This was such a fun read! I did not read the books in order, which I realize is recommended. However, it worked great as a standalone. The characters were simply lovely, and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself laughing out loud a few times! (Don't you just love an author with the ability of well-placed wit?) Mary Connealy brings the characters roaring to life, and weaves faith with healing in her storyline. So well done, so recommended!

I just finished reading Ursula's story in <i>Her Secret Song</i>. Life and a toddler delayed me, but it was almost perfect timing, because as she was able to mentally leave her mountain and reach out to other people nearby, but not around her yet... so was I. As you may have seen when I was talking about, [book:Help, I'm Drowning: Weathering the Storms of Life with Grace and Hope|57070966], it was the combination of those self told stories and this fiction that pushed me to come out of my cocoon, as well. Like her sisters Jo and Ilsa, Ursula had never left Hope Mountain. She knew of no one except a faint memory of her mother and father, and her paternal grandparents, and her little sisters which she practically raised. She raised them in the rural Colorado mountains, alone. Full of fear that was instilled by her grandparents and the mystery of the unknown.

I went up to Hope Mountain in reading the story of Jo when I needed a reprieve from every day life. I was pulled onto a train with Ilsa when I wasn't ready to leave my post pandemic lifestyle. I have found a new church home, new groups of friends, and more people to love and cherish with similar veins of thought during Ursula's push to remove herself from some severe agoraphobia. I love reading Mary Connealy's stories. They always seem to hit my life at just the right moment and I often wonder if she could possibly be writing any of these stories for me. A great escapism from my everyday and worth every page.

I started with a Netgalley eARC, continued with a copy thanks to Bethany House Publishers, and finished today while cross stitching a new adventure listening to an audiobook on Hoopla Digital.

This is the third and final book in this delightful, action-packed western adventure. I would recommend reading them in order.

It was such a great adventure finally reading Ursula's story. She's by far the most stubborn of the sisters and probably my favorite. Once she sets her mind to something, nothing can change it, which is great when what she believes is true, but what about when she believes falsely? I loved watching this story unfold. The author managed to twist Faith and family together into an inseparable bond. There's action and danger, but also hope and love. The perfect combination. Wax made a great counterpart to Ursula, and I could not get enough of the gentle nature he showed to no one except Ursula. He gave her strength and showed her just how powerful she can be and Ursula's strong faith held when it seemed like everything might fall apart. Great story! I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Her Secret Song
I have been looking forward to Ursula’s book so much. I feel a kinship with her, being the oldest, responsible one of my family, and also struggling with anxiety issues most of my life. Mary Connealy didn’t disappoint! Her Secret Song is filled with beautiful settings, laugh out loud, humor, quirky historical details, and is full of heart. The reader will be cheering for Ursula and Jake to find true love, and for both to be able to move on from their pasts and forward together. I loved the characterization, like Ursula’s singing! The action in this book was amazing too, and my only complaint is that I wanted the book to go on longer! I enjoyed the ending where many details from the other books where wrapped up, including the big mystery of the series. I also loved the glimpse into the future of the sisters and their children! It was so satisfying!

This final book in the Brides of Hope Mountain series is like icing on a cake. The other two books were wonderful stories but Her Secret Song wraps up the saga of the Nordegren sisters in a totally satisfying way! I enjoyed getting to know Ilsa and Jo but author Mary Connealy truly saved the best sister for last. Ursula is the oldest and stubbornest Nordegren but she is also the loneliest. Will she remain on Hope Mountain or will she decide that she needs something more? Is Ursula destined to live a life of solitude or is there someone waiting to share it with her?

Her Secret Song is a thrilling adventure set in 1874 Colorado and Connealy perfectly captures the beauty of this dangerous and isolated terrain. Ursula's desire to remain on Hope Mountain is understandable and her reliance on God is very admirable, and it is this love for God and nature that helps Wax Mosely to find his own faith-walk. And finally, Ursula is given a glimpse of romantic love.

Her Secret Song has laugh-out-loud moments, thrilling adventure, and a wonderful faith message. I recommend it to all who enjoy historical Christian romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

It's a nice conclusion to a memorable series about three sisters growing up isolated in the mountains of 1874 Colorado with only their grandparents. The series should definitely be read in order because so many things happen in the first two books that lay the foundation for the subplots that get resolved in this book. I enjoyed following Jo, the middle sister, and Ilsa, the youngest, and their respective husbands as they gather forces to deal with evil schemers out to hurt their entire family. Getting to know Ursula was fun and seeing Wax/Jake Mosby with Ursula was a surprising turn of events, given what he was hired to do and who had hired him. Second chances, forgiveness, and conquering fear are themes that bind Ursula and Jake and there is plenty of humor peppered throughout the book to make you laugh out loud. Quite enjoyable historical fiction.

I received the book from Bethany House Publishing via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

What a slam-bang finish! This whole trilogy was great, but Her Secret Song is definitely my favorite. I love that Mrs. Connealy saved the best for last.

One disappointment was that the hatchet angle was super anticlimactic. The setup with beautiful. Ursula taught herself to be a crack shot with her weapon of choice in the early scenes. But she never got to use the skills she gained. Not once! I had looked forward to seeing her take out a bear or an elk or even a villain or two with her talent, but that never came to pass.

I was thrilled when I realized Wax Mosby would be the leading fella in this book. I had a love-hate relationship with him through the first two stories, but I love the journey toward redemption he tread in this one. I especially enjoyed the fabulous description from his POV when he had a bad concussion. Disorientation, double- and triple-vision, discombobulated thinking… Mrs. Connealy threw in the works!

Maybe I misremembered this, but I thought Ilsa was said in book two to have “dark-blonde hair.” In this one, she is called a “dark-haired woman” and a “brunette.” Those are vastly different than being “dark-blonde.” I’m not sure which picture I’m supposed to believe, because they’re completely different mental images. Considering she’s Scandinavian, my gut says she’s of a paler-haired variety… but then Alicia Vikander (actress) is also Scandinavian, and she’s dark-skinned and dark-haired. So I’m still at a loss. I guess I’ll see if I get a clearer picture of Ilsa’s locks on my second read of this beautiful and fun trilogy.

The misguided faith (believing that Aesop’s Fables is a “second Bible”) was brought to light in an interesting way in this story. I enjoyed seeing various characters’ reactions to it and how they spoke truth to Ursula in their own ways, trying to help her see the fact that there is only one Holy Bible. Some showed frustration, others patience, others love; all showed a firm belief in the truth and a hope that Ursula would join their belief.

This book had a fantastic finale and was, itself, a wonderful finale to the series. I wish there were more books! I could totally see a spin-off series featuring the little ones these girls may or may not have had… Please, Mrs. Connealy???

Content: swearing by “all the saints” (once), one replacement expletive

I've been a long time fan of Connealy's work, and it doesn't surprise me that, yet again, she has managed to blow me away with her story. This is the conclusion to her <strong>Brides Of Hope Mountain</strong> series, and oh what a conclusion it was! I loved turning the pages of this beautiful story long into the night.

I absolutely loved Ursula's character. She was beautifully created and really brought life to her story. Watching Ursula and Wax together through this book was often times laugh out loud funny and all together refreshing. I loved seeing them interact!

By the end of the story, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Ursula and her sisters. Their stories have been entertaining, heart warming, and inspiring. Connealy did not fail to provide her fans with her trademark style of love, laughter and flawfilled characters.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

This story started out and continued to be a slow read for me. I enjoyed the strength of the heroine, but overall found the book to be very slow.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This book was an adventure to read! Romance, shootouts, mountain climbing-never a dull moment here! I loved the romance and the theme of redemption in this story. Very well written.

I have loved the first two books from the Brides of Hope Mountain series and Her Secret Song is my favorite of the series. I thought it was a great read and it gets five plus stars from me.

It was easy to be frustrated with Ursula in the first two books with her resistance to her sisters' new friends and choices, so I was looking forward to reading from her perspective. I appreciated the way she eventually overcame her fears and made the choice to connect with people rather than isolate. Her singing to herself was an interesting mannerism and one that instantly connects her to Wax when she rescues him. Wax is another character going through an important transition as he abandons his employer and gun-for-hire lifestyle and seeks to redeem himself. He's an important asset to the Warden's as they battle the criminal-on-the-run reinvented as a cattle baron who is taking over the land through violent force. An entertaining blend of adventure, suspense, romance, and faith.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Attractive cover.

The story takes a bit to get into--it could use a strong editor with a sense of historical prose and complete sentences The attempt to create deep POV dips into confusion of tense and era.

The heroine was strong and likeable. Interesting conflict.

The Brides of Hope Mountain series has featured three interesting sisters, this book being about Ursula, the oldest of the trio. Each sister has unique survival talents, Ursula's being the ability to throw a small axe. I am a big fan of Mary Connealy's female characters, most of which show a lot of grit and sass. I loved that the three Nordegren sisters not only had strengths, but weaknesses, which gave room for their characters to grow. At the beginning of the novel, Ursula was stricken with fear concerning the dangers of life beyond Hope Mountain. The mountain represented safety most of her life, but with the arrival of the Wardens, she had to face her fears...which led to guilt and shame when she faltered. Then the grit kicked in...and she rescues a stranger.
The beginning of this novel was probably my favorite part. When Ursula meets Wax, she transforms. She finally meets a man that she has no choice but to connect with, and the romantic tension escalated. I never get tired of the rescue then nurse someone to health storyline. As the novel continues, the middle section dipped a little for me as far as tension goes, but picked back up, with an action packed ending. The characters' personalities really came out with an added punch of that grit, sass, and humor I really enjoy.
While this could be read as a stand-alone novel, I would definitely recommend starting with the first book in the series, "Aiming for Love," and read them in order. If you're a fan of western Christian romance, you won't be disappointed!

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in order to share my honest opinions, which I did.**

Mini Review: I enjoyed reading the first two books in this series, but I was unsure if I would like this one, based on the fact that Ursula was not the most... enjoyable character in the first two books. I was pleasantly surprised with how her narrating the story went, and she is much better to read about, while in her head. I also liked how important music and song was to her. And I loved the epilogue! Overall, this is a Christian Historical series I would definitely recommend trying!

I’ve read many books by Mary Connelly, and this may be my favorite of her series. I have loved following the story of these sisters, and I was especially looking forward to reading Ursula’s story. I wanted so badly for Ursula to find her courage to rejoin her family and not live isolated away from everyone else. This book lives up to all my expectations. Mary Connealy always writes with humor, yet her compassion for the Nordegren sisters has shown through on every page. I don’t want to give away too many details in this review, but urge you to join Ursula on her own adventure. Her story will bring joy to your heart.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A thrilling and satisfying conclusion to the story of the Nordegren sisters.
This is Ursula’s story.
Ursula is probably the one of these humorous sisters that I disliked the most when I read the earlier books, so I was quite anxious to hear her side of things. And this book does a fine job at bringing her around. Ursula is quite the unusual character, yes, but she does have reasons for her strange ways. Most of these very strange beliefs and habits are seated in a deep fear. Fear that her grandmother instilled in her by telling her things when she was a young girl, and she's just never been able to determine that these beliefs were untrue. Until now.
Ursula faces one of her fears - the belief that leaving the mountain means heading down to hell. On her way, she meets up with an injured man, Wax Mosby. So instead of going on down, she rescues him and takes him up to her home where she nurses him back to health.
Mary Connealy has written us another story full of humor and showing us how certain beliefs can be unhealthy. This lighthearted look at some unique and unusual characters is a fun book to read.
There is some danger and mystery mixed in, and I found it quite an enjoyable read.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

In Her Secret Song, Mary Connealy creates a fantastic wrap up for her Brides of Hope Mountain trilogy. Each book covers one sister, and it is amazing to see the varying personalities each sister brings!
In Her Secret Song, we are able to finish the series up with Ursula, and while some things are the same problems to overcome (such as two Bibles), we are also confronted with her unique personality and the challenges of being the oldest.

Character development is great, and the plot moves along at a wonderful rate!

I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to submit a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! I have not yet read the other two books in the series but it did not take away from my experience at all. If anything, I now want to read those two stories even more so! I really liked this story and how it included God so much, a truly pure and lovely romance read that will warm anyone's heart!