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Lucinda Harmon Saga #1
Lucinda's Mountain
A romance in the mountains--Lucinda Harmon struggles to break away from the sheltering bonds of family and from the mountain traditions to which McDowell County still held on to during the 1950s. Her goal was a bigger and broader world through the realm of education. In striving for her goal, she encounters resistance from family, religious strictures, and traditional roles for women. She also struggles with the love of two men, one who challenges her to risk the unknown, and another who overwhelms her with possessive love.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 19, 2016
Ms. Davis wrote a delightful coming of age story about a young girl growing up in a West Virginia coal town. Lucinda Harmon was a wonderful independent spirited girl in a time when girls were expected to have a homemaker career, and only could work outside home when not married. Even desperate times didn't fully approve a woman's working. She felt pressured to be a wife and mother like her ancestors and siblings. Instead she enjoyed her career as a teacher. The men she allowed into her life disappointed her ideal image of a soulmate.
I'm so glad Ms. Davis did not include difficult to follow dialect, but still created characters with some unique Appalachian speak. Her area descriptions showed the beauty alongside the challenges of rural life - especially the muddy rutted mountain roads.
I was also disappointed in the available men, Lucinda vetted. One couldn't handle her naiveté and the other was extremely jealous and overprotective. Poor Lucinda had to chose or be disgraced by unfair area rumors.
I can relate to this story, because I grew up in an era when most girls were only encouraged to set a goal to earn their "Mrs. degree." Ms. Davis did a good job of drawing me into the story. I'm not well versed in West Virginia coal towns. I know, according to her acknowledgements, she drew upon her own experiences. Thank you for this family story.
I'm so glad Ms. Davis did not include difficult to follow dialect, but still created characters with some unique Appalachian speak. Her area descriptions showed the beauty alongside the challenges of rural life - especially the muddy rutted mountain roads.
I was also disappointed in the available men, Lucinda vetted. One couldn't handle her naiveté and the other was extremely jealous and overprotective. Poor Lucinda had to chose or be disgraced by unfair area rumors.
I can relate to this story, because I grew up in an era when most girls were only encouraged to set a goal to earn their "Mrs. degree." Ms. Davis did a good job of drawing me into the story. I'm not well versed in West Virginia coal towns. I know, according to her acknowledgements, she drew upon her own experiences. Thank you for this family story.
April 29, 2021
A Young Heroine 's Journey
This book about a young woman's desire for a higher education becomes entangled in a young doctor's life when she falls in love with him after a freak accident that leaves her drenched in mud, when she falls headline into a muddy hole after attempting to jump out of the way of his car. They both seem taken with each other, and over time develop a friendship that leads to the doctor professing his love for her, but then realizes he is never going to get past first base of just kissing, because of a combination of factors of her growing up in a mountain cabin, religion, and her hang-ups about the sins of the flesh she been warned about all her life. Eventually, she meets another man after the doctor mysteriously disappears from his practice in a nearby mountain town. Without giving away the rest of the book, I can say the easy writing style of this author just drew me in to find out how this very young, but prim young miss resolves all her problems, after taking advice from all those around her and manages first a job, then an offer to work at a college, while working on her college education. But things are not easy for Lucinda as she has one challenge after another, including another young man, who pursues her relentlessly, despite every barrier she puts up, to marry him. Honestly, I had trouble putting the book down once I got into all the obstacles she consistently runs into, and so I spent several sleepless nights, but was so amazed at the wisdom of these mostly uneducated mountain folks, and the courage and stubbornness of this one young lady, determined to do what was right, even when it came to have to put aside her own desires as each challenge raised its ugly head. Having grown up in the South in a time period just after this time period, I was able to see how all my own desires and challenges so eloquently mirrored those of Lucinda's. This is a book for those who enjoy love stories with a big smattering of history, socio-economic, religion, and philosophy about love and life thrown in, whether you are an adolescent, young adult, or old timer like myself.
This book about a young woman's desire for a higher education becomes entangled in a young doctor's life when she falls in love with him after a freak accident that leaves her drenched in mud, when she falls headline into a muddy hole after attempting to jump out of the way of his car. They both seem taken with each other, and over time develop a friendship that leads to the doctor professing his love for her, but then realizes he is never going to get past first base of just kissing, because of a combination of factors of her growing up in a mountain cabin, religion, and her hang-ups about the sins of the flesh she been warned about all her life. Eventually, she meets another man after the doctor mysteriously disappears from his practice in a nearby mountain town. Without giving away the rest of the book, I can say the easy writing style of this author just drew me in to find out how this very young, but prim young miss resolves all her problems, after taking advice from all those around her and manages first a job, then an offer to work at a college, while working on her college education. But things are not easy for Lucinda as she has one challenge after another, including another young man, who pursues her relentlessly, despite every barrier she puts up, to marry him. Honestly, I had trouble putting the book down once I got into all the obstacles she consistently runs into, and so I spent several sleepless nights, but was so amazed at the wisdom of these mostly uneducated mountain folks, and the courage and stubbornness of this one young lady, determined to do what was right, even when it came to have to put aside her own desires as each challenge raised its ugly head. Having grown up in the South in a time period just after this time period, I was able to see how all my own desires and challenges so eloquently mirrored those of Lucinda's. This is a book for those who enjoy love stories with a big smattering of history, socio-economic, religion, and philosophy about love and life thrown in, whether you are an adolescent, young adult, or old timer like myself.
February 21, 2021
I grew up in that area, in Russell County, VA. My dad was a coal miner for Island Creek, and I attended a little four room school in Drill and could relate to quite a bit of the story. I loved the characters and could picture Grundy, Richlands and Vansant, etc. very clearly. My mom moved from Drill to Lebanon many years ago. Anyway, I felt so bad for Lucinda. I was so happy during the story about her independent nature and how she fought to attain her goal to teach. I was so disappointed that her character was made so weak that she gave up her "fight" to please everyone else. I grew up in those mountains and never came across anyone so naive. Good story though. I will continue with the trilogy and am hoping for some miracle that a happy moment will come about for Lucinda and Jason.
February 21, 2021
This One Is A Keeper!
It was a delightful and insightful look into rural America in the 1950's. The story was so akin to real life.... which is a tapestry of both joy and sorrow, clarity and confusion, comings and goings. The characters were well developed . I was borne during this time and grew up in not a coal town...but in a lumber mill town. I loved the faith lessons scattered throughout the story. I strongly recommend this story...it reminds me some what of the book Spencer's Mountain. I will read the entire series.
It was a delightful and insightful look into rural America in the 1950's. The story was so akin to real life.... which is a tapestry of both joy and sorrow, clarity and confusion, comings and goings. The characters were well developed . I was borne during this time and grew up in not a coal town...but in a lumber mill town. I loved the faith lessons scattered throughout the story. I strongly recommend this story...it reminds me some what of the book Spencer's Mountain. I will read the entire series.
April 11, 2019
I enjoyed reading about the area I grew up in but in a different era and seeing how it was back then.
October 13, 2021
Worst Book I Have Ever Read
Don't waste your time, no content, no story, horrible writing style. I should have deleted it from my kindle after the first chapter.
Don't waste your time, no content, no story, horrible writing style. I should have deleted it from my kindle after the first chapter.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews