I was not familiar with this author, so I figured this would be a good way to learn about her writing. I loved this novella. Now I can't wait to read the Appalachian Blessings series. I thought the author did a great job and depicting some town USA. I really loved the characters. She gives us a little bit of everything. The nosy older aunts, the not so nice girl gone bad, our main character Delilah and the hero you can't help but pull for. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially if you are not familiar with Sarah Loudin Thomas. She does an excellent job. ( )

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this novella. But let me tell you, it is more than worth the “price” – especially since it’s free!

I would happily BUY a copy of this if it ever becomes available in paperback – not that I’m unhappy with the eBook… I really enjoy having a REAL book in my hands when I’m reading!


Especially a GREAT BOOK!

If “Miracle in a Dry Season” - the next book in this series, is anywhere as well-written as “Appalachian Serenade”, I will be a very happy woman!

Sarah Loudin Thomas does not write as if this is her first (actually it might be her second, I’m not entirely certain) book!


WOW!

Her characters are vivid and colorful and there is the perfect amount of description to give you a clear picture of them.

And the story is absolutely beautiful! Sarah does a novella right! She gives us enough of a lead-in that we don’t feel like we’re being rushed through. And there are enough pages to give a decent story arc!


BRAVO Sarah!

I don’t know about you but I can not wait to read “Miracle in a Dry Season”!
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When 33-year-old widow Delilah Morrissey comes back home to Wise, West Virginia to live with her sister Charlotte, husband Ed and daughter Perla, she’s not the happiest person. Her husband of 14 years has recently died but his disastrous handling of their money has left her penniless. She had a good job in Chicago but it’s 1945, the war has recently ended, and her job has been given to a returning soldier. When she overhears Ed grousing to Charlotte about her being an imposition, she determines to help out in any way she can.

Robert Thornton, upper-30s bachelor, owns the general store in Wise. He loves chatting with his customers but his garrulous manner doesn’t make for efficiency when it comes to serving people quickly and he can’t seem to keep good help. Pretty Delilah catches his eye when she makes her first trip into town. She aids a fellow female customer and her intuitive advice has Robert daydreaming about how great her presence would be for business.

A donkey-drawn pony cart, lots of misunderstandings between these middle-aged singles, plus the reappearance of Robert’s old flame, newly separated but now with four kids in tow, add spice and humor to this historical romance novella.

Delilah and Bob’s decisions are molded by their faith and their romance is thoroughly chaste (in other words, no hot-and-heavy love scenes).

Appalachian Serenade by Sarah Loudin Thomas is a prequel to her first full-length book, Miracle in a Dry Season, which picks up the story of Delilah’s niece Perla in 1954. As of this writing, Appalachian Serenade is a free Kindle download at Amazon.com. (It also contains the first few chapters of Miracle in a Dry Land, Book 1 in the Appalachian Blessings series, which I actually enjoyed more than Appalachian Serenade. Miracle in a Dry Season is scheduled to release in early August 2014.)

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Appalachian Serenade is a pre-qual to another book by Sarah Loudin Thomas, A Miracle in a Dry Season, that I have read and reviewed earlier this year. In the novella, you meet Perla Long when she's only fifteen and Casewell Phillips as a young man. The main characters in this short story are Robert Thornton and Delilah Morrissey.

Delilah and her sister Charlotte grew up in the hills of West Virginia. While her sister stayed in the area after she married, Delilah and her husband went to live in Chicago. Now, more than a dozen years later, Delilah is back after her husband's death. She is living with her sister, brother-in-law, and her niece Perla in the little town of Wise. Besides being a companion for Perla, she has no idea what to do with her life. But then she found a job working in the local General store. She felt life held some promise after all, that is until Ed's employers, the railroad company, planned to transfer him somewhere else. Delilah was faced with a decision. Should she move with her family, or stay in Wise?

Years ago, Robert Thornton took over ownership of his father's business, the General store. Robert loved his work and the opportunity to socialize with his patrons, who were more like family to him than customers. But he was frustrated because sometimes he was so busy he didn't have time to talk as much as he wanted to. So when Delilah Morrissey inquired one day if he needed help, he hired her on the spot. Before long, he couldn't imagine how he operated the store's business without a woman's touch. She nearly doubled his business. But more importantly, he was attracted to the widow. His yearning for her grew stronger the longer she worked for him. He wondered if she returned his feelings. One hindrance stood in the way of pursuing a relationship with Delilah; he had a secret that has kept him from marrying anyone these past years. He didn't know how she would react if she knew about it. At the very least, he didn't want to lose her friendship.

This is a sweet romance of two mature people beyond their 30's. The novella is short and only took me a few hours to read. I have already read Miracle in a Dry Season, and was delighted to have an opportunity to review this story and get the chance to get some background on Robert and Delilah. They play a major role in Book 1 of the Appalachian Blessings series.

One of the things I like about this tale is how well it complements the theme of community we find in the first story. Robert's store was already a hub of activity in his small town. When Delilah became part of the community again, she fit right in. She regained her sense of family and her participation further endeared her to the many customers she came in contact with. The ending of this romance was not really much of a surprise.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ( )

APPALACHIAN SERENADE by Sarah Loudin Thomas
This novella introduces you to some of the characters in MIRACLE IN A DRY SEASON. Delilah. the main character here is also a character in Miracle. Charlotte, her sister, and Charlotte’s husband Ed and daughter Perla, also appear. The other major character is shop owner Robert .
APPALACHIAN SERENADE tells the love story of Delilah and Robert. The tale is pretty straight forward and the end of the love story ambles to its natural conclusion. The real purpose of the novella is to give you the back story of the characters in MIRACLE. It does the job very nicely with a tiny bit of foreshadowing of a main conflict in MIRACLE.
A quick read that will entice you to read MIRACLE IN A DRY SEASON.
4 of 5 stars ( )