Adventure, faith, romance, and loss Misty M. Beller knows how to craft a tale that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. I cannot believe Beller's only coming onto my radar now!
Hope's Highest Mountain centers upon Ingrid Chastain, a young woman on a mission to assist a Montana town on the brink of outbreak and Micha Bradley, a man driven to the wilderness by an overwhelming grief. With most of the story held by these two characters (assisted by the eventual addition of two new friends) Beller had to craft personalities capable of carrying their own stories. For myself, Ingrid and Micah more than held their own keeping me enthralled as they faced the dangers of the wilds of the Rockies in the winter.
Beller captures such a balance between Ingrid's steadfast peace and her stubborn determination, she's feels true to her time frame and geography but with the spunkiness needed to survive on the frontier. While Micah's grief, both personal and professional, was portrayed with care and Beller's use of the letters to Rachel were such a smart way to invite readers into Micah's mind without making it available to his companions.
As far as plot goes, Beller excels in writing exciting, adventure filled plots that will have you on the edge of your seat. I kept pointing out to my husband all the obstacles our central characters face throughout the plot to his incredulity. However, Beller's done her research and there was certainly a reason most did not venture through the mountains once winter had arrived. Ingrid and her companions face everything from wagon accidents to avalanches. I found it interesting that, in my opinion, Beller gives a quick run down of the event unfolding before focusing primarily on the characters reactions and interaction. This definitely made for a stronger and more interesting story with greater character investment.
To round things out, Beller did manage to find the time and space to explore some romance along the way. This adds some much needed balance to the story and gives way to some very satisfying conclusions to the story.
In Hope's Highest Mountain Beller has balanced a satisfying blend of adventure, romance, and faith for a fully engaging read and this is only book one of the Hearts of Montana series! I can't wait to see what Beller releases next.
4.5 stars out of 5 stars
"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."
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