A debut novel of grit and grace set in the Appalachian Mountains during the Great Depression and World War II.
Coming October 31, 2025 — A story of love, duty, and freedom in the heart of Appalachia.
Set in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at the close of the Great Depression and the dawn of World War II, Watermelon Winter tells the story of seventeen-year-old Pearl Harfield, a true Appalachian girl determined to grow beyond the fences that close her in.
As her town is swept up in war and ration stamps, Pearl fights for what few girls dare to ask: equal pay, equal privilege, and a path beyond the holler. When the government launches the Cadet Nurse Corps, Pearl seizes the opportunity to pursue her dreams.
Through sweat, heartbreak, and the hum of locusts in the trees, Watermelon Winter follows Pearl's journey to become the kind of woman who doesn't just endure—she thrives.
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