Donna EverhartReviews

What an amazing historical fiction Donna Everhart has written in When The Jessamine Grows! This novel shows what links a very strong Southern woman, Joetta McBride, will go through to take care of her family during the turbulent time of the Civil War! You will be transported and see what the South and especially this North Carolina woman endures just to stay true to herself and to her family. As I read, I became so entrenched in the plight of Joetta who wants a simple farm life but has to change her ways so much throughout this war era. A very heartfelt and heartbreaking story of a very determined woman that kept me reading when I should have been sleeping or tending to household chores. Thanks Donna Everhart for another masterpiece read. You are definitely one of my favorite authors!

Happy Publication: When the Jessamine Grows
Stars: 4 x 5
Author: Donna Everhart @donnaeve2
Publisher: Kensington Books. @kensingtonbooks
Thank you @netgalley for the Audio ARC

This year I decided to read different genres. I am so glad I picked this beautiful book.

Ennis and Jetta, the McBrides own a small farm in North Carolina. They have two sons, Henry is 15 and Robert is 11. They are pretty self sufficient on the farm and keep to themselves.

There is talk of an impending war. Ennis’ father Rudean considers himself a confederate and keeps filling the boy’s head, especially Henry’s, with tales of adventures. Henry decides to run off and join the cause. Soon after this Ennis
heads out to find Henry leaving Joetta, Robert and Rudean at the farm. Ennis being unable to find Henry enlist hoping this will allow him to possibly have a better advantage of finding him. Joetta tries to stay true to herself by not taking sides but this does not go well. Joutta devises a plan to pretend to be a conferate sympathizer so things may run smoother. As time passes by Joetta, Robert and Rudean survive, barely, life is a struggle but they will make it. . Most of her neighbors still are not friendly nor are the townsfolk.

I won’t delve much more into the book as I do not want to give anything away. This was one book that surprised me so much as I read it. It was written beautifully.
The narrator TIffany Morgan, did a wonderful job with the narration of the book.
I loved this so much that I ordered a few copies to give away to my family member.

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A historical novel set in North Carolina during the Civil War, the story follows Joetta McBride, a strong and determined woman who opens her home and farm to soldiers from both the Confederate and Union sides. Despite the challenges and hardships she faces, Joetta remains neutral in a war that threatens to tear the nation apart.

Donna Everhart, one of the best historical Southern fiction authors you will ever find, gives us a protagonist who stays true to her convictions despite the many challenges she faces.

Most Civil War books I have read focused on plantation owners with large numbers of slaves. “When the Jessamine Grows” centers around the subsistence farmers, those who grew only enough to feed themselves and their livestock. They were not slave owners. This gave me an entirely new perspective on life during the Civil War.

I felt that Joetta McBride, the protagonist, was portrayed in a realistic manner. She managed an intricate juggling act to uphold her beliefs while keeping her family safe. A myriad of emotions swept through me as I devoured this book. The characters were so authentic. I could feel the love between Joetta and her husband, the crankiness of Mr. McBride (Joetta’s father-in-law), the obstinance of her older son Henry, and the moodiness of her younger son Robert. This is an excellent examination of family dynamics.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction and strong female characters.

I received an advance copy of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Donna Everhart just may be my new favorite author. This is just the kind of historical fiction I love. It’s hard to read a book set during a war due to the extreme hardship people suffer, but authors like Everhart make it easier when they give readers fully developed characters who grow with the story.

Main character Joetta McBride lives on a farm in North Carolina with her husband Ennis and her two sons. Her cantankerous father-in-law lives on the property and eats all his meals with the family.

I have to admit, at first I wanted Joetta to smack him and make him shut-up! He went on and on about the war and was a die-hard confederate, unlike his son Ennis and Joetta, who were neutral about the war. He glamorized soldiers to the point Jetta’s son wanted to join up and fight. Even though they were both too young, the older son ran off and joined.

As time went on, Ennis ends up fighting for the confederacy, leaving Joetta and their younger son to take care of the farm. Because North Carolina was a border state, there were many conflicting opinions about the war, but being a traitor to the cause was abhorrent.

Because Joetta wasn’t taking a side, she becomes labeled as a traitor and suffers many hardships because of it. In spite of that, she stands by her convictions. Her father-in-law also grows as a character throughout their experience, allowing Joetta to see a more positive side to him.

What I loved about the story was that it focused on the hardships of those at home and it did not gloss over some of the pain they suffered. The ending, while not perfect for Joetta, was one that left her full of hope for the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I loved the story and am happy to give my honest review and recommend this to other readers.

Joetta and her husband have carved a nice life out of their farm and family. But when the Civil War breaks out, their lives change drastically.

It has been quite a while since I have read a book set in this time period. This used to be my JAM! No idea why I got away from it. But, this book has reeled me back in. This story is a bit of a different take on the Civil War. Most of the novels are about slavery, starvation and the war. This book is more about how someone was treated in the south if they did not choose a side.

Joetta is very staunch in her beliefs. And she pays for it in more ways than one. She loses her son, her crops and her friends. She hangs in there through all the drama but it takes a toll.

This story will have your emotions all over the place. One minute you are near tears, the next you are terrified. But the love of family shines through!

The narrator, Tiffany Morgan, is great! Her pacing is perfect!

Need a tale you will not soon forget…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

This book release January 23, 2024.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I loved this book, it is one of those reads that you feel a loss when the last page is turned.
It is not an easy time, but the McBride family are self efficient, the year is 1861, North Carolina.
The author does such a great job with the characters in the story, and my mind was comparing the happenings in the 1930's Europe with what happens here.
Joetta is a very strong woman, she loves deeply, and really cares about others, but she is not a supporter of war. Not a popular thought at this time in the South, and we journey along with her as she experience the horrible hardships that the Civil War brings.
This is a story that made me want to offer help, I was there, but, of course, that is not possible!
I loved the author's notes, and when the last page was turned I wanted to continue on with this family!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.

This was such a good read! I just loved Joetta and all that she fought for and believed in for her family. Rumblings of a Civil War headed their way has the town closing sides and it is quickly made known which side they feel you should be on. Joetta, her husband and boys have always worked for everything they have and see no need to side one way or the other and try everything to keep to their own business. But war is war and soon they are in the midst of making hard decisions while the family is torn about by stories, beliefs and the opinion of others. This novel was such an interesting read in that Joetta was really stuck in the middle while everything around her was falling apart of dying and yet she persisted in what she believed was right and did all that she could to keep going. I really loved this storyline and family and it was a heartfelt read and I really felt I was there with Joetta as she fought and scrounged and lived each day hoping the war would end and things would return to as normal as normal could now be. Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite and to the author for the complementary novel. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

I've read other books by this author and loved this story as much as her other historical fiction books. I haven't read much about the Civil War, and this story focused on a part of the war I'd never thought about. People who were on neither side of the war and who wanted to remain neutral were mistreated because they didn't believe in the "cause."
In this story, we follow Joetta's emotionally and physically challenged world where all she wants is for her family to be safe, home on their simple farm, and stay out of the war. The author does a fantastic job of giving the reader a glimpse into the brutal, horrifying realities of the war for those both on and off the battlefield, and of the fine line people had to walk to appease those who weren't on the same side of the war.
Joetta endures about every trauma imaginable yet pushes on, focusing on loving her family and keeping them safe. And through the tragedies of war, this book shines a light on the kindness in humanity, the empathy, and the hope.

Loved this story! As with most historical fiction books I read, I'm amazed at what I learn. I never thought about how turpentine was made, but I have read other books that portray the work camps (harvesting whatever) that sucked the workers in and dug their claws in, making it nearly impossible for the workers to ever leave (thanks to having to buy everything through the camp store.)
In this book, we follow Rae Lynn Cobb, who is forced to leave her home after a tragedy, and disguise herself as a man.
There are some dark moments in this story, times where I was so angry at certain characters and felt so scared for others, that I had to remind myself this was fiction! What always resonates with me though, is the knowledge that it is somewhat based on fact, and that people suffered horrific living conditions just to survive.
The author does such a great job of sucking you in, I felt like I was in the scene, was a part of camp (and the farm later in the story,) part of the character's lives as they journey to build relationships, build a family of sorts, and persevere!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this wonderful historical fiction novel.

I won this treasured book in a giveaway and waited to read it until I was on vacation. It was worth the wait! You will learn so much about making moonshine that you may be tempted to start your own moonshine still. ;)
Jessie Sasser, the main character, is a teen you will instantly fall in love with. She's a broken soul, mourning the loss of her mother from years ago, and bitter about the moonshine business she's sure caused her momma's death.
Taking the blame out on her father (who has a day job but earns most of the family's money through moonshine) and her worthless aunt and uncle. Jessie and her younger brother, Merritt, each suffer from the family moonshine business, but he's more accepting of the "trade" his family has worked in for generations.
Not Jessie. It's one of the fuels igniting Jessie's eating disorder - something not diagnosed back in 1960.
This story has heart, and you "feel" the characters, especially Jessie. I loved Mrs. Brewer, who stepped in and cared for the children when they were in need the most. I can't wait to read more books by this author!

Historical Fiction of how a woman alone with a young son & elderly grandfather survives the civil war - she stands her ground of not choosing a side - faces the town against her - learns how to make do with as little as possible to feed her family - there are family issues -the small farm had all the animals stolen/crops destroyed - twist & turns that will keep you reading to see how each member does survive -

"The Saints of Swallow Hill" by Donna Everhart is only the second book I have read of hers and it was better than the first one I had read, which was great too. I was never much into Depression-era books, though I can remember stories my grandparents and great-grandparents told me. While my family was not from the same region, there were many similarities. I had heard of the "Tar Heel" state before but didn't have a clue. During the reading of the book, I looked up some information on this very thing and found the book to be accurate. It could have been a true story.

The book flowed great. It sparks a lot of emotion at times because you can feel what these characters are going through, which tells you that the character development is terrific. I suppose being a female today and reading about what certain women went through in those days, it could also make you feel blessed. I would also say that Everhart has a great propensity for descriptive writing. You can see what she is writing. When the book plays out in your mind like a movie, that is a sign that the author has done a wonderful job of setting the scene and describing it to the point of viewing it mentally. I love that about this book and so far the other I read too ("The Forgiving Kind").

If you love books that are full of hardships, friendships, full of descriptive writing, characters that you grow attached to, and a storyline that you could see as a movie, then it's a book that you should definitely read. I highly recommend it!

Donna Everhart's book, "The Forgiving Kind," was a difficult read but was well worth it. I was warned before I read it that it would be hard to read, not because of technical issues (written well), but because of the emotional aspect of the book. I don't read these kinds of books normally as it is reminiscent of parts of my life, but I felt it was time I could read this book. I am so glad that I did. This book is the second fastest book I've ever read in my 47 years of reading.

I loved the book because of the realism. I could see these characters as real people, painting a picture of each of them in my mind. The situation was all too real. In this way, it might feel like you know exactly what's going to happen, but that doesn't detract from the story at all.

I have a family that grew up anywhere from 1900 to the 1950s. Yes, I was lucky to nearly finish high school with my great-grandparents. I heard stories just as bad, and I believe this book is an accurate portrayal not just of the period, but also of the area in which it was set. This accuracy of the period only lends authenticity to the story. While I appreciate stories that draw attention to the issues of yesterday and even today, it's hard to read. It should be.

I believe the story flowed at a pace that is acceptable for the story. Any longer and it would have been too much, but any shorter and it wouldn't have felt as real. The relationship between the Creech siblings was typical of three-sibling families. I got a kick out of some of their antics. Though I only had one brother, we acted very similar in many instances. Daniel was a character that I read nearly instantly. It didn't take long to figure out what the issue was. You felt bad for Daniel in several different ways throughout the story. It is so hard to comprehend the actions that people have suffered and this story hits home for many people, of that I'm sure.

If you want to read a fictional story that sounds like real life and experience a wide range of emotions, then this book is definitely for you. I suggest everyone would get something out of this book even if you don't like it as much as I do.

3.5⭐️

Set in the depression-era South, The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart gives us a look into the turpentine industry and the people employed in the work camps around the pine forests. The story revolves around Rae Lynn Cobb and Delwood ‘Del’ Reese both of whom find themselves under the employ of the Swallow Hill work camp in Georgia. Del has a working knowledge of the trade, his parents having once worked in a similar camp when he was a child. However, before Swallow Hill, he was employed on a farm where his promiscuous misadventures with the wives of his boss and coworkers got him into trouble. Rae Lynn ,recently widowed under tragic circumstances, once ran a small-scale turpentine farm with her late husband . In an attempt to escape her previous life she on the run and ends up at the Swallow Hill camp. Disguised as a man “Ray Cobb” she seeks employment and is put to work with the rest of the men. She finds it difficult to keep up with the men in the labor intensive work required of the job, which places her in the crosshairs of Crow, one of the most vile overseers who also has an issue with Del on account of Del’s easy demeanor and fair treatment of all the workers in the camp, irrespective of the color of their skin. 'Ray' and Del meet and gradually become friends, with Del even saving 'Ray'’s life when Crow metes out particularly harsh punishment for Ray being unable to meet the requisite daily quota. The narrative alternates between Rae Lynn and Del’s PoVs and takes us through their backstories and describes the difficult working conditions in the camps and the cruelty that some of the overseers inflict on the workers. The story also explores racism and misogyny in both the workplace and society in general. The pace does falter in places but overall, the story is engaging.

I enjoyed Rae Lynn's story most of all. Her friendship with Cornelia “Nellie”, the wife of the abusive Otis who owns and operates the commissary in the camp, was one of the brighter tracks in what was mostly a dark and melancholic narrative. However, the romantic track between Del and Rae Lynn felt a bit forced and I felt Del’s story was left somewhat undeveloped. What is described as a significant moment in Del’s life, a moment that had a life-changing impact, is not explored in much depth and is mentioned only in passing in the latter part of the novel. But overall I did enjoy the story and was impressed with the writing. . This is a very well-researched novel with vivid imagery and a realistic portrayal of characters and their motivations. Heartbreaking yet insightful and informative, The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart tells a story of friendship, hope and survival in an era of economic hardship and societal injustice wherein one struggled to simply stay alive and earn a living under the most adverse conditions.
This was my first Donna Everhart novel and I look forward to reading more of her work.

It's always a happy day in my reading life to get a Donna Everhart book in my hands. She refers to herself as an author of Southern novels with authenticity and grit. I refer to her as one of my favorite authors of Southern historical fiction. I have read every book she's written and loved them all.

In rural North Carolina, the reality of the Civil War is beginning to hit close to home. The people in rural NC are staunch Confederate supporters and anyone who doesn't believe like they do is considered a traitor. Joetta doesn't pay much attention to the war talk. She and her husband and two sons live on a small farm and have a good life together. Joetta doesn't see any reason to take sides -- she wants to remain neutral because the war doesn't really affect them. Her father in law is a major believer in the war and his talk of battle, spurs Joetta's 15 year old son to sneak away one night to join with the Confederate soldiers. She's distraught and begs her husband to try to go find him. He decides the only way to find his son is to join the Army. With both gone, running the farm falls on Joetta and her 11 year old son. She literally worked from sun up to sun down trying to keep the farm running. She's totally exhausted and isn't getting any help because she is seen as a traitor by her neighbors. She still wants to remain neutral and despite the fact that her husband and son are fighting with the confederate army, she is seen as a traitor because of her beliefs. Will she and her son be able to keep the farm running until the war ends and hopefully, her husband and son return?

Joetta is really a strong and resilient woman. Even before she was running the farm, she worked all day taking care of her house and garden and animals and her family. Once her husband and son were gone, she worked even harder. But to me her real strength was in her beliefs that the real reasons for the war didn't affect her and her family. She clung strongly to her beliefs despite the negative reactions from the local people who considered her to be a traitor. She is a character that I won't soon forget.

As usual, the author did a lot of research and I learned a lot about how much work it was to keep a farm running during this time. Joetta's day would exhaust anyone in the modern world. I read a lot of historical fiction and many of the books I read are about wars -- when countries fought other countries. This book about the Civil war was a good reminder of what it was like when people in the same country turned against each other. Another fantastic book from an amazing author.

Nothing special except for some basic detail on how turpentine was harvested during the Great Depression. Men mistreating wives; white bosses mistreating their mostly-Black workers; an LGBTQ character thrown in.

I just rated Where the Crawdads Sing and here's another book set in 1950's North Carolina with a young female protagonist but a very different story. Twelve year old Martha 'Sonny' Creech is a cotton farmer's daughter with a gift for water divination. When her father suddenly dies, she and her mother and brothers need to find a way to make ends meet. Enter Frank fucking Fowler (I added the middle name), the wealthy neighbour from the farm next door who offers to help them out... But at what cost?

The story is told in first person by Sonny and Everhart has given her a strong, clear, and powerful voice. Although she sounds like a twelve year old at all times, with the confusion of that age, the fears, and the loss of her father she still manages to convey some very adult themes throughout.

While the book was fairly predictable (for me, anyway, but apparently I'm quite good at seeing things a mile away... Unless it's my own life in which case I'm knocked on my ass regularly), it was absolutely no impediment to my sincere enjoyment of watching the story unfold. I can even admit that there was one difficult scene in particular during which I had my hand over my mouth and found reading it downright gruelling. But that's only a credit to the powerful storytelling and my investment in the characters.

From her comfortable farm clothes to her tomboyish nature, and bright, inquisitive mind, Sonny definitely has a Scout-ness about her. The adult themes that are dealt with through her eyes also bring to mind that most famous of novels.

In the end, Everhart manages to tread well-trodden ground and still come up with a beautiful and fresh story. She tackles difficult subjects with grace and delicacy and has woven a tale which was well worth my time.

Tough subject. Believable point of view. Not sure why Dixie prayed to God for help so much when going to church was rare and she didn’t say good things about her religious aunt.

3.5 stars as it was a bit depressing.½

The Saints of Swallow Hill is a story about a young woman who had a very rough childhood and difficult adult life and her woman friend who had a tendency towards same sex love. In the 1930s the woman who loved women was shunned and pawned off to marry a man who was cruel to her. The story is very believable, and sad for both women. True happiness was at least discovered for one of the women. The book was awarded four stars and is highly recommended.

During the Depression, labor camps crop up on remote areas throughout America. Destitute workers live under terrible conditions. Trapped in these isolated places, workers are entirely dependent on the often greedy, abusive camp owners who provide food and housing at grossly inflated prices., Del, Raylynn, and Cornelia become united in the effort to leave the sordid place. (Good story but the ending is a little too pat.)½

Generations of Sassers have made moonshine in the Brushy Mountains of Wilkes County, N. Carolina. Their history is recorded in their leather-bound journal that belongs to Jessie Sasser’s daddy, but Jesse wants no part of it. As far as she’s concerned, it caused her momma’s death a dozen years ago. Her father refuses to speak of that day, but Jesse needs to know about the truth of her momma’s death. It compels her to food. Resenting her father’s insistence that moonshine runs in her veins, Jesse makes a plan to destroy the stills, using their neighbors as scapegoats. Instead, her plan escalates an old rivalry and reveals long -held grudges.½

I read another author's review of their book in which they gave themselves a five star rating, and they said something to the effect of, "of course I give my own work five stars because if I didn't believe in it, who else would?"

Amen to that.

I hope you will allow me this tiny bit of self-indulgence because what I really want to do is "talk" to all of you, the readers/reviewers who have been so kind thus far in taking time to leave your thoughts on this story. I also wanted to take up some space here to tell you how excited I am for everyone to get a chance to learn about what I believe is a bit of lost Southern history.

I'm from the Tar Heel state, and have heard the nickname Tar Heel all my life. However, this was usually related to the sports teams. Little did I know the background of how the name came to be, or what was involved. Consider Zora Neale Hurston's return to the American South during 1935, back to her hometown of Eatonville, and into the harsh environment of a turpentine camp to collect oral histories and music which became the anthropological work called Mules and Men. A camp much like my fictitious "Swallow Hill."

Through my work of fiction, I endeavored to convey the reality of this uncommon work, and to tell the story of those who labored under the majestic longleaf pines, who chanted and sang, who were born and raised in such environments, only to die without ever knowing anything else. While the work was brutal, many sought it out for the beauty and peace that could be found in the disappearing pine forest savannas.

It's true that I never write easy stories, however, I like to think I write honestly about troubles, worries, about souls lost, and then found. I write about hardships, friendships, honor, and truth. I hope to create characters you love to hate, and those you want to root for, cheering them on to The End.

For the rest of the readers who may have wandered over here to see what I had to say, I hope you will consider reading The Saints of Swallow Hill and if you do, that you will love the story as much as I do.

As always, happy reading!

This North Carolina Tar Heel State native, born and bred in the same house all of my 78 years, devoured the story of the long leaf pine and the saga of how the turpentine gum is produced back in the olden days in the book, The Saints Of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart. The characters, Rae Lynn, Del, and Cornelia, portrayed during the Depression in Georgia and North Carolina proved that even though life was brutal during this time, they could survive, overcome, and become stronger.
Donna Everhart's writing is informative, eye-opening, well-flowing, character-developing, and so rewarding to read! All her books are amazing reads!

As I closed this novel I thought of the quote by Rudyard Kipling..."If history were told in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten."

This is a story that I will remember and will come to mind whenever someone mentions the Depression era.

The time period of the novel is set in the Depression years and through the telling of the story by Del Reese and Rae Lynn Cobb we learn first-hand of the daily struggles of living. Through changes in their circumstances both have left North Carolina to meet in a turpentine camp called "Swallow Hill" in Georgia.

It is a story of friendship that conveys that some are willing to share what little they have with others. It is also a story that delineates the preference of some to live their lives holding power over others by bullying, threats, intimidation, exercising self-entitlement, and taking the utmost pleasure in causing unthinkable suffering. Above all, it is a story of resiliency of the human spirit seemingly against all odds in the midst of vile and despicable treatment.

I encourage all readers of the novel not to miss reading "The Author's Note" that supplies what sparked her creativity to write this novel and enhances understanding of this Southern industry. Her writing pays tribute to the past workers in this industry giving us insight particularly to their love of the peace and solitude of pine forests, and their sweat and toil of hard and endless days of labor. The depth of characterization makes us feel their great fortitude and the strength of their endurance as their hopes for a better life are tested time and again.

"A Reading Group Guide" at the end of the novel provides twelve (12) thought-provoking questions for book club discussions.

My special thanks to Between the Chapters Book Club from Kensington Publishing Corporation as a winner of a giveaway for this title. The opinions given in this review are my own.

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