Klondike Gold Rush! I see that historic reference and it is all that is necessary to pique my interest. Pair a raw, frontier historical setting and this author’s turbulent and triumphant characters and romance will always succeed in an engaging story.
Review

At Mountain’s Edge is mostly set in 1897 Yukon Territory and follows the separate lives of Northwest Mounted Policeman, Ben Turner, and sorrowing yet determined Liza Peterson. Their stories cross paths several times under difficult circumstances before entwining in a shared adventure of romance.

Ben grew up on a farm under the fist and threats of an abusive father. He gets a chance to be a force for good if he can overcome the anger he inherited from his father. His assignment is the wild Yukon from Chilkoot Pass to Dawson City and, with a small force of Mounties must do the work of keeping people safe and keeping the peace when it seems everyone has lost their minds with gold fever. He has several encounters with Liza and each seem to be the worst moments of her life. Of all the people he wishes to be a hero for… he gets his chance and a chance at romance if he doesn’t throw it all away due to fear of becoming his dad.

Liza never wanted to leave her comfortable life running her father’s store back in Vancouver, but he has an adventure lust that takes him and their whole family north into the Yukon to set up a store in Dawson City to make a big profit selling to the miners. But, Liza not only has the harsh reality of the soul destroying cold and rugged life of the three month journey north, but heartbreaking tragedy that threaten to shatter her. She is told that she is tough and strong and she is called upon over and over to prove it. Just when she believes her struggles are behind her, it hits again and she wonders if she’ll have Ben by her side when all is said and done.

I was prepared for the emotional impact this time around after reading earlier stories from the author’s repertoire. She has three earlier Canadian Historicals under her belt, but that was the east coast. I was thrilled when she took it all the way across country to tell a story of hardship, survival, and eventually triumph on the Canadian frontier. I’ve read others in this setting and felt this one did a great job painting an authentic picture of the setting and the lives there in the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. I was swept away, particularly during the first half of the book that is spent along the trail from both a traveler and a Mountie’s point of view.

And, speaking of Mounties. The detail of the place was done well, but so was the description of background for Ben. I learned a great deal about the time from recruitment, training, and to his work. A person had to be tough to become and remain a Mountie.

The characters came from vastly different backgrounds. Ben didn’t have an easier childhood, lived with the Blackfoot, worked as a cowboy, and now he’s a Mountie. He sees himself as less than what others do and that was sad, but abused kids can be like that. I liked him and was rooting for him. He screwed up big with Liza, but he finally fixed it. Now, Liza was a fascinating young lady. She had a good, life and family, but then her father pulls all that out from under her. She gets hit with a string of terrible events let alone the hardship of life, but it hones her. Usually, I’m not a fan of too many coincidences that save things for the character, but this gal needed a few good marks in the hope and win column to balance things out.

Romance is present, but it doesn’t appear until the second part of the book. Up until then, its two separate stories with the occasional intersection. Liza can barely stand Ben while she is going through such tough times because his appearance is like a harbinger to her when he’s always there after a bad thing. She doesn’t truly blame him for events, but she associates him with the bad until she can start to associate him with the good moments, too. Their love seems to come on quick, but yet it didn’t feel quick since a lot of story happened before they fell hard and fast. And, there is still big time conflict and troubles to conquer even after the love feelings have started.

All in all, this one hit my emotions and drew me in with characters, romance, and most of all that exciting historical backdrop. Those who enjoy a mesh of historical fiction and historical romance should give this book a go.

My thanks to Simon and Schuster via Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Northern Canada, Gold Rush! The Yukon Territory is a wild, almost lawless land, but as Liza Peterson finds out, there are friends to be found in the most unlikely places. Surviving heartbreak and physical challenge, Liza is determined to make a place for herself in this wilderness. Mountie Ben Turner and she cross paths, but will they be able to make a life for themselves? Well written and recommended.

To go live April 5, 2019, at The Good, the Bad and the Unread

Sandy M’s review of At the Mountain’s Edge by Genevieve Graham
Historical Romance published by Simon & Schuster 2 Apr 19

On top of her genius idea of taking her country’s history and weaving a romance into it for readers, Genevieve Graham pulls no punches when it comes to the reality of Canadian historical events. I always wonder if this time we’ll get a love story instead of a romance, because she skates against the edge of survival and loss with hope and longing, and you never know what’s going to happen next with her characters, and that includes Canada’s vast and rich history as a character in and of itself.


Right along with Liza Peterson and her family, we travel the rough and rugged terrain on the way to the Yukon and the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s. Her father is certain there is a life for them there, so they pack up just what they’ll need to reopen a merchandise store once they reach their destination. Liza is the one who doesn’t want to go, leaving everything familiar behind, while her brother can’t wait to get there, excitement flowing out of him. The journey is more than difficult, especially when they get ready for that last steep and treacherous climb up to the top of the world. It’s as though you’re right there with this family – and all those others who were willing to live and die toward a hopefully rich end – as they encounter snow, blizzards, left-behind treasures, and a bleakness so deep you doubt they’ll triumph.

A man who lived a horrible childhood, Ben Turner has decided to join the North-West Mounted Police to make something of himself. His temper is his downfall, but he’s determined to conquer that flaw to be a successful Mountie. I so enjoyed learning about the Mounties, and now realize what a source of national pride they are for all of Canada. Ben becomes the man he should be as he grows into his uniform, helping anyone and everyone as they climb into the unknown. The harshness of the Yukon weather plummels all who dare to try to vanquish it, and it’s Ben and his fellow officers who pick up any pieces along the route. Then there’s the mountain itself, another trial that sometimes only the lucky make it through. It’s harrowing, deadly, and scary every step of the way.

As each of these characters go along in their new everyday life, we know their coming together is closer with each flip of the page. What I didn’t expect is their first meeting not going well at all. Ben is doing his job, and Liza’s frustration with what seems to be an impossible situation – she’s been through plenty of those already, with more to come, thank you very much – set the tone for their growing relationship that only the reader knows about so far. Unfortunately, Liza is going to be tested again and again as she makes her way to a destination that she finally comes to realize is her destiny. Ms. Graham, at this point in the story, knocks you for a loop with tragedy and perseverance like you can’t imagine.

Ben and Liza are the epitome of strength and resilience as the story moves forward to a happier time for them. But then you and they are hit square on again with a little-known Canadian disaster, and I kept asking myself, “When are they going to get a break??” But, as we all know in life, what we survive makes us even stronger and more appreciative of what we have, and Ben and Liza live that to the fullest.

Another emotional and wonderful telling of an amazing period in Canada’s history. Kudos to Ms. Graham for keeping it real while giving us a romance that will definitely stand the test of time after what Ben and Liza have been through.

Grade: A

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "At the Mountain's Edge"
by Genevieve Graham. This would be a great read for a lazy day or to take on vacation with you. As a lover of historical fiction, I was not disappointed.

by Maggie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another wonderful historical romance
April 2, 2019
Format: Paperback
At the Mountain's Edge is another great historical romance by Genevieve Graham. This time, she takes us to the Klondike Gold rush as well as another, less known, site in Canadian history (no spoilers!) Our main characters are great -- feisty, damaged, unexpected and so very human. The situations make me shiver, cry, dance. Ms Graham is one of my very favorite authors now. Read it!

As a Canadian, I try to learn so much of our history. For the most part, when I read one of Genevieve Graham’s books, I have a general idea of the history of the area that she writes of – but not this one. Of course, I knew of the Klondike Gold Rush and the gamble individuals and families took, but I was completely blow away by the struggle it took just to get there. Of course, I was familiar with the early days of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) and the iconic Sam Steele but I didn’t realize their exhausting role trying to keep everyone safe.
As I stared to read, I pulled out my handy atlas and followed along with the Peterson family as they travelled from Vancouver to Dyea then Dyea to the remote Dawson City. I was astounded to read of the obstacles and the lack of preparation of the individuals who (some tragically) followed their gut instinct to find riches in the Yukon.
Genevieve Graham has obviously put a ton of research into writing this book: the history of the area, the NWMP, and prospectors are just a dusting of what she had looked into. With that being said, the Klondike Gold Rush is only one part of the story. There is also the determination of a strong-willed woman by the name of Liz. She fought her way up a mountain, survived an avalanche, made her way through freezing waters and more – all in a time when women didn’t trek alone in the brutal wilderness of the Yukon. Enter Ben, the flawed but handsome NWMP Constable, also new to the Yukon. Here he protects the lives of many as Dawson City, the only established town in the Yukon, is over-run with experienced and inexperience prospectors, thieves, and prostitutes. Together in this unforgiving place, Liz and Ben will fight for survival.

**I learned so much from this book AND it was a fantastic read. As always, I look forward to her next one.
4 stars.

2.5-2.75 stars
At The Mountain’s Edge tells the stories of Liza and Ben with a backdrop of the Klondike Gold Rush. Liza’s father decides to move their family and their general store up to Yukon for an adventure and to capitalize on the newfound wealth and lack of supplies in the area. Ben is a Mountie and a member of the North-West Mounted Police who move into the Yukon to bring law and order to the area.

I would call this novel lite historical fiction and definitely would not describe it as an epic romance as stated in the synopsis. I did like the descriptions of the scenery but I felt like I was being told information more so than discovering it through the writing. I felt like a lot was going on in the novel but it just brushed the surface, I wish there was more depth to the characters and the plot. It was almost too tragic and predictable at times but the story line moved away from these events so quickly to introduce something
happier almost in an effort to balance out the tragic events. I also wish there was more time with the romance which felt a little rushed. A lot of things felt convenient in this novel set in a time where life would be anything but.
.
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for an advanced copy of At The Mountain’s Edge.

WOW!! Genevieve Graham does it again!


The author really does her research when she writes and the books are always ones that I am hooked on her stories.


This book has action and angst. I very much loved Ben and Liza and some of the characters that are met along the way. This book made me smile and sad.


I do love Historical Fiction and as a Canadian, I love Canadian Historical Fiction even more.


If you are into Historical Fiction and I very much recommend this book.


This is one I know I will be reading again and again in the future.



I am giving this 5 out of 5.

What an absolute treat this was! My knowledge of both Canadian history and the Klondike gold rush is shaky, at best but so wow, I not only learned a lot, I got a great story in this tale of Liza, a woman whose father uproots the family from Vancouver, and Ben, a Mounty who joined up to escape his past. Liza's family had a comfortable life but her father wanted more. While he planned carefully, he didn't take into account what it would take to make it to Dawson. I had no clue about the Dyea/Skagway route and how the miners and others walked in over a mountain and rode through rapids to get to the muddy mess that was the town. Neither did Liza. And everyone's idea of what it would be like when they got there- well that was wrong too. Ben wants to help people, and he does. The details of how the Mounted Police helped in the territory were wonderful. There's a romance here (as is obvious from the cover) but it's a very chaste one and it's not the focus of the novel. There's also a very cool dog. No spoilers in this review- you'll have to do the ups and downs the way I did. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'd not read Graham before but now I intend to seek her out. This was a great read.

5 Klondike golden stars for this historical fiction that takes readers from Vancouver to the training center of the North West Mounted Police to Dawson City and finally Frank, Alberta.


Disclaimer: Genevieve Graham is one of my favorite authors, I love all of her books, and I just love how she is making Canadian history come alive for readers today. Therefore, if you have been giving her books the slip, let me apply a tremendous amount of peer pressure to your TBR.

Not since Janette Oke's The Canadian West Saga have I fallen this hard for a fictional member of the North-West Mounted Police. Graham's Ben Turner with his black haired curls and blue eyes and intriguing back story certainly make him a character to cheer for as he begins his challenging career. But female protagonist , Liza Peterson, is no wallflower, she is a strong willed woman who overcomes her own share of personal heartache and adversity. Together the two signify the men and women who joined a perilous journey to the heart of Canada's gold rush and left their mark on history.

I woke up at 4:30 this morning, mostly because my cats demanded it, but I did not fall back to sleep, instead I reached for this ARC and immediately joined the journey. I do not regret it and I have already preorded my hard copy for when the book hits stores next week. There are some quotes that I earmarked and so I will come back after the publication date to add them.

Goodreads Review 28/03/19

Publication Date: 02/04/19

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great look into the adventurous spirit of early frontiers of the Yukon, whether they were there to find gold or to make money from those that did. It really showcases the hardships faced by those seeking a new life in the Klondike gold rush and the tenacity and fortitude it took to survive the conditions, both the weather and the isolation of a new community.
The beginning of the story introduces us to the Peterson family, who run a general store in Victoria, Vancouver after relocating from Toronto, Ontario. The store is doing well and the family lives a comfortable life but Arthur Peterson is an adventurer at heart and a shrewd businessman that believes that the family could become rich by once again relocating. He wants to sell everything and move his family to Dawson City to reopen their general store amid the chaos of the gold rush. Liza is reluctant to go but her brother Stan is excited about the coming adventure and their mother, Agatha, tries to be the voice of reason but in the end supports her husband in this next chapter of their lives.
The family soon finds that this new endeavour is not the golden dream they all anticipated but a journey full of hardships and losses they couldn't have imagined.
The North-West Mounted Police is in charge of bringing some order to the frenzied turmoil that is being created by so many people searching for their golden dreams. Ben Turner, a new constable, is one of the NWMP charged with this task. Ben has already faced some devastating events in his own past and is trying to come to terms with them.
Once again Genevieve Graham weaves a tale from Canadian history that pulls you in and holds you captive. There is great adventure experienced by characters that are very real. Characters that are relatable as they live the highs and lows of their lives, the reader feeling their sorrows and joys as the story progresses
. In her acknowledgements the author tells how Henry Cavill becomes her face for Ben Turner. I didn't know who this was so of course I had to google it and came face to face with the picture in my mind of what Ben would look like!
Genevieve's exploration into Canadian history is so authentic that it really brings the history to life and is one of the reasons that I will devour anything she writes!

Where I was expecting more historical fiction, I got more of a romance novel - and romance novels are not my favourite genre. Some of the events and people in the novel are based on historical records from Klondike Gold Rush , and that made it a bit more interesting for me .

For those who enjoy easier reads and romance, this is a good novel. And a good beach/vacation read.

3.75 stars

It’s the late 1800s. Liza and her family live in Vancouver, but her father decides he wants to pack up and head north to Dawson City to set up his business there and cash in on the gold rush traffic. Liza and her brother are both adults, but the entire family sets off on this adventure. It’s cold and dangerous even just to get there, as they have to traverse the Chilkoot Trail.

Meanwhile, Ben, who had an abusive childhood, has been wanting to become a Mountie most of his life. He manages to do so, and is sent to Dawson City to help with the policing there. As he (and other Mounties) make their way along the Chilkoot Trail and toward Dawson City, he and Liza cross paths more than once.

I quite enjoyed this. At first, I was more interested in Liza’s story, but I also got more interested in Ben as the story continued on. The disasters in the book were the best parts for me. I also really enjoy reading books set near me, so reading about the Frank Slide was fun. (Frank was a small mining town in southern Alberta where a rock slide buried the town in 1902.) The romance was not overdone, so I felt better about that, as well (not always a romance fan). I also enjoyed the author’s note at the end. I could tell how passionate she is about Canadian historical fiction and the research she did.

Liza's father announces a decision to move from vancover to the wild Yukon the depression has lifted and the store they own is okay.Therecis argument of whether to move. There is a lot of gold in the Yukon. It is a get rich quick plan

Liza Peterson and her family are on their way to Dawson City to open up a general store and hopefully make a fortune. Along the way they face disasters and misfortunes that will take more that one life. Ben Turner is a NWMP with a temper. He wants to help as many people as possible so he heads up to Dawson City to be one of the first Constables in the newly formed detachment.

This novel was phenomenal, one of my favorite novels of 2019. My favorite part of the novel was the characters as I couldn’t help but fall in love with both Liza and Ben. Liza is strong and resilient and refuses to give up on herself or her families dreams. Even when life constantly shoves her down she keeps getting up again. Ben was caring and generous, it was easy to see why the residents of Dawson City would be drawn to him.

The budding romance between Liza and Ben was perfectly portrayed. My only complaint was how Ben kept trying to push her away. I understand he has past secrets he’s ashamed of and too much guilt for one person to have to hold onto but it still was too much. The ending between the two though was amazing, I love novels with a happy ending.

The plot was incredible with a ton of action and world building. Dawson City felt like a frontier town with tons of grit and hardships. I really felt like I was in Dawson City while reading the novel. After reading the novel I thought there was too many disaster that befell the main characters to be plausible but after some thought I find this realistic. I was basing my opinion on today’s standards where numerous things are done to limit casualties caused by natural disasters.. For example, today we have/utilize tornado shelters, triggered avalanches, reinforcing mountain walls and surveying the surrounding area which was unused in 1897. As such natural disasters would have been more prevalent.

In conclusion this was an amazing historical fiction novel set in Canada during the Yukon gold rush. It has amazing characters, an intense plot and a beautiful romance. I would suggest it to anyone who is interested in the Yukon gold rush or Canadian novels.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.

Genevieve Graham is one of my go-to authors for Canadian historical fiction. Her previous 3 books take place in the East coast of Canada, with At The Mountain's Edge she took me clear across the country to the Yukon during the Gold Rush.

Told from 2 different pov’s, which isn’t unusual for her books, I was treated to both sides of the law during the mad frenzy to strike it rich. I loved learning about the journey, in 1897, to reach the Klondike. It was harsh, cold and I can totally see the struggles they had to endure when in reality I’m sure they thought it would be an easy trek in the bush. Liza is taken on a journey she doesn't want but really isn't given a choice in the matter. Ben wants to escape his past only to realize he can't run from it.

The early years of the North West Mounties, later to become the RCMP, was interesting to read about. The author notes always fascinate me, it’s where the author tells her inspiration, what’s real and the research used. Drawing on documentation from those years Graham has woven a tale of adventure, survival and discovering one's self.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for honest review.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a historical fiction set in Canada regarding the gold Rush time period. The conditions described were harrowing. It made me want to burrow in warm clean blankets. The slow relationship build between Ben and Liza was well done. Overall a decent read.

A person cannot imagine the tremendous struggle the miners had to go to the Caribou gold rush, but the author has researched history to bring the readers an intimate account of the incredible courage, strength and endurance it took to follow a dream of finding gold/becoming rich.
Lisa and her family lived in a nice house in Vancouver, they owned a store in which Lisa helped, but her father wanted more for his family so decided to sell everything and open a store in Dawson Creek. The journey is filled with tragedy for so many, including Lisa’s family. The climbs over the mountains treacherous and unforgiving, only the strongest made it. Is Dawson Creek, for those that made it what they expect? It is worth the read to find out.
This is a quick read with romance as well as heartbreak, very well researched.

I must admit that one of my favorite genres is historical fiction. I love to read about history, and reading through the eyes of the characters (real or imagined) has made me feel a little closer to the past. I especially like reading about characters based on my own history, and that is exactly what I found with At the Mountain’s Edge by Genevieve Graham.
This is a fictional story that covers the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 set in the desolate, and almost impossible to reach part of, Yukon Territory. We see the story through the eyes of two characters. Liza Peterson is traveling with her father, mother, and older brother to Dawson City to set up a store and take advantage of the gold rush through that enterprise. Ben Turner is a young Constable in the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) who is sent to Dawson City to help keep the peace and also to help people traveling to the area as best he can. Both face obstacles that they could have never imagined. This area of the Yukon was, and is, an absolutely gorgeous but harsh and unforgiving land. Liza and Ben face hardship and tragedy on the trail and even after they reach Dawson City, the trials they endure do not end.
You will find love, betrayal, friendship, sacrifice, heroism, betrayal, and romance.
I absolutely loved this book. It is rare that I find a historical fiction novel I can feel is a part of my history written as well as this one. Mrs. Graham does an excellent job of describing the setting and the hardships of the area and time. The characters are well-drawn and believable and the story realistic and captivating. I give my highest recommendation to the book. It also gets my highest rating. This is my first novel by Mrs. Graham, but it definitely won’t be the last.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections:
https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

Liza's life is turned upside down when her father declares that they're moving from Vancouver to the Yukon to capitalize on the gold rush. Ben, an aspiring Mountie, applies for a transfer from Alberta to the Yukon. Their paths ultimately cross in the wake of tragedy.

I love historical novels. I especially love historical Canadian novels. I have never read a book about the gold rush in the Yukon. I really liked the examination of how Liza's family was uprooted and their treacherous journey to the Yukon, amidst all the (misplaced) optimism about what was awaiting them at their destination.

The narrative is told in alternating POVs between Liza and Ben. I found them rather unbalanced in the respect that I liked Liza a lot more than Ben. It's very easy to sympathize and feel for Liza's situation - she's taken away from her home and everything she's ever known because of her father's hopes that they can make great profit in the Yukon. Along the way, she suffers multiple tragedies and struggles to survive.

However, I never warmed up to Ben. We learn literally in the first chapter that he has strong anger/violence issues, linked to his past. This becomes a constant problem throughout the novel, though Ben tries his best to be better. But even very late into the novel, it's hard to like him or believe he will stop being so angry or easily prone to violence. It doesn't make for a very great relationship between him and Liza.

Overall, I really enjoyed the novel but I also found it was sometimes just a string of disasters, which got tiring after a while. But if you're looking for a historical novel on the gold rush, I think this is a good one.