These Blue Mountains

by: Sarah Loudin Thomas

• Format

  Paperback

  ISBN

  9780764242021

  Dimensions

  5.5 x 8.5

  Pub. Date

  Jul 2025

  SRP

  $18.99

  Carton Quantity

  32

  Number of pages

  352

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About

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz's name in a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda travels to the US. Her quest takes a shocking turn when, rather than Fritz's body, his casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones thought he'd left that dark chapter behind when he helped bury Fritz Meyer's coffin. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering yet captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. As they work together to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz's fate, Hedda and Garland grow closer. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time while Hitler rises to power in Germany, she fears she'll be forced to return home before she can put the ghosts of her past to rest.

"These Blue Mountains is a masterful tale that weaves together two continents, two wars, and two lives defined by longing and resilience."--PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY, New York Times bestselling author

"North Carolina's mountains hide the secrets of a war long past and a young love cut short in this atmospheric tale of unexpected hope."--LISA WINGATE, New York Times bestselling author

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Endorsements

"These Blue Mountains is a masterful tale that weaves together two continents, two wars, and two lives defined by longing and resilience. Sarah Loudin Thomas has crafted a story as rich and layered as the Blue Ridge Mountains themselves, where every twist reveals deeper truths about love, loss, and identity. When Hedda Schlagel, a German woman caught between the shadows of the Great War and the ominous rise of Hitler, embarks on a journey to America to uncover what truly happened to her fiancé, Fritz, she discovers that home is not just a place but a truth we carry in our hearts. These Blue Mountains explores the transformative power of art, the meaning of home, and the redemptive beauty of risking the heart. S. L. Thomas has gifted us with a story to savor, a journey to take, and a reminder of how history shapes--and redeems--us all."

Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

"North Carolina's mountains hide the secrets of a war long past and a young love cut short in this atmospheric tale of unexpected hope and the gentle reminder that only by releasing the past can we embrace a new and unexpected future. Sarah Loudin Thomas brings the Blue Ridge and its history to life in intimate and fascinating detail."

Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Shelterwood

"The perfect blend of pre-WWII history, second chances, and the quest for love, acceptance, and honesty. A great read not only for lovers of historical romance, but for anyone who sees mountains as a metaphor for pursuing--and achieving--your dreams."

Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of Only the Beautiful

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