Binge Alert: A slow-burn romance you’ll devour.

In Held in the Rising Smoke, the third installment of the acclaimed Hymns of Blue Hollow series, author Kemma MarShall weaves a powerful story of survival, forbidden love, and haunting truths set against the turmoil of WWII.”

Forced from her Tennessee home after Clive’s devastation, Esther finds herself swept into the charged streets of 1940s New York City. Skyscrapers. Bright lights. And shadows that never stop following—especially for a woman carrying secrets and a child. Her husband, Ian, fights to keep her safe, but as a German-born man in wartime America, suspicion dogs his every step. His brother Freddie tempts her with glittering escapes, but the glamour is fleeting, and the past is calling them home.

Back in the Blue Hollow Hills, the ATU and the moonshiners circle like wolves. Both want what Clive once claimed, and Esther may be the only one standing in their way. Atmospheric and deeply human, Held in the Rising Smoke is a gripping work of historical fiction, rooted in the strength of Southern women—where every choice carries a cost, and the past never stays buried.

For readers of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, The Nightingale, and The Giver of Stars, this epic Southern saga of slow-burn romance blends survival and lyrical storytelling with unflinching grit. A deep, rich story perfect for book clubs. Historical literary fiction, the Hymns of Blue Hollowserieswill sweep you away.

Take a step into the Blue Hollows with thousands of readers, and discover why fans fall in love one page at a time.