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Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof

by Tammy Griffin

August 30, 2012

Be Still My Soul is a debut novel by Joanne Bischof.
The story is about Lonnie Sawyer a sweet and pretty young lady who has grown up in a family where her abusive father rules the roost. Lonnie's family lives high upon an Appalachian mountain where the closet neighbors are miles away. When Lonnie's father refuses for her mother to sing at a local gathering he insists that Lonnie sing for the people. Lonnie is terrified at the thought but goes ahead. Her father leaves the party giving Lonnie permission to stay behind for a little visiting. Lonnie does so and Gideon the handsome young man who played the banjo while Lonnie sung walks her home or rather climbs a mountain with her to her cabin. When he leaves Lonnie at the door he asks for a kiss but Lonnie, having never kissed a man before says no. But as Gideon begins walking away she rethinks that small requests and call so Gideon. She tells him. "You can kiss me goodnight if you want. If you want to." Big Mistake! Gideon wants more and Lonnie literally has to fight him off. Her pa finds out that Gideon walked her home instead of Oliver and comes unglued. Pa figures the "worst" happened and that Lonnie is "soiled." Pa insists that Gideon marry Lonnie.
Poor Lonnie! Somewhere between a mother who is an enabler and a pa who is abusive she clings to her faith. But now her faith must be even stronger as she must marry Gideon. Gideon marries Lonnie and for all his gruff he actually seems to care for Lonnie. Actually, Gideon has a hard time at his own home and once he marries Lonnie he sees this as an opportunity to leave and begin his own life with Lonnie. An interesting fast paced read that is filled with faith and grace.