These Blue Mountains + Giveaway

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel’s world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz’s name in a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda travels to the US. Her quest takes a shocking turn when, rather than Fritz’s body, his casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones thought he’d left that dark chapter behind when he helped bury Fritz Meyer’s coffin. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering yet captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. As they work together to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz’s fate, Hedda and Garland grow closer. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time while Hitler rises to power in Germany, she fears she’ll be forced to return home before she can put the ghosts of her past to rest.

My Review:

Exquisite storytelling. Compelling plot. Unexpected twists. A fascinating bit of unknown (to me anyway) history. Add in a little bit of a mystery and a whole lot of emotion and the result is the kind of story that keeps a reader’s attention right to the very last word.

There are so many intricate nuances in Hedda and Garland’s individual personal histories that bring depth and even intrigue into their story. It’s a slow burn romance that highlights the resiliency and courage of the human heart.

And I love the way the author built on the regional history, even incorporating real life people into the plot. This is the kind of read that piqued my curiosity and led to many online forays which turned ‘These Blue Mountains’ into a truly immersive read for me. I even uncovered a documentary at my library that added so much to my ‘reading’ experience. (I kept looking for Hedda in the old photographs though!)

This was another audio book for me and I loved Pilar Witherspoon’s superb narration. Her capacity to create distinctive voices for a multitude of characters as well as delivering a myriad of emotions enriches the author’s storytelling and makes for an exceptionally satisfying ‘read’.

My thanks to RB Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of These Blue Mountains,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 5 2025

39 thoughts on “These Blue Mountains + Giveaway”

  2. WOW! You’re review brought THESE BLUE MOUNTAINS to life leaving a great desire to read it. I’ve already added it to my Goodreads want to read list. Love when an author not only brings the page to life, but leaves one with the great desire to read the next page – then the next – then the next.

    Thank you for the wonderful chance to win a copy!

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  3. I receive the author’s newsletter and was somewhat familiar with this new release, but your review sounds wonderful! Might this be the best book she has written thus far? Her books usually have a special touch in regard to history or characters. Thanks!

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    1. It’s all the not as well known historical details that I find so fascinating. You think you know history and then…surprise! As to this one being her best book….that’s hard for me to say. Definitely up there. I do have a soft spot in my heart for her debut novel though, Miracle in a Dry Season — there’s something so magical about that story so I still think it’s my favourite. Good luck, CC!

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      1. I loved Miracle, too, as it did have a magical quality to it – plus helping others in sometimes negative and challenging circumstances. I have that book on my “keeper shelf”! Regarding this release, it seems we don’t hear as much or have as many either fiction or nonfiction about WWI era.

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  10. This one sounds so intriguing. I read These Tangled Threads this spring and fell in love with her writing. Thanks Kav!

    sarahdar0801ATgmailDOTcom

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  12. I hadn’t heard about this book until your review posted today. I’m definitely adding this to my TBR list. Wow, this sounds like a truly captivating read! Thanks for sharing this with us, Kav!

    Alison Boss
    nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com

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  16. I’m a big fan of Sarah’s books and have them all on my shelf. I loved These Blue Mountains from the lovely cover to the last page. No need to enter me in the giveaway since I have a copy.

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  18. Ohhhhh….awesome review! I’ve read a couple of her books and they always have a lot of depth and her historical detail is awesome.  I really need to read her debut at your recommendation.

    perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com

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