In the first book of the Mountain Song Legacy series readers step into a small Kentucky coal mining town in the late 1800's where hope is found in the hearts of two young girls—the vibrant, red-headed Maggie MacAuley and her fragile friend Summer Rankin.
When Jonathan Stuart, the latest in a succession of educators, actually wants to continue teaching in the one-room schoolhouse, then Maggie and Summer know that he is special. So when Jonathan's cherished flute is stolen, the girls try to find a way to restore music to his life.
Sorrow and joy follow in the days to come, and through it all Maggie, Jonathan, and a community rediscover the gifts of faith, friendship, and unwavering love.
“For this Kentucky woman, reading A Distant
Music was like driving through the eastern hills and hollers on
a perfect autumn day, with the scent of wood smoke in the air and
the trees ablaze with color. B.J. Hoff’s lyrical prose brings to
life this gentle, moving story of a beloved teacher and his
students, who learn far more than the three Rs. I brushed away
tears at several tender points in the story and held my breath when
it seemed all might be lost. Yet, even in the darkest moments, hope
shines on every page. A lovely novel by one of historical fiction’s
finest wordsmiths.”
—Liz Curtis Higgs, best–selling author of Thorn in My
Heart
“As always when I open B.J.’s books I am drawn into a place that
is both distant and at home. The metaphor of music, of lost music
especially, so resonates with those of us who at times feel our
voices are lost and long to know that we will be found. I know I’ll
love this series as I love your others and secretly, as I tell my
husband, I wish I could create the kinds of characters B.J. does
because I fall in love with them and want them always as my
friends.”
—Jane Kirkpatrick, author of Look for a Clearing in the
Wild, Book One of the Change and Cherish Series
“I read The Penny Whistle years ago and never
forgot it. I was delighted to see that it had become a full–length
novel. A Distant Music contains all the
elements—compelling characters, fascinating setting and stellar
writing—that I’ve come to expect from a book with B.J. Hoff’s name
on the cover.”
—Deborah Raney, author of Over the Waters and A Vow to
Cherish
“B.J. Hoff is a master story teller. With impeccable research,
vibrant characters and historical accuracy, Ms. Hoff weaves a story
that’s impossible to put down.”
—Lori Copeland, author of The Plainsman
“B.J. Hoff weaves an engrossing, heart tugging story of hope and
light in the unlikely setting of a bleak, poverty stricken 1800’s
mining town. Hoff captures how faith can triumph in even the most
hopeless of circumstances, all the while making you care deeply
about the trials and joys of her characters from the spirited young
Maggie MacAuley to the wise and compassionate teacher, Jonathan
Stuart. Another captivating tale from a master storyteller!”
—Cindy Swanson, radio host of A Weekend Rockford
“A Distant Music is another captivating book
by author B.J. Hoff. Ms. Hoff has the ability to create such
believable characters that you feel like you know them as friends
when you close the book’s final page...A Distant
Music holds such wonderful prose and such realistic
descriptions that I felt I was there.”
—Jill Eileen Smith
“Picking up a B.J. Hoff novel guarantees that you will be
transported into another time filled with captivating characters.
Book #1 of the new Mountain Song Legacy series, A
Distant Music, is no exception. Ever since the publication of
her novella, The Penny Whistle, readers have
asked B.J. for more of the story. With A Distant
Music, B.J. delivers the first installment, and it’s a novel
that will tug at your heart and fill you with hope. B.J. Hoff’s
gift of bringing characters to life shines in A
Distant Music. I found myself drawn into Maggie MacAuley’s
troubles and shed more than a tear or two with her. A
Distant Music is an enchanting read that touches the heart.
Once more B.J. proves that when it comes to the historical voice,
she is the master. B.J. tells us that this is just the beginning,
with more to come. I, for one, am eagerly awaiting the rest of the
Mountain Song Legacy series.”
—Vennessa Ng, book reviewer
“In the lyrical pages of B.J. Hoff’s A Distant
Music, we discover that God is present even in the darkness of
despair...and where God is, hope overflows. A warm and satisfying
tale of characters who will live in your memory for years to
come.”
—Angela Hunt, author of The Novelist
BJ Hoff’s bestselling historical novels continue to cross the boundaries of religion, language, and culture to capture a worldwide reading audience. Her books include Song of Erin and American Anthem and such popular series as The Riverhaven Years, The Mountain Song Legacy, and The Emerald Ballad. Hoff’s stories, although set in the past, are always relevant to the present. Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements or in coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life. BJ and her husband make their home in Ohio.