Member Reviews
I really enjoy historical fiction and though the civil was is not the setting I tend to gravitate towards - this one was so different. Although the story takes place during the war, the focus is on one family, and mostly one strong woman, Joetta, who dares to stay firm in her convictions during this divisive time in US history. Believing in neutrality even while surrounded by supporters of slavery and the Confederacy in North Carolina, Joetta endures horrible treatment and many challenges, but this woman never backs down and sticks to her guns even when it costs her dearly. I loved Joetta. She is a true role model and brings such humanity to this wartime period that it became much more real, and yes, interesting to this born and bred North Carolinian.
4.5 / 5 stars. When the Jessamine Grows by Donna Everhart was a captivating historical Southern fiction novel. It was the first book that I have read by this author. Her research for this book was quite thorough and detailed. It took place in Nash County, North Carolina just before the onset of the Civil War and then during the long, hard and violent years that the war was fought. Even though it took place during the Civil War, When the Jessamine Grows was more about one very strong woman’s determination to stay true to her convictions. I listened to the audiobook of When the Jessamine Grows by Donna Everhart that was well narrated by Tiffany Morgan. When the Jessamine Grows was well written and kept me immersed throughout.
Joetta and Ennis McBride owned a small farm in Nash County, North Carolina. They lived on the farm with their two sons Henry and Robert. Their farm, unlike many of the plantations in North Carolina, was self sufficient. Joetta, Ennis and their two sons worked in the fields to harvest their crops. They had some animals as well. Unlike many of their neighbors, the McBride’s did not own slaves. They performed the work that was required of them themselves. Therefore, when talk began to circulate about the possibility of war and succession, Joetta and Ennis McBride remained neutral on the issue of what side they supported.
Ennis’s father, Rudean, lived in a separate cabin on the property. Rudean was a stout believer in all that the confederacy stood for. He supported the confederacy and let everyone know it. Rudean shared his beliefs and convictions with his grandsons. Henry and Robert listened eagerly to his grandfather’s stories and news that he heard from his trips into the town about the real possibility for war. At fifteen, Henry was very impressionable. He listened to the stories that Confederate soldiers told him as they passed by his family farm. Between his grandfather’s stories and the information Henry gathered from the soldiers passing through, Henry was determined to sign up. He left the farm one night without telling anyone his plans. He took off in the middle of the night. Henry was determined to become a soldier for the Confederacy. He simply disappeared one night. Joetta was distraught when she realized what her oldest son had done. She tried very hard to persuade Ennis to go after him and bring Henry home but Ennis believed that the army would make Henry come home. He was just too young to volunteer. Each passing day that Henry remained missing was more than Joetta was able to tolerate. Finally, Ennis agreed to go after Henry, find him and bring him home. Weeks went by though and neither Ennis nor Henry returned. Ennis had also signed up. Joetta and her younger son, Robert, were left to run the farm. Now Joetta had to worry for the safety of her husband and her son.
Even though all of Joetta’s friends and neighbors had taken the stance to support the Confederacy, Joetta remained neutral. She and Ennis owned no slaves so the war that was being fought did not affect her and her farm. As Joetta openly expressed her neutrality, her neighbors began to mistrust her, shun her and warn her that by not supporting the Confederacy she was committing an act of treason. When either Confederate soldiers or Union soldiers found their way to Joetta’s farm, she treated them the same. Joetta provided food and water to any soldiers passing through. As the war progressed, Joetta found that she had to take precautions to keep herself and her family safe. Although she never wavered from her convictions, she became less vocal and kept her thoughts to herself. Through this journey, Joetta discovered who her real friends were. There were not very many of them.
I really admired Joetta’s courage and determination to stick to her convictions. She was such a strong woman with an unbending attitude about what she believed was right. Even when threatened, Joetta did not back down from her convictions. I really enjoyed how her and her younger son, Robert’s relationship, evolved over time. I even came to like Rudean by the end of the book. He was not very nice to Joetta during most of the book but he did come around near the end. The relationship Joetta forged with young Charlie was really special as well. Although she discovered Charlie on her property wearing a Union uniform, she did not see the uniform. Joetta saw a young, scared and frightened boy. Everyone else saw a Union spy. To Joetta, he was a boy, just a boy who needed help.
When the Jessamine Grows by Donna Everhart was about a very sad time in the history of the United States. It spoke about family, loyalty, trust, friends, staying true to one’s beliefs and convictions, betrayals and the treatment of others. I really enjoyed Joetta’s character. She was so strong, level headed and determined. This was the first book that I read by Donna Everhart but I will look forward to reading more books by her, both older ones and new ones. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of When the Jessamine Grows and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Tantor Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of When the Jassamine Grows by Donna Everhart through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Happy Publication: When the Jessamine Grows
Stars: 4 x 5
Author: Donna Everhart @donnaeve2
Publisher: Kensington Books. @kensingtonbooks
Thank you @netgalley for the Audio ARC
This year I decided to read different genres. I am so glad I picked this beautiful book.
Ennis and Jetta, the McBrides own a small farm in North Carolina. They have two sons, Henry is 15 and Robert is 11. They are pretty self sufficient on the farm and keep to themselves.
There is talk of an impending war. Ennis’ father Rudean considers himself a confederate and keeps filling the boy’s head, especially Henry’s, with tales of adventures. Henry decides to run off and join the cause. Soon after this Ennis
heads out to find Henry leaving Joetta, Robert and Rudean at the farm. Ennis being unable to find Henry enlist hoping this will allow him to possibly have a better advantage of finding him. Joetta tries to stay true to herself by not taking sides but this does not go well. Joutta devises a plan to pretend to be a conferate sympathizer so things may run smoother. As time passes by Joetta, Robert and Rudean survive, barely, life is a struggle but they will make it. . Most of her neighbors still are not friendly nor are the townsfolk.
I won’t delve much more into the book as I do not want to give anything away. This was one book that surprised me so much as I read it. It was written beautifully.
The narrator TIffany Morgan, did a wonderful job with the narration of the book.
I loved this so much that I ordered a few copies to give away to my family member.
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The background is set to a small town in North Carolina on the heels of the Civil War. Joetta and her husband Enis have a small farm where responsibilities are shared with their two sons and Enis' father. Their son Henry decides he wants to be a part of the war and takes off in the middle of the night to join the cause. Enis and Joetta are devastated by this because neither believe the war is worth all of the commotion it is getting. Enis decides to also go join, but only to find Henry and bring him home. Enis leaving is hard for Joetta to bear because it leaves her tending to the farm. She is also seen as an outsider due to her being vocal over not picking a side for the war.
Left almost on her own Joetta must keep things going to provide for her family. Things start to get tighter and harder once the war rages on. The rations are limited. Money is scarce. The obstacles are mounting up, especially when the soldiers come to the farm to claim stake on what they think is owed to them.
Overall, I did enjoy the read. It was nice to read something of historical fiction that is not set around World War 2. I did think the middle was overly filled with things that did not add value to the story. It was a little too much filler. The ending was semi-problematic and left some unanswered questions.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
Donna Everhart's writing style never fails to capture my imagination and transport me to a different time and place and Southern fiction is definitely her sweet spot. The characters are well-developed and the history well researched. Joetta is strong in her convictions and fights to save her farm and keep their neutrality while war is raging around them. I appreciated the attention to detail and could see the story as it played out in my mind's eye. This thought-provoking novel with stay with me for a while. The audiobook is very well done and a great way to enjoy this story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Tiffany Morgan who does a good job.
This is the first Civil War historical fiction tale that I have read and I really enjoyed it. We meet the McBride family on their farm. For Joetta McBride life is good and peaceful, that is as long as she can keep her father-in-law from planting ideas of war of the North in her 2 sons' minds. As far as Joetta and her husband are concerned, they will not take sides in a war they want no part of. But when their oldest son disappears in the middle of the night, and her husband chases, desperate to find him, their family is suddenly forced into the fray.
This was such a well written story about a period in history that I have not read a lot about. The characters were well developed and period accurate. The story had lots of color, twists and suspense. Overall, a great read!
When the Jassimine Grows
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this book. I enjoyed that it was written about a different war & time in our
United States history. You will fall in love with the characters. It's sad the conflict that our country was in during the Civil War. So many people had to pick sides & didn't want any part of it. This is my first time with the Author. I can't wait to read her other books!
Thank you for a great book & the opportunity to read it!
Thanks are due to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for an ARC of this audiobook, read by Tiffany Morgan.
Donna Everhart has established herself as a leading author of historical fiction set in the American South. This novel, set in rural North Carolina during the Civil War (1860-65), actually begins while the war drums are still only beating in the distance. Even before the nation is torn in two, with the south upholding the Confederacy and the right to own slaves, and the North backing the Union, Abraham Lincoln and emancipation, the question of loyalty was already dividing families and neighbours.
The story is told through the perspective of farm wife and mother Joetta McBride. With her husband Ennis, whom she calls ‘the love of my life,’ Joetta devotes herself to raising two sons, 15 year old Henry and 12 year old Robert, taking care of her cantankerous father-in-law, Rudean, and working constantly to maintain the family’s livelihood in subsistence farming. She and Ennis take pride in doing their own work and providing for their family and are not tempted by the greater riches and leisure promised by large land holdings worked by slaves.
Although he had always been a subsistence farmer himself, Rudean McBride seems to have relied on his wife and son to do all the work. He is lazy, thoughtless and highly opinionated. He tries, unsuccessfully, to persuade his son to buy more land and use slaves. He clashes constantly with his respectful but outspoken daughter-in-law. When rumours of secession heat up, he fully and loudly backs the Confederacy and war between the states and derides all who don’t follow suit. Most of his neighbours do.
The neutral stand that Ennis and Joetta advocate is equivalent to disloyalty and treason to Rudean and most of the other townspeople. Henry is also inflamed by the war talk and runs away to enlist even before war is declared. Joetta persuades Ennis, who argues that Henry should learn the consequences of impetuous support for things he does not fully comprehend, to go find him. A few months later he writes to tell her that he has enlisted as the likeliest way of locating their son.
The problem is that no one has any clue exactly how deep and how extensive those consequences will be. This family development, as much as the war itself, marks the beginning of the end of ‘how things were’ for a great many in and beyond the McBride household.
Everhart tells a story that plausibly captures what the war did on the domestic level, to the women, children and elderly left behind. It was a long and brutal battle, in terms of casualties, deaths, brutality, on and off the battlefield. As Joetta refuses to give up her neutrality and declare her support, she becomes increasingly aware that living up to her own moral principles is also a casualty of war. The sympathetic warn her, while saying they admire her courage, that neutrality now means disloyalty and urge her to ‘play along.’ Robert, the son to whom she was closest, becomes distant and even estranged from her. Bad things start to happen as war fuels anxiety, suspicion and despair. As the seasons turn without and end to hostilities, hunger, disease, and revenge against the perceived traitors mount.
Joetta’s story is moving, as she faces her losses stoically and refuses to give in to despair, despite its pull. Her resolute adherence to the rightness of her stand no matter its.effects for her and her loved ones is admirable, showing the strength and doggedness of women and how hard they struggled to protect their families in this perilous time. There are times, however, when her insistence on publicly declaring her moral right to her stand seems naive and foolish, endangering the very people she would willingly die to protect. She is neither, making her various declarations seem unlikely given her character. They sound like the kind of adolescent defiance that so pains her in her sons, who at least are adolescents. It was teenage Henry’s defiance that actually kicked off the family’s travails. I can’t help but think a quiet neutrality, which would still earn her scorn and isolation, would have allowed the eminently sensible Joetta to remain true to herself while sparing them many terrible losses.
The story ends with the war’s end, and the McBrides make a very difficult decision. Like many others who wanted only to leave behind bad memories and start fresh, they take up the challenges of starting fresh. With the few things they have left to them, they pack a cutting of the jessamine bush that seemed indestructible, surviving all misfortune. I won’t say any more about who goes or where they are heading, but the threads that remain to be tied suggest an excellent sequel. As it stands, it’s a heartfelt tale, well-told.
Joetta and her husband have carved a nice life out of their farm and family. But when the Civil War breaks out, their lives change drastically.
It has been quite a while since I have read a book set in this time period. This used to be my JAM! No idea why I got away from it. But, this book has reeled me back in. This story is a bit of a different take on the Civil War. Most of the novels are about slavery, starvation and the war. This book is more about how someone was treated in the south if they did not choose a side.
Joetta is very staunch in her beliefs. And she pays for it in more ways than one. She loses her son, her crops and her friends. She hangs in there through all the drama but it takes a toll.
This story will have your emotions all over the place. One minute you are near tears, the next you are terrified. But the love of family shines through!
The narrator, Tiffany Morgan, is great! Her pacing is perfect!
Need a tale you will not soon forget…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
This book release January 23, 2024.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I am so appreciative to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this beautiful novel. This one was exactly as other reviews have stated. It was beautiful and sad, the characters are complex and written so well, the imagery of pre-civil war North Carolina and Joette’s life was amazing. I didn’t know how to rate this, as it felt like a 5 star read right from the beginning, but I also felt something was missing. In the end I realized nothing was missing and just because it didn’t end the way it thought it would, did not make it less than a 5 star read. I loved this story and the cast, even the ones you wanted to hate. I will absolutely recommend this book.
Donna Everhart is a first read author for me. The historical fiction that she writes about usually introduces me to a time period with which I am unfamiliar. She builds characters that you fall in love with and hope the best comes to them. This one is no different! Set as soldiers volunteer in the Civil War, this one is sharing how one feels a loss of control but a sense of loyalty to their loved ones. Very well executed. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC, and all thoughts are my own.
I found this book profoundly interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever read a Civil War book from a perspective of a neutral party and how that person handled living during the time.
I enjoyed the narrator but the content was the best part of the audiobook experience for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio & Donna Everhart for an audio arc of When the Jessamine Grows in exchange for an honest review.
Historical fiction is not my favored genre. In fact, I only have a few authors I will read historical fiction from & Donna Everhart is one of them.
I absolutely LOVED this book. Like I LOVE loved it!
This book was so atmospheric that I felt I was living in the U.S. Civil War time period. Everhart's descriptions of literally everything were so vivid that I could feel it, see it, smell it.
I shed tears for Joetta and the McBride family on multiple occasions, as well as outrage and joy. This was a very moving story about being true to yourself and STAYING true to yourself - not giving in to "peer pressure."
With Joetta & her husband Ennis choosing to stay neutral during the Civil War, but definitely not backing the South, while living in a Confederate state, life was made extremely difficult for Joetta, her son Robert & Mr. McBride (Ennis' father), even though Mr. McBride was hardcore in favor of the Confederacy. All the while, Joetta was dealing with not knowing the fate of her eldest son her ran away to join the military and the loss of the her husband, her beloved love of her life. But, not matter the repercussions of her choice (even the alienation of her younger son, Robert), Joetta refused to back down from her beliefs, morals & values. She stood strong & true during the worst of times.
This story was EVERYTHING! It is another masterpiece by Donna Everhart & a full 5-Star read. I will absolutely be promoting this title on my IG and recommending it to everyone I know.
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) A reminder about 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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This was compelling historical fiction. My heart broke for the McBride family time and time again. I have a lot of respect for Joetta who stood her ground and held firm to her beliefs regardless of the consequences. It’s easy to say you stand for something but a lot harder to demonstrate it when such painful things continue to happen in retaliation. Even though I’ve read a lot about the Civil war this book shed light on different perspectives and I devoured it.
Josetta McBride may live in North Carolina with her husband and sons, but that doesn’t mean she supports the south seceding from the Union. Her father in law, feels differently, and tells Josetta’s oldest son, Henry, stories about the glories of war. When Henry runs away to join up to fight with the south, she sends her husband to bring him home. But they don’t return, and Josetta finds herself increasingly at odds with her family and community. I really liked this story about an ordinary woman caught up in the machinations of power hungry men, who cared only about money and their own over inflated egos
I was intrigued by this less popular topic of a woman with neutral views during the Civil War. Surely many in regions, like this North Carolina setting, had similar struggles since fathers, sons, brothers and friends were divided between their loyalties to the Confederacy and Union. We come to meet Joetta and her family embattled in their choices between the two, largely misunderstood by their community. I am not a fan of stories that project our modern ideals and culture into a time period in the past where most did not share our same views. I felt Everhart did a good job with this dilemma and just presented a picture of what a realistic, common farming family might have gone through as Southerners. As the storyline builds, Joetta stays true to herself and her morals, not changing with her circumstances, except to become stronger. I was rooting for her, which is something I look for in a good character. Thanks to @Netgalley for the early read (audiobook for me)...it is one that will stick with me!