The Angels of Morgan Hill [Kindle Edition]

Donna VanLiere (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The story of a black family's move to a small all-white Tennessee town in 1947 inspires inspirational novelist VanLiere (Christmas Hope; Christmas Shoes; etc.) to expand her fictional range while trying to expand her audience. Narrator Jane Gable recalls two critical life events on the same spring day when she was nine years old: the funeral of her alcoholic father and the arrival of a black family of sharecroppers, the first blacks Jane has ever seen in Morgan Hill. Both events converge to make life harder for the impoverished Gables; Jane's mother, Fran, is pregnant, and the black Turner family, hired to work on a tobacco farm, is slighted, harassed and threatened. When the Turners' house burns down, Milo, the only survivor, is taken in by the Gables. VanLiere uses humor, memories of growing up Southern and touching moments of family unity to enrich her story of overcoming racism and poverty. Her retreat into familiar territory (another charming Christmas pageant, another holiday full of joy and sentiment) will satisfy fans of her earlier work. Author tour.(Oct 17)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–In 1947, there aren't any black families in the town of Morgan Hill, TN, until the Turners arrive to help on a tobacco farm. Nine-year-old Jane Gable first sees young Milo Turner when she is on the way home from her abusive father's funeral. Although the impression is vivid, she has no idea how closely their lives will become entangled. Jane's mother, Fran, becomes friendly with Mrs. Turner and stands up against some bigoted responses from the community. When the Turners' house is set on fire, only Milo survives. His mother's dying plea is for Fran to take him in. Jane and her brother are accepting of him, but the family still has to face those who think that the boy should live with his own kind. Fran stands firm in letting him decide. The Gables' faith and friends help them weather the insults hurled their way and give them the strength to continue without bitterness. Jane's memories capture a child's-eye view of the confusing adult world. Teens looking for a warm, gentle story that also provides food for thought will find it here. Those who enjoyed Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees (Viking, 2002) will note some of the same qualities in this novel.–Teri Titus, San Mateo County Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 393 KB
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (November 27, 2007)
• Sold by: Macmillan
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000V77078
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,104 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Donna VanLiere is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author and gifted conference speaker. She has published ten titles including The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Blessing, both of which were adapted into movies (starring Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams-Perry and Neil Patrick Harris) and garnered big ratings for CBS television. LifetimeTelevision adapted The Christmas Hope (starring Madeline Stowe) and premiered it December 2009 to stellar ratings as well. Donna's non-seasonal novel, The Angels of Morgan Hill, has captured the same warmth as her Christmas books and continues to please loyal and new fans alike.

Donna is the recipient of a Retailer's Choice Award for Fiction, a Dove Award, a Silver Angel Award, an Audie Award for best inspirational fiction, a nominee for a Gold Medallion Book of the Year and was recently inducted into the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence joining such luminaries as Coretta Scott King, Hugh Downs, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and Senator John Glenn. Donna is an in-demand conference speaker having appeared at countless women's and family events, including select Women of Faith and Extraordinary Women conferences.

Donna's latest book, The Christmas Journey (October 2010) is a retelling of the story of the Nativity told through Donna's signature voice and accompanied by moving and beautifully rendered watercolor illustrations throughout. The eighty-mile journey of a common carpenter and a simple peasant girl is one of the most powerful stories in history. As books go out of print and stories fade from memory, the journey of Joseph and Mary and her delivery inside a common barn continues to bless and inspire hope in people around the world.

Look for her brand new novel entitled "The Christmas Note this fall (2011).

Donna lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband, Troy, and their children, Grace, Kate and David.

Learn more at www.DonnaVanLiere.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look forward to reading more by this author!, February 17, 2007

By 

Tracy Wade (Missouri) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Angels of Morgan Hill (Women of Faith Fiction) (Hardcover)

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I loved it. I literally cried through the last 20 pages of this book. To say that it pulls at your heartstrings is truly an understatement. While reading this book, it made me think back on a time when things were like they were described in this story. A very sad time. This is a very fast read and very hard to put down once you start reading. I am looking forward to reading more books by Donna VanLiere =)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As A Whole It's A Good Read, June 29, 2008

By 

Katrina L. Burchett "Author of Young Adult Fi... (Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Angels of Morgan Hill (Women of Faith Fiction) (Hardcover)

It's 1947 and the Turners (Willie Dean, his wife, Addy and their children, Milo and Rose) are the first black family to move to Morgan Hill. The Gables (Fran and her children, Jane and John) are kind, hard-working people who don't have much. Despite the disapproval of her friend, Margaret, Fran becomes friends with Addy Turner. Tragedy strikes and Fran makes a promise to Addy that she intends to keep no matter what Margaret and other narrow-minded, prejudiced people in town have to say about it. Difficult circumstances cause Fran to question her choice for a time, but she knows that although change isn't always easy, God and His angels are always around.

To have to read the words "nigger boy" numerous times was bothersome, but it wasn't unexpected. I'm just glad there were parts in the story that made me giggle. As a whole, The Angels of Morgan Hill was a good read, and the epilogue was touching.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Couldn't Put It Down!, November 8, 2009

By 

Nanny's Four Little Birds (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Angels of Morgan Hill (Mass Market Paperback)

I stumbled onto this book by accident, but once I started it, I couldn't put it down! I cried, laughed, and cried some more as I hurried to get to the next page. The racism of this era addressed in this story is truthful, and just as in that day, it was those who had nothing that gave the most. Not too heavy or too sappy, this is an excellent book, and I loved every page of it! I will read everything I can get by Donna VanLiere!