Velva Jean Learns to Drive

Velva Jean #1

by Jennifer Niven

In this spellbinding debut, Velva Jean Hart finds true love-and then risks everything to follow her dreams.

Set in Appalachia in the years before World War II, Velva Jean Learns to Drive is a poignant story of a spirited young girl growing up in the gold-mining and moonshining South.

Before she dies, Velva Jean's mother urges her to "live out there in the great wide world". Velva Jean dreams of becoming a big-time singer in Nashville until she falls in love with Harley Bright, a handsome juvenile delinquent turned revival preacher. As their tumultuous love story unfolds, Velva Jean must choose between keeping her hard-won home and pursuing her dream of singing in the Grand Ole Opry.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Southern, Historical, Audiobook, Coming Of Age

404 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2009

About the author

JENNIFER NIVEN is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of All the Bright Places, Holding Up the Universe, and Breathless. Her books have been translated in over 75 languages and have won literary awards around the world.

An Emmy-award winning screenwriter, she co-wrote the script for the All the Bright Places movie— currently streaming on Netflix and starring Elle Fanning and Justice Smith. She is also the author of several narrative nonfiction titles and the Velva Jean historical fiction series.

Her latest YA novel, When We Were Monsters, was published September 2, and she has an adult novel-- Meet the Newmans-- releasing January 6, 2026.

Jennifer divides her time between coastal Georgia and Los Angeles with her husband and literary cats.

Reviews

[Stepheny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Velva Jean Learns to Drive started out as a buddy read with the lovely TL. Unfortunately she lost interest and didn’t continue it. I did and am so glad that I did! There was a couple points early on that almost made me call it quits as well, but I stuck with it.

Velva Jean believes her life will not have meaning or purpose unless she is saved by Jesus. Set high in the mountains in the 30’s, we meet Velva Jean and her family. Her father wanders off at length for work and Mama is the glue that holds the whole family together. So when she gets ill while Daddy’s away the family is at a loss. Mama doesn’t survive, leaving Velva Jean to figure out what she meant with her cryptic last words “Live out there.”

Velva Jean and her brother that is closest to her in age, go on a mission to raise as much Hell as possible. For surely, no God would allow their Mama to die and their Daddy to abandon them… It’s on one of these Hell-raising missions that Velva Jean first encounters the Moonshiner’s son. Their paths cross later at the county fair when she wins the talent competition for her singing.

Singing is all Velva Jean wants to do. Her ultimate goal is to sing at the Grand Ole Opry. She is saving her money to get there when her path crosses once again with the Moonshiner’s son- only now he has a name. Harley Bright. Harley has grown from a miscreant to Revival Preacher. And Little Miss Velva Jean is quite taken with him.

She soon learns the hard reality many of us faced when deciding where to go to school (or whether or not to go at all)- she is torn between her love for Harley and her love for singing. And she isn’t sure she will be able to have both.

The story progresses over time and we see the challenges faced almost daily for a lot of couples. Can we do what we love and still be with who we love? How do we walk that fine line of respecting our partner’s beliefs and feelings without losing track of who we are at our innermost core?

A coming of age story like no other, Velva Jean was a great read. Jennifer Niven wrote one of my most cherished books- All the Bright Places. I knew when I saw her name on this that I would have to get my hands on it. I’m not sure when I will continue on to the sequel of this book but I know when I do it will feel like coming home.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful and moving book about finding and pursuing your dreams.

In this Southern fiction coming of age novel, Velva Jean marries Harley Bright at the tender age of 16. Constrained by her role as a preacher's wife and blocked in by her life on the mountain, her dream of singing in the Grand Ole Opry begins to fade. But later a new dream emerges . . . Velva Jean wants to learn to drive.

I found the characters well developed and real and the plot engaging. Perhaps my favourite character outside of Velva Jean was the Wood Carver. Many feared him, however Velva Jean develops an unlikely friendship with him and knowing her heart and dreams, he supports and encourages her.

The story also takes place during the building of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Emotions run high, as some folks feel intruded upon and threatened. On the other hand, for others "if a road can bring you in, then it can bring you out".

This book fully deserves a 5 star rating and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story takes place in the 1930s in a secluded town in the Appalachian Mountains. Velva Jean was a girl with big dreams living in a town full of people who went to great lengths to keep their world small. This book was a testament to the nature of human beings and our utter abhorrence of change. In this small tight knit community, they had their family, they had their faith, they had their neighbors, and that was enough for them. The additions of cars and railways and roads that would connect them to the outside world caused anger and fear in most. It was only a few, the dreamers like Velva Jean, who could see all the new possibilities those changes might bring. The pessimist in me wants to say that what likely awaited them was the draft and WWII. Maybe there’s something to be said about a life lived apart from all the noise of the world. But there is a whole wide world out there and for better for worse, each person should be allowed the freedom to choose the part they will play in it. I for one am choosing to “live out there” with Velva Jean. 💛

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am speechless. I have to put this book right up there with "The Help" and a few others I've found amazing and which greatly moved me. I would call it "historical, Southern fiction" by a very talented woman. Its about the people living in the Mountains up around where South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky all come together before the Blue Ridge Parkway was built and how the coming of that road affected and changed their lives. Many were excited, many were afraid. Its about judging things and people who are different, and how change and unknowns cause fear, which is a catalyst for destructive emotions. How some can step beyond that fear and find the courage to follow their dreams and soar. I highly recommend this book for its raw honesty, and exposure of a life so completely different from those who have not lived secluded, sheltered and cutoff in the gaps and hollers of the South.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book delightful. Velva Jean is a true survivor with a wonderful heart. The storyline is nothing new and there are no twists to be found, but you will fall in love with Velva Jean and her family. She speaks some truisms that are spot on, and it's a good old fashioned read which shows what it was like to live in NC/Appalachia country in the 1930's. Velva Jean has spunk and independence and a kind heart. The book reminded me a bit of Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird - a young girl making her way in the world trying to figure out who she is and right from wrong.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

1930s Appalachia was a very rough place where people worked extremely hard and had few possessions to show for it. But they had wonderful families and neighbors who enriched each other’s lives. Velva Jean has a dream to get to Nashville and become a country singer. Her husband Harley tries to control her life but her spirit can’t be denied.

I enjoyed the storytelling in this book. Velva Jean was such a wonderful person with a great philosophy on life.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a little hard to get into at first and yet strangely I could not put it down. We first meet Velva Jean when she is 10 years old and watch as she grows older, marries and has to make a decision about pursuing her dream of singing in the Grand Ole Opry. I had to really get myself into the right frame of mind for this book. It takes place in the early 1930s and continues into the early 40s. So there were a lot of things that I was shaking my head over. I couldn’t believe that it was unseemly for women to drive cars. I had never actually heard that before and would have smacked my husband if he tried to tell me I couldn’t drive a car. But things like this were a part of every day life for Velva Jean. This just makes her dream of singing in the Grand Ole Opry that much more difficult to achieve. This was a time where women were supposed to marry, have children and take care of the family and house hold and be happy with it. The story did pull me in and I loved the cast of characters you meet like her brother, Johnny Clay, the wood carver who is supposed to be some sort of crazy half-animal murderer and Sweet Fern, her sister who has to put her own life on hold in order to take care of her brothers and sister after their mother dies and their father leaves home. Velva Jean’s character often struck me as immature but then I would have to remind myself that she is not even 18 years old yet through most of the book so then I would find myself feeling sorry for her. The ending wraps up quite nicely with her learning the true reason her father left home and we finally learn the decision she makes whether to pursue her dream or pursue the love she has for Harley.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet, well written, gentle tale set in the North Carolina mountains near our cabin in Rabun County Georgia. The time is the 1930's, knee deep in the Depression and in the building of the Blue Ridge Scenic Parkway. Characters were well drawn, intimate and complete. No stereotypes or straw-men.

Velva Jean first appears at about age 9 or 10, just as she is being saved by Jesus and just before her beloved mother dies. She loves her mama, her brother and her singing, and dreams of heading to Nashville some day.

Her world is changed forever when her mama dies, and her daddy leaves. Her road to Nashville is diverted by the HArley Bright, the devilish son of the local moonshiner, now turned preacher.

So much color and character in the book, which was good, because Velva Jean only contemplates learning to drive on page 266, which was a little slow, even for me. The last part of the book steam engined ahead, like the train barreling towards Terrible Creek did, but with less catastrophic results. (Or maybe not less... we only have Velva Jean's reaction to the ending, not Harley's. ) I may need to think on this a bit more.

Thanks to Elizabeth for the loan of the book. It was beautifully written.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful story . I was transported to the mountains of Appalachia, where Velva Jean, a young girl of ten years, is trying to grow up in a place where her mother was sick and her Daddy was hardly ever home.
The years that followed, Velva Jean's dream was coming to a reality ( singing at the Grand Ole Opry ).
There were battles she to fight to prove herself.
She did learn to drive by herself. Then she had to chose between keeping her marriage going or fulfilling her life's long dream.

[Penny (Literary Hoarders) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this in audio because Jenna Lamia (The Invention of Wings) narrated it. She gives another stellar narration, and elevated this story. Velva Jean Learns to Drive dragged for me and it took a great length of time before Velva Jean does learn to drive and for her to achieve her dreams about making music and playing at the Grand Old Opry. A good hardscrabble southern story, but perhaps a little too long for my liking.

[Cathy Brownfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I found it at a dollar store. The title reached out and grabbed me.

Velva Jean is 10 when the story opens in 1933 near Alluvial, North Carolina. She thinks being saved in Three Gum River will make life perfect. But that is when Daddy goes away leaving nothing but a note for Mama to find and there are a lot of things that go wrong, starting with Mama taking to her sickbed. Velva Jean blames her daddy for all of it. Why didn't he stay and take care of them all? Why was he always wandering?

Velva Jean marries at 16. She teaches herself to drive that yellow truck her brother, Johnny Clay, gives her when he makes good and buys a convertible for himself. She's 18 by then, and her husband, a preacher man, insists she not drive that truck again because she's a preacher's wife and they have an image to present to the community. He changed a lot after the train wreck when he was a fireman on the train. She also isn't to have men friends, but think only of him. Butch is a friend of Johnny Clay's. Butch teaches Velva Jean how to write the music to go with the lyrics she writes all the time. Since before she was 10 she dreamed of a day when she would sing at the Grand Ole Opry. She could have a recording contract if she would just give the music man in Nashville the go-ahead. But Harley doesn't want her to sing any more. At all. Not even at home.

I can't make up my mind if it's a coming-of-age book or if it's a book about marriage. Maybe they are the same thing. Bottom line: I couldn't put the book down. And when I finished it, I was sad that I have to put it back on my bookshelf and move on from these beautiful people. This book will be on my favorites' list forever, along with The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel about a very young woman in Appalachia during the time that a highway is being built through the Appalachian mountains. This change is being implemented and accepted (or not) in many ways. Velva Jean falls in love and marries a charismatic preacher boy, Harley Bright, who suffers injuries in a train wreck and whose personality begins to change. He becomes very possessive and suppresses her longings to be and do more. Lucky for Velva, she has a cast of people in her life who encourage her to be herself and recognize her talents. They also encourage her to grab onto her dreams. Some of these people include her brother, Johnny Clay; a Woodcarver who lives high on the mountain; Butch, a blues singer. The predominant ways in which she gains freedom are by learning to drive and making a record(she has a great singing voice). The portrayal of how she goes about being true to herself and rejoicing in where she comes from mirrors the inner struggle that all of us have managed to cope with in one way or another. Very good!

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the tender age of ten, Velva Jean is saved in the cool Appalachian waters, only to have her life change drastically after, one cruel event at a time. But Velva Jean has a dream, a big dream.

Set in the North Carolina section of the Appalachian Mountains not far from Asheville during the Depression. Beginning in 1933, not long before the Blue Ridge Parkway construction begins which impacts on everyone on Fair Mountain, home to Velva Jean.

I loved the references to the location, the small details of life there and then. I loved most of the characters, although I found the development of some lacking. Velva Jean's story, though, is enough to keep you going to find out if she is able to overcome all that life throws at her and still find enough inside her to "live out there in the great wide world" and follow her dream.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful, touching, and heartfelt coming of age tale! The prose was simple, yet elegant and beautiful, and Jennifer Niven completely transported me to the "hollers" of the Appalachians during the construction of the venerable Blue Ridge Parkway. I loved that the Niven explained in the epilogue ("Roots") that the inspiration for Velva Jean and some of the other characters in the book came from her own family history in the mountains of North Carolina. I grew up in the Piedmont but have spent many happy times in the NC mountains over the years, so I felt a degree of kinship with her characters, and even for the yellow truck, which became a character in its own right. Velva Jean's plight and her dreams for herself will resonate with anyone if who has ever dreamed of rising above any aspect of her upbringing or current situation -- and who hasn't? This uplifting, hopeful story touched my heart and had me cheering for Velva Jean and her yellow truck. Five enthusiastic stars!

[Mary Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third book I’ve read by Jennifer Niven. I love her writing style. Velva Jean Learns to Drive is the sweet story of young Velva Jean - growing up in the 1940’s with a dream- she dreams of singing someday in Nashville. Of course there are hardships along the way. But throughout the book I loved the message of always remembering and following your dreams - and don’t let anything or anyone who doesn’t believe in you get in the way. Jennifer Niven is the author of 2 other books I read - All the Bright Places (my favorite) and Holding Up the Universe.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I quite enjoyed this book, even though it took me 18(!) days to read it. I really liked Velva Jean and many of the other characters, and enjoyed the southern feel of this book. Bit too much Bible in it for me though. I'm looking forward to following Velva Jean on her new adventure in the next book.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top 10 favorite book of all time.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I looked to the west, over toward the Indian nation, where I knew the road was reaching. I looked to the east and to the north, and the road wound up and onward, as far as the eye could see. I looked directly to the north-just below me-and tried to pick out my mountain, to see Alluvial and Sleepy Gap and Devil's Kitchen. Sitting up on that road, with the whole world spread out around me on all sides, I couldn't hate anything. And then it hit me. I said, 'This was what Mama meant when she said to live out there.'"

This coming of age novel has all the cuteness of Mayberry, and all the power of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Set in the 30's and early 40's, we follow Velva Jean Hart, and the story of her childhood, where she grows up in North Carolina. Her best friend is her brother, Johnny Clay, and she doesn't get along with her sister, Sweet Fern, at all. Velva Jean and Johnny Clay like to play spies and Bonnie and Clyde, and pretend that they're ne'er do wells, headed for a life of crime. Of course, that's not true at all. Johnny Clay has an exceptional gift of mining for gold, and Velva Jean has a voice that can make her a star. A Grand Ole Opry star, in fact. Which is what she wants to be more than anything in the world.

Until she meets another, former ne'er do well, by the name of Harley Bright, and falls madly in love with him. Only now, all grown up, at the ripe age of 16, he's a preacher, and is so moving that he's nicknamed the Hurricane Preacher, because he's able to bring people to their knees. They have a past, but to Velva Jean, he's only been the moonshiner's boy. Now he's got a following, and he's as handsome as a movie star. Since he was a child, he's told Velva Jean that she "has the prettiest face on Fair Mountain, or anywhere else," and upon seeing her again, he woos her with the same compliment. They start spending their days together, and eventually, with her grandfather's blessing, they get married.

Velva Jean, not one to settle, soon becomes bored of being a wife, and her dreams of becoming a singer at the Grand Ole Opry start to arise again. When she meets a man named Butch, a friend of Johnny Clay, he sets a fire in her so strong that she knows she can't ignore it. Then it comes time to make a decision. Stay a wife, or listen to her Mama, and go "live out there," where she belongs.


Man, there's a lot of stuff I left out, but I couldn't exactly tell you everything that happens! I said it was a powerful novel for a reason, because it is, but you have to read it for yourself to appreciate that. There's Cherokee blood and urban legends, mysticism, realizations, and family bonds that flow throughout this novel, that can't truly be written about as a review. The only thing I can say, is, there's a reason Velva Jean's last name is Hart. She has more heart than any character I've ever read.

I enjoyed this story so much, and I felt that Niven completely captured the emotions of what it's like growing up. I enjoyed reading about the small towns in North Carolina, and how things worked, because it's drastically different from New York, where I've lived my whole life. I like too that at the end, Niven leaves a little surprise, about roots, and where the story comes from. It's not completely fiction.

In fact, at times, I forgot I was reading fiction. I feel that the reader gets to know Velva Jean so well, that it feels like she's telling you this story as a friend, not as a character. I loved that, and also loved the fact that it came full circle, too. I love Johnny Clay like he's my own brother, and, in some way, I love Harley, too, even though, like Velva Jean, he royally upsets me. At the end, when Velva Jean makes her final decision, you go through all her emotions with her. You're happy that she's doing this for herself, you're sad because you love her family, too, but you know, just like her, that it needs to come to end, and you accept it. That, to me, is the mark of a truly talented writer.

I can't wait to read more of Niven's Velva Jean series!

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Niven did it again. I think I have officially found a new favourite author to add to the list. All The Bright Places managed to rip my heart out and that was Jennifer's YA debut. I wanted to dive into her backlist, so I stumbled upon this historical fiction series. At first, I didn't know what to expect but after reading it: Wow. Honestly, just wow.

The story is about a girl named Velva Jean who lives in the Appalachian Mountains with her whole family. Velva Jean has always dreamed about becoming a famous singer and to finally sing in the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. This dream fades when she meets Harley Bright. She fell in love with his bad-guy charms, but he turns into a revival-preacher. Eventually, it comes down to choosing between her home or her big dream.

I've lived Velva Jean's childhood with her throughout this book. I love these kind of books and it surprises me every time. I was frustrated at times with Velva Jean. I couldn't understand why she'd stay with Harley, but other times well made up for that. She learns how to drive in a time where it wasn't 'appropriate' for a woman to do that. That made me love her so much. Such a fierce and lovable character.

I do hope we'll see some of the characters who disappeared from this book in the next one. It'd be sad if Velva Jean wouldn't see these characters ever again especially because they meant so much to her. I'm very excited to read the next book and I'm so glad I finally had a better-than-average read this month. It was phenomenal.

Note to self: Read Jennifer Niven's entire backlist.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book. It dragged until about half-way through and then it got more interesting.

I was amazed at what a jerk Velva Jean's husband was! He made me so mad at times. After he forbade her to drive and sing I had to put the book down for a while. I contemplated what I would do with a husband like that and well, the conclusion I arrived at was not pretty. :P

I could really identify with Velva Jean's aspirations since I love to sing and write songs. (Though, I don't want to sing in the Grand Ole Opry, haha.) I loved this quote: "I like myself best when I'm writing songs or singing. I like the feeling of being lost in the words and the music. Anything can happen because I can make it up. I can go anywhere-- far away from Devil's Kitchen-- I can be anything, not just me."

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Velva Jean--her naive 10-year old self all the way through to maturity. I read most of this book in the middle of the night rocking my sleepless baby. I nearly woke her with shrieks and gasps during some exciting bits of plot--like when Velva Jean was being chased by a panther, and had to rip off her dress and throw it to the animal to aid her escape.

And when she finally climbs behind the wheel having taught herself to drive, I truly felt her desperation and liberation. A yellow truck and an open road (or a clear path down a mountain hill) is all you need.

Niven is a well-thought-out writer with a beautiful voice for story-telling.

[Donna Jo Atwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in 1930s Appalachia Velva Jean dreams of being a big-time singer in Nashville, even as she is bounded by a life restricted by the mountains of home.
But Velva Jean clings to her Momma's dying words to "live out ther in the great wide world" and uses them as a touchstone for discovery. Growing up is not always easy or straight forward, but it can and does make an interesting story.
Parts of this book reminded me a little of To Kill a Mockingbird.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. It had its moments, but at times it bored me to tears. There were many points in the story, that would have made good endings, however, I found myself putting it down to not pick it up again for several days as the story continued to plod along. Not terrible, but not my favorite.

[Sandy Denholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. To follow Vela Jean in her journey in life. To marry so young and to have the determination to learn to drive. Her sassyness and always yearning for more was wonderful to read about. A book that I really enjoyed. I would recommend this book to anyone.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can*]

Buddyread with Stepheny :)
----
Really tried but can't get into it :(

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Velva Jean’s daddy often took off, leaving his family wondering when he’d return. Later, he’d walk back through the door, as if he’d just stepped outside for a break, and the days and the months that he’d been gone, you’d think they were just all your imagination. When their mama died, the kids were at a loss, for their daddy was out somewhere. When he got done wandering, he would discover that his wife had died and the letter that he had written to his wife, the one that she kept reading after he left, is what his children believe caused her death.

I enjoyed this novel as I followed along beside Velva Jean as she explored and grew-up in Sleepy Gap, North Carolina during the 1930’s. Velva Jean had dreams of singing in the Grand Ole Opry and considering her situation, I was impressed with this dream. With her mama, gone and her daddy, a no-show, Velva Jean and her sibling were taken in by her grandparents.

I think the grandparents did the best they could and I had to laugh when they sent two of the kids off to a bootlegger. This incident lands the kids in jail which changes them forever on many levels. The kids feel they have now crossed the fence from being “good” kids, they’ve met some new people, they seen new sights, and they’ve been arrested.

I liked the flow of this book. It wasn’t an intense, action-packed novel but it had a calm, even-flow pace to it. It had the pace that I would think living in the mountains would have. There was a singing competition that stirs things up as Velva Jean wants to compete, religion comes into the picture as Velva Jean started to worry about future, and it gets interesting when Velva Jean begins to mature and she runs into a fellow from her past. 4.5 stars

I’m going to look into the other books in this series and I like books about the Appalachian Mountains and I enjoyed this novel.

[Marshunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book to listen to on a long drive or out gardening or canning fruit. It was just a great recommendation from a friend. Thanks, Judy. If I miss Velva Jean, I think there are a couple more in a series.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a telling sign that you like a story/characters when you check the the sequel out of the library (to have ready) when you've not yet finished the book. I'm glad I did that. I want to find out where Velva Jean goes next and who she meets along the way.

[Jenilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly enjoyed this story, the character development worked well and I can't wait to read the next in the series. Loved discovering the Hart family and the way their mountain life works!

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Velva Jean is such a real character, and Jennifer Niven has done such a good job of making her mountain world real. I really enjoyed this book because I felt like I was actually living on Fair Mountain and I think that anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction or realistic fiction would enjoy reading this book.