About the Book
A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Present to Past on Family Trees
Meri flunks out of medical school—and runs from her parents. Genealogist Jillian Parisi-Duffy’s digging traces the family long tradition of doctors to an ancestor saved during a yellow fever outbreak in Memphis in 1878. As Meri’s family closes in, Jillian gets the final puzzle pieces in place just in time for them all to learn the truth. The Inn at Hidden Run is the first book in the Tree of Life series. Readers will come back to backdrop of a lovely mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that inspire them to connect with their own family histories and unique faith journeys.
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My Impressions:
The Inn at Hidden Run is a dual timeline novel that connects stories from the past with the present through a family tree. This first book in a series by Olivia Newport focuses on the modern day family interactions of Meri Davies. Long held expectations force her to run to the small, charming town of Canyon Mines, Colorado and the Inn at Hidden Run B&B. Her plight is soon discovered by the nosy inquisitive 😉 residents of the town. Nolan, a lawyer and father to Jillian, a genealogist, discover long lost family stories that help Meri discover who she is meant to be. I found myself really looking forward to the historical elements of this book — I loved learning about the Memphis Yellow Fever outbreak in the 1870s and the valiant efforts of volunteers to provide healing and comfort. A great fictional story line gave this glimpse into history a personal feel. The present day story that was the impetus for the historical thread fell a little flat with me. I found it hard to connect to the characters, especially Meri and her family. They just seemed way over the top in their actions and reactions. The premise of the book is good and I will probably read another in the series, mostly for the history and mystery.
A very quick read, The Inn at Hidden Run will appeal to those who like discovering more about family connections and the impact of the past on the present.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Celebrate Lit for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
About the Author
Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.
More from Olivia
Of Family Lines and Family Lore
I suppose it all started in a cemetery.
Once, while a group of relatives were visiting a cemetery, one of my cousins and I wandered off and looked at all sorts of graves, speculating about the names we read and the lives they represented. We were duly scolded both for separating from our families, which caused some consternation, and for being disrespectful—though I think the second accusation was a false one!
Just because we were young children didn’t mean we were disrespecting the dead. Quite the opposite. We were respecting lives long forgotten with our curiosity about who they were and what legacies they left.
These days a lot of people are interested in genealogy. Entire TV series spin around the theme, and DNA kits show up in Christmas stockings. Lost branches of family trees find the main trunk—sometimes with big surprises.
My new Tree of Life series is set in the backdrop of a lovely Colorado mountain town I hope you’ll want to visit often, where a father-daughter genealogy team link present to past on family trees and characters learn about who they are, where they come from, and their unique faith journeys as they discover their own Tree of Life.
It all starts with The Inn at Hidden Run. When Meri arrives in Canyon Mines because she wants to run away from her family, true answers come from understanding the past that generations have forgotten—the accounts from another time and place no longer handed down but that still form the backbone of the family’s story.
What’s the backbone of your family’s history? How is it shaping your own future?
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 18
The Avid Reader, May 18
The Power of Words, May 18
Daysong Reflections, May 19
Texas Book-aholic, May 19
Through the Fire Blogs, May 20
Lighthouse Academy, May 20
A Baker’s Perspective, May 21
To Everything A Season, May 21
Reflections From My Bookshelves, May 22
Pause for Tales, May 22
Hallie Reads, May 22
Bigreadersite, May 23
By The Book, May 23
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 23
All-of-a-kind Mom, May 24
Connect in Fiction, May 24
Maureen’s Musings, May 25
Seasons of Opportunities, May 25
Inklings and notions, May 25
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 26
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 26
Godly Book Reviews, May 27
janicesbookreviews, May 27
Retrospective Spines, May 28
Mary Hake, May 28
Quiet Quilter, May 29
A Reader’s Brain, May 29
Remembrancy, May 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 30
Just the Write Escape, May 31
Moments, May 31
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Inn at Hidden Run!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/e1c1/the-inn-at-hidden-run-celebration-tour-giveaway
I like learning about genealogy. This book looks great.
I never realized that there was an outbreak of yellow fever in Memphis. I muat admit that I know little to nothing about Tennessee’s history so I’m excited to read this and see what I learn!
This books sounds fascinating. Thank you for sharing.