Scent of Lilacs

Scent of Lilacs
(The Heart of Hollyhill)
Revell
ISBN: 978-0800730802
March 2013/352 pages/$14.99
After the summer of 1964, life for Jocie Brooke will never be the same.

Life-changing events rarely happen in quiet Hollyhill, Kentucky, and when they do, they are few and far between. But for young Jocie Brooke and her family, they happen all at once during the humid summer of 1964. Though on the surface things are just fine, it seems like everyone in Jocie’s life has something they’re not saying, something they’re hiding from her-and from themselves. As Jocie digs into her family’s past, she stirs up a whirlwind of discoveries. Will she find the answers everyone so desperately needs? Or will her questions lead to truths better left hidden?

Combining unforgettable characters, true-to-life struggles, and the perfect dose of humor and nostalgia, this riveting story from bestselling author Ann Gabhart explores the very essence of new life and love.

Read an excerpt here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several novels, including Angel Sister, Words Spoken True, The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted. She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Find out more at www.annhgabhart.com.

MY THOUGHTS

Scent of Lilacs is one of those books that you feel as well as read. Ann Gabhart transported me to the tiny town of Hollyhill, Kentucky and plucked me down among Jocie's family, and I felt as if I knew each of them personally. Jocie worked her way into my heart from the opening pages as she tried to explain how God answered her "dog prayer" by sending her Zebedee. Thirteen is a difficult enough age to navigate without all the events that occur during that significant summer, and the tug-of-war between childhood and maturity is portrayed well by Gabhart. In fact, all of the characters in this novel are richly developed and make for an unforgettable read. I look forward to my next visit to Hollyhill as this series continues.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell Books as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”