When the Jessamine Grows

(Paperback)

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For readers of Days Without End by Sebastian Barry, Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain and Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles, an evocative, morally-complex novel set in North Carolina during the Civil War, as one woman fights to keep her family united and neutral during the most devastating and divisive period in American history. Talk of impending war is a steady drumbeat throughout North Carolina, though Joetta McBride pays it little heed. The small farm she tends with her husband, Ennis, and their two sons provides all they need. Those who want to fight can fight, but Joetta considers her family to be neutral. That opinion isn't shared by Joetta's father-in-law, Rudean. A staunch Confederate supporter, he fills his grandsons' heads with stories about the glories of soldiering, and insists that owning land and slaves is the only measure of success. When fifteen-year-old Henry, impressed by his grandfather's stories, runs off to volunteer, Joetta insists Ennis go and search for him. Weeks pass without word from either father or son, though other soldiers pass the farm, parched and growing ever wearier. Joetta offers water to all, regardless of which uniform they wear. Her actions are deemed treasonous by townsfolk and the Home Guard, but Joetta won't be swayed. After all, the wealthy find ways to stay away from battle. Why should poor men suffer and die on their behalf Though shunned and struggling, Joetta remains committed to her principles, and to her belief that her family will survive. But the greatest tests are still to come, for a fractured nation and for Joetta and those she loves . . .

Reviews

Praise for Donna Everhart

The distinctive setting of the turpentine camps in the South during the Great Depression will make an imprint on readers, just as the characters of Rae Lynn and Del do. Fans of Sarah Addison Allen won't be able to put it down. Booklist on The Saints of Swallow Hill

"Rousing...movingly explores Jessie's struggle with her eating disorder, viscerally describing her twin desires for nourishment and purging in relation to a deep need to define herself...Everhart's story of self-discovery, rife with colorful characters and a satisfying twist, will thrill readers." Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW for The Moonshiner's Daughter

In a powerful comingofage story that pitches southern charm against dark family secrets, the voice of 11yearold Dixie Dupree captivates from the first page to the last. Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son onThe Education of Dixie Dupree

"This story of survival and perseverance is heartbreaking and hard, but the ways the characters in the book choose family and hope lead them on paths they would never expectEverhart creates a signature style by writing in the voice of the main character, a young Southern girl, telling the story from her perspective. Her voice remains true throughout the novel, successfully engaging the reader." The Missourian on The Road to Bittersweet

"Everhart is a good storyteller and makes her characters and their experiences come alive." Booklist on The Road to Bittersweet

"An adventure story and coming-of-age story wrapped into one satisfying package... Donna Everhart skillfully evokes a harsh landscape and harsh times, squarely placing the reader in Appalachia right along with the family. Wallis Ann's complicated relationship with her sister is well explored and serves as a catalyst for her growth into a mature young woman." Historical Novels Review on The Road to Bittersweet

Author Bio

Donna Everhart is a USA Today bestselling author known for vividly evoking the complexities of the heart and a gritty fascination of the American South in her acclaimed novels. She is the recipient of the prestigious SELA Outstanding Southeastern Author Award from the Southeastern Library Association and her novels have received a SIBA Okra Pick, an Indie Next Pick, and two Publishers Marketplace Buzz Books selections. Born and raised in Raleigh, she has stayed close to her hometown for much of her life and now lives just an hour away in Dunn, North Carolina. Please visit Donna Everhart online at DonnaEverhart.com.