Beneath the Apple Leaves

Fiction & Literature, Coming of Age, Saga, Historical
Cover of the book Beneath the Apple Leaves by Harmony Verna, Kensington Books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Harmony Verna ISBN: 9781617739446
Publisher: Kensington Books Publication: July 1, 2017
Imprint: Kensington Books Language: English
Author: Harmony Verna
ISBN: 9781617739446
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication: July 1, 2017
Imprint: Kensington Books
Language: English

From the author of Daughter of Australia comes a sweeping, heartfelt historical novel that follows a family of German immigrants who trade city living for the harsh realities of Pennsylvania farm life.

In 1914, Andrew Houghton’s family is one of hundreds eking out an existence in the coal mines of southwestern Pennsylvania. Though he longs to be a veterinarian, he’s fated for a life underground, picking rock alongside his father.

That destiny changes when his aunt, Eveline Kiser, arranges for her husband to secure Andrew an apprenticeship on the railroad. Wilhelm Kiser, a German immigrant, has found his American dream in Pittsburgh, with a well-paying job as a brakeman, and a secure pension. But on Andrew’s first week, an incident goes tragically wrong, leaving him severely injured, his dreams shattered. Wracked with guilt, Wilhelm finally agrees to his wife’s pleas to leave Pittsburgh’s smog behind. With Andrew in tow, they swap their three-story row house for a rough-and-tumble farm.

Life in rural Pennsylvania is not as idyllic as Eveline imagined. The soil is slow to yield and their farmhouse is in disrepair. But there is one piece of beauty in this rugged land. Lily Morton is quick-witted and tough on the outside, but bears her own secret scars inside. Andrew’s bond with her will help steer them through all the challenges to come, even as anti-German sentiment spreads across America with the outbreak of World War I.

Beneath the Apple Leaves is a vivid, deeply moving portrait of family—its hardships, triumphs, and passions—and a powerfully authentic evocation of life on the land and the hearts that sustain it.

Praise for Daughter of Australia

“A stunning debut novel that evokes the epic scope of Colleen McCullough’s classic The Thorn Birds, Harmony Verna creates a poignant, beautifully told story of love and courage.” —Library Journal

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

From the author of Daughter of Australia comes a sweeping, heartfelt historical novel that follows a family of German immigrants who trade city living for the harsh realities of Pennsylvania farm life.

In 1914, Andrew Houghton’s family is one of hundreds eking out an existence in the coal mines of southwestern Pennsylvania. Though he longs to be a veterinarian, he’s fated for a life underground, picking rock alongside his father.

That destiny changes when his aunt, Eveline Kiser, arranges for her husband to secure Andrew an apprenticeship on the railroad. Wilhelm Kiser, a German immigrant, has found his American dream in Pittsburgh, with a well-paying job as a brakeman, and a secure pension. But on Andrew’s first week, an incident goes tragically wrong, leaving him severely injured, his dreams shattered. Wracked with guilt, Wilhelm finally agrees to his wife’s pleas to leave Pittsburgh’s smog behind. With Andrew in tow, they swap their three-story row house for a rough-and-tumble farm.

Life in rural Pennsylvania is not as idyllic as Eveline imagined. The soil is slow to yield and their farmhouse is in disrepair. But there is one piece of beauty in this rugged land. Lily Morton is quick-witted and tough on the outside, but bears her own secret scars inside. Andrew’s bond with her will help steer them through all the challenges to come, even as anti-German sentiment spreads across America with the outbreak of World War I.

Beneath the Apple Leaves is a vivid, deeply moving portrait of family—its hardships, triumphs, and passions—and a powerfully authentic evocation of life on the land and the hearts that sustain it.

Praise for Daughter of Australia

“A stunning debut novel that evokes the epic scope of Colleen McCullough’s classic The Thorn Birds, Harmony Verna creates a poignant, beautifully told story of love and courage.” —Library Journal

More books from Kensington Books

Cover of the book Séances Are for Suckers by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book A Blossom of Bright Light by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book The Cheating Curve by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Sconed to Death by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Never Again Once More by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Scratch by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book A Change in Altitude by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book A Hive of Homicides by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Almost A Gentleman by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book I Need More by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Scrapbook of the Dead by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Touched by You by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book Scrub-a-dub Dead by Harmony Verna
Cover of the book An Ale of Two Cities by Harmony Verna
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy