This is the 5th book in the Day To Remember Series, and this is Lillian Hartwick's story. She is a newly engaged woman, and rather bored, so decides to go to Wellington WA to stay with her cousin, whom is awaiting the birth of her first child, and is about to step into a new world for her. She has been born with the silver spoon, and now she is really about to rough it.

There are a lot of sad happening in this story, but then there are those whom come to faith, or have it renewed.

The avalanche really did happen, but the story and characters are fictional. The author does a good job of bringing the read alive.

There are a lot of life lessons that are given, and then the surprises!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

When the Avalanche Roared is the 5th book in the A Day to Remember series which focuses on natural or manmade disasters in North America. I have read all of them so far--so I was obviously ready to learn more about this relatively unknown tragedy. It's weird that I lived in WA most of my life and never heard of this devastating event! It should be part of WA history.

The story takes place in the small town of Wellington, WA--not too far from Everett, WA. Wellington is more of a passing through kind of town. It's main purpose is to maintain the railroads going through the major Cascade tunnels.

The book begins a bit before the actual disaster as we meet Lillian and Griffin. Lillian is in Wellington to help her cousin Elizabeth who is expecting a baby. She is from a wealthy family in Everett and "engaged in name only" to the president of a timber company. She's dissatisfied with how she feels about her future fiancé and was only all to happy to leave for awhile when he goes out of town. But Wellington isn't what she thought; neither is the shack her cousin lives in. What is a society woman like her going to do in this backwoods town?

Griffin works for the railroad as a hauler and general do whatever. He is made fun of daily by a group of co-workers and considered stupid because it became known that he doesn't know how to read. But he's a hard worker and puts his all into keeping his head down and doing his best. When Lillian arrives he is overcome by her beauty--but knows a "dummy" like him doesn't stand a chance. But he still tries to help her out whenever he can and enjoys getting to know her.

Over the course of the days/weeks, it ends up with Lillian helping out at the post office and over time helping him learn how to read. He desires to read the Bible and although she doesn't have the kind of faith that he does, she helps him.

Then the disaster hits.

As you can imagine, this is a predictable ending--guy doesn't think good enough for girl. Girl leaves. ect ect ect.

This one didn't hit me as much with the emotion. It seemed more light in reading. But there are messages of faith woven in throughout the book.

I mostly enjoyed learning about the disaster over anything else. I always read the Author Notes at the end of these books to learn more.

3 Stars

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC to review. All opinions are 100% my own.

WHEN THE AVALANCHE ROARED by LAURALEE BLISS is a novel in the historic North American disasters series, which will keep you rivetted as you follow Lillian Hartwick and Griffin Jones in their fight to save the people affected by the devastating avalanche that hit the small railway community,of Wellington. The characters are very well portrayed, especially as we see how the rather spoilt Lillian, who is marking time until she marries her rich and self important fiance, settles into a much simpler way of life as a companion to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. I like to see her compassion for her new friends, and the way she teaches Griffin, the gentle giant to read, and keeps the people who are stranded on the trains, especially the children, occupied. I also like the strong Christian message of hope running through the story……
I cannot recommend this inspiring book strongly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing The opinions in this review are completely my own.

This was a book I had a hard time putting down. Grab your blanket because it will make you feel cold. Lillian and Griffian made such a great team. I definitely appreciated the Christian views weaved into the book. Beth did a beautiful job highlighting the hope out of a tragedy. I’d never heard of this avalanche and it happened just a couple hours drive from where I live. The story and the characters pulled me in and held on tight. My only complaint is that I felt the story could have been longer. Give me more! The romance was a bit flat as well. Sort of an instant love at the end. I would have appreciated more lingering glances and subtle touches. But the overall story was perfection and I wouldn’t change it.
Trigger warnings: natural disasters, infants and children and spouses dying.

Restless, engaged, and well off, Lillian is sent to a rugged, small town to help out her pregnant cousin.
She finds herself slowly drawn to a gentle giant who helps keep the railroad tracks clear.
When a train is trapped because of a seemingly endless snow storm, the characters of train passengers become living people, worried and confined.
An act of nature in the form of an avalanche buries the train and the aftermath is unfathomable.
Questions of why resound throughout the area and within the families who lost loved ones in the train cars. The author does a great job of guiding the reader through the whys and guilt.
Lots of history combined with real questions make this an excellent read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

This book is part of a series called A Day to Remember which features novels about historic North American disasters that changed landscapes and multiple lives. This particular disaster takes place in the Cascade Mountains of Washington in 1910. After record snowfalls followed by warm rains, the worst avalanche in US history took place, killing 96, with only 23 survivors.

Bliss does an excellent job of bringing the little railroad town of Wellington to life in the winter months before the disaster so that the reader experiences the blizzards, the avalanche and the rescue efforts through the eyes of her two main characters, Lillian and Griffin, as their lives are changed forever. I appreciated her treatment of all the questions of why God allowed such a thing to happen, who was to blame, and how it affected the people who lived through it.

It’s not an easy book to read, but it’s definitely worth reading.

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