Book Review (and a Giveaway!): This Freedom Journey by Misty M. Beller

SERIES: Heart of the Mountains #3
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance
PUBLISHER: Misty M. Beller Books, Inc.
RELEASE DATE: July 17, 2018
PAGES: 96

Adrien Lockman is through with the political unrest and bloodshed in his home country of France, so he sets off to the Canadian territory’s mountain frontier, in search of a place where a man can live his own life in peace. The last thing he expects to find is a woman, half-starved and half-frozen in a shack nestled among the towering peaks of the great Rocky Mountains.

Mary Standish thought she’d finally found a place where she was accepted, trapping with her husband for the Hudson Bay Company. But when he dies after a gruesome grizzly fight, she determines to carry on their work. After all, life in these remote mountains is better than enduring the scorn and snubs of “civilized” folk. When she’s forced to face a winter harder than any she’s endured yet, her stubbornness may just be the death of her. Until a stranger appears at her ramshackle door.

Adrien had planned to explore the mountain country all winter before he settles down to build a farm in the spring, but he can’t leave this woman to die in the elements. Even though she seems desperate for him to go. As Mary regains strength, she’s torn between wanting to save her dignity, and craving the respect of this man who’s slipped past her defenses. As the winter worsens, the truth becomes all too real–the only way they’ll survive is together.

Other Books In This Series

“If you see anything good in me, anything that inspires trust, it’s God’s spirit who dwells within me.”

I am so loving this Heart of the Mountains series by Misty M. Beller, and This Freedom Journey is another winner! The setting is stunning, even in its dangerous conditions, and Beller masterfully paints word pictures that show you how treacherous it would have been – and may leave you bundled up under a pile of quilts to ward off the biting cold even though it’s 100 degrees outside 😉

Adrien and Mary are both very compelling characters who are survivors by nature – though the harsh conditions of a Canadian Rockies winter tests those survival skills to the brink. They must rely on each other, and it’s out of this inter-dependence that a sweet friendship and then, of course, a swoony romance is born. Mary is one tough cookie, determined to survive without anyone’s help. And yet, Adrien’s steady presence and his quiet faith wraps around her and offers to bear her burdens for a while. Together they are a solid team, and though the wilderness winter is fierce, so is their determination.

Bottom Line: This Freedom Journey is a beautiful story of survival, friendship and faith. It’s also a tender and swoony romance set against the backdrop of the harsh but gorgeous Canadian Rocky Mountains. You will be emotionally invested in these characters and their stories, especially if you’ve followed the series from the beginning and already know Adrien and Mary later in life. The short page count does not detract from the pace at all, and nothing felt rushed or unnatural. Another gorgeous novella from Misty M. Beller!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / Love it!

KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion.

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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Other Books by Misty M. Beller

A Inside Look at the Cover for This Freedom Journey

My book covers are one of my favorite parts of the creative process! With most of my books, I have the cover done early, usually as I’m first brainstorming the story. I love to have the heroine on my cover, and I work hard to make sure the woman on the front matches the heroine I’m envisioning for the story. That way I can describe her in the novel the way she looks on the cover. Sometimes I even work in the outfit she’s wearing on the cover!

This Freedom Journey is a novella in my Heart of the Mountains series, so I wanted the cover to be similar in layout and style to the other books in that series. The setting is winter in the Canadian Rockies, so I knew Mary (the heroine) had to be bundled warmly! Funny story: Mary is mentioned in the other two books, although they’re set later in her life. When I first described her in the other books, I imagined her with amber brown eyes. When I chose the final cover for This Freedom Journey, I had to go back and change the amber brown eyes in those other manuscripts to the riveting blue on the cover. ?

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

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This giveaway is hosted by Celebrate Lit, not RimSP
Follow along with the tour for more chances to win!

What about you? What’s the harshest winter you’ve ever been through?