Josephine Nordegren is one of three sisters who grew up nearly wild in southwestern Colorado. She has the archery skills of Robin Hood and the curiosity of the Little Mermaid, fascinated by but locked away from the forbidden outside world–a world she’s been raised to believe killed her parents. When David Warden, a rancher, brings in a herd much too close to the girls’ secret home, her older … sister especially is frightened, but Jo is too interested to stay away.
David’s parents follow soon on his heels, escaping bandits at their ranch. David’s father is wounded and needs shelter. Josephine and her sisters have the only cabin on the mountain. Do they risk stepping into the world to help those in need? Or do they remain separated but safe in the peaks of Hope Mountain?
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Aiming for Love (Brides of Hope Mountain Book 1) is a great story about pioneering mountain life. It is great to take a look at this world. It is a story with depth, content and has Christian principles. The book is well written and enjoyed very much
Loved the twist of sisters who have never known anything of the world outside the mountain. Well developed characters, all independent with a love for God working together to ease life’s challenges.
A really fun read
I loved the characters and enjoyed the mountain setting. Fun banter too. Can’t wait to read the next one and continue the adventure with these two families.
I loved this book. I felt like I was right there in the story with the characters. I couldn’t get enough of it, or put it down.
While this one feels a little different than Mary Connealy’s western romances, it is no less enchanting. The relationship between the three sisters is wonderful, and the storyline as they interact with non-family people for the first time in their lives both interesting and amusing. I love how she creates a major plot that I suspect will run through all three books, but she ties up this first book well enough that if I couldn’t continue on for some reason I’m still satisfied with what I know. Still . . . I will be picking up the rest of the series.
Aiming For Love is a great start to a wonderful new series. 3 sisters live in the mountains and don’t come down they are naive about the outside world. Jo meets Dave and he introduces her to the outside world they are so cute together I loved this story and can’t wait for the next one.
I received a complimentary copy for a honest review.
I’ve enjoyed some of Mary Connealy’s works, some have been a hit, some a miss, this one? Somewhere in the middle.
I liked the plot line, the characters were somewhat all right but they could have used more development, more depth would have been nice too. They just felt like her other characters from other books, they blend too much into the same character, the hero too much like the heroes in her other books same as the heroines.
That’s not to say it is a bad book, it’s nice as a matter of fact, and I liked several parts of it, especially Dave’s and Jo’s romance, getting to know each other, and everything.
As with each of Mrs. Connealy’s books readers will find the cute humory backdrop in the romance, adventure, and slight suspense in Aiming For Love. I wasn’t sure at first what to think of the Bible part of the story, which is confusing when I say it but if you read it you’ll understand, I like how it was handled.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Funny, captivating and entertaining, true to Connealy’s style. I enjoyed Jo’s spunk and David’s calm manner as he seeks to know more about this strange woman. I love the emphasis on family, from two different family perspectives. I really enjoyed the Truth banters between Josephine and her sister as they wrestled with finding Truth in their new circumstances. All the sisters have a journey to take and a story to tell and I thoroughly enjoyed Josephine’s. I am looking forward to other sister’s tales as well.
This is the first book from the “Brides of Hope Mountain Series” and I’m looking forward for the next story! It was a wonderful story!
Josephine Nordegren and her two sisters have lived a unique life, isolated from civilization, you could say raised in the wilderness. The reason is that their parents were killed in the outside world, so it became forbidden for them to wander outside their ample but hidden territory. Jo is a great archer, and has an awful curiosity about the outside world.
Then comes David Warden, a rancher traveling with his herd very close to their secret cabin. His parents follow him after being attacked from some bandits at their ranch, and David discovers his father is wounded and needs a safe place to recover. And the only place near is the Nordegren sisters cabin. Jo’s older sister is afraid, but can they truly reject an injured man in need of a shelter?
Jo and Dave’s story was delightful! I loved Jo’s naivety and charm. And Dave was a truly patient and loving hero with a heart of gold. It was really a delight to watch this seemingly unmatched couple fall in love. I loved their dialogues, banters and discussions. The romance was sweet and really cute and endearing! The plot kept a good pace and flowed smoothly, I found myself captivated until the very end. I also loved the other sisters, and other side characters as Dave’s family. It’s a series that can easily gro won you!
I surely recommend this fun and heartwarming story! I received a copy from the Publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Loved this book. Mary connealy does not disappoint. Characters you love. Plots that overlap. Culture. Understanding others.
“Aiming For Love” is a very unusual love story. Can any of us imagine living for years, decades with no contact with the outside world? We have all heard stories of the wolf boy and humans raised by apes, but this story takes the attitude that people can survive and be healthy and normal even without the world’s intrusion. But when the two worlds collide, it is nothing short of miraculous that both worlds survive, despite the overwhelming fear of the unknown. Jo and Dave are destined to be together, true soul mates. They also give us a very clear picture of what life was like in the 1800’s. It was not an easy life, but it was good and wholesome.
I was captured from the moment I opened the book until I read the last word. I just could not put it down. Even though I was in the hospital, it kept drawing me in. Read and enjoy this book, but keep an open mind.
Mary Connealy, you are a very talented author. Your characters are real and allow the reader to become the characters. You have a way of showing life with a different outlook. I cannot wait for the rest of this series. Please keep writing and keeping us so wonderfully entertained.
Imagine losing everyone you love, except your two sisters. As if that isn’t enough, then living high in the mountains by yourselves, never venturing away to see what the rest of the world is like. The fear instilled in the core of their very beings kept them fending for themselves with no outside help. I find it almost unbelievable that anyone could survive like these three have. The exceptional detail given reminded me how incredibly important it must have been to be observant.
The outside world comes to their valley. Will it bring the disease and death they had been taught about as children? Perhaps it will bring new experiences, friends and a whole different life! I loved learning about Jo, Ilsa and Ursula and hope we will meet them again soon on the mountain called Hope.
This ARC was received through Bethany House Publishers, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. My 5 star rating, comments and impressions were not solicited.
Mary Connealy’s new book, Aiming For Love, had me at the edge of my seat! I finished it in one day. Jo is a young woman who has grown up in isolation. Through the well-written, engaging story, Jo learns to deal with her fears. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the setting. I want to visit those places! The story is a good reminder to back up our beliefs with the Word of God. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
The three Nordegren sisters, Ursula, Jo, and Ilsa, have lived alone on Hope Mountain in Colorado since the deaths of their grandparents (and presumably their parents) ten years earlier. They have no contact with other people until Dave Warden and his cowhands move cattle into a nearby valley. Ever curious, Jo hides and watches them until one night when Dave catches her. Before that can be resolved, Dave’s mother arrives with more men, cattle, and her injured husband, Quill. Ilsa is skilled at doctoring so is called on to help Quill. Ursula wants nothing to do with them. As the oldest, she absorbed the fearful ways of their grandmother and is sure they will die if they have contact with others. She has to make a choice between her sisters and her fear. After an absence of ten years, Mitch Warden has returned from back East after surviving two attempts to kill him. He sold his businesses and covered his tracks. We have a side story involving Wax Mosby, one of the men hired to run the Wardens off their land. Though we have a satisfactory conclusion to some events, we will have to be patient for the other books before we get all the questions answered and resolved. This is an entertaining story with handsome cowboys, strong women, adventure, and humor that I highly recommend. I’ll be looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
Aiming for Love is the first story in Mary Connealy’s new series. Jo and her two sisters have been raised in a very remote mountainous area and basically know nothing about the outside world. They have been taught to be totally self sufficient, but they’ve also been taught to fear the world and those in it. This concept is interesting and I am looking forward to seeing how each sister deals with civilization coming to them!
Jo is a very likable character, as is Dave. I liked how her curiosity helped her overcome her fears and made her want to learn more about things she was taught to fear. Dave is just an all around nice guy. I really liked him and his entire family, especially Ma.
While I felt like the pace of the story and the writing style were both good, I thought some parts of the story were a bit unrealistic. I was also hoping that some of the threads would be tied up or moved further along, especially the sister’s confusion about the Bible. 3.5 stars!
The ties that bind…
Bethany House produces some of the best book covers out there. This cover does everything one could want – it’s eye-catching, gorgeous, and intriguing! And you CAN judge this book by its cover
Connealy’s newest series has an interesting premise – 3 young women raised in isolation in the wilderness encounter outsiders for the first time.
The pacing was just right – I was drawn in to the story very quickly & it never lagged. I didn’t want to put it down till I finished.
The development of Jo & Dave’s relationship, built from their initial fascination with each other, was relatively quick but entirely believable.
I always love books like this that have strong, positive family themes, but there’s also plenty else going on to provide suspense and excitement.
The climax of the book ties a bow on Jo’s romance but not the other plot points. As is the norm for these series, each will focus on a different sister while the other plot lines continue to develop and move forward from book to book. (From all indications, Ilsa’s story will be next) So it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, there is a satisfying conclusion, but it is also clearly a “to be continued” installment in a series.
*Clean romance level: passionate kisses, obscure hints of the marriage bed between newlyweds but nothing inappropriate let alone graphic
*Religion: generically Christian, there is talk of & from the Bible and living out the words it contains, but it flows naturally from the story & only those predisposed to be would be annoyed by it
Not one of Mary’s best books. Too much rambling.
I have read quite a few of Mary Connealy’s books over the past several years and always enjoy them. I know I can usually depend on her giving me a few hours reading pleasure with her western historical romances laced with her wonderful sense of humor. Her books may not be deep or particularly thought provoking all the time but that’s not what I’m looking for when I pick up one of her books. Connealy is one of my go-to’s when I am in the mood for pure entertainment and a cowboy or two in the mix is welcomed.
Aiming For Love is the author’s latest offering and the first book in Brides of Hope Mountain series. The series features the three Nordegren sisters who have lived alone atop a Colorado mountain since the deaths of their parents and grandparents. Each young woman is skilled in taking care of themselves in the wilderness and have been taught to avoid the outside world. Everything changes for them the day the Warden family shows up on their mountain and find themselves in need of shelter and medical help. From that point the story gets more and more interesting as the wild sisters are forced to interact with the strangers from the valley below.
Vivid descriptions of Colorado scenery and appealing characters combine with a plot that moves right along at a good pace to offer a tale that should satisfy many readers, especially if they are prepared to wait to learn more about how things will develop for certain characters. It is obvious that both other sisters, Ilsa and Ursula will be featured in their own books now that Josephine and David’s story has been told, but there are at least two men I hope to learn more about in the other books of this series – particularly Mitch and the mysterious hired gun. Great start to what promises to be a good series!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author and Bethany House, a Division of Baker Publishing. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
HOW DOES SHE DO IT?!!!! This book is now my NEW FAVORITE Mary Connealy book!!!! I was so absorbed and captivated! Just stop now & buy it! You’re going to LOVE IT!!! Great writing, vivid characters, & such a creative story line! I tried to read it slowly to make it last longer, but it was TOO GOOD!!! I’m just going to read it again over Thanksgiving break– And I’m counting the days!! Five Smiles!
I’m so happy for the start of a new series by Mary Connealy! I adore her down-to-earth characters, the adventure found in the remote wilderness setting, and the sweet romance that develops naturally. Jo and her sisters are an anomaly- three women surviving and thriving without any contact with the outside world. They are an interesting blend of naive and savvy, having a strong moral code instilled by their grandma and survival skills taught by their grandpa, and each girl has a different blend of caution, curiosity, and fear when it comes to their new neighbors. Jo is the most eager to associate with Dave and his family, while Ilsa is compelled by her healing skills to help with Dave’s father’s injuries, and Ursula fights against the new relationships the entire time (her story will be interesting to read!) Of course there are humorous misunderstandings with certain expressions the girls aren’t familiar with and the two Bibles they quoted from especially had me chuckling. There is a nice blend of action, suspense, relationship-building, humor, and romance as Jo is torn between loyalty to her sisters and the way they were raised, and the comfort and love she experiences with Dave and his family. The story wraps on a satisfying note, but the conflict with the land-grabber and his hired gunmen will continue into the next book.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)