Another amazing story by Dana Mentink. She is such a gifted writer that I always enjoy her books. She writes with such intensity and depth that it holds your interest from start to finish. You will definitely want to read this one and I look forward to the next book in her series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

Fast paced, nonstop action is a trademark of this authors writing.

Packed full of danger, racing against the clock of Mother Mature, killers and the unexplained presence of an infant. Lives are on the line and every second counts.


Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy of this book.

Riveting, run-for-your-life romantic suspense!

FIRE MOUNTAIN is the first book in veteran author Dana Mentink’s new "Elements of Danger" Christian suspense series, and boy, does it deliver on the suspense! I think my heart was in my throat from its chaotic opening to the last page.

Commercial trucker Kit Garrido comes to in the crumpled cab of her eighteen-wheeler with a stranger trying to rouse her and get her moving with no memory of how she’s ended up in such a muddled state. She’s even more confused when they find two bullet holes in the windshield, a small bloody handprint on the passenger side window, and hear the cry of a baby coming from the truck’s sleeper compartment. Her truck has obviously plunged off the side of a road, a road she has no reason to be on, especially since it runs through the evacuation zone of nearby Mount Ember, which is in the throes of a massive eruption, and she doesn’t have a baby. Now, an SUV is approaching her crash site with its lights off, not acting anything like rescuers, and more likely to be the source of the bullet holes.

Kit and Cullen Landry, a former cop and actual rescuer, prove to be a formidable pair: smart, resilient, and determined to save the infant they’ve named Tot while getting themselves out alive. Fundamentally, they are a good match, and as they struggle to survive, they get to know one another on entirely different levels. As their trust develops, they begin to break down the walls in their lives that keep them from fully living. Cullen gets closer and closer to letting go of the guilt he harbors over his past, and Mount Ember gets closer to its big eruption. As Kit and Cullen fight to overcome a myriad of obstacles in their path, I couldn’t help but become completely immersed in the story.

The story moves so quickly that I got a good idea of the confusion and chaos the characters were experiencing. The suspense was heart-pounding, and I had a hard time putting the book down as challenge after challenge and plot twists pummeled the couple. It was definitely a thrilling story.

She finds herself in a mountain of trouble and no memory of how she got there. If the race against the natural disaster boiling to the surface isn't enough they have to avoid the flying bullets.
A missing mom,
Two men desperately trying to get back what was taken from them.
A mystery man on a bike
A retired marine grandfather
A former cop struggling with forgiveness
A trucker with trust issues
A baby named Tot.
A mountain getting ready to blow
Who will survive? How did they find themselves in this mess?
What will be left in the end?

I received a free copy of Fire Mountain, by Dana Mentink, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I DNFed this one pretty quick. It's not for me, but it may be for other people who like this sort of thing. What I didn't care for was the 1950's old west TV show tone and the frequent cliches and colloquialisms. The main male character also prayed to God a LOT. While this story wasn't for me, the writing was otherwise clean, and the story was fast paced. If you're someone who still loves watching old episodes of Bonanza, then you'll probably enjoy this one.

Smoke. Silence. A crying child. And a woman who can’t remember why her rig crashed or why someone wants her dead. But whatever happened … it wasn’t over … yet.

Fire Mountain erupts with danger, with questions, with faith that’s gritty and bruised. Kit doesn’t know how she ended up in a mangled truck cab holding a stranger’s baby, but she knows she needs help. Cullen doesn’t want to get involved, but God stepped in right as everything was ready to erupt.

The tension pulled me in. Yet it was the quiet persistence of faith, unanswered, unshaken, that stays with me.

“Even if Cullen couldn’t see a way out, God could. And that really was the only reason Cullen could face each day …” There’s something powerful about a character who keeps moving forward with nothing but trust in the One true God.

“This moment, these days, his life, would be over when God said so. Not a moment before.” Every detail matters … the bloodied windshield, the missing memory, the strangers with guns. But the stillness between the chaos? That’s where the truth sits. That’s where we feel it most.

“There’s your plan, and God’s plan, and yours doesn’t count.” Wow! Let that sink in!

This story held tension and tenderness. Fear and flickers of hope. A baby nicknamed “Tot,” and a cast of unforgettable characters including Archie, the gruff, filter-free force of comic relief and unexpected Godly wisdom!

And through it all, one line pulsed over and over with divine truth: “I’ve seen God do plenty of miracles, so why not another one here and now?”

That’s what Fire Mountain is really about. Faith in the middle of smoke. Hope in the middle of heat.

Fire falls. Smoke blinds. Fear hunts. But God? He’s still right there in the middle of it all.

I received a digital version of this book from the publisher, NetGalley, and Celebrate Lit Publicity Group. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on writing and story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability.

Wow! This book was an absolute page turner! This is my first book by Dana Mentink & definitely won’t be my last. It was a thrilling adventure as two strangers & a baby try to survive being hunted by killers on a volcanic mountain getting ready to erupt. Filled with nonstop action, adventure, romance, & tender moments of faith, this story kept me quickly turning the pages.

Spunky, determined Kit Garrido wakes up to a splitting headache, loss of memory, & crashed rig. When she’s found by former cop Cullen Landry, he discovers she’s not alone. Inside her cab is a baby whom Kit can’t remember, or how she came to be in her rig. Cullen also notices a bullet hole in the window with a bloody handprint, & $10,000 in cash inside the baby’s bag. Though Kit refuses to leave her wrecked rig, a volcanic eruption is imminent & when two men with guns come after them, they’re forced to flee. But, can they survive an erupting volcano & the men out to get them?

This story was intense! I’ve been to Mount St. Helens near where this story supposedly takes place & there’s still such an eerie feeling there. I could easily picture the suspenseful scenes as Kit & Cullen with the sweet baby they nickname “Tot” are running for their lives.

Kit’s understandably grumpy at first & doesn’t trust easily after her painful past. But, little by little, she realizes she desperately needs Cullen, crusty yet endearing former marine Archie, & the sweet little girl who captures her heart.

Cullen’s suspicious of Kit at first, but refuses to leave her & is willing to protect her & Tot at all costs. He has his own past sorrows he’s trying to overcome & both he & Kit need to find forgiveness for themselves & others. As they’re put through one suspenseful situation after another, they learn to rely on each other & God. I loved their forced proximity, slow burn romance.

Highly recommend this fast-paced, edge of your seat romantic suspense! Looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own & provided voluntarily.

Wow, this book is action packed from beginning to end. There is constant suspense since the story takes place in the shadow of a very active volcano. The drama is mostly humans against exploding nature but Mentink added a few human villains from time to time. Just when it seems like Kit and Cullen are in the clear, there is a twist and near disaster strikes again. It was interesting to see how the duo managed to escape one potential threat only to be faced with another. In that sense the novel might have been a bit repetitive but it sure made for exciting reading.

We Washingtonians will never forget that Sunday morning when St. Helens blew. I was far enough away to not be in danger and could not imagine what it must have been like for those near the blast. Mentink brings it all to reality. Her description of the moving mud, rocks, trees and then lava was chilling.

Mentink has added a slow moving possible romance and an element of faith. The references to human trafficking were heartbreaking. There are also themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. I recommend this inspirational romantic suspense with a unique setting.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink is the first book in the Elements of Danger series. This is a fast paced, high energy, Christian suspenseful story that is filled with danger, action and mystery. It is very well written and grabbed my attention right from the beginning and held it to the very end and left me hoping for another in the series. Cullen, a former cop, witnesses a semi crash and finds the owner, Kit, with no recent memory and a baby she doesn’t know. Together the two try to outrun the pending volcano and find themselves also running from dangerous men.

This such a good story. The characters are caring people that are easy to like. The action is filled with many twists and turns. I enjoyed how quickly the different characters made caring for the infant a top priority. I also enjoyed how caring Cullen is toward Kit and the baby. He is quick to put himself in danger to help others. I appreciate how helpful he is to Kit in her struggles with her faith and forgiveness.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

This is my first book by this author and I loved it. It won't be my last. It's exciting, scary and dangerous. It was interesting reading about an event that took place in my lifetime but from an insider's perspective. If running from volcanic explosions isn't enough, Kit also has to deal with waking up in her crashed rig with bullet holes, bloody handprints and a baby in the back.

I loved Kit's grit and her determination to do the next best thing. I also liked Cullen and Archie. As I watched them figure out what they needed to do to survive, it made me wonder what I would do in those situations.

There's also wisdom like this, "There's your plan, and God's plan, and yours doesn't count" (location 1021). Good reminder to hold things loosely and trust God's plan even and especially in times of trials.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The title of this book caught my attention and the cover too. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but who could go wrong with a title that would indicate a mountain on fire? I really enjoyed this read.
Kit Garrido owns her own trucking business and was minding her own business when she picks up a hitchhiker, unbeknownst to her she picked up more than just a hitchhiker. There’s a crash. There’s a stronger knocking on her window. There’s an unexpected surprise in the back of her cab, and there is Mount Ember erupting all around them.
Little did she know what was in store for her.
The handsome stranger Cullen. She surely wasn’t expecting him. I liked the character of Cullen. He comes across as a strong fellow, one who is determined to help others which is the main reason he returned to the town Mount Ember was set on destroying.
Wait until you read about the surprise in the back of the truck’s cab.
There are also a couple of bad guys in this tale, not caring about Mount Ember and her temper.
What I really liked about this story is that it took me back to my own recollections of when Mt. St. Helens erupted during my childhood. At the time, I didn’t think much of the destruction that took place around that area. I was too young to give it much thought. So, to read this tale of Mount Ember and the author’s descriptions of the utter destruction, the telling of the trees, rocks, dirt, and whatever other debris cascading down a mountain to take out anything in its path really painted a picture in my own mind of what things were like. To read about Kit and Cullen’s escape maneuvers was also quite interesting, what they did to survive, how they clung to each other and their faith. I liked that this was a true story showing and not telling what was happening all around Mount Ember and her temper.

If you like run-for-your-life suspense stories, you will want to read Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink. This is one of the fastest-paced suspense novels I’ve ever read. There is danger and action from page one. Kit Garrido wakes up from a truck crash to find a mystery man, a baby, a volcano ready to explode, and oh yeah, let’s just throw in a gunman hunting them all. To top it off, Kit has no idea what happened or where the baby came from. Cullen Landry saw the wreck and steps in to help, but they have to get off the mountain. Danger is everywhere.

I loved this story! Despite the fast-paced, I was able to relate to the characters and thought the author did a great job of throwing two strangers together to fight for their lives, while keeping them real and vulnerable. It’s a great mystery, disaster story, and suspense story all rolled up into one action-packed novel. Definitely move this book up on your TBR list this summer.

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

A suspense with an eruption pushing the main characters into danger. It was intense and there were a lot of questions but it had a nice Happy ending.

Definitely will read more by this author.

An action packed suspense with a volcano explosion, an FMC trucker who was in an accident and sustains a head injury causing amnesia, a former cop and a baby they are trying to keep safe the danger seems never ending.

Makes you want to hold your breathe at the edge of your seat during certain parts.

I have read the odd book by Dana before but will have to start reading more by her now.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and NetGalley. The review expressed here is my honest opinion.

This book is a race against nature and the bad guys from the opening paragraph. WOWZERS! There is so much happening, it is exhausting. Well worth the read and perfect for lovers of absorbing romantic suspense that's heavy on the page-turning pacing.

A long haul trucker wakes up after a crash, not knowing what happened, on a mountain threatening to erupt. A local comes to the rescue, but there's gunshots in the window and a baby strapped in a carseat, and she can't give answers to what's happened. Solving the mystery and getting off the mountain make for an action filled story.

*A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review!

“Not a family, not them. Just . . . united strangers. ‘I know you aren’t a blood family, but people can be put together in unexpected ways.’”- Archie

I wanted to check my blood pressure. It had to be high. After finishing Dana Mentink’s Fire Mountain romantic suspense novel, I felt so in tune with the characters, I thought I had run from men who built their money on exploitation. I was nearly sure I was trying desperately to escape a rumbling volcano. I lost myself in the drama, intrigue, baby care, and natural disaster unfolding in the book. So artfully told, I’ll never forget.

An everyman and everywoman hero. That’s what Cullen and Kit are. An ex-policeman, who can’t recover from his last call, and is now a horse rancher. A proud, independent, truck driver whose immediate memory is gone. Why is there a 9-month-old baby in her care? Kit knows nothing about babies. Worse, why is she headed back into the evacuation zone of Mt. Ember, threatening to blow her top? ( Do you either remember Mt. St. Helens or remember learning about her in school?) Since we were nearly across the nation, yet our summer weather was affected for months, I could only imagine how horrifying it would be to be in the danger zone! Plus, while injured, with baby in tow, Kit and Cullen discover someone is after them with deadly weapons!

Fortunately for the reader, Mentink has a great sense of humor. When I thought I would explode myself because of the building suspense, Mentink would insert levity. It might be trading witty lines between Cullen and Kit, or it might involve Archie, a crusty former Marine who had refused to leave his home on the mountain.

I loved Archie’s character!
He is an enigma to be sure! Rough and gruff, yet “grandpa” with the baby.

In some ways, this book reads like a nightmare. Just when you think Kit and Cullen might be safe, either the mountain creates terror or Nico and Simon are hot on their trail again. However, Fire Mountain has embers of hope, where romance, character strength, and faith shine through.

One faith message is that of forgiveness. Kit has struggled with the absence of forgiveness in her past. Plus, she has a past she’s not proud of. “God forgives you for all that, Kit,”says Cullen.
“You’re not credible to say that though, are you?”…”Because you don’t believe what you say, deep down. You don’t live like it anyway,” Kit retorts. Ouch!

I find it interesting that Kit compares two sides of unforgiveness to equating oneself to God. “If a person can’t accept forgiveness themselves, or refuses to give it to someone else, it puts them in the place of God, doesn’t it?” Just in case it sounds like there is a lot of headtime in this book, let me say there are snatches. They are sandwiched between the desperate and the good times, perfectly placed to stimulate thinking, without losing the quick pace of this breathtaking story.

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through Just Reads and Netgalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“There’s your plan, and God’s plan, and yours doesn’t count.”- Kit’s father

“Rose- colored glasses aren’t going to keep us from dying.” “I prefer to attribute it to experience. I’ve seen God do plenty of miracles, so why not another one here and now?”- Kit, Cullen

“loving someone was one thing. Living it out was altogether different…”

“This moment, these days, his life, would be over when God said so. Not a moment before.”

Fire Mountain is my favorite book by Dana Mentink. I loved the suspense, danger, and the threatening volcano. This story was a page turner. Once I started reading, I could not put the book down. The author created great characters. I found myself rooting for them (I wanted them to survive this ordeal). I enjoyed all the twists and turns that kept me at the edge of my seat (and staying up late to see how the story would end). There is romance as well. The vivid descriptions made me feel like I was there with Kit and Cullen (and Tot). I could feel their emotions as well. I enjoyed Fire Mountain from start to finish. I can tell the author did her research on volcanoes and it was interesting to learn about them. I like how faith was woven into the story. Fire Mountain is a mesmerizing story with a wrecked eighteen-wheeler, baffled about a baby, a frightening volcano, a helpful hermit, armed men, a treacherous trek, and hopeful prayers.https://www.librarything.com/work/33848596/book/289527312

I've read a lot of Christian romantic suspense over the years and I love how different the premise of Fire Mountain is! A female truck driver? Who wakes up after a crash on a volcano that's about to erupt? With an unknown baby strapped into her rig? Yeah, I've never read anything like that before! I was fully committed to Kit's adventure and had to see how it ended, what a ride!

This was a pulse-pounding, romantic suspense. This fast-paced story follows a brave heroine and a protective hero as they confront both natural and human threats. The chemistry between the leads is strong, with a deep sense of faith and resilience woven throughout. But I have to admit that at times the romance felt flat to me. The author does a good job balancing action, emotion, and a touch of danger, making this an uplifting and gripping read. Perfect for readers who love their thrills with heart and hope.