Mulberry Hollow

 

Yesterday, while I was still reading this book, I read back over the reviews of other Denise Hunter books that I've read.  I wasn't surprised by what I said in any of my reviews.  Denise is a quality writer who writes vastly enjoyable books.  I did find that I was up and down with my opinions of what she had written. In this second book of the Riverbend Gap series, I was pleased that this one, to me, was better than the first one.  I kind of picked her apart on the trail culture, having known quite a bit of it, myself.  I have provided trail magic, I have trail-angeled, I have spent a lot of time going through the logistics of sending resupply packages to family members who were on the trail--making sure they arrived in time and contained all that they were supposed to contain.  

Mulberry Hollow is a neighborhood in Riverbend Gap, just off the Appalachian Trail.  Avery Robinson is the only doctor in Riverbend Gap and needs to hire another doctor to help her take calls and clinic hours.  Avery also lives under a cloud of the possibility of Huntington's Disease--it's what killed her mother. When Avery returns to her apartment above her clinic, she finds a man collapsed at the door of the clinic running a high fever and seriously dehydrated. She wants to call an ambulance but he declines saying that he has no insurance. Wes Garrett is fulfilling a bucket list item for his best friend, Landon, who was killed while they were building shelters in Columbia--finishing the Appalachian Trail.  Instead he has contracted an upper respiratory infection that prevents him from getting back to the trail.  Avery takes care of him in the clinic and in return for her care, he offers to refurbish her carriage house that will be offered as housing to whatever new doctor she can recruit. 

Avery has two over-protective brothers who come to check on her and her handyman with alarming frequency.  One is marrying her nurse, the other manages a campground and is building a new cabin at the campground.  Neither of them has the time to accomplish what Wes can do, but they aren't cutting the man any slack.  

There were only a couple of disappointing parts to the book.  When the new doctor comes on board, I wanted her to fall for Avery's brother instead of the deputy.  I wanted a hint at someone who was going to come in for Avery's brother and make him happy.  As it is, I see two more possible books coming out of this series, but maybe the deputy and the new doctor will be a minor part of Avery's brother's story.  

The first book in the series I gave four stars, so I will give this one five stars, two thumbs up, and a hunky handyman to do your refurbishing jobs. 

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.