A tale of survival and love... This Courageous Journey by Misty Beller (Review & #Giveaway)

Monday, October 22, 2018 - Leave a Comment

This is the first I've read from this author, and plan to read more
from her. Read my full review and enter the tour giveaway below...

This Courageous Journey

(Heart of the Mountains #4)
By Misty Beller
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 283 Pages
October 9th 2018

Summary

As the fifth daughter in a family of nine children, Noelle Grant has spent her life working to be unique. Her love of stories helps define her goal—to be known around the country as one of the top news correspondents of her time. And what better way to uncover sensational stories than to travel through the mountain wilderness to visit the brother she hasn’t seen in years? The trip comes together perfectly as she plans to journey with family friends who will be settling in the same area. Her first inkling that things may not be as perfect as planned comes in the form of the mountain man they hire as their guide for the final leg of the journey.

When Daniel Abrams agrees to guide the small group of easterners along his usual journey northward to the Canadian mountains, his gut tells him he’s making the wrong decision. But if he doesn’t take them, who will? The man in charge refuses to consider turning back. As they start out, Daniel can’t help but notice the woman traveling under the care of her friends. Though she appears too genteel to last long in these mountains, she soon reveals a strength that draws him more than he should allow.

As the dangers of this wilderness become more than the group bargained for, Noelle is faced with the choice to delay her journey northward or proceed alone with the man she’s come to trust against all reason. She never imagines her decision will place her—and the man she loves—in a situation more hazardous than any story her imagination could conjure.

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My Review

THIS COURAGEOUS JOURNEY is the story of a woman who desires to be a journalist and the man who takes her on a dangerous journey to her brother in Canada. The characters are easy to fall in love with, the plot is full of twists and danger, and the romance is sweet and heartfelt. An overall enjoyable journey for inspirational romance readers.

I adored Noelle and Daniel! They are both fabulous characters with their own insecurities, strengths, and dreams. I love how they began a little at odds, but developed a friendship and then love over the time they were together. They face some obstacles in their journey and their relationship, but pushed through showing their strength and love for each other. There are some emotional moments and some places that really tugged on my heart. The romance was so sweet and I could feel the chemistry between these two quite easily. The inspirational aspect of the story was on the lighter side until the end when it's a little stronger.

I had very few complaints with this story. I did want a little more depth with some of the characters. Bo felt rather vague to me as to his age and personality, as did some of the other secondary characters. I didn't feel they needed stronger roles, but I did want them to be more defined, especially as not having read any of the previous books in the series. I did feel one part of the inspirational aspect was a little abrupt (in the cabin with Noelle and Daniel towards the end of the book). I think it just needed to be worked in a little better, but otherwise I enjoyed this aspect of the story.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This story had some exciting twists, an emotional pull, great characters, and a sweet romance making for a truly enjoyable story! I really loved these characters, the romance, and how the story played out in a treacherous journey to Canada. I hope to read the other books in this series and will be looking for this author's next release.

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and daughters now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy. God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

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Guest Post from Misty

Ever Been Struck by Lightning? One of the fun things about being a writer is the crazy topics I get to research. Without giving away too much of the story, part of my research for This Courageous Journey included uncovering what happens when lightning strikes a person. It turns out anything can happen! Surprisingly, about nine out of ten people struck by lightning live to tell their story. Each person’s experience seems to be different—some are knocked unconscious, while others are horribly aware of everything happening. One person who was struck said it seemed as if time slowed to a crawl and a white haze surrounded him like a bubble, as excruciating pain shot through him. People usually try to determine the path the lightning traveled through them, based on where burn marks appear on both skin and clothing, but sometimes that can be difficult if jewelry or coins were touching the body. Survivors might suffer a variety of short- and long-term effects, including—but not limited to—cardiac arrest, confusion, seizures, dizziness, muscle aches, deafness, headaches, memory deficits, distractibility, personality changes, and chronic pain, among others. That may sound like an awful list, but it does beat the alternative! As I considered the possible effects of a lightning strike when I was writing This Courageous Journey, I was reminded once again how magnificent God’s creation is. Both the incredible power contained in one streak of lightning, and the beautiful inner workings of the bodies He created for us. As the Psalmist said, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made!”

Tour Schedule

Reading Is My SuperPower, October 11

Among the Reads, October 11

Singing Librarian Books, October 11

The Power of Words, October 12

Multifarious, October 12

Maureen’s Musings, October 12

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 13

Real World Bible Study, October 13

Splashes of Joy, October 14

Artistic Nobody, October 14 (Spotlight)

Joy of Reading, October 15