Sugar Fork by Walt Larimore ~ review

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439141908
• ISBN-13: 978-1439141908

This book is also available as an e-book.

THIS CAPTIVATING STORY takes place in the Sugar Fork Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains wilderness during 1925–1926. Nate Randolph and his five unique daughters wrestle to survive after the death of Callie (his wife and their mother) as well as to maintain their farm, forests, family, and faith against an evil lumber company manager seeking to clear-cut their virgin woodland. A cast of delightful characters, including gypsy siblings, Cherokee Indians, a granny midwife, a world-famous writer, and even a flesh-and-blood Haint, join our heroine, sixteen-year-old Abbie Randolph, in her life-and-death struggle. Abbie falls in love for the first time, helps run the farm, and mothers her independent sisters while battling to preserve her faith when senseless murders threaten to destroy her family and way of life.

Will the Randolph family survive intact? Will the farm be saved? Only a miracle could make it happen.

With the march of the industrial age, especially industrial lumbering, the roaring twenties, Prohibition, the increasing momentum for a national park, and the onslaught of a modern world, trains, and radio communication, the traditional life and ways of our Southern Highlanders were about to change forever.

My take on this book:

At the age of sixteen Abbie Randolph is the oldest of Nate Randolph's five daughters,and considered one of the most eligible girls in the valley. She doesn't have a lot of time though, after the death of her mother she finds herself responsible for the tasks that her mother always did, including mothering her siblings,  in addition to that she has schoolwork to contend with, but when the sheriff's son comes calling will she be able to find time for him? Abbie's father is determined to keep the timber company from cutting lumber from his land, while trying to support his children. Life is far from easy, will this mountain family be able to survive and thrive as they protect their land?

Life on the Randolph farm isn't always easy, but like most mountain families the Randolph's are made of pretty sturdy stuff. The character of Abbie was great, she had so much responsibility in taking care of her family. I enjoyed watching Abbie's character grow and change as the story progressed. 

To say that I loved this book is an understatement! A story that takes place in the Great Smoky Mountains during 1925-26. The author paints a wonderful picture of time and place, bringing the Mountains and its people to life.The author easily pulled me back in time,with a twangy mountain dialect that allowed the characters to really come to life for me. I enjoyed the sense of family and small community that I felt while reading this story. Added to that was an inspirational feel that added to the overall story. I really didn't realize that this book was the second book in a series, and while it took me a few chapters to know the characters, once I did I found it a story that I couldn't put down. I really hope that the author continues this series, and I am anxious to go back and read the first book in the series titled "Hazel Creek." 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.