The book takes place at the Biltmore Estates in North Carolina, this is a place I have wanted to visit for many years. I would have loved if the book had been more descriptive of the interior and the going on's in the mansion. The book focuses on the Biltmore Industries, particularly the weavers. Three main characters, master weaver Lorna Blankenship, she has created exquisite woven material in the past and has been commissioned to create a piece unlike any other for Cornelia Vanderbilt's 1924 wedding. She believes she has lost her touch and will be unable to create that special piece. Gentry is Lorna's student and also an orphan. Arthur is a talented woodcutter and despite having a deformity is pure of heart and in love with Lorna, but she doesn't even notice him.
Ther are three different time periods here we are working with.
As the story continues the characters become woven together as they go through surprising situations. It's a story of love and loss, discovery, betrayal, letting go, acceptance, faith, family and forgiveness. The story was a journey of self-discovery with surprises along the way. So well researched. I've never read a book quite like this one and will remember it for a long time.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas

The Biltmore estate is the site of industries supporting the tradespeople of the Appalachian mountains. Lorna is a grieving, accomplished weaver who is teaching orphaned Gentry the trade. Arthur is a talented wood carver. The three of them become woven together as the story progresses.

Lorna is desperate to keep her job by designing an unusual fabric. She comes across some beautiful patterns belonging to Gentry’s dead mother. Can she use them to rescue her position?

Arthur has loved Lorna but she seems not to notice him. Can he forget her and move on with his life?

Gentry is desperate to find the woman whom she has thought dead for years, but hardly knows where to start.

The questions keep the reader involved in the plot as these threads become even more tangled as the story progresses. The characters are lovable but flawed. The setting is interesting, letting the reader experience what the life and times on the Biltmore was like.

The most difficult part of the book was keeping up with the timeline. It kept shifting from past to present in the different characters’ lives. The setting often changed too. Even though it was clearly marked, it still was confusing.

Readers who have enjoyed Sarah Loudin Thomas’ other books will likely enjoy this one, too. I am grateful to the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have loved Sarah Loudin Thomas for her World War II novels for quite some time. While These Tangled Threads isn't a WWII novel, it does still have the historical significance we have all come to love from Thomas.

These Tangled Threads is a historical fiction novel of friendship, restoration, and second chances.

Set in the early 1900s in the shadow of the Biltmore Estate, this book follows Lorna, Gentry and Arthur through several years. They were all recipients of the Vanderbilt’s generosity and were trained in traditional crafts such as weaving and woodworking. Thomas has an uncanny ability to make the setting come alive in her books and I felt like I was there in the room weaving with Lorna.

This book starts out with two different timelines that are 7 years apart, and 3 different POVs. There is a lot happening in this story: Lorna steals a pattern design from Gentry, Gentry is looking for her mother, Arthur is in love with Lorna, and more. All three of these characters are friends of sorts. They all go through some tough and surprising situations that in turn help them grow and strengthen in their relationships with one another and themselves.

I enjoyed this story! The characters were well-done, such great development, and the writing was so good. You could tell the research that was put into making these characters and places come alive. Highly recommend!

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

Lies, betrayal, abandonment, hope, love, and redemption all come together to weave a beautiful story in These Tangled Threads. This book was so creatively written. Three different characters spanning a period of seven to eight years tell their stories after being rescued by the Vanderbilts to work as artisans in the Biltmore Industries.

Lorna Blankenship’s a brilliant weaver commissioned to create an original design for heiress Cornelia Vanderbilt’s 1924 wedding. Unfortunately, Lorna’s run out of ideas. She hunts high and low for the talented weaver whose designs once helped her before. Lorna’s burned some bridges though and must now untangle the mess she’s made in order to find the artisan she desperately needs. Along the way, she rekindles old relationships and gets a second chance at love.

We first meet Arthur as an eight year old boy when Mr. Vanderbilt notices his wood carving talents. He soon becomes a renowned artisan. His clubfoot challenges his perception of himself, but despite his deformity, he works hard and is always willing to help, sometimes to his own detriment. He has his own entanglements with unrequited love & caring for a troubled, newly discovered brother.

In 1915, young Gentry becomes Lorna’s apprentice. Gentry’s talent for music doesn’t necessarily translate into weaving and she & Lorna frequently clash. However, Gentry holds a prized possession Lorna desperately needs. When Gentry disappears seeking her long lost mother, her knowledge goes with her. Now in 1923, Lorna must find Gentry who holds the key to her success.

This book can be challenging to decipher at first. The author weaves several timelines and stories together at the same time. The narrative often jumps from one time and character to another in anything but a chronological order. As all the threads come together, like any beautiful tapestry, things start to make sense and the full picture emerges. I loved the way everything came full circle.

The characters are endearingly flawed. It took some time for me to like Lorna. She has a lot of growing to do, but with each chapter, my compassion for her grew. Gentry’s a whirlwind with her own sorrows and talents. I enjoyed the way things worked out for her. Arthur was my favorite character with his kind, gentle demeanor. The side characters are memorable too and I absolutely loved the setting.

Recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of romance and faith. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher through AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

This story started out slow for me, but then got rolling more the further it developed.

Set around the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. It's got three main characters: Lorna, a skilled weaver; Gentry, a new impatient weaver learning from Lorna; and Arthur, a woodworker. Lorna is tasked with creating a new design in cloth but she's hit a wall trying to create. The story goes back into her past when she had bought designs from Gentry (who'd gotten them from her mother) and had been less than truthful about their origins. The story goes back and forth between two time frames and is told by each of the three.

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

This story follows three main characters, Lorna, Gentry and Arthur over several years from 1916 to 1924. It is set mostly in Asheville, NC, in the shadow of the Biltmore Estate. Lorna is employed as a weaver, Gentry is her student and Arthur is a woodworker for Biltmore Industries. The story flashes back and forth from one timeline to the next, giving us a different character’s POV each time. It is a story of hardship and hope, loss and discovery, family and forgiveness. The multiple storylines are woven together like so many threads, resulting in a meaningful and satisfying ending.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and NetGalley. A positive review was not required, all opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

At age 8, Arthur is a talented woodcarver and when Mr Vanderbilt visited his guardian, the Reverend Swope, he admired Arthur’s work. Later, Arthur went on to be the head of the woodcarvers group as part of Biltmore Industries at Biltmore Village. This had been started by the Vanderbilt’s to provide skills and jobs for the local mountain people.

Lorna, 18, is a respected weaver in Biltmore Village. When she is asked by the wealthy Mrs. Harshaw to make an exquisite gift for Cornelia Vanderbilt’s 21st birthday party, she accepts but then realizes she has promised something that she may not be able to produce. She seems to have lost her ability to create things like she used to.

When Gentry, 14, comes to Biltmore Village to train as a weaver under Lorna, she shows that she doesn’t have the patience for the skill especially in setting up the loom. However Gentry shows her a woven piece she found at their local market and Lorna is taken by it. She wants more of it and especially wants to find the weaver who prefers to stay anonymous. But, Lorna knows that if she is to make an exquisite gift as promised, she must find this person and is on a mission to do so. Arthur has always admired Lorna and promises to help her find the weaver.

This book switches back and forth in time which was a bit of a jolt but I got used to it. The characters are created as real people especially of the area. The people are good, religious people just working hard to make a living. I loved how the Vanderbilt family members are depicted as kind, open, and generous.

I love Biltmore. Having spent many summers in the Hendersonville/Asheville area, especially to enjoy the hiking, I feel as though I know it quite well. Anyone who has not visited Biltmore, needs to immediately add it to their bucket list. It’s America’s Castle and a beautiful treasure. A delightful book and one I hope others will enjoy.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Beautiful period story set at the Biltmore. An unforgettable story rich with grace, forgiveness and second chances. The author pens a beautiful story and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own

These Tangled Threads is “a novel of Biltmore” and focuses on the folk art that the region is known for, specifically weaving and woodworking. It made me want to take up weaving! Though I have no idea where I would put a loom, nor find time to learn the art. Nor do I have a need for handwoven coverlets or fabric.

The story unfolds, moving back and forth across the years, telling the backstory of the characters and why they find themselves in the current (1924) situation. I found the characters believable and likable. The Biltmore Estate setting is fascinating. The plot is intriguing and I loved how the missing person mystery is resolved.

4.5 stars

I’ve visited Asheville, North Carolina, and the Grove Park Inn twice this week on the pages of a book, and my latest trip – via These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas – filled my senses anew with the homespun beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and its master artisans. Appalachia is in my blood, and I’m always particularly drawn to stories set here. And this one… well, this one wrapped around my soul like a dulcimer hymn or a woven shawl.

In These Tangled Threads we meet our three key players right from the beginning, yet in different stages of the story. Arthur is introduced to us as an eight-year-old boy in West Virginia with a famous North Carolina connection in 1897, we first encounter Lorna in 1923 Asheville as she’s being commissioned to create a one-of-a-kind fabric that comes with its fair share of complications, and Gentry bursts on the scene of Biltmore Village in 1915 as a newly apprenticed weaver with a gift for music. The text shifts back and forth between these characters and between the years from 1915 to 1924, and while I kept up with the alternating perspectives just fine it took a bit to orient myself to the different time jumps and remind myself what had – and hadn’t – already happened. Once I did, though, I came to really enjoy the layout of this novel, most of all because of how symbolic it was to the patterns (or drafts) Lorna uses to weave a unified piece of beauty from a blend of varying threads. And though the mess Lorna has woven herself into needs a lot of untangling, in the hands of a skilled storyteller like Thomas the finished tapestry of her narrative becomes a masterpiece. Not unlike the way our Master Weaver (God) uses the tangled pieces of our lives to create a big-picture story unmatched in its exquisite perfection.

Arthur became my early favorite, as far as the main characters go, but I grew to deeply love both Lorna and Gentry too. There’s just something special about Arthur – you’ll see it for yourself when you meet him. His kindness, his open heart (even while guarded), and his resilient spirit endeared him to me right away and only embedded him further into my heart as the story continued. And then there’s the host of delightful supporting characters that burrowed into my affections right along with Arthur, Lorna, and Gentry. Naming them each would spoil some things for you, but I can declare my undying love for Angus without harm. He made my heart smile, the kind of character I love to discover in fiction, and I think he’ll do the same for you.

Bottom Line: These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas weaves the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains landscape, the lilt of Appalachian music, and the heart of craftsmen everywhere into a heartfelt story with subtle faith notes tenderly tucked between the lines. I fell in love with Arthur, Lorna, and Gentry as the author unpacks the deep layers of their respective hearts and lifts the veil on the trauma of abandonment that touched each one differently. This is a beautifully written novel with gentle but powerful themes of forgiveness and restoration. Highly recommended for fans of Pepper Basham, Cindy K. Sproles, and Michelle Shocklee!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Do you ever like to read books that are set in places that you would like to visit? I feel I get to visit new places through books, and I get great ideas of places I would like to visit in person. One place I would love to visit is the Biltmore estate in North Carolina.

In the early twentieth century, Lorna is an accomplished weaver at the Biltmore estates. She has been commissioned to create an original design for Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding, but she needs inspiration. She works with her friend, Arthur, to try to find a mysterious weaver that has original designs. Arthur is a master woodworker that has had a flame for Lorna for quite some time, but he does not understand why their relationship never seems to take off. What secrets does Lorna keep?

My thoughts on this book:
• The storyline was split within three different time frames, 1915/1916, 1921 and the end of 1923. Sometimes I had a hard time keeping track of the switches, but luckily, they occurred at chapter breaks and each chapter was clearly labeled.

• The story was told through Lorna, Arthur, and Gentry’s perspective. Gentry is a character early in the 1915/16 timeframe of the book and she has disappeared in the later time frames. A large part of the book to me was the mystery of what had happened to Gentry. I thought her storyline was very interesting.

• I thought this novel was a fascinating look into how choices that you make keep coming to haunt you through time. Lorna made a decision in 1916 which while furthering her career in some ways, hinders it in other ways. It also hinders her relationship with Arthur as she feels she must hide the truth from him.

• This novel was a great look into second chances, and I enjoyed Lorna’s journey and second chance.

• It was also a good look into dishonesty. Once you start lying, it is hard to get yourself back out from the lies.

• It was also a story of forgiveness and hope.

• I loved the character of Arthur. He was a devout Christian that had a hard life growing up, but he was always looking for the best in people.

• I enjoyed “meeting” the working people of Appalachia. The craftwork of the people sounded interesting. I wanted to see it for myself.

• In the author’s note, Sarah Loudin Thomas describes how she once worked at Biltmore for six years. That is why her descriptions are so vivid. She also gives a list of great references.

• This was my first book by Sarah Loudin Thomas, but it won’t be my last.

Overall, These Tangled Threads was a fascinating historical fiction book that focused on the craftwork on the Biltmore estate in the early twentieth century as well as hope and forgiveness. This is the type of historical fiction I love to read.

Book Source: Review copy from Bethany House as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Biltmore Industries is a big firm with about one hundred workers, in Asheville, North Carolina.
Lorna Blankenship is a great weaver, young woman.
"Gentry... As if promises meant anything. Her mother had taught her how easy they were to make and break".
Businness, liars, jelousy cause also nowadays family, friendship, firms break up.
Sometimes the right, what you think and sicerity make troubles, but liars causes more problems.
I enjoyed reading this book, because it's well written. The characters are well building and lovely.
The story is not written in linear style, but in each chapter the main character, the point of view, the month/year in which the tell is set, change.
I love crafts too, I attended three courses to learn to weave, what a wonderful world!
Thank you to let me read this book to: Author, Editor, Interview&Review, Netgalley

“He marveled, uncertain how the tangled threads of their lives had come together to create this gorgeous pattern.”

This was a beautifully written story about threads of life that are tangled by heartbreaking loss, lies, deception, and regrets.

Threads that are woven back together by love, compassion, forgiveness, and grace.

It’s a story about the pain of familial neglect, but also the healing power of unconditional love. A beautiful story of friendship, restoration, and second chances.

I love stories with historical details, and really enjoyed learning about weaving, Biltmore Industries and the Estate, and life in North Carolina near the turn of the last century.

My favorite part of the book was Arthur. He’s one of those characters who capture your heart and are unforgettable. He was so pure-hearted, patient, thoughtful, and forgiving in an unconditional way.

I received a copy through NetGalley from Bethany House Fiction and Austenprose PR but a positive review was not required.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. There is a lot to love about this book. I loved that the author took a lesser known part of history and wove a story of mystery, hidden secrets, and healing from loss. The title was such a fitting description of the story.

Unfortunately for me I had a hard time connecting to the story and characters. Not sure why. I think much of it was the fact that there were 3 different points of view and 3 different timelines which was hard to keep sorted in the ebook form I used. Maybe it would have been easier in a physical copy. I do wish the faith aspect had been stronger. Particularly in showing/explaining how truth sets us free and how God heals wounds from loss, abandonment, and broken friendships. I did love sweet, patient Arthur.

Much thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to review. No postive review was required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The story was a bit confusing at first with all the different time periods, and it took a bit to sort them out. By the time I had them all straight the story got stagnant for me. I enjoyed the overall message and character growth of the story. I really liked Arthur, but I felt a disconnect to the main character, Lorna. With all the jumping between time periods it seemed the author didn’t want to give too much away in certain moments and I never felt I got an in depth feel for who she was and never got invested emotionally into why she did what she did. There was a lot of story and it just got a bit dull for me. I wanted to like it much more than I did. And I think for some this story may draw them in and be just what they need. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t hit the mark.

A beautifully written story set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains and the magnificent Biltmore Estate. At first, the individual storylines jumped between 1915, 1921 and 1923, like tangled threads of one story that appear muddled but skillfully formed into a brilliant masterpiece. I am so glad I stuck with it.

Ms. Thomas weaves captivating historical details with vivid prose that captured my imagination. The story is told from three different points of view. I love that the main characters are realistic, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Their flaws make them all the more endearing.

This multi-layered story peels back the curtain on the inner turmoil of past choices, and the hardship that comes from loss. It celebrates the transformative power of forgiveness and its power to set one free.

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you so much Bethany for the free book!

Historical fiction fans you are not going to want to miss this one this one has a little bit of everything!

It's told in dual time lines with alternating perspectives which really kept me turning pages! There were sprinkles of mystery (which was a surprise to me), second chance romance, sibling drama, mother daughter drama, and of course a lot of history regarding the Biltmore Estate!

It had me Googling all things Vanderbilt family, etc! It will have you doing the same! I even learned a little bit about weaving so overall it was an exciting and educating read!

There were also a couple very tender moments that really touched my heart as well as some faith themes woven in (see what I did there?)

This book was just released so make sure you're one of the first to read it and pick up your copy today!

This book was a breath of fresh air. I loved the characters. They were believable and relatable. Their struggles, triumphs were relatable. The plot was engaging with a beautiful pace. The twist and turns in the book were so unexpected but delightful.

The author did an amazing job on this book. I can only imagine the hardwork and research that went into it.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

This was one that I truly didn’t know what to expect going into. But being a designer, I love all things art and especially books set around art and this one definitely interested me.

If I’m honest I didn’t love our characters, except for Arthur. I loved Arthur so much! He was so sweet and caring. He was by far my favorite character’s perspective to follow. When it came to Lorna and Gentry, their personalities were hard to love at times, and their actions made it hard to be on their sides. But they all felt human and relatable. My heart did break for each of them for different reasons throughout.

Characters aside, I loved the premise around the art, the idea around where ideas come from, and stealing other artists’ work as their own. Being an artist myself for my day job, this is something that I deal with daily. What is considered an “original” idea and at one point does the line between “inspiration” and “stealing” get crossed? This story portrays this beautifully with this historical fiction drama.

If you love historical fiction novels set around art, this is definitely one to pick up!