The Gold in These Hills - by Joanne Bischof (Paperback)

The Gold in These Hills by Joanne Bischof is the first novel I’ve read by this author, and I was completely blown away by the depth of this dual-time novel. I have come to love this genre, especially when the two timelines are intricately woven together. In this story, the characters are separated by a hundred years yet they are bound together not only by a historical farmhouse but by common hardships of heartache and rebirth. Much like Johnny, I was captivated by Juniper and her struggles in the early 1900s. I could feel her strength, her determination to persevere at all cost, and yet I could also see how fragile her strength was. The author did such a beautiful job of creating vibrant and layered characters and drawing you to them. The many characters in this story (past and present) stayed with me even when I’d set my e-reader down. This story deals with heavy, difficult topics, and yet it is beautiful from start to finish in how it shows the characters facing each difficulty head-on and forcing themselves to adapt, to keep living beyond each moment of trial. Any Christian historical fiction fan will enjoy this story because of the history woven in both timelines. And all fans of dual timeline novels will enjoy Juniper and Johnny’s story. Just be prepared to feel a full spectrum of emotions as Joann Bischof whisks you into the story. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

In this time slip novel, Joanne Bischof weaves a tale of love, loss, and ghost towns. The Gold in These Hills is beautifully written, lyrical without being wordy, and full of emotion. Both of the timelines will draw you in and have you falling in love with the characters. And the setting will have you googling mining ghost towns. Sad to think of an entire town completely torn down with barely anything left to even recognize it was there at all. People lived there, loved there, lost there, spent years of their lives there...and it can all be gone in a few decades of time. Makes you realize just how much of our lives really are just a vapor in the wind! This book will have you examining many aspects of life and the imprint that we leave. Very, very well done! I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This lovely story centers around Juniper Cohen's life in the early 1900s and Johnny Sutherland's in contemporary times. Both lived in the same place, both searched for hope and God's presence. The patient reader will also discover hope and will find encouragement in Juniper and Johnny's stories. I say the patient reader because this novel moves at a slow pace, and it took me a bit to become comfortable with the author's rhythm. Maybe that is part of this book's purpose, both in story and pace the reader is reminded to notice their blessings and to attend to God's presence rather than to allow the pace of life to blind them to those things; this awareness being the true treasure in our lives. I am grateful to have received a complementary copy of The Gold in These Hills from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.