**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.
Ingrid Chastain readily agreed to accompany her father to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory. She never could have anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. When rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man who tends her injuries, she's hesitant to put her trust in this quiet man who seems to have his own wounds.
Micah Bradley left his work as a doctor after unintentionally bringing home the smallpox disease that killed his wife and daughter. But his self-imposed solitude in the wilds of Montana is broken when he finds Ingrid in desperate need of medical attention, and he's forced to face his regret and call on his doctoring skills once again.
Micah can't help but admire Ingrid's tenacious determination despite the severity of her injuries, until he learns the crate she brought contains smallpox vaccines to help quell a nearby outbreak. With Ingrid dead set on trekking through the mountains to deliver the medicine--with or without his help--he has no choice but to accompany her. As they set off through the treacherous, snow-covered Rocky Mountains against all odds, the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.
Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God's love. Her Southern roots run deep, and she lives in South Carolina with her husband and children. Learn more and see Misty's other books at www.mistymbeller.com.
I've recently tried reading several frontier style books--- and while none were horrible books by any means, I just didn't connect with the stories as I have with others. I truly thought that perhaps this style of book simply was not for me. And then I read this one... and I stand corrected because I VERY much enjoyed this one.
Anytime I read a story like this, I find myself in amazement and awe of what it must have been like to live during this period of time. These days, if we want to travel we can go by car, train, plane or bus and be there within just a few hours or days! If we need medical treatment or vaccinations, we simply drive to our doctor's office and get it. It's pretty amazing then when we read this book which follows Ingrid and Micah as they travel by foot for weeks to get much needed smallpox vaccinations to a settlement facing an outbreak. And it is no easy walking journey either--- filled with weather and dangers and injuries that certainly kept me intrigued as the story went on. It wasn't a super high paced story, but kept me engaged every step of the way as I read.
As interesting as the journey itself was, I really loved the relationship between these two characters as well. I felt they had a believable connection that really had me rooting for them as a couple, and I really wasn't quite ready to see their story end--- perhaps we'll see them again in the next book of the series?
I also really enjoyed the faith content in this story too. With so much of the journey out of their control, it really was a great story showing God's plans and how He is ultimately in control of every situation. While we may not be traveling the wilderness in ice and snow on foot, that is certainly a reminder that we can ALL use in our lives, isn't it?
Overall, this was a fantastic read. If you love historical romance, this is certainly one to check out.
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