Angel Sister (Rosey Corner Book #1): A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Ann H. Gabhart (Author)

Book Description

It is 1936 and Kate Merritt, the middle child of Victor and Nadine, works hard to keep her family together. Her father slowly slips into alcoholism and his business suffers during the Great Depression. As her mother tries to come to grips with their situation and her sisters seem to remain blissfully oblivious to it, it is Kate who must shoulder the emotional load. Who could imagine that a dirty, abandoned little girl named Lorena Birdsong would be just what the Merritts need?

In this richly textured novel, award-winning author Ann H. Gabhart reveals the power of true love, the freedom of forgiveness, and the strength to persevere through troubled times. Multidimensional characters face real and trenchant problems while maintaining their family bonds, all against the backdrop of a sultry Kentucky summer. Readers will be drawn into the story and find themselves lingering there long after they've finished the book.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Little does young Kate Merritt realize that bringing home the half-starved five-year-old abandoned on the steps of her grandfather Reece�s church will set in motion a chain of events destined to reveal long-buried secrets in the town of Rosey Corner, Kentucky. Kate is Victor and Nadine�s middle child, a caretaker by nature with a tremendous sense of responsibility and a sunny, energetic nature. Little Lorena Birdsong captures her heart when she inquires whether Kate is the angel sent by her Mommy to bring food. Troubled by her father�s drinking after recurrent war-related PTSD nightmares and her mother�s emotional withdrawal, Kate is capably portrayed on the cusp of adolescence, as still very much a child in some ways, even while shouldering an adult role in keeping the family together. Gabhart�s newest Christian historical novel acutely evokes Victor and Nadine�s early years, culminating with his military service in the trenches of France during 1917-18, and their daughter Kate�s crisis of faith during the summer of 1936. --Lynne Welch

Review

“What a jewel of a story. Like a Kentucky summer, Angel Sister starts slow and easy but by the end, roars along, leaving the reader breathless and wanting more.”
—Lauraine Snelling, author of the Red River series, Daughters of Blessing series, and One Perfect Day

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 712 KB
• Print Length: 417 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0800733819
• Publisher: Revell (February 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004FV4XUS
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,600 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Angel Sister Is a Winner February 6, 2011

By Auntie Em

Format:Paperback

Three years ago, I had never heard of Ann Gabhart. That all changed when I met her at Kentucky Christian Writers Conference last year. Since then, I've read several of her books, and I must say this. She is a master of the historical fiction genre.

Angel Sister is the best yet, in my opinion. It is set in the fictitious Kentucky town of Rosey corner in the 1930s. The Great Depression is in full swing---"tough economic times" that make today's economy look pretty good. Fourteen-year-old Kate Merritt finds a little girl abandoned on the steps of the church where her grandfather is pastor. Little Lorena's parents could not care for her, so they left her where someone would find her and take her in. Kate becomes her "angel sister," but not without causing controversy in the family and in the church.

Like most small towns, Rosey Corner has its drama and family secrets. The drama escalates, the secrets come out, and Kate is right in the middle of it. We learn how the conflicts in Rosey Corner came to be, from her father's post-traumatic stress from WW1 to the reasons for other town characters' peculiar behavior.

It's an entertaining story, and the book is not as long as some of Ann's other books. The historical details add interest. For example, the flashbacks to the WWI days when Kate's parents were newlyweds give us a picture of what our forebears have sacrificed for our freedoms.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me, unsolicited, by the publisher, Revell Books. I was not required to read or review the book, nor is my review in any way influenced by the publisher or the author.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting novel, but a bit too sweet for me. November 5, 2011

By Joanne Long

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

When this book was chosen as a book club selection, not one of us ladies realized that it was actually Christian fiction. Although I am a Christian, I have found that much Christian fiction I read just ends up being a bit too unrealistic for my taste. I can tell you that most of the ladies in my group loved this novel, while my final thoughts tend to be a bit more reserved.

Although I didn't enjoy this story as much as the other ladies, I did find appreciation within the story itself. We are brought to a small community in Kentucky during the Great Depression to follow the lives of the Merritt family. We are shown glimpses of past events that all of the family members have been avoiding, but now realize that they must confront these demons if their lives are going to continue without hurting one another.

Victor and Nadine fell in love long ago, and it was very touching as they both reflected on their love and lives together as they were struggling to keep their marriage intact. They were so young and in love that I don't think either one of them realized how they got to this place in their marriage where they no longer recognized each other. But Nadine kept her faith in the Lord and her husband and once Victor admitted to Nadine that he needed help, she embraced him and offered him her support.

Kate is the middle sister of the Merritt family and for some reason has taken the weight of the family's problems on her own shoulders. When Kate discovers a young girl that appears to be left on the church doorstep her motherly instincts take over and she takes young Lorena Birdsong under her wing. When Kate brings Lorena home everyone is smitten with her, but little do they know the fight that is ahead of them if they intend to try to offer a home to her in the future. This little girl's presence within the Merritt household ignites a tenacity within the household that is needed if they are going to stay together.

I don't want to give away any more of the story in the event that you read it yourself. As I indicated earlier, I did enjoy the story but there were snippets of the writing I did not enjoy. The book is told in third person, but every now and then a phrase was in there that was from a first person viewpoint. I also had a problem with the timeline throughout the novel. Very often a character was reflecting on past events and I found that the flow from past to present to be confusing. I found myself having to stop reading once and awhile and go back over the last couple of pages just to be sure I was following the story correctly.

Besides my few problems with this novel, I did find enjoyment from reading it. The ladies in my book club loved it and it created great discussions with themes of love, forgiveness, war, and familial relationships.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Angel Sister February 19, 2011

By Suzanne W. Fisher

Format:Paperback

Ann Gabhart has written a lovely story of endurance during the Great Depression. "Angel Sister" is based on a humble family, the Merritts, who are coping with all kinds of pressures--some of the pressures come from sharing small town living with extended family, some pressures come from unresolved issues inside the home. When a little girl is abandoned on the church steps and ends up in the care of the Merritt's, simmering hostilities reach a boiling point. And ultimately results in so much good! This is a book with a recurring theme running through it--how can a person overcome the pain and damage his/her father caused in a childhood? You won't want to miss this well researched and carefully constructed novel by such a talented author.

More About the Author

Ann H. Gabhart started writing when she was ten and has been writing ever since. Her first published writings were personal experience pieces, youth stories, and poems in church periodicals such as HomeLife. Her first novel, a historical romance about the settling of Kentucky, was published by Warner Books in 1978. Since then, she's published numerous books for both adults and young adults. The Scent of Lilacs, her first inspirational novel, was chosen as one of the Top Ten Books in Christian Fiction in 2006 by Booklist magazine. Her first Shaker book, The Outsider, was a finalist for Christian Fiction Book of the Year in 2009 and was a Top Pick by Romantic Times Book Review Magazine.

Ann lives on a farm in Kentucky not far from where she was born. She and her husband, Darrell, a bass singer in the Patriot Quartet, have three children and nine grandchildren. Her website is www.annhgabhart.com.