Historical Fiction Review: Along a Storied Trail by Ann H. Gabhart

Book Description:
Kentucky packhorse librarian Tansy Calhoun doesn't mind the rough trails and long hours as she serves her Appalachian mountain community during the Great Depression. Yet she longs to find love like the heroines in her books. When a charming writer comes to town, she thinks she might have found it--or is the perfect man actually closer than she thinks?

Perdita Sweet has called these mountains home for so long she's nearly as rocky as the soil around her small cabin. Long ago she thought she could love, but when the object of her affection up and married someone else, she stopped giving too much of herself away to others.

As is so often the case, it's easier to see what's best for others than to see what's best for oneself, and Perdita knows who Tansy should choose. But why would anyone listen to the romantic advice of an old spinster?

My Review:
Ann H. Gabhart has a way of bringing the mountains of eastern Kentucky to life. I enjoyed her story of packhorse librarian, Tansy Calhoun, as she traversed the hollows and hills of the mountain. Tansy treasured her books more than anything. So much so, she chose to be single until she found a love to measure up against her stories. When an old friend returns home and a new fellow arrives from New York City, Tansy has to sort through her idea of the man she’s meant to marry. There are three romances in Along a Storied Trail, each one charming and enjoyable. At first, I wasn’t sure about Perdita, but by the end of the book I found her a delight. If you’d like to get lost in a great story, read Along a Storied Trail. As a former library worker, I admire the packhorse librarians and their tenacity and determination to deliver books to all the folks on the mountain, no matter the weather. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.