1.5 stars...not quite okay
Overall, I think I was extra disappointed because I connected so easily with the characters in the first book. I really liked Joanna in that one and was looking forward to hearing her story.

When Joanna’s son disappears, she has to set out on a quest to find him. Along with her comes a single man and soon sparks fly. That’s where I quickly lost touch with the sense of reality. Most mothers I know would be 100% crazy focused on finding that kid again. I mean, in book 1 we saw just how much Joanna had lost and how much that one child meant the world to her.

Until Mr. Perfect walked in. Mr. Perfect who wants to let her kiss him but not ever consider marriage. Mr. Perfect whose body is perfection too, and who she lusts after even while helping patch him up after an injury. Who she wants to make out with so badly that they leave a horse bleeding out after a wolf attack while they stop for heavy breathing and kissing. Sorry, but that just doesn’t work for me.

I did want to hear more about Laura, though I didn’t think it realistic that a murderer and thief wouldn’t take what he pleased right off on day 1. But of course the girl needed to be unsullied for the good guy in book three...I really lost the reality of the danger because the bad guy wasn’t even greedy enough to be consistent. Not that I want a rape scene. I just felt the bad guy was more of a stock character than anything else. He didn’t scare me.

Anyway, I hit overload on sensuality and lust in this one even though it didn’t quite cross the line to not be clean...it just played the line and focused way too much on sexual tension, both consensual and non.

I’ll be trying the third book but I’m not as excited for it as I had been for this one.

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Love’s Mountain Quest is the second book in the Hearts of Montana series by Misty M. Beller. I loved the first book in the series, Hope’s Highest Mountain, and I was excited to read Joanna’s story in this book. I loved her diligent work ethic, her need to care for others, and her love for her son. She deserved her own story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Love’s Mountain Quest begins with action when Joanna’s son and a friend are kidnapped by a gang with an ominous reputation. The desperation in this poor mama’s heart pulled my heartstrings and might have made me misty-eyed a time or two. But I loved and respected the attitude she maintained through it all, even when one disaster after another befell Joanna and Isaac on the trail to find her son. She is a remarkable woman and one who deserved to have someone shoulder her burdens.
Issac is quite the hero. He has all the typical characteristics--confidence, muscular build, and strong jawline. But--he is so much more! I loved his redemptive story, and I believe it is inspirational to all who have made mistakes in their life. He has such a strong faith, and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little during the conversations he had with God about his pride. Above all, he is an honest and faithful man. Loved him!
As with all of Misty Beller’s other books, the scenery of Joanna and Isaac’s trek through the mountains in Montana was absolutely stunning. She has a way of painting a landscape so you can see the breathtaking views. I love traveling through her western-mountain adventures!
Fans of Christian historical fiction will enjoy this book, especially if you like stories set in the frontier.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Love’s Mountain Quest by Misty M. Beller

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Misty M. Beller brings readers the next in the Hearts of Montana series that will continue the story from the first book but with the focus now on Joanna and Samuel as well as Isaac Bowen. Much will be learned in this story about forgiveness, honor and finding love again.

Ms. Beller’s first book in the series was my introduction to her and her well-written stories. She made the wilds of Montana come alive with her descriptions and the characters she created were realistically developed. I was glad to be offered this second book for review and gladder still to see that this book followed the last with the same writing style and a good continuation of the story started in the first one. This story puts its focus on the young widow, Joanna Watson, and her son Samuel who are making a new life in Settler’s Fort. Joanna is a hard worker and hopes to not only provide for her son but give him the love of two parents as much as possible. But their new life is interrupted when a gang of outlaws kidnaps Samuel and his nanny, Laura. Joanna begs the help of Isaac Bowen, a man who helped bring her safely to the Fort along with the Bradley’s the year before. His tracking skills quickly lead them to find the town sheriff deceased and lots of hoof prints heading away from town. Gathering what they need for a possibly long journey, Isaac and Joanna head after the kidnappers into the Montana mountains. Stopping only to rest the horses or when it’s too dark to see, they begin gaining on them. But a set back comes when a horse throws a shoe and then steps on Isaac, breaking his lower leg. Isaac is determined not to let this give any advantage to the kidnappers and after tending his leg, sets them off again at an only slightly slower pace. As they fight both the elements and wildlife, they will grow closer together and find a spark of attraction neither expected. But nothing can happen until they find Samuel and return home. Seeking help from a town near the suspected gang hideout with give them the extra help they need to finally bring this terrifying journey to an end. And if both Isaac and Joanna can let go of the past, they just might have a future together. As I said earlier, I loved the descriptions that Ms. Beller wrote about both the country and the people in her stories. She add just enough to help you imagine everything clearly but not bore you with too many details. I also enjoyed the development of the main characters throughout the story. Neither of them wanted to depend on another but they soon learned that life cannot be lived alone. Their stubborn drive to prove themselves helpful and sufficient was broken on their quest together and it made them better people afterwards. The faith elements of the story were also well done and natural. There was no over piousness on either character’s part, rather real faith that became stronger as they faced the difficult times. I also liked getting a glimpse of Laura’s thoughts and her faith. She will probably be the next character of focus and I think she will be a good one. I will be recommending this story to others as a good read and hope they will enjoy the tension and action as I did. Hope the next in the series comes out soon.

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.

The cover pulled me in.

However, a friend reviewed it. And that review mentioned so many things I did not want to read. Among them were, lust, a bad guy wanting to rape a girl and too much sensuality.

Das Buchbeginnt im Juni 1867 im Settler's Fort in Montana. Isaac Boden schaut bei jedem Besuch im Ort nach Johanna Watson und ihrem 5 Jahre alten Sohn Samuel. Sie waren Teil einer Reisegruppe, die sie vor einigen Monaten aus der Wildnis der Berge gerettet haben. Sie hat ein Haus am Rande der Stadt gemietet und arbeitet als Wäscherin. Obwohl es ihr gut zu gehen scheint, sorgt er sich um sie, da sie hier so ganz ohne Angehörige sind. Ihr Mann ist vor 7 Monaten an einer Verletzung durch die Axt gestorben. Isaac ist Jäger und Fallensteller. Er lebt mit seinem Vater eine Stunde entfernt und kommt nur gelegentlich zum Verkaufen in die Stadt. Johanna gibt vor, dass alles gut ist, aber in Wirklichkeit ist sie erschöpft von der Arbeit und von Sorgen niedergedrückt. Eltern und Schwester hat sie vor längerer Zeit in einem Zugunglück verloren. Hier hat sie nur ihre junge Freundin Laura. Die und ihr Sohn verschwinden eines Tages plötzlich von einen Schwimmausflug. Isaac hilft der verzweifelten Johanna spontan und selbstlos bei ihrer Suche. Nachdem sie den erschossenen Sheriff finden, nehmen sie sofort die Spur der Verbrecher auf. Doch schon bald wird Isaac dabei mit seiner düsteren Vergangenheit konfrontiert.
Die Autorin führt zügig und gradlinig in die Geschichte ein, die dann auch schnell Tempo und Spannung gewinnt.
Johanna und Isaac müssen manche Missgeschicke hinnehmen und Rückschläge überwinden. Sie ist eine starke, freundliche und fleißige Frau, er gibt alles um seine ungute Vergangenheit hinter sich zu lassen. Isaac hat zu Gott gefunden und will Johanna später ohne jegliche Erwartungen oder Hintergedanken helfen, ihr Leben zu verbessern. So verwundert es nicht, dass man sich zu diesen sympathischen und nachvollziehbaren Protagonisten schnell hingezogen fühlt.
Der Roman ist fesselnd und kann gut unterhalten.

3.5 Stars

LOVE'S MOUNTAIN QUEST is a story about a man's and woman's journey as they try to save her young son and friend from the hands of a ruthless gang. Both parties are fraught with danger as they travel, but find unexpected help and possible love as the story unfolds. Elements of faith are weaved throughout. Beller gives fans another trademark adventure through a harsh and untamed but beautiful wilderness, with characters readers can't help but cheer on.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to reading Isaac's and Joanna's story. The beginning set things in motion quite well, as I could feel Isaac's yearning for something more, and Joanna's love for her son, but also her exhaustion as she tries to provide for their life. Then things change when Joanna finds her son, and her friend who was caring for him, missing. Isaac gets to be her hero as he travels with her to bring them home.

I enjoyed the journey and learning more about these characters. These characters faced some really difficult things and weren't immune to the pains of travelling fast, injuries and danger. The story did feel a bit slow to me in parts and the romance came on a bit strong in places (plus some of the wording was weird, like labeling a guy's muscles as having a richness to them). I would have liked the romance aspect to come a bit later in the story and feel more realistic to the situation. I also felt parts were unrealistic when dealing with the gang and in a little boy's recovery. The faith aspects I thought were done well—nothing felt too preachy or forced. The end was particularly sweet and was probably my favorite part of the story.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I wanted more from it, but I have learned with this author that some of her characters I connect with better than others, and some of her stories work better for me than others. I'm looking forward to the next adventure in book three of this series!

Content: Some innuendo and violence, but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Boy, this one jumped right into the action! I felt like I quickly got to know Joanna and Isaac quickly through their actions and thoughts as they desperately search for her kidnapped son and friend. We experience the author's trademark perilous journey through the wilderness with various dangers and trying conditions. I was surprised that tracking the outlaws took up so much of the book, but it turned out that this was a long game situation since Isaac had a secret past that gave them an advantage in the pursuit. It's a mixed blessing since it brings more issues for Joanna to deal with after she's fallen for the rugged mountain man- overcoming mistrust and relying on the good man he is now. The scenes with the outlaws and Laura, the young woman they are holding captive, are a bit disturbing, which heightens the tension and suspense. I appreciated the spiritual message of turning to God in faith during our darkest hours, and also the theme of redemption and forgiveness. I'm glad that the next book in the series is about Laura so we can see her healing process from all she went through.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

What an awesome story! Misty M. Beller is a new-to-me-author whose books I've heard nothing but amazing things about, but I hadn't had a chance to try one myself yet so when I was offered the opportunity to request a review copy I jumped at the chance! And I am so glad I did! This story drew me in from the very beginning, I love a faster paced story and this one totally fit the bill without sacrificing description, character development, or any of the swoon-worthy romance! I love Ms. Beller's writing style, it sweeps you right into the story and keeps you reading as fast as you can turn the pages, and it's also beautiful and heart-touchingly profound, with just the right amount of description (I felt like I was journeying through the mountains along with the characters!)
I loved the strong, hardworking heroine, Joanna, and she and Isaac, her super swoony mountain man companion became new favorite characters of mine!
I loved this story and highly recommend it!
Love's Mountain Quest was my first Misty M. Beller read but it most definitely will not be my last!
(5 Stars!)


I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Which did not influence my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own!

After reading the first novel in this series, I was eager to read more about Joanna in this book. There is plenty of adventure and intrigue in this story as Joanna and Isaac desperately search for Samuel. I liked the author’s descriptions of the mountains, with both their beauty and their hidden deadly dangers. I do recommend that you read the books in order, as there is continuation of some of the characters from the first book. I felt like sometimes the characters made decisions or spoke sentences that did not entirely make sense with their personality or the time period, but I do not think this detracted from an enjoyable novel. I liked the growth of faith in the characters and the spiritual themes intertwined among the harsh survival of the story. Overall, I did enjoy this book and look forward to the next! I recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction with romance.

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from the Bethany House Publishers and Celebrate Lit Tours. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Joanna Watson and her young son, Samuel. face a challenging life in a small town in the wilderness. She struggles to earn enough to support them since her husband died. When her friend who was watching Samuel disappears with the boy, foul play is suspected. Joanna recruits Isaac Bowen, a man of the mountains who keeps mainly to himself, because she believes she can trust him. Together they begin a treacherous journey to find the outlaws who kidnapped her friend and son. Not only do they face physical challenges, but Isaac dreads the connection they may find if his suspicions prove correct. The suspenseful adventure the characters face offers an exciting read. Will they all survive? Will they ever be the same? The characters, setting, and plot seem quite realistic. Readers who loved Janette Oke’s novels should enjoy this. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

Book 2 in Misty Beller’s Hearts of Montana series, “Love’s Mountain Quest” can be read as a standalone, but for background into the lives of the main characters, I recommend reading “Hope’s Highest Mountain” first. Both contain the author’s trademark combination of adventure, faith, and romance, and this sequel is my favorite, not only of the two, but of the handful of Beller’s other books that I have read as well. “Love’s Mountain Quest” offers a bit of a twist on the theme of a mountain man rescuing a woman; in this case, widow Joanna Watson receives help from Isaac Bowen to find out what happened to her five-year-old son Samuel and her friend Laura, not realizing how Isaac’s past and future both figure into the situation.

As always, Beller delivers an exciting and emotional tale set in the beautiful but treacherous Montana territory. The scenic detail places readers right in the middle of the action, although the characters take precedence, with their complicated pasts shadowing their current circumstances. All of them feel genuine, from the seemingly heartless villains to the hapless victims, and the rawness of emotion tugs at your heartstrings. Isaac comes face to face with a past that he thought he left behind, one that still causes feelings of guilt and holds a lesson about pride. Joanna is so relatable, described as a woman who “did not shirk her responsibilities, no matter how exhausted and worried she was.” Yet part of her drive comes from fear: “She’d been praying, yes, but had she really been trusting that God would answer her prayers? Or were they merely an outlet for her anxiety?” This really causes me to pause, especially amidst the uncertainties of 2020. How often do I pray merely out of worry or fear, rather than with a grateful heart of trust and belief?

From the thorough description of nature and scenery to the interplay between characters, “Love’s Mountain Quest” is a novel that brings together romance, trauma, forgiveness, and sincere faith to demonstrate the power of a 1 Corinthians 13 love. After all, love truly is the greatest gift.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

Love's Highest Mountain, the second book in Misty Beller's Hearts of Montana series, is another wonderful historical romance story. Having read several of her other books, I was looking forward to reading this one and found it to be as enjoyable as I'd hoped. It is a beautiful and captivating story of unexpectedly finding love in a very stressful and difficult situation. and of recognizing the importance of learning to trust--trusting God to work things out and trusting one's heart. The writing style is graceful and flows smoothly and the author has beautifully crafted her characters--characters who have to work together, trusting virtual strangers with their lives, to complete a daunting task. The author has infused the story with page-turning, nail-biting action during a treacherous mountain trip to rescue the prisoners and take down gang members. It is a trip that is beset by one trial after another. Realistic situations and wonderfully descriptive scenes of the week-long journey through the mountains all work together for a delightful story. Threaded throughout the book is a faith in God--the God who can be trusted, who gives us strength when we need it the most and the One who alone forgives, mends broken lives and loves to give second chances. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Ms. Beller's books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.

Love’s Mountain Quest is the second book in Misty M. Beller’s Hearts of Montana series. We met both Isaac Bowen and Joanna Watson, and her little boy Samuel, in the previous book Hope’s Highest Mountain. This is their story.

With the word ‘quest’ in the title, I should have been more prepared for it to take up the entire book, but when Samuel is kidnapped in the first chapter, I wanted Joanna and Isaac to find him much sooner than they did! Joanna and Isaac run into multiple problems that make tracking down the kidnappers harder and harder. In fact, it would have been impossible if not for Isaac’s past.

The first half of the book sped by as I kept hoping Joanna and Isaac would catch up to Samuel, but when it became more obvious it would take longer, I settled in to enjoy the story, particularly the romance that was developing between the traveling pair. The spark had been there since they met in the previous book, but with the days spent together tracking down the kidnappers, Joanna and Isaac grow close. However, even if Isaac’s past can help Joanna get her boy back, it may cost them a chance at a happiness together.

Love’s Mountain Quest is an enjoyable story. There are a few times when the danger or bad guys’ cruelty to the animals got more graphic than I care to read. 1867 Montana Territory is a rugged, challenging place to live, let alone traverse at daunting speed with constant worry. But Isaac and Joanna are worth rooting for as is the hope they’ll get their happily ever after.

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I received this book free from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Love’s Mountain Quest by Misty M. Beller is the second book in her Hearts of Montana series. It can be read as a stand-alone (I have not read the first book yet) and not be left feeling like you are missing something.

Joanna, I thought was an interesting character. She is straight forward, she knows what she wants, and is a strong woman both physically and mentally. I thought Misty M. Beller did a great job of using these strengths while balancing out her softer feminine side. Isaac was more layered than Joanna as the story unfolds. He has a sense of mystery about him right until the very end. I thought both characters balanced each other out.

The storyline follows Joanna and Isaac on their quest to rescue Joanna’s son bouncing back and forth between them and the bandit's party and their captives. I thought it flowed very well and kept the story progressing at a very good rate.

I give this story 4 out of 5 stars for the interesting characters, the theatrical elements to the story, and for the good flowing storyline. While this story was good, it did not live up to Misty M. Beller’s usual storytelling craftsmanship. I think because there was not as much detail and meaningful interaction between characters. But it was still a good story that I recommend reading.

*I volunteered to read this story in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

The romance was too heavy for my taste and was inserted in odd places, reminding me I was being told a story rather than keeping me completely immersed in it. Firstly, the leading lady was all hot and bothered over a man while she was supposed to be fretting about where her missing son was. Isn’t it just terrible when the feller she’s asked to come and help hunt down the jerks who stole her son was suddenly much more concerned about rescuing the boy than she was? This didn’t make any sense to me, having previously read the first book in the series and seen first-hand how attentive to and protective of her son Joanna was. Funny how being around a handsome fellow didn’t distract her from that goal in the previous book but all of a sudden was distracting her left and right in this one. Inconsistency from book to book in series is one of my pet peeves.

Secondly, the lady discovered that the horse was injured and decided she needed better lighting to see the extent of the injuries, to see if the horse would make it or needed nursing or who knew what all. So what did she do? Promptly fell into the arms of the hero and smooched him to death. Forget about the horse in misery over in the background. Forget that she was sooooo concerned with maybe the skin was torn up and maybe it needed stitches. Forget the urgency to care for the horse that she felt milliseconds ago. Nope. The only thing on her mind this instant was kissing the tonsils out of this here feller who’d been so generous as to help her rescue her son.

Oh wait. They hadn’t even rescued him yet. Silly me.

Now that those negatives are done and over with, let’s talk the good stuff. There were a few things I adored about this story. In fact, I loved most of the story. It was truly only the above issues that stole the wind out of this book for me. Everything else was quite enjoyable.

As soon as I realized it featured Joanna and her son—the mother and son from book one—I was thrilled. They had wriggled their way into my heart last time, and I was happy they were featured in the spotlight this time around. Once again, we were then introduced to supporting cast members who added their own special touch of awesomeness to the overall storyline. Laura was amazing and so protective of Joanna’s son. I enjoyed getting to know her.

Just as with the first story in the series, this one was action-packed. I wish the journey wouldn’t have been bogged down in the too-heavy romance (as mentioned above), because the action got buried beneath that mess. The scene with the wolves reminded me a little of the wolf scene in the animated Beauty and the Beast movie I grew up watching, so that was fun. The setting of Montana mountains was great, but it did feel a little bit regurgitated from the previous book, as both were hikes over mountains through the entire story. If there is a third story in this series, I would love to see at least half the story take place in a small mountain town rather than become yet another trek through the mountains. I liked very much that a mountainman was featured. This is fairly rare in my reading habits, but it was definitely a neat feature that reminded me of aspects of Little House on the Prairie and the quirky characters Laura Ingalls met in her childhood and growing-up years.

Content: sexual innuendo, heavy kissing in at least two spots, suggestions throughout that rape will be forthcoming

I always love Misty's books, but I hadn't been able to read one in a while, due to some health issues. There is always suspense, surprises, and a "little" romance! This book draws the reader in, and makes you feel like you're in the Old Weest! I love how she weaves true life action in historical ways into her writing! Thanks Misty for another great book! I was given this book to read and review, but all thoughts are my own.

Wow just when I think author Misty M Beller has written her best book, she comes up with one even better. Joanna Watson lost her husband in the Rocky Mountain wilderness this book is set in. The wilderness is a very hard life, especially for a widow and her small son. And when her son and babysitter went missing, Joanna will do anything in her power to get them back.

As I read this book, I thought of how people in today’s world would go crazy because of the time it take to do anything in this wilderness. It doesn’t take minutes or hours, or takes days and weeks. You would really need to trust the Lord and put all of your faith in Him. This is the only way I would have made it through what Joanna went through. And I am so glad she had Issac to help her because he knows these mountains. Issac and Joanna together is so sweet. They just have to get together after all of this. I thoroughly enjoyed another journey through this wilderness country. Different characters and different settings, but the same country land, rocks and mountains. I’m not going to keep going on this because I won’t spoil it for anyone.

If you enjoy the Rocky Mountain territory back in the 1800’s you might want to try some books like this or more from Misty M Beller. They are well worth your time. I love them and I am so thankful to Celebrate Lit for introducing me to Misty several years ago.

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Another sweet charming western with a deep heartfelt faith message woven in. That is just as inspiring as it is entertaining. While we get swept up into the beauty and dangers of the mountains we also get to see the power of forgiveness unfold throughout the plot. It is a sweet romance with plenty of action to make this page turner a worth while read.

y enjoyed this second installment of this series and now can’t wait to see what book three will be about, although I have my ideas and I hope I’m right.

This is really a beautiful story of not being identified by the sin of your past. We are all guilty of holding things against others based on their past mistakes, but what about when it effects us personally? Can we move past that? Joanna had to deal with that very thing.

This book is one adventure after another, never a dull moment. I enjoyed getting Laura’s perspective as well.

If you like mountain adventure then I am sure you will like this read.


A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

I love this author. Everything I have read by her is just wonderful and snags your attention and your imagination. This book is no different. Love’s Mountain Quest is the second book in the Hearts of Montana series. In it you get to continue the story began in book one but with characters you just barely met in the first book. And yes that is my not so subtle way of saying read this series in order so that it will make sense.

This book focuses on Joanna in her quest to find her son and friend who were snatched up. She is helped by Isaac. He’s a mountain man who has a past he’s hiding from. Can he help her find her son and friend? And what will they lose to do so? Will they gain enough to make the loss worth it?

The book has drama and danger. There is survival or death in almost every page. The suspense just might have you biting your nails! This book is much more than a romance novel. It’s a suspense book with some romance thrown in.

I highly recommend you read this book. But please read book one in the series first. You won’t be disappointed.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.