Ingrid's miracle comes in the form of a gruff mountain man named Micah Bradley.  Still grieving the loss of the wife and daughter he couldn't save from smallpox, he left his medical career five years ago.  When Micah comes across Ingrid's broken body, he's forced to call on his long-dormant doctoring skills to save her life.  

Despite her own precarious condition, Ingrid is frantic to get the vaccine to the people who need it.  When she finally convinces Micah to set out on their own mad mission, the pair embark on a journey that will test them both physically and spiritually.  Can they make it across the treacherous mountains in weather that worsens by the day?  Will they get the vaccine vials where they need to go?  Most importantly, will Micah re-discover the faith he lost five years ago or will God let him fail once again?

Christian fiction can be a hard sell for me, but I ended up quite enjoying Hope's Highest Mountain, the first book in a new series by Misty M. Beller.  The novel starts with a bang and keeps the action going at a steady pace.  While that kept me turning pages, the story really isn't about the characters' physical journeys, but about their spiritual ones.  Faith—both firm and fledgling—is at the heart of this uplifting tale.  That comes across loud and clear, but not in an irritating or preachy way.  My only real complaint about Hope's Highest Mountain has to do with character development.  Ingrid and Micah are both nice, likable characters but they're a little too nice, a little too perfect.  I would have liked more personality from both of them as well as some imperfections to help them feel more authentic.  In addition, I really wanted Ingrid to act like a heroine.  She had good intentions, but she never really did anything.  I would have liked to see more backbone and more risk-taking from her.  Overall, though, I enjoyed this clean, faith-promoting romance.  I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment in the series.

When Ingrid Chastain agreed to accompany her father to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory, she never could have anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. Rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man who tends her injuries, but she’s hesitant to put her trust in this man who seems to have wounds of his own.

After tragedy struck his family, Micah Bradley left his work as a doctor and escaped to the wilds of Montana. But his self-imposed solitude is broken when he finds Ingrid in desperate need of medical attention, and he’s forced to call on his doctoring skills once again.

Micah can’t help but admire Ingrid’s tenacity despite the severity of her injuries, until he learns the crate she brought contains smallpox vaccines to help quell a nearby outbreak. With Ingrid dead set on delivering the medicine–with or without his help–he has no choice but to accompany her. As they set off through the treacherous, snow-covered Rocky Mountains against all odds, the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.

I love a good historical action/adventure romance novel, so I'm excited to read Hope's Highest Mountain, the first book in a new series by Misty M. Beller.  Although I ran out of time to read it before my assigned blog stop date, it's next on my list.  Look for a review this week.

In the meantime, be sure to follow along on the book's blog tour (hosted by Celebrate Lit) by clicking the links below.  You can also snag a copy of Hope's Highest Mountain for yourself by entering a giveaway hosted by the author (see widget below) or purchasing it here. 

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 12

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, October 12

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 13

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 13

Betti Mace, October 13

Blessed & Bookish, October 14

Texas Book-aholic, October 14

Rebekah Jones, Author, October 14

Genesis 5020, October 14

For Him and My Family, October 15

Bloggin’ ’bout Books, October 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 15

A Baker’s Perspective, October 16

For the Love of Literature, October 16

janicesbookreviews, October 16

Mary Hake, October 16

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess , October 17

Batya’s Bits, October 17

Connect in Fiction, October 17

Older & Smarter?, October 18

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 18

Life of Literature, October 18

A Reader’s Brain, October 18

The Becca Files, October 19

Blossoms and Blessings, October 19

Splashes of Joy , October 19

Through the Fire Blogs, October 20

Moments, October 20

Inklings and notions , October 20

Simple Harvest Reads, October 20

Daysong Reflections, October 21

Wishful Endings, October 21

Joy of Reading , October 21

Pause for Tales, October 22

For The Love of Books, October 22

Britt Reads Fiction, October 22

Lis Loves Reading, October 23

Bigreadersite , October 23

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 23

Live. Love. Read. , October 24

Deanne’s Book Thoughts, October 24

Hallie Reads, October 24

Remembrancy, October 25

Mia Reads Blog, October 25

To Everything There is A Season( www.ihopeyoudanceinlife.com),  October 25

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