Upon the Highest Bough

by Jordan R. Samuel

It’s the Christmas season once more in Lake Lure, North Carolina, where Mariah Kincaid runs her own highly successful business, lives a comfortable life in her mountainside retreat, and frequently spends time with her three best friends from high school as they engage in time-honored traditions surrounding the holiday. Yet, behind the façade of the holiday lights and festivities lies the doubts of a struggling and “forgotten” believer, and amidst the beauty of a wintery holiday in the Blue Ridge, Mariah continues to search—as she has searched before. As the year progresses, bookmarked by the Christmas holiday on each end, Mariah tells her story through glimpses of times that came the individuals who made a mark on her life; the trials and triumphs that molded her perspectives; and the questions and doubts that weigh upon her, increasingly so with each passing day. Ultimately, it is a journey of faith that will unfold . . . a story of one woman who’s still searching . . .Still seeking the Christmas star in the dark of the midnight sky.

461 pages, Paperback

Published November 10, 2023

About the author

Jordan R. Samuel, the breakout author of The Broad River Trilogy and The Wings Saga, provides captivating dramatic series through which readers are introduced to the beauty of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Appalachia Mountains. Compelling characters, heartbreaking dilemmas, and meaningful journeys make up each of these stories, as Jordan weaves elements of romance, suspense, and historical perspective in creating breathtaking literary experiences. Jordan lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, John, and is a fulltime professor at Queens University of Charlotte. While not teaching or writing, she enjoys traveling across the country to visit their three children, as well as exploring new locations abroad. For more information, please visit jordanrsamuel.com.

Reviews

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book! One of the best I’ve ever read! Mariah had been left at birth at a childrens home. There she developed a deep faith in God and the hope that everything would turn out all right for her. But that’s not what happens. Adopted and living in Lake Lure NC, when she is in the second grade she ends up being assigned to a lunchroom table with 3 little boys. From that moment on a bond is forged. One that remains for all their growing up years and into adulthood. The problem though Mariah and one of the boys fall in love. And this is a different Mariah. One that has no hope or faith that anybody will ever choose her and that her life will be anything other than sadness. That author pulls this story together when God answers a little girls long forgotten prayer in a most unexpected way. If you read nothing else this year this book should be it

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect read during Christmas vacation! I enjoyed the organization of the book by seasons and holidays and the format of the flashbacks . Well developed characters and a lovely message of God’s love and faithfulness. It makes me want to visit the Lake Lure area!
It had several plot twists that kept me guessing until the very end.

[Nicole Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has read all 6 of Jordan R. Samual’s books once again I was not disappointed! This story will pull you in from the beginning and leave you with hope filled for the Christmas season and beyond!