Love for Appaloosa Horses, Dogs, and God: The Celebrate Lit Blog Tour and Giveaway of Hope in the Mountain River

April 05, 2020

About the Book

Book: Hope in the Mountain River
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: March 31, 2020

This epic journey is not at all what she expected.

Joel Vargas can’t believe he’s lost his older brother in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains after surviving their harrowing voyage across the Atlantic. And he can’t shake the feeling that Adam—his only living relative—is in dire trouble. No matter what the cost, he and his band of friends won’t stop until Adam is found. He doesn’t have time to contend with the two Indian women who seem to be shadowing his every move.

After the devastating loss of her daughter and husband to a sickness that swept through their Nez Perce camp, Elan is desperate to find an escape from her grief. As she and her friend journey through the mountains toward the great river, a band of white men is the last thing she expects to find, especially as winter blows in full force.

When the dangers increase, accomplishing Joel’s mission becomes the only hope for all their survival. If the elements don’t consume them, Elan has a feeling life will never be the same for any of them.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and intense adventure.

Click here to get your copy.

Book Review

When I read the first book of the series, Freedom in the Mountain Wind, one of the plotlines that intrigued me most was Joel’s search for his brother. So when Hope in the Mountain River came out, I jumped at the chance to read it.

While not as good as the first book, in my opinion, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I liked that we got a chance to know Joel a little bit better. And I especially loved meeting Elan. Her story is sad, and the reader can’t help but grieve with her as she mourns her husband and child.

While this book is part of a series, you can read Hope in the Mountain River on its own without getting confused, although it is helpful to read the first book to be able to meet the majority of the characters.

That being said, I wish I got to see the other characters more-such as Caleb and French. They were such fun characters in the first book, but they only play a small role in this one. Not to mention we see little of Susanna and Beaver Tail as well.

Overall, though, I did enjoy this book. I can’t wait to see what Beller has coming next.

I had received a copy of this book as part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.

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.
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 children 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.

More from Misty

I’ve always been a horse lover, and was blessed to grow up on a farm. My brother and I each had ponies of our own and rode hours each day. When we were old enough to graduate to full-size horses, we met neighbors who also had horses and loved to ride together. The two mares they rode had a mottled black and white spotted look, which I knew to be part of the Appaloosa breed. Through hears of riding together, I developed a deep appreciation for those two Appaloosa horses, as well as respect for the entire breed! Those two mares proved they could outrun and outlast any of the other horses in our riding group.

I’ve long wanted to include Appaloosas in one of my stories, especially since the breed was said to have begun in the Nez Perce tribe who lived just west of the Rocky Mountains. I’m so excited for you to meet Elan, the heroine in Hope in the Mountain River!

Elan and her friend are traveling through the Rockies on their Appaloosa horses, animals who can ride faster and longer than all the other horses in their group—even through the treacherous terrain of the Rocky Mountains!

I pray you love this story as much as I loved writing it. Enjoy a glimpse of the famous Appaloosa horse!