Her Secret Song

Her Secret Song by Mary Connealy

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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Story Notes

Mary Connealy brings to her readers the conclusion to her Brides of Hope Mountain series that tells of Ursula’s love story and the final showdown with the land grabbing Pike Bludgeon.

I’ve really loved reading this series! The sisters who were so isolated from the world found it crashing in on them, bringing new ideas, problems and the promise of love that they never expected. With this last story we finally get to see Ursula find love and peace that she had been so desperate to find after the arrival of the Wardens. I loved the dynamics between Ursula and Jake. I really didn’t like his nickname of “Wax”, so I was glad to know his real name in this story. It fit his former personality, I guess, but made me think of some oily salesman and made it hard to want him to be a good fit with Ursula. He challenged Ursula to understand her fears and face them in a logical way. He didn’t belittle her for being afraid and that helped her want to move beyond them. I loved the final showdown between Pike and the Wardens. It was a great fight and showed the incredible abilities of those involved that allowed them to bring justice with little loss of life. And the courage that Ursula found through everything helped he overcome the last of her real fears, allowing her to really connect with and love those around her. I will certainly be recommending this book to others in the hope they will love it as I did.

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

Her Secret Song is book three in Mary Connealy‘s Brides of Hope Mountain series. This final installment follows the third and eldest Nordegren sister, Ursula, as she wrestles with her fear of leaving the mountain and Wax Mosby who needs to escape if he wants to live.

If you’ve read my reviews on the first two books, Aiming for Love and Woman of Sunlight, you’ll know I am entertained by these stories even if the sisters are a might strange. However, this final story ties the whole series together in a rather fitting ending.

Ursula has been trapped in solitude all winter and wants, no needs, company. Wax determines to clear his conscience before escaping the area for a new life. Both have past actions they greatly regret. Will they have a chance to begin again or will the past be too much to overcome?

If you plan to read Her Secret Song, definitely read the first two books in the series first or this one won’t make as much sense. Nor will the ending of Her Secret Song be as hilariously wonderful. I would not classify these as stand alone novels even though the romance part of the story is contained within each book. They really do tell a whole sweeping tale of three unusual sisters.

I enjoyed Her Secret Song more than I expected. Woman of Sunlight is still probably my favorite, but the ending of this book makes the whole series worth reading. I’d love to know what you think of it!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

Three sisters alone on a mountaintop. Ursula saw both her sisters leave the mountain for new adventures and love. Could she take the risk?

This book completed the three book series called the Brides of Hope Mountain. The previous two books were about Ilsa and Jo. This book concentrated more on Ursula's choices and her journey of discovery.



It is never too late to make a change. It can be scary. It can be difficult but it can be done. The Nordegren sisters and the men they met along the way made changes that altered their lives.

I enjoyed reading about these three strong women. Each sister developed a strength to assist them in their survival. The ultimate gift came from GOD.



I received this book for free from Bethany House to review.

Her Secret Song is another great read from Mary Connealy that wraps up her Brides of Hope Mountain series. Between its covers I once again found a wonderful tale filled with vivid descriptions, interesting characters, and more of Connealy’s trademark humor.

Set against the backdrop of Colorado mountains, Her Secret Song is a story of hope, redemption, and overcoming fear. The conclusion of the series features Ursula Nordegren who has yet to overcome her fears of the unknown world below the mountain where she has spent her entire life. After spending the entire winter alone, Ursula finally summons enough courage to venture down the mountain but midway down she encounters badly injured outlaw Wax Mosby. With no choice but to help him up the mountain, Ursula takes him to her winter home and nurses him back to health.

A wonderful tale with an unexpected love story, Her Secret Song may have been my favorite of the series. It was a fitting conclusion with answers to a mystery or two revealed and major problems overcome. I loved all three of the Nordegren sisters as well as the members of the Warden family. I also found inspiration in the major life changes in Wax Mosby. I particularly enjoy how this author manages to teach important messages of life and faith while keeping me delightfully entertained the entire time.

If you are not familiar with Mary Connealy’s books, please do yourself a favor and pick up all three books of this series. Her Secret Song could easily stand on its own but would be much more enjoyable after reading the previous two books.

Oh what a joy to read this last book in Mary Connealy's Brides of Hope Mountain series. This book follows Ursula, the oldest of the Nordegren sisters, as she learns about facing her fears and learning to love.

Wax Mosby is living a life that leads to death. He desperately wants to change. He meets Ursula, and she helps him recover both physically and spiritually.

This book was everything I'd hoped it would be. The story brings all the loose pieces of the first 2 books together and weaves a beautiful story.

Sure. I knew who Ursula was. After all, I'd come to know her in the first two books of the Brides of Hope Mountain series. And somehow she still surprised me. And what probably surprised me the most is how much I enjoyed her.

Another surprise was that after the first two stories in the series showing the other sisters' reactions to towns and cities and any number of people, author Mary Connealy managed to replicate these experiences for Ursula in a way that didn't seem repetitious.

I hadn't expected to like Ursula more than either of her sisters. Especially due to her extremely introverted nature. And her fear. Yet somehow, I think these factors made me love her more as she stepped way out of her comfort zone to do the things that frightened her the most. What an amazing woman! And the kindness she showed a stranger. She truly personified the Good Samaritan.

Wax Mosby's role in the previous stories clearly showed him to be an enemy. Still, at the end of Woman of Sunlight, he was showing signs of not having as black a heart as it first appeared. How fun to see him become the hero!

Wax's search for redemption for his sins clearly communicated the message of salvation. The strong spiritual themes in Her Secret Song are integrated in a natural manner which in no wise dilutes their effectiveness. One that was so relevant is the recurring theme of "do not worry". It was so fun how each of the characters sitting in church that Sunday morning thought the pastor was preaching his message directly to them!

I promise this isn't a spoiler! After all, with a series name like Brides of Hope Mountain you have to know there will be a proposal in it. But, oh, what a proposal!! The circumstances under which it was offered and the manner in which it was delivered just might have made it my favorite fictional proposal ever!! I'm still laughing as I picture it!

Her Secret Song combines suspense, action/adventure, romance, and faith with sprinkles of quirky humor to create a wonderful series conclusion. In some regards, this is the Return of the King of the series, culminating in an amazing battle for the Warden's ranch!

Be sure to read the entire series - each story builds on the previous ones and they are all just too good to pass up!

Her Secret Song by Mary Connealy is the third book in the Brides of Hope Mountain series about three sisters raised on a mountain and forbidden to see the outside world. All the characters in the series appear in all books, and there’s an over-arching plot thread throughout.

MINOR SPOILER: At the end of the first book, mountain woman Ursula Nordegren, eldest of the three Nordegren sisters, made plans to spend the winter in a remote, newly-discovered house on her mountain. Her hope was to escape the “dangerous” Warden family taking up residence in her childhood home. I read the first book in this series and missed the second, but it wasn’t hard to catch up.

Ursula was raised to avoid strangers at all cost, because they brought disease and death. Unfortunately, living alone for months in a cave-like dwelling nearly drove her crazy with loneliness.

Jake “Wax” Mosby is a man with a dubious reputation. He’s also a man with a moral code and a desire to leave the life he’s been leading. Badly injured, he’s found and tended by a singing “angel” with the loveliest voice he’s ever heard.

For me, Mary Connealy’s books are dessert. They’re sweet and enjoyable without being heavy. Yet, there are always crumbs to pick up. In this case, it’s that we can sometimes allow the actual fear of something to cause just as much damage as that thing we fear.

As for this particular book, it ends the series well, and I truly enjoyed the epilogue. However, the first book in the series stood out more to me. Maybe, at that point, the premise was more unique, but it also had that spark of fun that Ms. Connealy is famous for. While this one had moments, particularly with Wax and Ursula’s opinions of Mitch—the hero from the second book— it didn’t sparkle for me in that same way.

So, I’ll recommend it with 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. My opinions are my owns.

With an imaginative premise of three sisters raised in the tops of the mountains in rural Colorado in the 1870s, Mary Connealy has created a clever and humorous series that climaxed with Her Secret Song starring Ursula Nordegren. Raised by their grandparents and warned about the dangers existing down in the valleys, the girls learned to be self-reliant but lacked knowledge about society. Mary Connealy’s sense of humor shines through her stories, and this series has been a favorite of mine.
“Grandma had only taught them to count to one hundred. It seemed unlikely they’d ever have more than one hundred of anything, so Grandma thought going higher was a waste of time.”
Populated with amusing and endearing characters and full of madcap adventures, this tale captured my imagination and kept me turning pages. Although this was Ursula’s story, characters from the other books in the series popped up and added to the fun. Ursula is an interesting character, at times timid but also courageous when circumstances warranted bravery. Jake “Wax” Mosby is a hired gun who is trying to mend his ways and live uprightly. When he’s rescued by Ursula and introduced to her family, things get a little crazy.

“The hatchet hit hard and stuck. ‘Right where I aimed.’ She felt proud of her skill. That was a sin, but before she repented, she enjoyed the shocked expression on her sisters’ faces.”
“He glared down the mountainside. He had no wish to climb down. Being shot off a mountain cured a man of climbing.”

If you’re in the mood for some humorous historical fiction, this series The Brides of Hope Mountain is sure to please. This series is bound for my keeper shelf.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the author and Bethany House Publishing through NetGalley.. All opinions are my own.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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'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.*

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

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.

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.

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!