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Sycamore Hill
A WILD NEW LAND KINDLED HER PASSIONS. . .
An untamed man won her heart. From proper Boston to wide-open Sycamore Hill, beautiful Abby McFarland made the journey to a tempestuous new land where danger is often unexpected-and love is always violent. To survive, the shy young schoolteacher must draw on every ounce of pride and courage locked within her heart. And the one man who can help her, the handsome and indomitable rancher Jordan Bennett, is the one man she may never possess.
An untamed man won her heart. From proper Boston to wide-open Sycamore Hill, beautiful Abby McFarland made the journey to a tempestuous new land where danger is often unexpected-and love is always violent. To survive, the shy young schoolteacher must draw on every ounce of pride and courage locked within her heart. And the one man who can help her, the handsome and indomitable rancher Jordan Bennett, is the one man she may never possess.
311 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1981
About the author
Francine Rivers
60 books21.8k followersNew York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and Bridge to Haven, and her work has been translated into more than thirty different languages. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).
www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers
www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 20, 2021
This was a great read, but you have to be okay with the hero having the emotional maturity of a two-year-old and the inability to communicate his feelings if you're going to enjoy it.
He's really SUCH an asshole, and one of those heroes who idiotically judges almost all women because of a previous bad experience (in this case, his dead wife, who scorned his unglamorous lifestyle as a rancher so much it drove her to drink and accidentally fall down the stairs).
I found him entertaining (and somewhat completely emotionally irrational), but I can see so many people getting too irritated to continue the story because of the hero's almost deliberate attempts to misunderstand the heroine's motives and personality due to his prejudice.
Despite that, their bantering and hatefully teasing dynamic kept me glued to the pages. The side characters were all very fleshed out too, which was a plus. Sycamore Hill felt like a real town to me. I think I like this book just as much as I liked Sarina, even if it is a much quieter, gentler novel.
Also this scene:
"I love you," he said simply.
"Oh, Jordan. Was that so hard?"
His eyes moved over my face, and his expression changed drastically. He leaned forward so that our faces were close.
"Abby," he said, warningly, and I laughed joyously.
"I love you!" I cried.
Neither one of us moved for a full second. Then we were kissing hungrily, unable to get close enough, wanting to be skin to skin and even closer.
-
was so freaking cute, I just can't. Loved it.
TW: non-consent, suicidal ideation, murder, and racism (though it was never condoned by any of the characters)
He's really SUCH an asshole, and one of those heroes who idiotically judges almost all women because of a previous bad experience (in this case, his dead wife, who scorned his unglamorous lifestyle as a rancher so much it drove her to drink and accidentally fall down the stairs).
I found him entertaining (and somewhat completely emotionally irrational), but I can see so many people getting too irritated to continue the story because of the hero's almost deliberate attempts to misunderstand the heroine's motives and personality due to his prejudice.
Despite that, their bantering and hatefully teasing dynamic kept me glued to the pages. The side characters were all very fleshed out too, which was a plus. Sycamore Hill felt like a real town to me. I think I like this book just as much as I liked Sarina, even if it is a much quieter, gentler novel.
Also this scene:
"I love you," he said simply.
"Oh, Jordan. Was that so hard?"
His eyes moved over my face, and his expression changed drastically. He leaned forward so that our faces were close.
"Abby," he said, warningly, and I laughed joyously.
"I love you!" I cried.
Neither one of us moved for a full second. Then we were kissing hungrily, unable to get close enough, wanting to be skin to skin and even closer.
-
was so freaking cute, I just can't. Loved it.
TW: non-consent, suicidal ideation, murder, and racism (though it was never condoned by any of the characters)
May 22, 2019
I had to check twice if this was a book by Francine Rivers as when i started reading it, it did not read like most of her works.
I actually had to google the author as the storyline did not read like anything i have come to know Francine Rivers. So this book was realised in 1981, so prior to 1986 when Francine rivers became a born again christian she used to write just your normal romance novels, and this is One of them.
It was very hard for me to rate this book as i always have her later books after 1986 as my referance point on the types of writter that she is, she is one of my favourite christian authors (in the top 3) so not seeing any faith or redemption in this story was very shocking for me.
That being said, if i didnt know she was a christian author i would say that the story was very interesting. At one point i could not put it down as i just had to know what was going to happen next.
The story is solely told from the perspective of Abigale, the school teacher from Boston who moves to califonia, the wild west. She has basically lived the cinderella nightmare untill her guardians die, and now has to make her way in life on her own. due to her secluded upbringing she is very naive and trusting of what people say around her. She never really learns to trust her inner self convictions. As for the love interest Jordan he comes off as arogunt and with a bad temper that results in violence, its really hard for me to see any redeeming qualities in him. He trully is a cowboy and we only get to see how much his feelings where conflicted towards Abby at the end of the story.
The other male charator in the story Ross seemed more of a friend to Abby than Jordan. Even though he also has his own issues.
I actually had to google the author as the storyline did not read like anything i have come to know Francine Rivers. So this book was realised in 1981, so prior to 1986 when Francine rivers became a born again christian she used to write just your normal romance novels, and this is One of them.
It was very hard for me to rate this book as i always have her later books after 1986 as my referance point on the types of writter that she is, she is one of my favourite christian authors (in the top 3) so not seeing any faith or redemption in this story was very shocking for me.
That being said, if i didnt know she was a christian author i would say that the story was very interesting. At one point i could not put it down as i just had to know what was going to happen next.
The story is solely told from the perspective of Abigale, the school teacher from Boston who moves to califonia, the wild west. She has basically lived the cinderella nightmare untill her guardians die, and now has to make her way in life on her own. due to her secluded upbringing she is very naive and trusting of what people say around her. She never really learns to trust her inner self convictions. As for the love interest Jordan he comes off as arogunt and with a bad temper that results in violence, its really hard for me to see any redeeming qualities in him. He trully is a cowboy and we only get to see how much his feelings where conflicted towards Abby at the end of the story.
The other male charator in the story Ross seemed more of a friend to Abby than Jordan. Even though he also has his own issues.
February 14, 2024
Sycamore Hill is the kind of place you sink your roots into. But “you must be part of the people in order to belong…As for my reason for being here, this town evidently needs a teacher.” And after stumbling into Mr. Bennett–quite literally–Abby McFarland determines that he could do with some English lessons.
“People remember us as we were during our life on this godforsaken earth. That memory, be it good, bad, or indifferent, is about as much as any of us can hope for after we’re dead and buried…Heaven and hell are right here…Your loneliness is part of your hell. Seeing your students learning is part of your heaven.” But will Abby become “only a lonely woman who gives up her own dreams to help others have the means of achieving theirs?”
“Loneliness, I told myself often, is a state of mind that can be controlled. But, alone in my darkened room with no company but a cat, it was not so easy to rationalize. The children were becoming more and more my life. Through them I had a purpose. Through them I was able to touch another life, if only for a brief time. My existence would not be completely wasted.”
“I had to feel responsibility for the children beyond the time they spent in the classroom. My job was not from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon. It was from the time I got up until I went to bed, and even beyond that when I dreamed of incidents that happened during the day. My life was immersed in my occupation…But I owed the children everything I could give them. What they learned from me would shape their lives.”
But a momentary indiscretion leads to long term repercussions. “Men and women usually lay blame for such unfortunate situations on the woman involved. The man is forgiven his momentary lapse, while the woman and child suffer for the indiscretion for the rest of their lives.” Abby is compelled to teach–and learn–that “everyone does something that they regret, but they can’t allow it to ruin their lives. [She] had learned from what had happened, and [she] would be a better, stronger person for it.”
“People remember us as we were during our life on this godforsaken earth. That memory, be it good, bad, or indifferent, is about as much as any of us can hope for after we’re dead and buried…Heaven and hell are right here…Your loneliness is part of your hell. Seeing your students learning is part of your heaven.” But will Abby become “only a lonely woman who gives up her own dreams to help others have the means of achieving theirs?”
“Loneliness, I told myself often, is a state of mind that can be controlled. But, alone in my darkened room with no company but a cat, it was not so easy to rationalize. The children were becoming more and more my life. Through them I had a purpose. Through them I was able to touch another life, if only for a brief time. My existence would not be completely wasted.”
“I had to feel responsibility for the children beyond the time they spent in the classroom. My job was not from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon. It was from the time I got up until I went to bed, and even beyond that when I dreamed of incidents that happened during the day. My life was immersed in my occupation…But I owed the children everything I could give them. What they learned from me would shape their lives.”
But a momentary indiscretion leads to long term repercussions. “Men and women usually lay blame for such unfortunate situations on the woman involved. The man is forgiven his momentary lapse, while the woman and child suffer for the indiscretion for the rest of their lives.” Abby is compelled to teach–and learn–that “everyone does something that they regret, but they can’t allow it to ruin their lives. [She] had learned from what had happened, and [she] would be a better, stronger person for it.”
October 7, 2025
Well what work for women also work for men too.....
This is a very beautiful and touchy story. How can a person trust another person with all they have and the trustee hurt the child out of entitlement or one displayed mind set.
Thank you Francine Rivers for this beautiful journey.
This is a very beautiful and touchy story. How can a person trust another person with all they have and the trustee hurt the child out of entitlement or one displayed mind set.
Thank you Francine Rivers for this beautiful journey.
August 17, 2020
Good read, I don't get why she fell in love with Jordan when he repeatedly treated her badly. That was just one thing I didn't like of the book but the story was very good.
July 4, 2022
First person narratives are not my cup of tea, but I decided to try this one anyway, because once in a while there's an exception to the rule. Since I liked the h, Abby McFarland, I count this as one of them, though the story had its flaws.
Set in the 19thc, Bostoner Abby decides to head west, and take a job as a teacher in a California town, after the death of her guardians, who were cold, selfish, and unscrupulous, as they robbed her of an inheritance she didn't even know she had. Not one to whine and pine, she sets out to make a new life for herself.
It won't be easy, as the schoolboard is run by a bunch of close minded puritanicals, led by the town minister, who insist she conform to a list of rules and regulations, even regarding her personal life. There's also some rowdy students to contend with, prejudice and narrow minded attitudes (especially concerning a Mexican boy she's trying to help), several attempts to frighten her away, and her growing attraction to Jordan Bennett, a man under suspicion of murdering his wife. Not to mention that the last school teacher hung herself, and soon there's another death.
The whole mystery/suspense plot could have been done without, as I found it didn't ring true, and the whole thing just fell flat. what was of more interest is Abby's spirit and determination to be the best teacher she could, and to stand up for what she believed in, like when she saw nothing wrong with casting a Mexican boy as Jesus in the Christmas play, while others thought it was wrong, claiming Jesus was white. Abby reminded them what part of the world Jesus was from, making it more likely his skin was dark, or at least darker than they claimed. Life wasn't easy there, but she made the best of it.
Her relationship with Jordan was another story, as her attraction to him quickly turned to love, though his bitterness over his miserable marriage made him determined to close his heart and never get emotionally involved again. He fights his feelings for Abby, as she does hers for him, but in her case, it's because she believes all he feels for her is desire; he talks of wanting her, but never mentions love.
Things can get rough at times, like when she slaps him and he returns the favor, and when they make love and he later says she was quick to spread herself like a whore. She, in turn, claims to believe the rumors about his wife's death, as well as the town's gossip about him and the Mexican woman who shares his home, and her son, who everyone claims is Jordan's. They have a habit of wounding with words, each covering up their true feelings.
To make things more complicated, there's another man on the scene, Ross, who Abby thinks of as a friend, but who has a reputation as a womanizer.
There's quite a lot to this book, and it's far from perfect, but still pretty good.
Set in the 19thc, Bostoner Abby decides to head west, and take a job as a teacher in a California town, after the death of her guardians, who were cold, selfish, and unscrupulous, as they robbed her of an inheritance she didn't even know she had. Not one to whine and pine, she sets out to make a new life for herself.
It won't be easy, as the schoolboard is run by a bunch of close minded puritanicals, led by the town minister, who insist she conform to a list of rules and regulations, even regarding her personal life. There's also some rowdy students to contend with, prejudice and narrow minded attitudes (especially concerning a Mexican boy she's trying to help), several attempts to frighten her away, and her growing attraction to Jordan Bennett, a man under suspicion of murdering his wife. Not to mention that the last school teacher hung herself, and soon there's another death.
The whole mystery/suspense plot could have been done without, as I found it didn't ring true, and the whole thing just fell flat. what was of more interest is Abby's spirit and determination to be the best teacher she could, and to stand up for what she believed in, like when she saw nothing wrong with casting a Mexican boy as Jesus in the Christmas play, while others thought it was wrong, claiming Jesus was white. Abby reminded them what part of the world Jesus was from, making it more likely his skin was dark, or at least darker than they claimed. Life wasn't easy there, but she made the best of it.
Her relationship with Jordan was another story, as her attraction to him quickly turned to love, though his bitterness over his miserable marriage made him determined to close his heart and never get emotionally involved again. He fights his feelings for Abby, as she does hers for him, but in her case, it's because she believes all he feels for her is desire; he talks of wanting her, but never mentions love.
Things can get rough at times, like when she slaps him and he returns the favor, and when they make love and he later says she was quick to spread herself like a whore. She, in turn, claims to believe the rumors about his wife's death, as well as the town's gossip about him and the Mexican woman who shares his home, and her son, who everyone claims is Jordan's. They have a habit of wounding with words, each covering up their true feelings.
To make things more complicated, there's another man on the scene, Ross, who Abby thinks of as a friend, but who has a reputation as a womanizer.
There's quite a lot to this book, and it's far from perfect, but still pretty good.
Read
March 20, 2025The Hero was a jerk from the moment of his introduction and I just couldn't like him.
It also didn't read like a historical romance in matters of language; it seemed contemporary that I'd forget it's set in the past.
It also didn't read like a historical romance in matters of language; it seemed contemporary that I'd forget it's set in the past.
April 11, 2020
Sycamore hill is an amazing book, the drama, sensuous tension, I absolutely love it
I will definitely recommend it
I will definitely recommend it
August 1, 2020
It's a relatively good book.
April 26, 2023
Love won't fail
May 7, 2025
I feel bad for this rating because I didn’t finish the book ( I just couldn’t) the hero’s irritating.. I’m sorry.
Francine Rivers is lucky she found Christ and left this genre… cos it’s not her strong point…
Love her other post redemption books though ✨
Francine Rivers is lucky she found Christ and left this genre… cos it’s not her strong point…
Love her other post redemption books though ✨
October 31, 2018
A lot of similarities to Rivers' first book, but this one was much more interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the read.
July 26, 2013
Don't know what to rate this one. Didn't want to stop reading it but both the H and h drove me nuts.
2.5
2.5
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews