Worie Dressar is seventeen years old when influenza and dysentery ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1898, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie’s mother has been secretly feeding a number of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when she dies suddenly, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.
Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers–one greedy and the other a drunkard–Worie fights to save her home and the orphaned children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she will discover the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma’s children.
Storyteller and popular speaker Cindy K. Sproles pens a tender novel full of sacrifice, heartache, and courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles.
My Review:
published in 2020
Stunningly beautiful and thought provoking. In true storytelling tradition, Sproles creates a rich emotional tapestry of selfless love and abiding faith. And what a journey she takes us on to get there!
A compelling coming of age story with Worie as a flawed heroine full of grit and spunk but simmering with anger. She’s dealing with a tremendous amount of trauma, though back then it was just plain ol’ living in an Appalachian Mountain community. The author does a tremendous job with character growth – and not just in Worie, but a multitude of secondary characters as well – which made for such an enriching and inspiring read!
I really think that listening to the audio edition of this book enhanced the overall atmosphere and emotional depth of my ‘reading’ experience. Erica Sullivan’s narration is exceptionally good – the way she captures the personalities of all the characters and delivers the Appalachian dialect. Made for a compulsive listen.
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 What Momma Left Behind, 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 August 23 2025
Kav's Best Reads 
I absolutely loved it! The narrator is spot on.
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Yay! Another audio book fan! It was really well done. Happy reading (or listening), Tammy!
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I should have clarified that I am not entering since I have read it but I wanted to champion it for those that haven’t. The narrator is fantastic for an already fantastic story.
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this was a powerful story my book club loved. We heard the author speak she is adorable 🥰 No need to add my name Just wanted to give s shoutout for this author 🩷
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Love that you got to share with your book club. It would definitely make a great selection because there are so many talking points. And I especially love that you got to hear the author speak, that must have made the read extra special. Thanks for sharing, Nora!
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Haven’t read any of her books yet. This one sounds fantastic.
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Good luck, Kim!
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WHAT MOMMA LEFT BEHIND sounds like the type of book that is great reading regardless of the decade read in or the age of the reader surviving the test of time. In other words, my type of book. Knew I wanted to read it through the description, but your review had me adding this book to my TBR list. Can’t wait to read Worie’s story, see how she’s thrown into being a mature adult when those around her evidently aren’t and the setting of the Appalachian Mountain. Oh, and I must say I LOVE this author’s books!
Thank you for the chance to win a copy! I would love the opportunity to read it.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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You’re the one who turned me towards Cindy K. Sproles books’ books, Kay. I’ve only read two now but I intend to read more. Good luck!
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Sounds like one I would like, Kav. And I haven’t read any books by this author yet but have noticed her books before. Count me in! 🙂
ckbarker at gmail dot com
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Counted. Good luck, Cheryl!
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I want to read this book, it sounds right up my alley🥰
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Good luck, Elly!
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This does sound like a wonderful story, one that reminds us of how fragile life can be sometimes.
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It’s full of life wisdoms too which makes it such an enriching read. Good luck, Becky!
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From the comments that you and others have written, I would absolutely love to read this book.
cenyatwoathotmaildotcom
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Good luck, Marjorie!
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Another to add to my list!
manderley23 at gmail dot com
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We’ll never whittle down our wishlists this way! 🙂 Good luck, Kimmy!
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I loved this book. Let do the Virginia reel my book twin. 😂
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Yay — shall I lead or will you? Aaaannnnd off we go!!!!!
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This is another one that got away!
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
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I’m trying to catch up on my ‘got aways’ but I think it’s a lost cause! Good luck, Trixi!
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LOL, I know mine is a lost cause!!! 😂
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I haven’t read any books by this author yet, but it sounds like one I’d love to add to my list. Sandyavery at comcast dot net
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This is just my second book by Cindy K Sproles but I’ll definitely be reading more. She has a magical storytelling style. Good luck, Sandy!
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I have read other books set in the Appalachian Mountains and always enjoyed them. New author for me!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
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I’m always intrigued by Appalachian settings. Good luck, rubynreba!
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