Smoky Blue Sunrise

A Return to Elizabeth's Mountain (The Elizabeth’s Mountain Series, Book 2)

By: Lucille Guarino

Narrated by: Adrienne Stringfellow

I am the reason my sister is dead.

Jolie-Mae Buckley doesn't think her heart can ever heal. Two years ago, she graduated from college summa cum laude and was on track for medical school. Drowning in guilt after a disastrous mistake turned deadly, she's unable to move forward.

When she answers an ad for a live-in nanny four hours away in Western North Carolina, on Elizabeth's Mountain, Jolie knows this is her opportunity to start her life anew.

As details of Jolie's misfortune emerge, her new employers, Jesse and Amanda Taylor, detect a nefarious undercurrent in her story. Jesse's protégé, Brody, gently persuades Jolie to revisit that awful day when a perfect storm of events destroyed her world. In the meantime, Hurricane Helene is barreling toward Asheville, where survival becomes paramount, exposing the fragile line between hope and terror. In the aftermath of Mother Nature's chaos, and with Jolie's heart hanging in the balance, the truth about that fateful night breaks free like the floodwaters no one predicted.

©2026 Black Rose Writing (P)2026 Black Rose Writing

Critic reviews

"Haunted by guilt after her sister's tragic death, a young woman seeks a fresh start as a caregiver in North Carolina and gradually finds the healing she seeks-but unexpected love and a life-threatening storm will test her strength all over again!" —Cam Torrens, award-winning author of the Tyler Zahn mystery/suspense series

Great listen

I thought this book was very well done. I liked the point of view of each main character and the narrator did a good job at each one. The storyline was done well with Jolie's story leading this book. But the Hurricane Helene part was done very well in being trapped on the mountain for days. it brought me right back to that time and when that happened. The author did her research of that timeframe as the nation watched this all unfold. The ending was good. It was a very good listen and I did read part of the book at the same time. Worth the listen! :)

Superb!

I fortunately stumbled upon this author by accident and what a fabulous experience this book is! Ms. Guarino writes with such truth, realism and passion; I was enthralled and enchanted. This is more than one sentence dialogue, This is a story about life. Smoky Blue Sunrise delves into lives of characters that interweave with grace, anguish, love. Narration was perfect--I did enjoy the slight southern twang! Kudos to both author and narrator for a wonderful experience, a joy to read. I will treasure this as one of my best reads!

Smoky Blue Sunrise

This story held my interest right through it, from the beginning up until the end. The characters are interesting and their tale was intriguing.

The narration was good.

This narrator. This story. What a perfect fit!

Heartwarming, Honest, and Hopeful. Smoky Blue Sunrise is a testament to building a new life despite a haunting grief. Perfect for fans of women’s fiction, family life, small town romance, and stories of testing strength.

enthralling modern story

I enjoyed this storyline. Nicely tied in recent modern events. I had a little trouble with the narration as I noticed a few times that words were muspronounced, but it wasn't often & didn't detract from the story.