It’s 1866, and Ingrid Chastain has accompanied her father to Montana Territory to deliver a case of smallpox vaccine to an old colleague, a doctor in a tiny town facing an outbreak. But they are about to become victims of a treacherous road they shouldn’t be travelling in October …

Micah Bradley gave up being a doctor after his wife and daughter died in a smallpox outbreak five years ago. Now he’s satisfied with his life as a trapper, keeping away from people and relationships. That is, until he finds the unconscious Ingrid, and knows he can’t leave her to the elements.

So begins what could be a run-of-the-mill Western romance. It’s anything but. Despite her privileged upbringing in the best part of Boston, Ingrid is a strong and intelligent woman with a deep compassion for the sick and hurting—including the people suffering from smallpox in rural Montana. She doesn’t whine or complain even when anyone else would. She has a strong faith in God, knowing Him as her protector. She believes and trusts that despite the death of her father, God is leading her to His best plan for her.

We could learn a lot from Ingrid’s strength and faith. Micah gave up on God after the death of his family, and can’t understand Ingrid’s stubborn faith. But Micah is stubborn in his own way, especially his determination to save the life of a complete stranger without complaining the personal cost. He even agrees to help Ingrid deliver the vaccines, even though it’s a journey that will take weeks in the winter snow.

Hope’s Highest Mountain is Christian Western romance at its finest. Rugged men and brave women learning to depend on God to get them through life’s battles, using strong writing to show an even stronger God. Recommended.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

I thought that the history with this story was fascinating! I didn't realize the conditions of living in the mountains could be in the 1800's. And, it was interesting to read about the early stages of vaccinations.

Hope’s Highest Mountain by Misty M. Beller

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Misty M. Beller brings readers the first in her newest series, Heart’s of Montana, that will have them re-reading it again because of the wonderful story and the excellent characters.

This was unfortunately the first time I have read a book by Ms. Beller. I say that because if her other books are as good as this one was, I have definitely missed out reading all of them. This book takes place in the mountains of Montana and begins with the on-going journey of a young woman named Ingrid and her father who are taking small-pox vaccines to a town that is being devastated by the disease. They are on the final leg of their journey but it will be the toughest part given the terrain. When the strain of the wagon weight overcomes the mules pulling it, tragedy ensues and puts into motion the rest of the story. Micah Bradley is a doctor who left his practice after losing his family to small-pox and is currently residing in the mountains alone. Coming across the wreckage of a small wagon group calls for him to put his past into practice to save the life of Ingrid who has sustained a very badly broken leg. Having also left behind his faith with his medical practice, Micah finds himself forced to pray over this young woman who might lose her life if he cannot reset her leg. Thankfully, Ingrid sleeps through the worst of the process and is understanding of the need to recover. But she is also determined to recover as fast as possible in order to bring the vaccines to the town. Micah is hesitant to help her as he doesn’t want to revisit the pain of his past but cannot allow her to further injure herself. So begins a painful and eye opening journey for both of them as they traverse the snow covered mountains of Montana to bring medicine to those in need. They will both find their faith and meddle tested with every passing day and each will have to learn a new level of trust in God and one another. They might also find the family they each long for if only they will see what God has put right in front of them. I really loved reading this story. It flowed well and the characters were really likable. The determination that Ingrid had to help others meant that she faced great pain and had to depend totally on Micah to make it. That was difficult for a woman who has always cared for others with little regard for her own self. But her quiet faith carried her through and she was able to inspire Micah to return his heart to God. Micah had such a compassionate heart and a gift for healing that he could not ignore the pleas of Ingrid to help others. He was still deeply hurt over the loss of his wife and child but set that aside to ensure that Ingrid would not lose her life to her injury. I loved the way that he determinedly took care of Ingrid and sought to make the journey easier on her. That showed his compassion and strength in a way that he didn’t even know he possessed. When it became too much for him, he had to turn to God for what he could not do and that brought him the healing he needed. I also liked some of the secondary characters they met along the way. Joanna and Samuel, especially, brought depth and challenge to the story and created additional ways to bring Ingrid and Micah closer together. I will certainly be recommending this book to others in the hope they will enjoy it as well. I will also be looking for other books from this author in the hope they will be just as good or better than this one.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Bethany House Publishers in order to provide a review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Hope’s Highest Mountain by Misty Beller was an existing and enduring read. I found it to a quick read and one that kept me wanting more. I love historical Christian fiction and this did not disappoint. It was heartwarming but also had some climax to it. I recommend this book if you love historical fiction as well.

I was blessed to receive an electronic copy via the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Heart wrenching:
What a lovely book! It is a gripping tale with the characters facing many trials and tribulations as they journey through the Montana wilderness in the middle of winter. Just reading it made me cold and so grateful for my cozy home and all of our modern day conveniences!
At the heart of it is a story about overcoming loss and grief in order to find peace and joy in life again. Micah has misplaced guilt and thinks that he is to blame for everything and that it is up to him to take care of everyone. He has to learn to yield and trust in God; to give up control and see that the Lord is with them and providing for them at all times. Meanwhile Ingrid is dealing with her own loss and it is her faith that allows her to heal and find love. There are lessons here for all of us to learn and despite all the tragedies, it really is a book full of hope and encouragement.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Hope’s Highest Mountain
by Misty M. Beller

Revell

Christian

Pub Date 01 Oct 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Hopes Highest Mountain through Revell and Netgalley:

Ingrid Chastain is happy to go along with her Father who is a doctor to deliver Small Pox Vaccines to a small mining town in the Montana territory, she could not have anticipated the terrible accident that would take her Father and all others on the trip, and would nearly kill her.

Micah Bradley left doctoring after he had been unable to save his beloved wife and daughter from the Small Pox outbreak in another area years back, but when he comes across the gruesome accident scene that left everyone but Ingrid dead, he knew he had to do what he could to help her, she suffered from a broken leg, damaged ribs and a head injury, so he carries her back to his shelter where he does his best to help her, upon her assistance he goes back to the accident scene, and the wagon to get the vials of vaccines he was carrying, and together with him baring the weight they take the dangerous journey into town.

Along the way they stop at a cabin where a wife, her child, and her fatally injured husbands live, Micah is unable to save the man it is not safe to leave the boy and his Mother alone so the pair becomes four, but even then they aren’t without danger, will they survive the trip, in order to get the vials to the town, and save lives, or will they did in the trying?

I give Hopes Highest Mountain five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

I was lucky enough to travel through Montana a year ago, and I fell in love with the state. It was so open and beautiful. We were there in the summer though - I can't even begin to imagine how cold it gets in the winter. I also am amazed at the trappers who lived mostly outside in the rough winter conditions. As a person who is pretty much always cold, I can't even fathom how they would ever be warm or comfortable. That thought was in the back of my mind throughout most of this story.

Ingrid is very lucky to be alive, after Micah came across her shortly after the accident that killed her father and maid. I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between the two of them. Ingrid was a very strong woman, especially with all the loss she had just suffered. Maybe a bit too strong sometimes. She was really good for Micah though, helping him learn how to live again instead of just hiding from the world.

The thing I wasn't so fond of in this story were all of the calamities that kept happening. A few of them were fine, but they just kept coming. It got to the point where I skimmed over the last few of them because it was just too much.

This is book one in a series, but I appreciated how it seems to be a stand-alone book. We're not left wondering what will happen with the characters.

"Hope's Highest Mountain" was my first book by Misty Beller and it will not be the last! I fell in love with not only Micah and Ingrid but Joanna and little Samuel as well.. (Joanna's story comes in "Love's Mountain Quest" next year!) This book had a lot of "adventure" in it and there were times I felt like I was holding my breath to see what would happen next. I also enjoyed watching Micah learn to trust God again. If you love a good, clean Christian romance set in the 1800's, then this will totally fit the bill for you.

Das Buch beginnt sofort mit dem, im Covertext schon angekündigten, schweren Unfall. Man ist sofort in der Geschichte drin. Die Kutsche von Ingrid Chastain, ihrem Vater und einer Bediensteten stürzt in unwirtlichem Gebiet einen Abhang herunter. Ihr Vater ein Arzt und Forscher war aufgebrochen, um einem befreundeten Arzt dringend benötigten Pockenimpfstoff in einen entlegenen Ort zu bringen.

Micah Bradley befindet sich zufällig in der Nähe und hört die Schreie der Maultiere. Er kann gar nicht verstehen, wer bei dem Wetter im nahenden Winter noch versucht die Rocky Mountains zu überqueren. Micah findet Ingrid dann ein Stück den Abhang abwärts. Sofort übernehmen seine alten medizinischen Instinkte. Er war 7 Jahre Arzt in Indiana. Ihr Bein ist gebrochen. Ein heftiger Schneesturm droht und Micah muss sie dringend ins Warme schaffen. Sie ist die einzige Überlebende. Es gibt erste Andeutungen zu seiner schmerzhaften Vergangenheit und dem Verlust seiner Familie.

Nach einer fast übermenschlichen Kraftanstrengung kann er sie in sein Lager bringen und versorgen. Aufgrund der vergangenen Erlebnisse denkt Micah, dass er es nicht mehr verdient sich Arzt zu nennen. Die Autorin beschreibt diese harsche, dramatische Situation und Micahs Anstrengungen intensiv und nachdrücklich. Man kann diesen menschenfeindlichen Winter fast spüren und die Herausforderungen eines Lebens in dieser rauen Einsamkeit nachempfinden. Ingrid ist felsenfest, fast stur und unvernünftig entschlossen, trotz aller Schmerzen und Opfer den Impfstoff ans Ziel zu bringen. Micah fühlt sich derweil durch viele Ereignisse zurückversetzt in die schreckliche Zeit und die Trauer nach der Erkrankung und dem Tod seiner Familie. Er fühlt sich von Gott immer wieder herausgefordert.

Die Autorin kann mit ihren eindringlichen Beschreibungen Emotionen wecken. Man fühlt sich in diese harte Zeit versetzt. Es beginnt für beide eine weite, kräftezehrende und qualvolle Reise zu den Menschen, die so dringend auf ihre Hilfe angewiesen sind. Weitere Schicksalsschläge und Herausforderungen warten auf Ingrid und Micah und bringen sie an den Rand des körperlich und psychisch erträglichen. Zart keimende Gefühle und erste Zuneigung und Bewunderung entsehen.

Das Buch findet nach einem spannenden Höhepunkt zu einem überzeugenden Ende, das auf die Zukunft hoffen lässt. Ingrid und Micah können als Protagonisten überzeugen und werden von sympathischen Nebenfiguren begleitet. Ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Buch dieser Reihe!

What happens when your wagon goes over the side of the mountain? You rely on the mysterious mountain man who saves you and, your faith. Cold, grieving over lost family and a broken leg made the start of Winter a terrible place to be stranded with a stranger. I do enjoy how descriptive the scenes are and the conversations between the characters and inside their heads. Action, hardships and faith in the Montana wilderness made this such an interesting story.

Hope's Highest Mountain
By Misty M. Beller
4 stars

This exciting book sucked you in the from
the beginning! A mountain man doctor running from his past, a lady he rescues are fighting against time and the elements to get vaccines to a community in need. This book was so immersive. You felt like you were right beside them when wind, snow, and sickness battled against them.

Lots of great faith content!

I received this ebook from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

What I think you should know:
Hope’s Highest Mountain is a book set in 1866 Montana Territory. Ingrid Chastain as sheltered lady ventures west with her father, a doctor to deliver much needed smallpox vaccine, when tragedy strikes she finds her true strength in her determination to save lives. Micah Bradley lost his family to smallpox and stopped practicing medicine, will he choose overcome his past to help deliver the vaccine.

What I enjoyed about his book:
Ingrid goes from Boston Lady to sole survivor of her traveling party in the blink of an eye, however Misty M. Beller, the author wrote her as a character with strength and determination that it must have taken for people to survive to settle our country. Micah’s letters to Rachel were heartbreaking but add layer to Micah that made him such a deeper character.I loved the author’s description of the surroundings I felt like I was in the wilderness with the characters. I enjoyed this book and hope that we will be able to follow up on some of the other characters that we met in this book.

I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own

A harrowing wilderness journey of endurance and determination.


Ingrid Chastain is traveling with her father to deliver much need vaccines to the mountain dwelling folk, but a terrible accident leaves her injured and her father dead, leaving it up to her to complete their mission.



Micah is a drifter with a secret past, but when he finds Ingrid he knows that he must help her, so together they make the treacherous journey through the mountains.



The first in a brand new series with Bethany House Publishers, it begins with a this high stakes journey of strength, faith, and endurance, not without a high dose of pain along the way. Micah is running from his past with his wandering ways, while Ingrid is an angel of mercy to the mountain folk that she and her father serve. She relies on her faith in God to give her strength for the journey ahead of them, slowing getting to know Micah and breaking down his walls.



Slow to start at first, but it picked up after the characters got to know each other a bit. The journey was quite literally very painful, and I just couldn't help but feel terrible for their situation. There was good character building and interaction throughout, and I couldn't help but feel their pain as Murphy's Law seemed to be working in full force in their vicinity.



I wanted so much to love this book, but the literal agony of their journey made it a difficult read, because I couldn't stop thinking about how much pain their were both experiencing. My heart went out to them and the author did a great job of bringing their struggling to life. I applauded the strong themes of faith throughout, and the dangerous beauty of the mountains.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a sweet and inspirational read. I really enjoyed this book. It is my first by this Author and I haven't even looked to see what other books she has out there but I plan to! This book will leave a smile on your face. I look forward to the next book in the series!



I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

Ingrid and her father are taking vaccines, but they have an accident on the way. She and the dog are the only survivors. Ingrid suffers a broken leg that will set her back. She is found by Micah, who is a doctor but no longer practicing. He takes care of her.

Ingrid and Micah set out to deliver the vaccines, but will they make it to where they need to be? I love the name of the dog. Of course, being winter time it is not the best traveling weather.
This is a new series. I am looking forward to reading more of the books. The author’s books are so good it takes a short amount of time to read.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. This book review is my own opinion.

Hope's Highest Mountain started out so, so well! I loved how the storyline basically started with tragedy (yes, I'm a sucker for tragedies). But then it got worse . . . and worse . . . and worse.

The writing style was amazing and captured me immediately! "Finally," I thought, "A review book that I'll finally rate more than three stars!" Unfortunately, the contents heavily detracted from that. *cries*

I loved Micah's character; strong, protective, and running away from the memories that haunt him. Having suffered unspeakable loss, he's lost his faith and isolates himself in the wilderness, where he finds the wagon wreck and Ingrid Chastain.

I liked Ingrid? Generally in romances, I tend to like the man far better than the woman, and this was no exception. I did love her heart of gold, but though she was a Christian and prayed every once in awhile (the spiritual aspect of the book seemed lacking), she seemed to have no problems with falling in love with and kissing Micah, even though she knew that he and God were not on good terms.

The overall setting was fantastic. There were times I had trouble conjuring up an image in my mind to match the description, but I could definitely feel the characters' pain and cold.

The last complaint I have is that once I got about 3/4 of the way into the book, it seemed to drag. Like, it reaches a plot twist and you're just like "Oh YAY plot twist!" and then another one comes and you're like, "okay, I can handle this" and then by the time the end of the book rolls around, you're wondering if the author was just looking for ways to draw the story out longer.

But, the rest of the book definitely kept me hooked (aside from the romance, thx), and thus 3 stars!

Hope's Highest Mountain was a quick read for me. It didn't take long for the beginning events to set up what was to come. Ingrid was involved in a wagon accident that resulted in her having a broken leg and rib and losing all of the other occupants of the wagon. Thankfully, Micah came upon the accident and was able to save Ingrid's life.

I expected more of the book to focus on Ingrid and Micah being alone together while she healed from her injuries before continuing the original mission of carrying the smallpox vaccines to a village in Montana. But Ingrid was passionate and determined to continue the journey as quickly as possible so that her father, her maid, and the wagon's driver didn't all die in vain. Micah has a history with the smallpox virus as he lost his wife and daughter to it five years prior. To be able to prevent others from suffering the way that they did is what motivates him to help Ingrid on her journey.

For the first part of their journey, Micah and Ingrid travel alone, but along the way, they run into a mother and son in need. Joanna and Sam really round out the story. I felt for Sam as he's about 4 (I believe) which is the age of my daughter. Traveling isn't very fun for a toddler with a lot of energy. I smiled at all of his interactions because he reminded me of my kids. I love how he was more aware than I think people give kids credit for a lot of times. I also related to Joanna as his mother. She's doing the best she can to survive and protect her son.

I loved the slow build between Micah and Ingrid. They were thrust into a team to accomplish a mission. They needed to lean on each other--granted Ingrid did a bit more leaning physically. Yet she provided a lot of emotional and spiritual strength for Micah. Ingrid was easy to love. She was so strong through all that she endured, both physically and emotionally. And their journey was not an easy one. It was packed with life-threatening situation after situation. Micah had a lot of emotional baggage to work through, but I was impressed with his choices and strength of character.

Hope's Highest Mountain was better than I expected. I enjoyed learning a little more about the smallpox virus and at the risk of incurring the wrath of the anti-vaxers, I'm so thankful for vaccines that ensure my own children don't face this illness. Ingrid and Micah both went through so much and I love to read about strong characters that overcome. And I can't wait to read more about Joanna and Samuel (potentially) as the series continues.Hope's Highest Mountain gets 4 Stars. Have you read Hope's Highest Mountain? What did you think? Let me know!

I always love when a book draws me I right from the very beginning! Hope's Highest Mountain did not disappoint! It started right out with a sense of suspense, and then immediately delved into loss with some main characters that were totally unexpected. Without giving any real spoilers, I was deeply impressed with how this author weaved through some serious loss and emotional (and physical) pain in a truly realistic fashion. Ms. Beller paid such intricate attention to detail in so very many emotions that I was truly glued to this book from beginning to end! I also found that in the many truly life threatening emergencies that continuously presented throughout the book, I didn't take one single character for granted. There was no sense that "this is a main character, so nothing will truly happen to them". I found that I did not know how each situation would end.

I believe that the reason this truly resonated with me is that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Ms. Beller brought this very real truth home! She also never lost the element of hope, even in the most critical situations. Hope in Christ, that He does love us and plans to give us only the best. That may not always look like we think it will, or even should. This writing style was truly refreshing to me, and I could feel me love and trust for Christ grow as I read this fictional story. To me, this makes a truly gifted author. I look forward to seeking more by this author! Great job, and keep them coming, Ms. Beller!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a lovely introduction to Misty’s books. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical romance. Micah and Ingrid were likable characters and the others we met along the way were great additions to the book. The storyline was an interesting and it moved well. It’s a quick easy read. Honestly based on the characters, there would be an easy next book,and it’s one I would enjoy as well. I will definitely be reading more of Misty’s books in the future!

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Hope’s Highest Mountain is first in a new series, and it starts off with a bang. I couldn’t stop reading. Ingrid and Micah might be my new favorite historical couple.

I love the details and setting always given in these novels. There’s always something to learn and a new perspective to discover.

There was a moment where Micah was carrying Ingrid, and everything kind of snapped into place. Micah carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and that was given a real presence as he carried Ingrid. Instead of relying on God, Micah has turned his back after the loss of his wife and daughter.

Ingrid has the hope and peace of God, and she might be the one who finds a way to show Micah that God hasn’t left him behind.

I can always count on Misty M. Beller to take me on a journey – both spiritual and fictional.


The emotion brought out by these two characters was remarkable. I can’t wait for the rest of the series. You don’t want to miss it.