The Saints of Swallow Hill is the story of Del Reese, Rae Lynn Cobb and the residents of Swallow Hill turpentine farm. Del Reese and Rae Lynn Cobb both have left complicated situations behind when they arrive at Swallow Hill. Del doesn't plan to stay long at the camp, but he quickly makes an enemy of Crow, one of the men in charge of the camp workers. Rae Lynn tries not to draw attention to herself and just make the best of her situation, but she can't escape Crow's evil ways. Through all the difficult working conditions and hardships the residents face, there still is a sense of goodness among many of the people there. The Saints of Swallow Hill is a beautiful story of forgiveness, resilience and the triumph of the human spirit.
I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the turpentine camps and the conditions at that time. I really was invested in these characters and how their lives played out over the pages. I've seen this book compared to The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah and also Where the Crawdads Sing by Della Owens, and would definitely agree that The Saints of Swallow Hill deserves a spot on that shelf.
I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.