Orchard of Hope (Hollyhill Series, Book 2) [Paperback]

Ann H. Gabhart (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Nothing will be the same after the summer of 1964. Drought has gripped the quiet Kentucky town of Hollyhill, and the town seems as if it is holding its breath--waiting. Jocie Brooke is nervous about starting high school. Her sister Tabitha is experiencing the weariness of waiting for a new baby. Her father David is feeling the timidity of those first steps toward true love. All of these pivotal steps in life are awaiting the Brooke family. Into this cloud of tense anticipation, the Hearndons move their family from Chicago to plant an orchard outside of town. Fresh off the Freedom Train, Myra Hearndon is sensitive to what the color of her skin may mean in a Southern town. Her family will have to contend with more than the dry ground and blazing sun as they try to create their orchard of hope. In this close-knit community, everything is about to change. Let this riveting novel take you along to experience unexpected love, new life, and renewed faith amid life's trials.

About the Author

Ann H. Gabhart has published a number of adult and young adult novels with several different publishers. The author of The Scent of Lilacs, Ann and her husband live a mile from where she was born in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.

Product Details

• Paperback: 412 pages
• Publisher: Revell (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800731697
• ISBN-13: 978-0800731694
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #648,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful look at a Southern town in 1964, May 16, 2007

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Orchard of Hope (Hollyhill Series, Book 2) (Paperback)

Orchard of Hope by Ann H. Gabhart is the story of Jocie Brooke and her family in the late summer of 1964. Hollyhill, Kentucky is starving for rain, and as the weather is heating up, so are tensions in the town as the schools start to desegregate and a new black family moves to town. Jocie quickly makes friends with the son Noah, and her father, Reverend David Brooke, hires him to work at the town newspaper he owns and invites the family to come to services at their Mt. Pleasant church. Tensions are also building in the Brooke's home as their friend Wes moves in with them to recover from a broken leg, elder daughter Tabitha approaches the end of her pregnancy, and their housekeeper keeps losing more of her memory. This book is packed with so many sub-plots, but Gabhart never loses track of them or makes any story seem any less important than any other. While much of the story is seen through 13 year-old Jocie's eyes, narration jumps through her family and friends. It's hard to sum up a book this powerful in just a few words. Gabhart does a phenomenal job of portraying the tautness of the Civil Rights movement, the wonder of unexpected love, the despair of love lost, and uses Jesus to ground each. I wish I had read The Scent of Lilacs, the first book in this series, because I'm sure that I would care even more about each character. I teared up in the last chapter, and I'm sure that there is more that the author has to say through the sweet, fresh voice of Jocie. It's one of those rare books where I will miss reading about the characters now that I'm done.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, March 5, 2007

By 

Libby "ChristianBookAddict" (TheLandofManyPotatoes) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Orchard of Hope (Hollyhill Series, Book 2) (Paperback)

This second book in the story of Joci Brooke is just as good as the first one. I really enjoy Gabhart's writing style and her chracter building. I hope we see a lot more from this author in the Christian Fiction aisles of bookstores.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Story, April 12, 2007

By 

Barbara Warren - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orchard of Hope (Hollyhill Series, Book 2) (Paperback)

It's 1964 and the Civil Rights Movement has come to Hollyhill. Most of the excitment has passed by this small southern town, until the Hearndon family buys a farm and moves there from Chicago. Hollyhill has blacks, but none like Myra Hearndon who has been arrested marching in civil rights protests. She isn't about to accept racial discrimination. Hollyhill is segregated, but it hasn't been a problem and it's small enough to escape the attentipn of the activists, but Myra changes all that. The woman is trouble on the hoof.

David Brooke, editor of the Hollyhill Banner and pastor of the Mt. Pleasant church has his hands full. He's a single father to daughters Jocie and Tabitha. Jocie is fourteen years old and helps work at the newspaper after school. Tabitha is pregnant with no husband in sight, which doesn't set well with some of the church members.

Since Myra's son, Noah works for David at the newspaper and the Hearndon family attends his all-white church, David is caught in the middle. The Orchard of Hope is a compelling story of people forced out of their comfort zone. The time has come to stand by what they believe, and they have some tough decisions to make. Will they do what is right or will they take the easy way out. the characters are so strong and so real they engage the reader's hearts and emotions. I strongly recommend this book. It's a winner.