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Held in the Rising Smoke, The Lost Pages: An Epic 1940s Southern Historical Romance Saga • A Book Club Favorite
In
Held in the Rising Smoke
, the third installment of the acclaimed Hymns of Blue Hollow series, Kemma Marshall weaves a gripping tale of survival, forbidden love, and haunting truths. The heat of war collides with the wreckage of the past, and nothing is ever as far behind as it seems.
Esther has always lived by instinct. Hide. Protect. Endure. But after the devastation left in Clive’s wake, her quiet life in the hills of Tennessee has turned to ash.
Forced to flee, she finds herself a world away from the Blue Hollow Hills, swept into the electrified streets of 1940s New York City. Skyscrapers. Bright lights. But even there, shadows follow—especially for a woman carrying secrets... and a child.
Her husband, Ian, has risked everything for her, but as a German-born man in the wrong place at the wrong time, he’s viewed with suspicion. With his freedom hanging by a thread, he clings to the hope of building something safe with Esther. But nothing feels certain anymore—not in the city, and not in a country that can’t decide who its enemies really are.
Ian’s brother, the magnetic and reckless Freddie, offers Esther a world of glittering escapes. Nightclubs. Laughter. The thrill of being seen. But the glamour fades quickly. And the past they tried to outrun begins to call them home.
Back at the Old Reed Estate, the hills whisper warnings. The ATU and the moonshiners are circling like a pack of dogs. Both want what Clive once had. And Esther is the only one standing in their way. This time, she won’t run. She’ll protect what’s left, even if it costs her everything.
As danger mounts and loyalties are tested, Held in the Rising Smoke delivers a heart-wrenching, slow-burn romance set against the backdrop of WWII. This emotionally layered, character-driven novel is rich with atmosphere, smoldering tension, and the grit of Southern resilience.
Step into a historical fiction saga where heroes are brave, the stakes are high, and trust can be as dangerous as the threats closing in. Gripping and evocative, it’s a story rooted in the strength of Southern women—where every choice carries a cost, and the past never stays buried for long.
Esther has always lived by instinct. Hide. Protect. Endure. But after the devastation left in Clive’s wake, her quiet life in the hills of Tennessee has turned to ash.
Forced to flee, she finds herself a world away from the Blue Hollow Hills, swept into the electrified streets of 1940s New York City. Skyscrapers. Bright lights. But even there, shadows follow—especially for a woman carrying secrets... and a child.
Her husband, Ian, has risked everything for her, but as a German-born man in the wrong place at the wrong time, he’s viewed with suspicion. With his freedom hanging by a thread, he clings to the hope of building something safe with Esther. But nothing feels certain anymore—not in the city, and not in a country that can’t decide who its enemies really are.
Ian’s brother, the magnetic and reckless Freddie, offers Esther a world of glittering escapes. Nightclubs. Laughter. The thrill of being seen. But the glamour fades quickly. And the past they tried to outrun begins to call them home.
Back at the Old Reed Estate, the hills whisper warnings. The ATU and the moonshiners are circling like a pack of dogs. Both want what Clive once had. And Esther is the only one standing in their way. This time, she won’t run. She’ll protect what’s left, even if it costs her everything.
As danger mounts and loyalties are tested, Held in the Rising Smoke delivers a heart-wrenching, slow-burn romance set against the backdrop of WWII. This emotionally layered, character-driven novel is rich with atmosphere, smoldering tension, and the grit of Southern resilience.
Step into a historical fiction saga where heroes are brave, the stakes are high, and trust can be as dangerous as the threats closing in. Gripping and evocative, it’s a story rooted in the strength of Southern women—where every choice carries a cost, and the past never stays buried for long.
515 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2024
About the author
Kemma MarShall
5 books28 followersAuthor of the best-selling and acclaimed Hymns of Blue Hollow series, an epic 1940s Southern historical romance, Kemma Marshall calls North Carolina home. With family roots in the Appalachian hills, the stories of her ancestors fuel her creative soul.
Growing up poor as one of nine children, Kemma writes with authenticity, painting with words to bring her characters to life. She knows what it feels like to be a young girl who goes unseen.
Inspired by the love of a good man and a lasting marriage, and shaped by her years as a mother, she has spent her life as an artist and researcher with a deep passion for history and bygone eras.
Her work has earned over 10 million Kindle Unlimited page reads and maintains a 4.5-star reader rating.
Growing up poor as one of nine children, Kemma writes with authenticity, painting with words to bring her characters to life. She knows what it feels like to be a young girl who goes unseen.
Inspired by the love of a good man and a lasting marriage, and shaped by her years as a mother, she has spent her life as an artist and researcher with a deep passion for history and bygone eras.
Her work has earned over 10 million Kindle Unlimited page reads and maintains a 4.5-star reader rating.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 21, 2025
Exceptional
I was drawn into these books from page one.I laughed ,I cried ,my stomach was in knots every time something bad happened. Remarkable characters. I felt as if I knew them.couldn't wait to start reading again the next day.had to know if everyone was ok.I hope and pray there is a next book.I have to know if Ian and Esther are together. Absolutely loved these books
I was drawn into these books from page one.I laughed ,I cried ,my stomach was in knots every time something bad happened. Remarkable characters. I felt as if I knew them.couldn't wait to start reading again the next day.had to know if everyone was ok.I hope and pray there is a next book.I have to know if Ian and Esther are together. Absolutely loved these books
July 15, 2025
amazing!
This could not end like this without another following! an amazing book just waitingnto be finished!
I need to see this family be reunited!
This could not end like this without another following! an amazing book just waitingnto be finished!
I need to see this family be reunited!
August 7, 2025
Held in the Rising Smoke
I love tis series. Each book is just exciting ars the very first one. Absolutely a great book series. Great book.
I love tis series. Each book is just exciting ars the very first one. Absolutely a great book series. Great book.
July 9, 2026
PERFECT!!!
You'll wish it won't end. Each book is built the same way a life is built. It is exciting and beautiful. So real. Every emotion felt. Exactly as we live...flaws and all.
You'll wish it won't end. Each book is built the same way a life is built. It is exciting and beautiful. So real. Every emotion felt. Exactly as we live...flaws and all.
April 27, 2026
This author really knows how to write, engaging the reader at every turn. Elegant and carefully crafted. Perhaps a little complex for readers who prefer simple stories and don’t like to dive deep into character-driven plots, favoring plain narration instead (which I happen to find exceptionally boring). The time period, details, and verbiage felt authentic. Perfect for 1940s New York and the rural Tennessee hills. I found myself reading this in record time. This series is definitely one you’ll get swept up in. Five stars! If I could give it more, I would!
December 28, 2025
These books are all so poorly written, like a third grader wrote them. The story line is halfway decent thought a bit far fetched and like the author is grasping at straws to create more problems without the ingenuity of writing a good storyline. I absolutely do not recommend starting this series; I’m only finishing it because my OCD won’t allow me not to lol but I wish I’d never read the first one. They are difficult to read and do little to maintain my attention. Definitely not something you can’t put down, more like something you have to force yourself to read. The sad part is it could be a great series, if it was written well.
May 26, 2026
Do not waste your time on this series. Book 1 was good as far as beach reads go. But each book in the series has gotten worse. Seriously the main character is a self centered woman with little common sense and no regard for those around her she says she cares about. By book 3, I'm done. I can't even fathom what disasters are going to keep happening - spoiler alert they are all caused by her!!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews