Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for access to this arc.

This was not an easy book to read. Civil Wars divide families, friends, and neighbors. Even those who want to stay apart will usually get drawn in eventually as do the McBrides. But healthy servings of guilt and pain also haunt Joetta as her world crashes around her.

There were times I cheered Joetta and her determination to hold onto her convictions. The easy way was there all the time but even biting her tongue was hard for Joetta in the face of needling comments designed to catch her out. She also had to deal with her younger twelve year old son who has lost the two men most important in his life and who now must help his mother wrest a living from the farm. Feeling her son slip away into resentment and pain at his own losses hurts Joetta even more. Yet there were also times when I yelled through my ereader at Joetta to just play along, read the room, and try to keep from upsetting those who could, and did, arrive with harmful intentions.

Joetta stubbornly sticks to her guns and there was one point where she ruminated on the fact that someone in her life called her pigheaded. Yep, that’s a good description. I kept feeling that she could have handled things better and still held onto her beliefs while also keeping her son and crippled father-in-law a bit safer. The middle of the book meanders around a bit with a lot of repetition of how the McBrides survive while the ending drags a little. Could they have managed through a harsh winter and two summers as they did? Possibly but it’s a stretch.

I think the two books listed above the blurb are accurate as far as which readers might enjoy this book. It is a hard look at a hard time. Though the McBrides and most of their neighbors don’t own enslaved people, there are some large plantations with owners who do. Nasty reasons for people to support the Confederate cause are mentioned. Sadly some of the attitudes are not ones that have died away in the century and a half and crop up in daily news now. Holding onto the courage of your convictions at any time when those convictions run counter to the prevailing viewpoints is challenging. There is much to admire about Joetta but watching her fight against the current leads to a darker story. B-

Donna Everhart just may be my new favorite author. This is just the kind of historical fiction I love. It’s hard to read a book set during a war due to the extreme hardship people suffer, but authors like Everhart make it easier when they give readers fully developed characters who grow with the story.

Main character Joetta McBride lives on a farm in North Carolina with her husband Ennis and her two sons. Her cantankerous father-in-law lives on the property and eats all his meals with the family.

I have to admit, at first I wanted Joetta to smack him and make him shut-up! He went on and on about the war and was a die-hard confederate, unlike his son Ennis and Joetta, who were neutral about the war. He glamorized soldiers to the point Jetta’s son wanted to join up and fight. Even though they were both too young, the older son ran off and joined.

As time went on, Ennis ends up fighting for the confederacy, leaving Joetta and their younger son to take care of the farm. Because North Carolina was a border state, there were many conflicting opinions about the war, but being a traitor to the cause was abhorrent.

Because Joetta wasn’t taking a side, she becomes labeled as a traitor and suffers many hardships because of it. In spite of that, she stands by her convictions. Her father-in-law also grows as a character throughout their experience, allowing Joetta to see a more positive side to him.

What I loved about the story was that it focused on the hardships of those at home and it did not gloss over some of the pain they suffered. The ending, while not perfect for Joetta, was one that left her full of hope for the future.


Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I loved the story and am happy to give my honest review and recommend this to other readers.

An unputdownable story of survival in a world tipped upside down by the Civil War! This book has a fast drumbeat, and I never spent one moment looking away. Readers of many stripes will love this book for the tenderness, the neighbors who turn on you like vipers, the world that rains down hardship, but against it all, the unrelenting moral perseverance of one Joetta Mcbride. This book takes you on one heck of journey and then puts you back together heart and soul. Truly an outstanding work of fiction, sure to hit the top of the charts!

When the Jessamine Grows is a work of historical fiction which follows Joetta McBride, wife of a small North Carolina farmer, through the years of the Civil War and beyond. When the book opens she lives with her husband Ennis, 2 sons, and her father-in-law. Once war breaks out her son Henry sneaks away to sign up, despite being too young. When he does not return home Joetta prompts Ennis to go in search of Henry and he ends up signing up as well since it was the best way seek information. This leaves her to manage the farm as best she can, and keep the rest of the family together. This would be difficult enough but Joetta and her husband are not convinced by the soundness of the Confederate cause. They own no slaves, are not convinced by other white supremist arguments and see no reason to risk their lives or livelihoods. However, they do not support the Unionists either. Rather Joetta tries to maintain a strict neutrality which puts her offside with her neighbours and most of the wider community who strongly support the Confederate cause. It was this aspect of the novel which made it stand out for me. Joetta was not just a woman dealing with the standard hardships of war at the time. She was a woman determined to stay true to her own convictions and values, in what she believed to be just and fair, despite opposition from her sons and father-in-law as well as the wider community. In the face of threats and intimidation, and with the need to protect her family, she had to work out if and how she could bend while still staying true to herself . She was often left questioning if the cost of following her conscience was worth it, but was unable to act otherwise. Joetta was just the sort of female protagonist that I enjoy reading about - strong, not without flaws, but easy to empathise with. The writing was solid with the sense of time and place well-depicted. The minor characters, while necessarily painted with broad strokes, also felt wholly realistic. Donna Everhart fans will love this as will anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It publishes on 23 January. Many thanks to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the ARC. All opinions are of course my own.

When the Jessamine Grows is a fascinating historical novel set during a time of unrest in American history. You'll find no Southern Belles in this story, just the harsh reality of the Civil War that divided not only the states but families, friends, and communities. Southern and historical fiction fans will want to read this book. Thanks to author Donna Everhart, Kensington Books, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

WHEN THE JESSAMINE GROWS by Donna Everhart is a riveting and powerful work of Southern historical fiction that will be impossible for me to forget. Set in the period leading up to the Civil War in rural North Carolina, it is a story of courage, resilience and staying true to one’s principles in the most trying of times. Joetta McBride lives on a small farm with her husband, Ennis, her two sons and her father-in-law, Rudean. Talk of an imminent war between the Union and the Confederates is everywhere, but Joetta considers her family to be neutral. Not so her father-in-law, who staunchly supports the Confederates on issues of land and slave ownership. Impressed by his grandfather’s grandiose stories, fifteen-year-old son, Henry runs off to volunteer for the Confederate army. A devastated Joetta convinces Ennis to search for their son, but after many weeks pass, there has been no word from either father or son. Back at home, Joetta is shunned and harassed by the townspeople around her, being called treasonous for helping passing soldiers on both sides of the conflict. Even her eleven-year-old son, Robert, rejects her. How can she balance her strong beliefs with her need to keep herself and her family safe from harm? I was engrossed in this compelling story of family, war and loss from beginning to end. Through heartache and tragedy, Joetta remains steadfast in her convictions and her love of family, making her a most memorable character. I loved this book and most highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Thoughtful historical fiction that holds lessons for today. Joetta and her husband Ennis find themselves in a bind when their older son takes off to join the Confederate Army thanks in part to the hectoring of Ennis' father. And then Ennis goes to find him, leaving Joetta to deal with their farm with only the help of Robert, their 12 year old. Joetta finds herself first shunned by all but a few in their town and then outright harassed because she will not wear the cockade and because she allowed Union soldiers to water their horses. And they get far far worse, especially after she finds and helps a young boy who has run from the Union Army. This town- so divided, so hateful. Everhart has a way with atmospherics- the blisters from plowing, the cold, the heat, the dirt, the hunger. But more than that she shows people turning in on another. No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Excellent read.

This moving Southern historical fiction novel kept me engaged from start to finish! The characters were well developed and I felt like I was in the story too, as I experienced anger, sorrow, frustration, bewilderment, and compassion along with Joetta. The author calls attention to a particular viewpoint during the Civil War, that I don’t recall studying too much in school, the perspective of being neutral.

SYNOPSIS:
1860s
Joetta and her husband Ennis do not feel the need to have an opinion about slavery or Southern secession, because they don’t own slaves and their little farm is self-sufficient. So, when their son Henry sneaks off to join the Confederate Army, Joetta begs her husband to go after him, and reluctantly, he finally agrees to go.

As weeks pass with no word from Ennis, Joetta struggles to run her small homestead. She tries to remain neutral but her father-in-law and other son, as well as her neighbors and friends view this as being a traitor. Soon, Joetta faces extreme danger, hardship, and ostracism unlike anything she has ever known.

I really enjoyed Joetta’s story. The characters were well-developed and the author did a great job describing the hardships, hunger, fears, and difficulties of the people who wanted to remain neutral during this turbulent time period.

This was the first time I have read this author and I plan to check out her backlist.

 
Read this if you enjoy:
Southern Historical Fiction
Strong Female Characters

Thank you @Kensingtonbooks and @netgalley and the author for my complimentary copy.

I love Donna Everhart’s books, she is an incredible author and you cannot go wrong with any of her novels. The latest is called When The Jessamine Grows and yes, I was reading this as quickly as possible, enjoying every second. I really like stories that take place during the Civil War and they are few and far between. This one takes place in the south with a strong main character named Joetta who stands strong in her convictions.

This was a fantastic book, highly recommended. You cannot go wrong with any of Donna’s books, I’ve read them all!

The plot:

Talk of impending war is a steady drumbeat throughout North Carolina, though Joetta McBride pays it little heed. She and her husband, Ennis, have built a modest but happy life for themselves, raising two sons, fifteen-year-old Henry, and eleven-year-old Robert, on their small subsistence farm. They do not support the Confederacy’s position on slavery, but Joetta considers her family to be neutral, believing this is simply not their fight.

Her opinion is not favored by many in their community, including Joetta’s own father-in-law, Rudean. A staunch Confederate supporter, he fills his grandsons’ heads with stories about the glory of battle and the Southern cause until one night Henry runs off to join the war. At Joetta’s frantic insistence, Ennis leaves to find their son and bring him home.

But soon weeks pass with no word from father or son and Joetta is battered by the strain of running a farm with so little help. As the country becomes further entangled in the ramifications of war, Joetta finds herself increasingly at odds with those around her – until one act of kindness brings her family to the edge of even greater disaster.

Though shunned and struggling to survive, Joetta remains committed to her principles, and to her belief that her family will survive. But the greatest tests are still to come – for a fractured nation, for Joetta, and for those she loves . . .

Out on January 23.

It was refreshing to read a book set during the Civil War, when it seems all books recently published lately have been during the World Wars.

Set on a small farm in North Carolina, Joette and her family's everyday life changes with the coming of the war. Her father-in-law fills her two sons' heads with war stories and riles them up to the point that the oldest son runs away to join the Confederacy. However, not being slave owners, Joetta and her husband, Ennis, don't believe in fighting for the Cause and strive to remain neutral - all the while the townsfolk urge them to choose a side. Ennis soon leaves, at Joetta's urging, to find Henry, the son that left. That leaves Joetta on the farm with a young son and her father-in-law, working the land and trying to keep them feed. The book is set during the war, and the war is the main topic - however, I believe the story is really based in standing up for what you believe in and what lengths you'll go to uphold those beliefs. It's a historical fiction read, but you'll find a lot of modern thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This was such a great book, I really enjoyed reading it! It's got fabulous writing, a beautiful story that's heartbreaking and frustrating, characters that you can't help but love (even the crotchety Mr. McBride!) and is completely unique.
*
This is a story of the Civil War, but from a perspective I've never seen before - Joetta McBride lives in North Carolina but desperately wants to stay neutral, fearing the risk to her family, her livelihood, and just what war will do to the country. But she is ostracized and called a traitor for not supporting the Confederacy. And things just get worse and worse as time goes on.
*
At a basic level, I enjoyed reading about an average person during the Civil War, who had family fighting but really didn't have much else to do with it. To add on to that the idea of neutrality, and how the community interpreted that, this was so unique and insightful. I loved Joetta, and I think she handled these struggles in a very realistic way - she wasn't perfect and she didn't always make the best choices, but she kept on.
*
I really loved Mr. McBride! What a fun grouchy character who was so easy to dislike! And the rare moments where he showed his true self, it made him at least partially endearing.
*
And of course the writing is beautiful. This was so engaging and easy to get immersed in. Definitely recommend this one!

I loved this book, it is one of those reads that you feel a loss when the last page is turned.
It is not an easy time, but the McBride family are self efficient, the year is 1861, North Carolina.
The author does such a great job with the characters in the story, and my mind was comparing the happenings in the 1930's Europe with what happens here.
Joetta is a very strong woman, she loves deeply, and really cares about others, but she is not a supporter of war. Not a popular thought at this time in the South, and we journey along with her as she experience the horrible hardships that the Civil War brings.
This is a story that made me want to offer help, I was there, but, of course, that is not possible!
I loved the author's notes, and when the last page was turned I wanted to continue on with this family!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.

Southern storyteller Donna Everhart returns following The Saints of Swallow Hill with her sixth novel, WHEN THE JESSAMINE GROWS —a compelling tale exploring a difficult time in our nation's history through the eyes of Joetta McBride, a courageous woman bound by the neutral values of her family's lifestyle.

Set in North Carolina Nash County 1861:

Joetta McBride does not like conflict. She and her husband, Ennis, have built a modest, happy life for themselves, raising two sons, 15-year-old Henry and 11-year-old Robert, on their small farm.

They do not support the Confederacy's position on slavery, and Joetta considers their family to be neutral and not their fight.

However, her opinionated father-in-law, Rudean, a Confederate supporter, starts filling her son's heads with stories of battle and the Southern cause until one night, Henry runs off to join the war. They are frantic, and Joetta sends Ennis to find their son and bring him home.

But then there is no word from her husband or son, and she runs a farm alone with little help from her younger son. She finds herself at odds with those around her, and things worsen.

Joetta McBride's beliefs pit her against the majority, leading to danger and complications. While she suffered greatly and lost much, she remains steadfast, a heroic, resilient woman with strong convictions and a deep love for her family. Readers will root for her to the end!

Everhart dazzles with her meticulous historical research, vivid descriptions, and well-developed characters. As she mentions in her Author's note and discussion questions, The Civil War was one of the most complex and contentious times in our nation's history, with both sides resolute in their beliefs. The McBrides were an exception and took a position of neutrality.

When Joetta allows Union soldiers access to her well, her father-in-law resents it and stirs up trouble. There is strife among the family, and Robert resents his mother.

When Joetta steps up and takes in a young Union soldier, she becomes a substitute mother for him, helping her simultaneously.

The war affected Joetta and her family in many ways, from multiple losses and setbacks. WHEN THE JESSAMINE GROWS explores strong themes of loyalty, betrayal, community, and family, all prominent in the novel.

I always learn something when reading one of Donna's books with a vast knowledge of North Carolina history. (a native) We must remember the Border States; many had secret, unbiased views.

I enjoyed reading about the breakdown of the population during this time. It was vastly rural, with almost a third of the population being white with slaves, and only three percent was considered upper-class. (doctors, lawyers, or business leaders who lived in plantations and owned slaves). Another twenty-five percent were middle class as farmers, merchants, traders, and suppliers. They would have owned less than twenty slaves.

Then there were the families like the McBrides. They comprised- the remaining percentage of NC's population, 60-65% of yeoman farmers or skilled laborers. The subsistence farmers grew enough to feed themselves and their livestock. They were not slaveholders. Some of these people never wanted to be a part of the fight. I enjoyed how the Author skillfully wrote the novel from this perspective.

I highly recommend the novel if you enjoy good historical fiction, especially since it is set in North Carolina. I have read all her books, and she always surprises you with something fascinating. Thank you, Donna, for this beautiful story—a reminder when people turn against one another during these horrible times. I love books featuring strong women, especially during historical times.

I had the pleasure of reading the e-book and the accompanying audiobook narrated by Tiffany Morgan.

Thanks to Kensington Books, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for a gifted digital reading copy and advanced listening review copy for an honest opinion.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Jan 23, 2024
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I found this to be one of the better books of the Civil War depicting what the average normal farmers had to sacrifice and endure, from the soldiers that came and pillaged their farms, even the soldiers they were supporting or had just shared with them what they had. Seemed it didn’t matter which side, they both would destroy and steal what they could.

I was very proud of Joetta to stand up for what she believed, even though she knew it would not help her or her family, taking in the boy was a special add to the story. She had a kind and generous heart, more than I can say about her neighbors. With all the luxuries we live with, I’m not sure we would have survived. War is brutal for everyone involved, and in those times, it usually cost more than we would imagine but with authors like Ms. Everhart, they share their research and make us see it for what it really was. I thank you. Another great book from this author.

I received an ARC from Kensington Books and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with 5 stars.

There were two things that drew me to this book, one was the author (who never disappoints) and the other was the description of the book. The story focuses on Joetta McBride and her family, living and farming in North Carolina when the Civil War breaks out. Joetta and her husband, Ennis, have declared a neutral stance in the war feeling that it would not be of impact to them and their comfortable living. But as grandfather Mr. McBride "glorifies" the idea of being a soldier, eldest son Henry (although too young) decides it is where he is meant to be and runs away to be a soldier, soon to be followed by his father who intends to bring him back. This leaves Joetta and younger son Robert to tend to the farm. As the family becomes ostracized and targeted because of Joetta's stand on the war, and the hardships of war reach their community, Joetta tries to make amends to protect her family and farm. Yet deep in her heart, as she mourns the changes that have happened within her family, her instinct of caring for others puts her entire family in danger. The reader cannot help but feel the emotions that affect the McBride family, from love, commitment, confusion, anger, sadness, withdrawal and fear until the ultimate decision that helps to put behind some of the very actions and memories that have shaken their world. The character of Joetta surely represents many of the very strong women who have to pick up the pieces of their lives and carry on in order to give their families whatever love, safety and security they can as the world falls apart around them. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #WhentheJessamine Grows

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers for an advanced copy of When the Jessamine Grows by Donna Everhart. I was very excited to be reading a historical fiction about the Civil War. Ms. Everhart's prose and extensive background into the Civil War was very enjoyable. However, after I few chapters, I felt the storyline became more of a contemporary women's fiction than a historical fiction.

Many thanks to @Kensingtonbooks and @netgalley for my #gifted copy. Pub date 1/23/24.

Set in 1861, Ennis and Joetta McBride own a small piece of farmland in Nash County, North Carolina. They are very self-sufficient, and their sons Henry and Robert are also very helpful. As the war is about to break out, Ennis and Joetta want to remain neutral, but Henry has other opinions. Henry sneeks out one night, and Joetta is devastated. Almost 2 weeks later, Joetta sends Ennis out to find him, but neither of them return.

This was a story about a mother's love and doing everything you can to survive, whether it is right or wrong. This was a very powerful book set back in the Civil War era, and I loved it. I definitely recommend this book!

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Wow, good read. I loved Joetta and how she knew who she was and firmly stood on that no matter the craziness and unrest that was happening around her. Must read.

4.25☆

When war breaks out, Joetta is determined to keep her family out and remain neutral. Although southerners they provide for their own family on their small farm. When her older son sneaks off to enlist, she sends her husband to fetch him back. In the meantime she does what she needs to survive, although the townsfolk are not keen on her views of neutrality.

I don’t think I’ve read such an engaging civil war story since Gone With the Wind. The fact that it’s a civil war story though, is the only fair comparison. Jessamine is a unique story in its own right with its own strong female protagonist. The theme of neutrality was interesting and I loved how it brought to light that there were many southern farmers, without slaves, farming for their own livelihoods and their place within the war. The attitudes of the south influenced decisions and played a major role on who benefited enough to survive. This was a story of a mothers love, and I could not put it down.

“She held on to hope, as she always did, even when her future appeared as promising as the barren and surrounding her.”

When the Jessamine Grows comes out 1/23.

One of my favorite Southern Authors, Donna Everhart, has written a masterpiece about the Civil War, Historical Fiction, and Family. I loved everything about ‘When the Jessamine Grows” In this well written novel, the author vividly describes the landscape, scenery, plot, and the dramatic and colorful characters. When is talk of an impending war between the North and South, the protagonist of the story, Joetta McBride tends to a small farm and prefers to stay neutral. As a mother and planner, Joetta knows that the cost of human life, property, and family can have tragic circumstances. Her father in law is a believer in war, and slavery and the economy and tries to have her sons believe that the Confederate lifestyle is the best way.

Joetta’s older son signs up, and Joetta convinces her husband to go and bring him home. Some of the neighbors, feel that Joetta is a traitor to the cause, and there is damage, threats, secrets, and betrayals.

Joetta is courageous and principled and sticks to her guns, at great cost and sorrow. I appreciate how the author provided the research and reminds us of the tragic consequences of war. Donna Everhart also discusses the importance of families, neighbors, friends, and love and hope. I highly recommend this amazing novel.