There were no explosions or bandits. Instead, this book had a very leisurely feel to it, strongly centering on the main characters and their journeys while not shying from the difficulties in life. But through the awful things that happened to these characters and the pain, they learn that God is always faithful. That there is always light on the other end of the tunnel. This message almost made me tear up at multiple parts in the story, it was so good.

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was how it wasn't really centered on romance. There were two married couples in the historical setting, and a couple in the modern setting, but it was very well done, and the romance was more open-ended. All we know is that it ended with them being friends, with a hint of something more. And honestly, that's good enough for me. :P

So in all, I thoroughly enjoyed THE GOLD IN THESE HILLS, and because it's completely clean, I'd feel comfortable handing this to mature readers 12+.

This Story is Gold
I have yet to be anything but impassioned by a Bischof read, and that’s a fact. I wasn’t sure what to expect in The Gold in These Hills, because it was a split-time novel, the first I’ve read like that from Ms. Bischof.
But as usual, the story pulled me right in, in equal parts, historical and present day. I was surprised at the way the present-day story turned out, yet pleasantly so, and I loved that the two parts didn’t mirror each other in the romance department. They stood alone, and yet were intricate to one another. This was the first I learned about the practice of salting gold mines. I’d heard the term before, but never knew what it meant. A really, really excellent read! Five+ stars! Thanks to NetGalley for a download of the book.

Joanne Bischof is such a talented author and her books never fail to pull me in. The Gold in These Hills is her latest novel, and it's just as fantastic as the rest of her work.

The Gold in These Hills tells two stories, one from long ago and one in the present day, but both showcase tales of a second chance at love. Juniper Cohen came to the gold town of Kenworthy, California as a mail-order bride. Despite her anxiety about her choice to come so far to marry a man she'd never met, she finds it easy to give her heart to the kind, loving man she now calls her husband. Until one day, he disappears without a trace, and she's left to raise their daughter alone, with only her memories and the letters she pens with the hope that one day he will return. In the present day, Johnny Sutherland finds himself with a failed marriage and an ancient decrepit house, the only building left standing from a long-ago gold town. While working on getting his new house into liveable condition, he finds letters someone named Juniper wrote so many years before and his heart is touched by the unfailing love and forgiveness he finds in the handwritten pages. Will these long ago letters help him find the one who can heal his broken heart?

I loved this story so much. The characters were raw and real, and the plot was strong and easy to follow. As always, I really appreciated the way the author kept God first and foremost, and made sure the characters always put their trust in Him. I highly recommend The Gold in These Hills for anyone who enjoys historical or dual timeline romance.

*I received a complimentary copy of The Gold in These Hills through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

My first novel by Joanne Bischof will certainly not be my last! The Gold in These Hills is a stirring, heartfelt look at the lives we lead, the history behind us, and where we are going. The story is told from two points of view, Juniper, who lived in the early 1900's and Johnny, who lives in the same house but in modern day. Juniper is waiting for her husband to return and has no idea where he is. Johnny is recently separated from his wife and is struggling with how to move forward. When he buys an old house on the outskirts of a former mining town, he discovers the letters Juniper wrote to her husband while he was gone. Through her faith and testimony of hope, he starts to find hope for himself. Absolutely stunning story of love and truth. Highly recommend. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars! Thank you to the publisher, the author, and #NetGalley for the chance to read this story.
#all_the_pages

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the gifted book!

"I guess the secret to life just might boil down to counting our blessings one moment at a time. And that maybe as we do, we realize that even though the sun isn't right overhead, it's been light all along."

Themes of reconciliation, hope, family, and finding your way are all found here. Life doesn't always go as we planned, but following the Lord always has us ending up where He wants us to be. And His plan is better than ours, always.

Not shying away from the pain of loss and suffering, this book leans into it in a tender way. It focuses on forgiveness and healing. I will definitely be reading Joanne Bischof again.

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

This was a wonderful example of Christian historical fiction and the power of redemption and forgiveness. It's rare that an intertwined tale is equally arresting on both fronts but this one definitely made both stories fantastic!

A look at a slice of history from the California gold rush days.
This is a dual time story, and while I did enjoy both time lines, I definitely enjoyed the historical one more, and this is what I've been used to reading from Joanne Bischof in the past.
The story of Juniper Cohen and her miner husband John. She married him as a mail order bride, but grew to love him. When story opens, he's gone. Most believe him to be dead. Juniper isn't quite ready to give up hope, so she keeps on pouring out her heart on paper, writing letters to him...letters that she can't even mail.
Then, her world is shaken by some startling news. Will their love survive? What about her faith?

In the contemporary line, we have the story of Johnny Sutherland, who buys this old farmhouse in Kenworthy. His story is also one of finding hope, moving forward, and more.

This is an intriguing story, a look at a place and time in history that I know little about, and I really enjoyed learning as I read. If you enjoy historical fiction, be sure and give this one a try.


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 really enjoyed this time slip novel! The writing was hauntingly beautifully and portrayed both mindsets of the different time periods really well. Seeing the characters work through what they were facing was humbling and encouraging. The faith elements were understated but added depth to the characters. I really enjoyed these stories!

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

There are rare moments when I read a book and it affects me deeply. Enough to cause a few tears to come as I not only get lost in the story, but feel a deep personal connection. "The Gold in These Hills" was one of those stories. This book was filled with tenderness and heartache that I've felt in my own life, written with a level of descriptive language that painted word pictures on the pages. The loss of a loved one and how it changes you. The tenderness of friendship that brings comfort through the loss. The stench of betrayal and how trust is hard won after being hurt so deeply, yet God can patiently wash the layers of dirt and grime of it away over time, bringing restoration. Embracing humility in some of the most difficult of situations. The love that is found through community. All of these things are what I took away when I finished the final page. I knew I would love this book before I started, having certain expectations based on the author, title, and summary...but this was so much more than I imagined. There's a plaque I've had my eye on for months that says, "There is gold in every piece of your story." This is the perfect summary for this book. I would highly recommend it. Bravo, Joanne Bischof!



**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in order to give my honest opinion, which I did.**

Juniper Cohen, Kind einer armen Arbeiterfamilie aus San Francisco, hat in der Zeitung die Annonce eines Goldsuchers gefunden und sich auf die von ihm bezahlte Zugreise zu ihm gemacht. Sie fand in ihm einen guten Mann, aber ohne weitere Goldvorkommen sah die Zukunft für sie und ihre dreijährige Tochter schlecht aus. Vor Monaten hat er sich auf den Weg gemacht, seitdem hat sie nichts mehr von ihm gehört. Die Männer, des an Frauen armen Ortes, gehen davon aus, dass er nicht wieder kommt und sie hat schon einige Heiratsanträge bekommen. Kurz vor dem bevorstehenden Winter verlassen fast alle die Gegend, die keine Zukunft mehr bietet, aber sie will mit einigen wenigen anderen ausharren.

In einer zweite Zeitlinie, die in der Gegenwart spielt, ist Johnny Sutherland auf der Suche nach einem erschwinglichen Haus. Nachdem seine Frau ihn vor sechs Monaten für einen anderen Mann verlassen hat. Das Haus soll genug Platz haben, um die beiden Kinder unterbringen zu können, wenn er ein geteiltes Sorgerecht erreichen kann. Das abgelegene Haus ist günstig, wird ihn aber als erfahrenen Hausbauer fordern, es ist auch nur spartanisch eingerichtet und im Winter wird er den Schnee selbst räumen müssen. Juniper und Johnny verbindet dasselbe Haus, das damals zur Gründung des Ortes ihr Mann erbaut hat.

Neben ihren schwierigen Umständen müssen Beide parallel im Buch zusätzliche schwere Schläge hinnehmen, die sie verdauen und sich mit ihnen arrangieren müssen. Bei einem Drittel der Geschichte ist nicht abzusehen, wie für die beiden Protagonisten in ihrer jeweiligen Geschichte ein guter Ausgang möglich sein soll. Doch das Leben führt sie weiter und nach dreiviertel des Romans kommt erstmals Hoffnung auf.

Man folgt beiden Protagonisten gespannt auf ihren Lebenswegen und hofft für sie mit. Die Autorin präsentiert gut eingearbeitete Bezüge zum Glauben, seiner Kraft, den möglichen Zweifeln am Schicksal und vermittelt die Stärke, die aus dem Gebet kommen kann. Die kleine Bethany und die Lehrerin Mrs. Parson sind liebevoll gezeichnete Nebenfiguren, die die Geschichte Bereichern. Junipers junge Freundin repräsentiert eine besondere Form von starken Frauen, die es damals aufgrund der Umstände brauchte.

Dieser Roman von Joanne Bischof konnte mich wieder sehr gut unterhalten und mein Herz berühren! Ich freue mich auf zukünftige Bücher der Autorin.

Juniper Cohen leaves behind everything she knows in San Francisco to answer a newspaper advertisement from a man seeking a wife. Upon her arrival in Kenworthy, CA, the beautiful, but desolate landscape steals her heart. As does the gentle, kind man who placed the advertisement. They fall in love and eventually welcome a daughter to their family. Juniper John’s tender ways and dedication to his family and his job at the mine.

When he disappears without a trace the day the mine shuts down, Juniper does the only thing she knows how to do—carry on and hope. But hope seems slim as miners, shopkeepers, and businessmen leave the town, turning it into a ghost town almost overnight. Juniper takes in washing, tries to keep their farm afloat, and writes love letters to John at night.

Over a hundred years later, Johnny Sutherland buys an old farmhouse—one of the few remaining buildings in the old ghost town of Kenworthy. He needs the peace and quiet of the wild landscape as he tries to put his life back together. Johnny’s wife has left him, and he’ll do anything to share the custody of their two children.

Johnny struggles to carry on. The farmhouse and the mysterious love story contained in old documents stored in the barn bring him the glimmer of hope he needs. Can untangling a long-forgotten love story help him make sense of his life today?

What I Loved About this Book

The narrators, Juniper and Johnny, have beautiful, authentic voices that weave a spell around the reader. I couldn’t put the story down (ok, I had to set it down a few times to sop up my tears). Bischoff breathes hope into the darkness of those facing change, forgiveness, and loss. And who doesn’t face those things at some point in their life?

Fans of Kristie Cambron, Lynn Austin, and Lisa Wingate will enjoy this book.

This was my first time reading this author and I enjoyed her style and characters. It kept me reading and it was very compelling.

It's not a romance and I'm not sure I'd call it WF since one of the two POV protagonists is a man.
It's also a dual timeline with a shared location that brings past and present together.

There's a theme of hope and faith that wrap everything in tenderness, albeit bittersweet.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Although I am not overly fond of dual timelines in a novel, but it seems that every author has to at least write one or two of them. I will say I enjoyed the characters in both timelines. The different timelines, a mining town and modern present day, will draw you in and have you falling in love with the characters. And the setting of the mining ghost town, I found to be very interesting. Sad to think of an entire town completely torn down with barely anything left to even recognize it was there at all. This is a tender heartwarming story that will surely touch your heart strings. A widow raising her child alone in the remnants of a town that was once thriving. When the gold is no longer there, they just tear down the structure and move away. Still she stayed on with her memories. Bischoff is a great writer and describes her characters and scenes so well, you feel as though you were a witness there…..I was given a copy from the publisher and I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

Beyond us, the mine is silent-the work of disassembling the stamp mill ceased for this day. Some of the newcomers have even gathered at the edge of the work yard, watching what is happening below. They've pulled off their hats, standing as centennials, a respect that people say doesn't exist in the West between the white and those who lived here a thousand years before. Yet it exists this day, and I am only sorry it has taken the loss of a life to spark such unity. I pray it is a legacy that will linger on. They say there is no gold in these hills. But as a father lays dirt over a wooden box, there suddenly is.

A thoughtful historical fiction based in the early turn of the century in the mountains of California. Men and women looking for gold, looking for promises of a better life. It is more brought to life because of the legacy it left to the current time of Johnny Sutherland. A man trying to make his marriage work. He has purchased an old Cabin in the mountains of California that was occupied by Juniper Cohen who came to California as a mail-order bride and is now waiting for her husband to come home to her and their young child.

The narration goes back and forth between Juniper and Johnny and the trials they face. The hardships of marriage, life, and going forward. Their lives are intertwined 100 years later because of their suffering and more important the hope that they found. Faith is an important factor and it shows the humanity of suffering. How to forgive and to go on. Friendship in marriage and how marriage can be idolized. Faith is putting away our idols of expectations and finding redemption. Juniper and Johnny both did with different outcomes.

The author is a seasoned story teller and brought what is really important. A reminder of the "gold" we have in our own lives and in our relationships with others and with God. What faith looks like in the mundane and not having to have all the answers. We cannot live this life in joy without faith.

A special thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

In this time slip novel, Joanne Bischof weaves a tale of love, loss, and ghost towns. The Gold in These Hills is beautifully written, lyrical without being wordy, and full of emotion. Both of the timelines will draw you in and have you falling in love with the characters. And the setting will have you googling mining ghost towns. Sad to think of an entire town completely torn down with barely anything left to even recognize it was there at all. People lived there, loved there, lost there, spent years of their lives there...and it can all be gone in a few decades of time. Makes you realize just how much of our lives really are just a vapor in the wind! This book will have you examining many aspects of life and the imprint that we leave. Very, very well done!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was so different than what I was expecting. I have read several other books by Joanne Bischof and love the way she draws me in. She has a talent of making me love her characters. And while loving them, I know it also means that my heart can break for and with them. If you have read any of her novels you know that her characters are not shallow and one dimensional. They have real life struggles and problems that aren’t so easily solved. In The Gold in These Hills we meet so many unique characters. Even the secondary characters had such depth and significance that I felt their pain deeply as well. My heart hurt for the struggles that came with living in a historical time. Unlike the previous novels I’ve read by this author, this story jumps between more current times and way back several generations. The past has some powerful lessons if only we take the time to learn from them. Above all love is the most valuable thing this world has to offer. When it’s stripped from you, you often learn what you are made of, and build walls to protect yourself from that hurt again. But are the walls worth it? Or are they stopping you from receiving one of the greatest gifts?

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical or Contemporary Fiction. It was unique having a man be the main contemporary character, and a woman being the main Historical character. I couldn’t put this book down. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers and was in no way forced to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Joanne Bischof, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read The Gold in These Hills. My thoughts are my own.

Review
First off, happy belated birthday to The Gold in These Hills, released August 31, 2021!

I grew up in the shadow of the mountains featured in Joanne Bischof's latest release The Gold in These Hills. Bischof writes about this area subtly, so much so I didn't think very much of it at first. I wandered through the beginning chapters wondering if she was referring to the area I was raised. When she mentioned "Mountain Center" and one of her main characters headed into "the valley" to Home Depot, that's when I knew I had to explore more.

Researcher by nature, I took to the Internet to confirm this theory. Sure enough, Kenworthy existed in the mountains above where I lived.

How cool to explore the long lost past of a Southern California ghost town…one I had no clue even existed. And I must admit, I also didn't know that people salted mines as a way to dupe investors and to make money under false pretenses. Although scandalous and a little baffling, what an incredible piece of history, one I'm sure not many know about.

Analysis
I've read several of Bischof's books over the years, including her Cadence of Grace series. She wrote the Cadence of Grace series early on in her career. As an aspiring writer myself, some of these stories felt a little…"and this happened…and then this happened". However as a burgeoning author, Bischof created a dramatic tale in three installments that I will not soon forget. Even to this day, I think about everything that happened to the characters and how Bischof weaved something unique and incredible together.

But, her writing felt young back then.

Fast forward to 2021 and the release of The Gold in These Hills. Bischof challenges herself on multiple levels. First, her two main characters exist in two separate time periods. I would imagine that creating a deep and thoughtful book with multiple timelines would be difficult to do.

And, Bischof accepts the challenge and succeeds brilliantly. Both June and Johnny read as multi-dimensional characters, lacking nothing in their description or their stories.

I feel like this novel expertly shows Bischof's maturity as a writer. The way she pens June's and Johnny's stories shows great care, thought, research and a great love of writing.

Finally, from the novels I've read, Bischof loves to use first person. This gives her writing an incredibly deep and personal quality. Poignant and compelling, her writing calls to you. The author shows herself through in her writing, allowing the reader into her personal space.

Unlike many novels, the middle does not slow down. Bischof writes with grace and the fluidity of a mountain stream, a constant pace that is kept going by several different and intriguing story lines. It will definitely hold your attention as it did mine!

Bottom Line
If you want to read a dual timeline novel that shows the difficulties of the Wild West, surrounded in the history and mystery of California's past, and that discusses the celebrations and struggles of life then and now, get your copy now!

This is a beautiful story. Although a lot was happening it still had a slow pace to it, but not boring slow. Like weaving together a beautiful tapestry.

I also loved how the author wove in the gospel message and what Jesus did for us.

There really was a lot of sadness in this book. Johnny’s feelings regarding his divorce is really heartbreaking and Juniper’s feelings she has to deal with are raw and real.

Overall, a very interesting read.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was beautiful and poignant but so. hard. So. raw. There is so much pain in this book and it hurt to read many times. I hurt with these characters who were betrayed and had their hearts broken by the ones who were supposed to love them the most. I felt the pain of trying to figure out how to forgive and mend or just move on where restoration was not possible. The questions and hopelessness that they feel are what we all feel when we are going through the worst things in life. And they don't get all the answers. Things are not perfectly wrapped up in the end but they see some light... and maybe that's enough.

There were certain things I knew had to occur at some point in the past because of what was happening in the present. Certain people had to come into existence for our present-day to be what it is. I liked that we get to know all the pieces and connections and details, even though our characters don't.

I honestly don't know how to rate this book. I gave it four stars because it doesn't seem fair to mark it any lower just because it is painful. Don't be fooled, there is hope to be found within the pages, but this is not a light book. It's very, very heavy. A beautiful kind of heavy. That makes no sense, I know, but if you read it, maybe you'll understand.

I received a free electronic ARC of this wonderful historical novel from Netgalley, Joanne Bischof, and Thomas Nelson publisher. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to add Joanne Bischof to my must-read novelists. She writes a clean, clear historical novel with heart and a well-researched background. She is an author I will follow.

The Gold in These Hills is a story told in two time periods, from the viewpoint of Juniper Cohen beginning in the spring of 1902, and in the voice of Johnny Southerland in the present. The glue that holds this story together is a house, built before 1900 by John, husband of mail-order bride Juniper, in what would become the San Jacinto Mountains mining town of Kenworthy, California.

John disappears without notice in 1903, leaving Juniper (June) and their three-year-old daughter Bethany to handle life in general, and the closing of the non-producing mine, watching the retreat of most of the miners and residents of the company town of Kenworthy, leaving it a virtual ghost town. With the 1904 sale of all of the mining equipment June and her close young friend Edie Manchester, who has been running the mercantile, watch as the church closes its doors, the school, the hotel, and their neighbor's buildings are broken-down and harvested, the materials to be reused elsewhere. They and the nearby native Cahuilla tribe watch as the town dissolves under their noses. June can't leave as John would not know where they went - if he ever returns. And Edie has her dying father to care for, a man whose whole life revolved around his church and his Kenworthy store. Edie has an undisclosed romantic interest that holds her to Kenworthy as well.

The ladies can depend on one another for help, support, and comfort. Can and do, holding their faith in the future and that they can survive and watch life come back into their world. Or that they will find closure on their pasts.

And then we revert to the present. After many years as the home of a museum covering the mining times of Kenworthy and the native Cahuilla Tribe, the house and its accompanying acreage on the mountain is boarded up and put on the market. Johnny Southerland is an experienced rock climber, and his first exposure to the house is on a weekend canyoneering trip. He buys the house and its acreage with the intention of restoring it. Johnny is a California independent contractor, the father of two, and soon to be divorced against his will. Johnny isn't sure if he will just restore and flip the house, or if he and his children, of which he has a hard-won 50/50 custody agreement, will adapt to living on this remote mountain and call this their new home. In a world where he has little that he can control, restoring and refurbishing the mountain home feels like a safety valve to mental health. And running with his dog Rye the many trails available to him in this 100 miles of open land on the mountain is a bridge to harmony. He, too, must find closure, and faith in tomorrow. Reading the letters of Juniper to her husband John, copies of which he obtained with the paperwork of the land, gives him a glimpse into faith and harmony. Maybe sharing them with Sonoma will help her with her ancestry search, as well.