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–Synopsis–

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.

Jericho Coulter, the eldest of six fiercely devoted brothers, is entrusted with safeguarding his family and the secret that binds them together: the Sapphire mine. To keep tragedy from striking again, he allows no outsiders on their land. When two women stumble upon their ranch, claiming Jericho himself sent for one of them as a mail-order bride, he aims to send them straight back where they came from.

Dinah Wyatt, a talented and determined doctor, wasn’t about to let her twin sister travel to Montana alone and marry a stranger. Dinah’s skills are immediately put to the test when one of the younger Coulter brothers is gravely injured, forcing the family to trust his life to her.

As Dinah and her sister become entwined in the Coulter family’s life, sparks fly between the enigmatic Jericho and the captivating doctor. In a world where trust is hard to come by and secrets hold the power to change lives, Jericho and Dinah must learn that sometimes, the most precious secrets are those buried within our own hearts.

–Review–

When I first searched up recommendations for clean romance books, this particular gem repeatedly popped up on different forums and I am glad it did!

Set in the Fall of 1868 in the Montana Territory, this book does such a great job at plopping you right into the thick of 19th century America. From the descriptions of the ranch house, the towns, the modes of transportation, to the outdated medical practices, this book will make you feel as though you are part of the tranquil yet treacherous past.

The perspectives switch between Dinah and Jericho throughout the book, with a bit more attention to Dinah’s inner thoughts. There being only two perspectives, allows the reader to get more in depth profiles on the main love interests in the story which adds so much more character development. There are quirks and events that have molded each of them that the reader becomes aware of, but other characters never really find out. This is fantastic in the story because every decision these characters make, is understandable and makes sense, particularly with Jericho and his past trauma. There really is no decision that is made that is aggravating to the reader which is a huge plus for me.

Dinah and Naomi are the twin sisters from Virginia who are on this quest of answering an ad in the paper supposedly from a gentleman in search for a wife. Right off the bat, you realize how strong of a bond these sisters have for one another. Dinah’s devotion for Naomi, literally traveling across country to be with her on this albeit, reckless journey to meet some strange man in some strange country is impeccable. The journey does not go quite as planned but their relationship never falters, in fact, it grows stronger as the book goes on. They both have a strong relationship with God, whom they seek and pray to regularly throughout the book, seeking his guidance and peace during times of adversity. There are quite a few dramatic moments in this book where prayer is very much needed! Dinah, being a doctor who aspires to open her own clinic, uses that same devotion she has for Naomi, for the patients she encounters as well. She takes personal responsibility for everyone that comes to her for help and never denies anyone the assistance they need.

Jericho is the main male protagonist as well as the oldest of the Coulter brothers. He has the most dramatic character development in the story. He begins as a gruff and rugged rancher who keeps everybody at arm’s length, including his own family. He is very distrusting of any and all strangers, even going to the point of creating a sort of prison for his family, as he refuses to let any of them leave the property for fear of someone taking advantage of them. Again, this domineering nature makes sense due to certain events that happened, particularly with his parents and sister. He admits that he has been struggling with his faith and relationship with God, but Dinah ends up opening his heart once again. With baby steps, Jericho and his whole family grow tremendously and end up strengthening their bonds as a family and individually as well.

There are five other brothers besides Jericho that take on more of a supportive role in the story, some more than others, that can still be shown to improve and mature as the plot progresses. The two children in the story, Sean and Lillian show some of the most noticeable growth as well. They begin as shells of themselves, due to trauma and living with all their no-nonsense type uncles. As Dinah and Naomi become more permanent and prominent figures within the family, the children, particularly Lillian, begin opening up and acting like the children they are. They begin to cleave to and seek out the adults around them for strength instead of shutting themselves off emotionally.

The book itself is pretty fast paced even though only about a month of time goes by. There are moments of relative quiet and self-reflection, mixed in with sudden moments of tension and chaos. It is easy to get distracted by the calm so when a moment of tragedy takes place, it can catch you off guard.

The romance itself is very much slow burning and only really takes off at about halfway through the book. It is fascinating to see both love interests slowly become aware of their own feelings for each other and how these revelations conflict with their solidified views of their current paths through life.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. It only took me about two days to get through (it would have been much less if I didn’t have any responsibilities). If you do not mind period romance stories with pretty apparent Christian themes, I think this is a book for you.

-About the Author-

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

Learn more at http://www.MistyMBeller.com.