Song of Sourwood Mountain Review

(From Goodreads)

While the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean’s hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher–until Gordon Covington shows up. No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that. And all at once the doors that had seemed firmly shut begin to open, just a crack.

With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who will end up becoming the family she always dreamed of.

My favorite—and most important—aspect of this story was the focus on relying on God to provide direction and for their needs. Mira, Gordon, and Ava June each had strong desires that seemed impossible in their current trying circumstances. Despite many difficulties and closed doors to those dreams, each one learned and chose to trust in God. Their faith in a period I can’t hope to understand is an inspiring reminder when I am discouraged by the challenges I face.

Although I would have loved to get to know them even better, I enjoyed the first-person perspectives from Mira, Gordon, and Ava June. I had a deeper understanding of each character that made me feel for their struggles—and want to see that their desires are met. The unique ways  God answered their deepest prayers in this story were very satisfying and heart-warming. It was also a refreshing reminder that our requests are not always answered how we would choose, but God knows best what we truly need. The resilience of hope and faith, in the face of many struggles, is something that will stay with me for a long time.

As with many of the books I read, my main disappointment with “The Song of Sourwood Mountain” is that I wanted more to read. I certainly wanted to hear more from each of our main characters, and with all of the build-up at the beginning, their respective story resolutions seemed somewhat short-ended. I was also somewhat uncomfortable with the way Mira seemed coerced into a new role as teacher and wife without much time or choice. I do understand that this represents a different time, and did appreciate that she chose to move forward herself in faith. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this story and will be looking forward to others by Ann H. Gabhart.

• Historical fiction
• Faith-filled stories
• God-created families