Orchard of Hope - (Heart of Hollyhill) by Ann H Gabhart (Paperback)

About the Book

When a new family moves into the close-knit community of Hollyhill during the summer of 1964, everything
is about to change.

Book Synopsis

Before Ann H. Gabhart's much-loved Shaker novels and her popular Angel Sister became bestsellers, she wrote three poignant novels centered on the lovable Jocie Brooke and her family, who live in small-town Kentucky. In Orchard of Hope it is 1964, and 14-year-old Jocie Brooke is about to have an unforgettable summer. Her father has found a new love, her hippie sister is about to have a baby, and her aunt is finally a pleasure to live with. When a new black family from Chicago moves into the quiet hamlet of Hollyhill, Jocie finds herself befriending the people that some townsfolk shun. Due to the unspoken racial lines in this southern town, the presence of these newcomers sparks a smoldering fire of unrest that will change Hollyhill--and Jocie--forever.

Orchard of Hope, the riveting sequel to Scent of Lilacs, takes readers along to experience unexpected love, fear, forgiveness, new life, and a deeper understanding of the value of each individual's story.

From the Back Cover

The smoldering embers of unrest are stirring--and even Jocie's sweet spirit can't put them out.

It's already been an eventful summer for Jocie Brooke. Little does she know, things have only just begun to heat up. Drought has gripped the quiet Kentucky town of Hollyhill and it seems as if everyone is waiting--for rain, for a fresh start, for the next step toward the future.

Into this tense haze of anticipation comes a new family, aiming to make a better life for themselves by planting an orchard on the outskirts of town. Fresh off the freedom train, Alex and Myra Hearndon are sensitive to what the color of their skin may mean in the segregated South. And even though Jocie quickly befriends the family, suspicion from both sides of the racial divide proves a formidable obstacle. Can Jocie help bridge the gap? Or will life in her quiet community fall apart at the seams?

Bestselling author Ann Gabhart invites you back to Hollyhill for a gripping tale of unexpected friendship, forgiveness, and the bright promise of a new beginning.

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several novels, including Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, and Scent of Lilacs. She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Find out more at www.annhgabhart.com.

About the Author

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several Shaker novels--The Refuge, The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted--as well as other historical novels, including Angel Sister, These Healing Hills, River to Redemption, and An Appalachian Summer. She and her husband live on a farm a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Ann enjoys discovering the everyday wonders of nature while hiking in her farm's fields and woods with her grandchildren and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.