This Treacherous Journey by Misty M Beller - Review of the first book in the Heart of the Mountains series

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(copied from Amazon.com)

Widowed and with child, Emma Malcom is fleeing from the reward offered for her arrest. She's innocent of the dirty dealings her deceased husband orchestrated, but the angry townspeople didn't stop to listen to her defense before she narrowly escaped with her life. Now, she and her twin brother, Joseph, must battle the mountain wilderness of the Rockies to reach Canada and the clean start she craves. But when a fall from the rocky cliff leaves Joseph wounded and weak, could the strange mountain man they encounter be God's gift to see them to safety?

Simeon Grant makes bad choices. His deceased wife and twin babies are lost to him now because of his reckless decisions, and the penance he pays by living alone in this mountain wilderness is only a small piece of what he thinks he deserves. When a city woman, heavy with child, appears on his doorstep with her injured brother, her presence resurrects the memories he's worked so hard to forget. And when she asks for his help to travel deeper into the mountain country, he can't help wonder why God would force him to relive the same mistakes he's already suffered through. Or maybe taking these two to safety could be the way to redeem himself.

But when their travels prove more treacherous than he imagined, Simeon finds himself pressing the limits of his ability to keep Emma and her brother safe. Can he overcome the past that haunts him to be the man she needs? Will Emma break through the walls around Simeon's heart before it's too late, or will the dangers of these mountain be the end of them all?

MY  REVIEW

A nice clean story that will show you how faith can help you through even the toughest time. A great undertaking for all of the characters. When all are hurt and one near death, you only have each other and your faith to get you through. I love Misty's books so this is the start of yet another series that I will read to the end!

First Love Forever Romance Collection by Erica Vetsch, Susanne Dietze, Cynthia Hickey, Marcia Gruver, Carrie Fancett Pagels, Martha Rogers, Lorna Seilstad, Connie Stevens and Jennifer Uhlarik - Review

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You Never Forget Your

First Love

Coming face to face with a lost love can be awkward when the heartstrings are still holding on to the "what ifs." In settings from 1861 to 1910, nine couples are thrown back on the same path by life's changes and challenges. Can love rekindle despite the separation of time and space?

First Things First by Susanne Dietze

A most Reluctant Bride by Cynthia Hickey

Weeping Willow by Marcia Gruver

His Anchor by Carrie Fancett Pagels

After the Ball by Martrha Rogers

Lighter Than Air by Lorna Seilstad

In Due Season by Connie Stevens

Heartfelt Echoes by Jennifer Uhlarik

Prescription for Love by Erica Vetsch

Travel back to a gentler time in American history, and meet nine couples who never forgot how their hearts were once bound by love.

MY  REVIEW

I know I've said it before, but I love the collections books. Each story is a quick read and there are always some of my favorite authors, I then get introduced to some new authors as well. I enjoyed all of the stories, of course some some more than others but once I got into the stories that I wasn't enjoying at first, I found they were enjoyable reads also. Grab a copy and see if you enjoy it too!

An Amish Homecoming by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Shelley Shepard Gray and Kathleen Fuller - Review

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No Place Like Home BY AMY CLIPSTON

Estranged daughter Eva Dienner has been staying with her in=laws, the Riehls, since her husband was killed in a fire, but now she wants to her son t meet his maternal grandparents. Upon her return,m Eva finds that the man her parents always intended fore her is living in their daadihaus and running the dairy farm for them for free, despite her suspicions of him taking advantage of her family. Eva knows she should put the past behind her, but is she ready to move into the future?

When Love Returns BY BETH WISEMAN

Hurricane Harvey forces Sarah Zook to return to the home she fled six years ago when she couldn't face her stern parents' reaction to her unplanned pregnancy. Upon her return, Abram King can think of nothing but the pain she caused him--until he meets Sarah's daughter and realizes that he never really stopped loving Sarah. Sarah and Abram must find a way to face the truth of their past so they can rekindle their first love.

The Courage to Love BY SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY

After the death of her Englisch husband, Irene Keim seeks a fresh start by staying with her new friends Mary Ruth and Henry Wengerd in exchange for helping them around the house. But when Mary Ruth and Henry's son Marcus comes around, he isn't pleased with the woman they've taken in and is determined to push her out. Misunderstandings abound, but both Irene and Marcus learn that people aren't always what they seem.

What Love Built BY KATHLEEN FULLER

Independent and headstrong, Carolyn is determined to forge ahead with the opening of her bakery, a lifelong dream, in the Birch Creek home she left ten years ago. But she's in over her head and needs help with the cleaning, shopping, and deliveries. Carpenter Atlee Shetler is visiting Birch Creek to escape the memories of his late wife. He takes a job renovating the new bakery and finds the project--and its owner--to be much more than he bargained for. Both Carolyn and Atlee must face pains of the past if they want to have the bright future God has planned for them

All stories include discussion questions

MY  REVIEW

Four very touching stories and I thoroughly enjoyed each one. These are all some of my favorite authors and they did not fail here. There was one "When Love Return" that had my eyes tearing up many time throughout the story. Every one of these stories shows how hard it is to go back home after a very painful decision to leave, they each show much faith and strength. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers; book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Amish Christmas Abduction by Dana R Lynn - Review of the third book in the Amish Country Justice series

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KIDNAPPED IN AMISH COUNTRY

After catching a glimpse of something she wasn't supposed to see days before Christmas, Irene Martello is run off the road and barely survives. More shocking is the backseat whimper of an Amish toddler stowaway and the familiar sight of their rescuer--the man who'd let her down years earlier. Police chief Paul Kennedy fears Irene stumbled onto a kidnapping ring with two dangerous agendas; retrieving the girl and silencing the witness for good. Only Paul can keep them safe for the holidays. Guarding Irene means risking his heart--and his secret--but to save the child and the woman he never stopped loving, it's a risk he has to take.

MY  REVIEW

WOW! Talk about action, being shot at, murder, it's all in here and makes for a fast paced story. A very good addition to the series. I have really enjoyed all three of the books that I've read in the series so far. The books 'could' be read as stand alone but I do like that I've read them in order. Looking forward to reading "Amish Country Ambush" when I get a copy and "Amish Christmas Emergency" when it comes out in November.

Prudie's Mountain Man by Elaine Manders - Review of the third book in the Annex Mail-Order Brides series

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(copied from Amazon.com)

Clean, Christian romance novella about a Victorian era, western mail-order bride.

Annex graduate, Prudie Walsh has lost her home and family merchandising business. She answers a mail-order bride ad for one reason only--Erich Stafford's dry-goods store.

Scarred by a cougar attack as a child, Erich has spent his entire adult life living as a hermit in the Wyoming mountains. After inheriting a dry-goods store in the nearby frontier town of Bent Fork, he leaves his mountain cabin and eagerly awaits his mail-order bride, a woman who will be the perfect helpmate in his new business.

He soon realizes the beautiful, ambitious Prudie carries scars of her own. It will take a lot of patience and faith to turn their business arrangement into a real marriage.

Prequels to the long historical novel series, "Under Cerulean Skies", the Annex Mail-Order Brides novella series follows three courageous young women who find love through the mail.

MY  REVIEW

This final book in the 'prequel' series was just as good as the first two, a story of patience and faith. Would be best if you read the three books in order. Great short story, series.