Copyright 2024 Nancy Kilgore, all rights reserved. Website design by MIRA T. LEE.
Wild Mountain
Vermonter Mona Duval loves the covered bridge beside her store. She loves local history and the rugged, rural nature of her home state. But when an ice storm collapses the bridge, she is bereft. Frank MacFarland, a seasonal resident who is beguiled by Mona, lends his political expertise to help rebuild the bridge. But they meet with powerful opposition. Tensions arise in the town, compounded by resistance to the soon-to-be-voted on Freedom to Marry bill. And then, unexpectedly, Mona’s abusive ex-husband arrives. Wild Mountain is a page-turning, beautifully written novel about the love between Frank and Mona, the love of place, freedom to marry, and freedom from the past, by a writer whose prose has been compared to Alice Munro’s.
Reviews
“Filled with colorful characters and built around many of the contemporary issues that continue to roil Vermont today — the opioid crisis, taxes and the ability of multi-generational families to stay on the land, gay rights, and domestic violence — this is the Vermont winter equivalent of the summer beach read. Curl up with it by the wood stove and think warm thoughts about next spring’s green mist in the hills.”
—Bennington Banner
“Kilgore’s characters find love despite many obstacles, and they find freedom in Vermont. They are free to get a second chance at life—what a wonderful gift.”
—Vermont Woman
“Presenting small-town life with strong descriptive prose and empathy, Kilgore eventually arrives at a heartening message of reconciliation.”
—Seven Days
“This book is at its heart, all about love….Ms. Kilgore has a very poetic way of writing that turns words into vignettes that played as little movies in my head as I read the story. I almost shivered as the ice broke on the river, I felt the breeze blow across the fields and the spring sun warmed my face. I, unlike the author do not have a magical way with words but trust me when I say you will be rewarded by reading this book.”
—Broken Teepee
“The places and characters are so vivid and real, I felt like I was there with them. I wanted to wrap myself up in the story like a coat.”
—Kim Church, author of Byrd
“…the author did a great job in setting the scene. As I was reading, I could picture this small town, the covered bridge, and the surrounding mountains. It made me want to take a trip to Vermont!”
—Musings of a Literary Wanderer