When the Jessamine Grows: A Captivating Historical Novel Perfect for Book Clubs

Set in rural 19th century North Carolina during the Civil War, this novel follows Joetta McBride as she struggles to maintain her family, farm, and moral convictions during America's most divisive period. Joetta and her husband Ennis have built a modest life with their two sons, Henry and Robert, on a small subsistence farm. Though they oppose slavery, Joetta considers her family neutral in the conflict. Her neutrality is not accepted by her community, including her father-in-law Rudean, a Confederate supporter who influences the boys with tales of war's glory. When Henry runs away to enlist, Ennis leaves to bring him home, leaving Joetta to manage the farm alone. As weeks pass without word, the strain intensifies. Increasingingly at odds with those around her, Joetta faces mounting hardship. An act of kindness brings her family to the brink of catastrophe. Despite being shunned and struggling to survive, Joetta holds fast to her principles and her hope that her family will endure. Greater trials await—for the fractured nation and for those she loves.