There's just something about a Joanne Bischof book ... Daughters of Northern Shores is the third book written by Bischof that I've read, and it's the third of her books that I'm giving a 5-star rating to!
Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.
Having fled the Norgaard orchard after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade, where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s—which is already imperiled due to a grave illness brought to him at the first prick of warfare.
Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: March 12, 2019
Continuing the story of the Norgaards, Daughters of Northern Shores picks up several years following the events in Sons of Blackbird Mountain. Aven and Thor are married and expecting their first child, while Haakon has been working in the ice trade and trying to numb his guilt over Aven with women and coca leaves. Then he decides to return to Blackbird Mountain, not knowing what reception he'll find.
This beautifully written novel is full of danger, forgiveness, love, fear, and sadness, and Bischof navigates all of these emotional notes perfectly. While Aven and Thor still have a prominent role in the novel, this is largely Haakon's redemption story. Not only does he need to repair his relationship with his family, especially Thor and Aven, but he also determines to finish the feud with the KKK-member Sorrels once and for all.
This novel is gripping and emotional, and when I found myself sobbing into my Kindle about 90% of the way through the book, I knew the story would stick with me long past the final page. (Also, the ending, which brings Haakon's redemption full circle? Perfection.) This is historical fiction at its best, and I highly recommend it. 5 stars.
Buy the book.
Read my review of Bischof's Sons of Blackbird Mountain (5 stars). I also gave The Lady and the Lionheart 5 stars, though I never posted a review.
Follow the blog tour:
Retrospective Spines, August 6
Just the Write Escape, August 6
KarenSueHadley , August 7
Batya’s Bits, August 7
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 8
By The Book, August 8
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 9
Adventures of a travelers wife, August 9
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, August 10
Betti Mace, August 10
Connie’s History Classroom, August 11
Christian Author, J.E. Grace, August 11
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 12
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 12
Moments, August 12
Simple Harvest Reads, August 13
Connect in Fiction , August 13
For the Love of Literature, August 13
Aryn The Libraryan 📚 , August 14
Through the Fire Blogs, August 14
Bigreadersite , August 15
Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 15
Daysong Reflections, August 16
Living Life Free In christ, August 16
A Reader’s Brain, August 17
Texas Book-aholic, August 17
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 17
Inklings and notions , August 18
janicesbookreviews, August 18
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 19
LifeofLiterature, August 19
As He Leads is Joy, August 19
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. 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."
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Thank you for being part of the tour for Daughters of Northern Shores! So blessed by your encouraging words, Becky. I enjoyed visiting your beautiful site!
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure, Joanne! I loved reading your beautiful book. And thanks for the kind words about my site :-)
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