The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham is a sequel to Laurel’s Dream. I love, love, love this series and have looked so forward to reading Jebediah McAdams story. A reader is never sure if the next book will live up to the first, but I can say without reservation The Heart of the Mountains is fabulous.

What I Liked about The Heart of the Mountains

The characters, just like in the first book, are so rich and delightful. Jeb has a wounded soul from his time in the war. Cora Taylor has endured her own war time horrors and this shared experience bonds them. And, quiet, sensitive Jeb and adventurous, strong-willed Cora share a desire to help other people.

The secondary characters bring the mountain world to life. I’m reminded of my grandparents, who weren’t from the Appalachian area, but they sure sounded like it. My grandmother used “seed” and “heared” all the time, so Basham brings back memories of my own family.

Also, I think Basham shows while people may not have a lot of education that doesn’t mean they aren’t smart. Granny Burcham has great wisdom about herbs and folk medicine and Cora recognizes she can learn much from her. And Jeb’s mother, Caroline, is wise about matters of the heart and soul.

Finally, there is humor sprinkled throughout that helps to lighten the story, which is a bit darker than any other book I’ve read by Basham.

What You’ll Like about The Heart of the Mountains

If you enjoy stories full of surprises, you’ll like this story. That’s not to say it’s a big mystery or super suspenseful, but there are some twists and turns that are unexpected.

The Heart of the Mountains also has a lot of spiritual wisdom regarding loss. There are so many wonderful quotes in this book that make you think about God and His love. “‘We trust that God’s love for us and the people we’ve lost is even bigger than ours for them. And so, whatever He’s chosen for their lives is a much better plan than one we can imagine.’ But yet, she (Cora) knew the “whys” bowed to an understanding that if God took one of His own from such a broken world, it was a great mercy. A sweeter transition from a dark cold, and only fleetingly joyful place, to a world of ever-sweet.”

Final Thoughts

For me, The Heart of the Mountains is a book I’ll read again and again. I believe its message is timeless. It’s a beautiful story about God’s love and mercy to us if we’ll trust Him for our good. Laurel says it best, “It’s a wonder why it always takes a body so long to want God’s way over our own, ain’t it?” Yes, indeed.

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