Can a young widow hide her secret shame from the Irish preacher bent on helping her survive? In an Idaho Territory boom town, America Liberty Reed overhears circuit preacher Shane Hayes try to persuade a hotel owner to close his saloon on Sunday. Shane lands face-down in the mud for his trouble, and there’s talk of shooting him. America intervenes and finds herself in an unexpectedly personal … personal conversation with the blue-eyed preacher. Certain she has angered God in the past, she shies away from Shane.
Addie Martin, another widow, invites America to help in her cook tent in Virginia City, the new mining town. Even with Addie’s teenage son helping with America’s baby, life is hard. Shane urges America to depart for a more civilized location. Neither Shane’s persuasions nor road agents, murder, sickness, or vigilante violence can sway America. Loyalty and ambition hold her fast until dire circumstances force her to confront everything she believes about herself, Shane, and God.
Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, Hills of Nevermore explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.
more
Remarkable Book!! The storyline with the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. Each character is perfect in their role and I found myself absorbed in each page. Looking forward to the next book and I highly recommend reading this novel.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.
I love a good western with a lot of action and drama. It needs good guys and bad guys, some Indians, danger, people of strong faith, and some real adventure. This story has all of that and some romance for those who don’t want to read a novel with no romance. In fact, there are two lovely widows in this story and maybe several men who are interested in them. Most of the story takes place in Virginia City and the surrounding area. The author does a great job of describing the characters with their various strengths and weaknesses. At times I felt sorry for Reverend Hayes for the way he was treated. True, he may have brought some of it on himself because of his methods. He was so devout in his efforts to reach out to people and save them from their miserable, sinful condition but many of them did not appreciate what he was trying to accomplish. America Reed was extremely fortunate to have found a friend in Addie Martin. We all need friends like that and we should be friends like that. The story really brings out the truth of the Bible verse regarding the love of money being the root of all evil. Another lesson that needs to be repeated over and over is that we not only hurt ourselves when we live in the regrets of the past but we hurt others as well. We need to move beyond our past and let God provide the healing. I recommend this book for the beauty of the story and the lessons that are shared. I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest review of the book.
Author Janalyn Voigt writes novels within a variety of genres; she is most likely more well-known for her Medieval Fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven. The author has also penned romantic suspense and Western Historical Romance.
Hills of Nevermore, published in 2017, is the first of Janalyn Voigt’s Montana Gold series. Historically researched, this story is focused on the mining town of Virginia City. Young widow America Liberty Reed travels west with her young baby, enduring the hardships of traveling by wagon and striving to keep her fellow travelers from learning about her past, a past that brings her great shame.
When Addie Martin, another widow, who has a teenage son, invites America to join her to help in the cook tent, she hoped that life would begin to settle down a bit. With her new friend’s son helping to watch her baby while she worked, things don’t go quite as well as she had hoped.
Meeting Shane Hayes, the new circuit riding preacher, face-planted in mud following his short-lived encounter with a saloon owner, America finds herself rather attracted to the handsome lawman, an attraction she must not consider if she is to keep her past behind her and hidden. Of course, Shane is intrigued by the pretty young widow, even more so as he realizes she is hiding something, something that brings her great shame.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Just Read Tours and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely given.
I’ve only read a couple of Janalyn Voigt’s fantasy novels, so I figured I’d give her historical/western ventures a go. While the setting and prose were wonderful in some regards, I found the story lacking in a few areas, making this one a middle-of-the-road read for my personal preferences.
There were a couple instances where the timeline is questionable. Other times it’s obvious how much time has passed, though. My biggest distraction with this book is the way the author tells the reader Shane is speaking in with an Irish lilt. This could have been more effective with a word or two spoken by Shane showing it. Then I had a hard time connecting with Shane and America. In fact, I was much more interested in what was happening between Nate and Addie.
That said, there is a wonderful message of forgiving one’s past mistakes and accepting God’s grace. Plus, between the miners, the cook tent, the two romances, and the crime occurring, the plot moves along at a good pace.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Hills of Nevermore is a historical western featuring two young widows with children who form a bond on their wagon train journey to the west and decide to work together to establish a restaurant in the gold fields. As can be expected the long road to that dream is filled with action and danger which includes some Indians, drunken miners, corrupt law enforcement, and road bandits. The Old West was definitely not the most forgiving place to start over, especially as a woman but as most readers can imagine, two men were ready and willing to protect and help these independent ladies. But could they overcome the obstacles between them to find happily-ever-afters together?
Although this is my first book by this author, I found it to be quite enjoyable. I have a weakness for Westerns and this fit the genre quite nicely. I particularly liked the strong faith element that was woven seamlessly throughout the story as well as each character’s spiritual growth as it progressed. It was interesting to get to know each character and learn more about their past and how that affected their decisions. It was also fun to discover the sweet scene from which this novel got its name.
I enjoyed Hills of Nevermore so much that I look forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
This story involves two recent widows, America and Addie crossing the country with a wagon train, wanting to open their own business so their can make their own way. But traveling by wagin train is a dangerous journey with Indians on the trail, and stops in towns and villages where men are evil and women are scarce. Author Janalyn Voigt details this journey, weaving in all of the good and the bad, with even a preacher in the mix! The likeable and realistic characters were sure on board as this story unfolds. Lots of things happening in this book, which I love because it makes the book interesting and exciting! And I enjoyed the stop in the Idaho Territory during the gold rush, the detailed scenes were well crafted, it makes me want to be there in that time in history!
This is a well written Christian historical fiction, and if you enjoy a good wagon train story, I highly recommend this one. It is sure to give you plenty hours of entertainment!
A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Opening with a wagon train journey, Janalyn Voigt’s “Hills of Nevermore” offers plenty of action along with romance and faith. I have always loved tales set in the nineteenth century, but I have not read many from the Western genre, a dearth that I am trying to remedy. The tropes that I have seen thus far are fairly universal, focusing on the well-known “Wild West” moniker and the telltale lawlessness of the western territories. This provides a prime opportunity for Christian fiction set during this time period. Indeed, as a Christian historical romance, this first book in the Montana Gold series follows a familiar formula while simultaneously infusing fresh elements.
In the vein of such authors as Miralee Ferrell and Janette Oke, Janalyn Voigt crafts a compelling novel that challenges not only her characters but also her readers. One issue “Hills of Nevermore” raises is the conflict between the settlers and the Indians (Native Americans). I would have enjoyed seeing this explored further, particularly after the opening scene, but I appreciated that it was brought up, and America’s experience with it. While the vulnerability of women is not a new topic, Voigt approaches it in a distinctive manner through America and Addie, two young widows now traveling together. Addie’s situation is interesting for 1863 because she does not want to forfeit her independence and wants to buy her own business accommodations with wages she has earned herself. The plight of women, particularly single women in the mining towns, speaks to the immorality and the Sodom and Gomorrah existence characteristic of so many of the early Western settlements. This sets the stage for the Gospel message, and this is the best part of Voigt’s novel.
“The greater the sin, the more love is needed to cover it, and God is love.” This beautiful Biblical truth encapsulates the message of “Hills of Nevermore”. Each of the characters struggles with letting go of the past and moving forward, striving to overcome traumas, loss, and shame. Especially through Shane, the circuit riding preacher, sharing one’s faith is a prominent theme. The difficulty of doing so in a very hostile environment seems insurmountable until the bishop tells Shane that “No one can do the Almighty’s work for Him. All God expects you to do is speak for Him when you should, bend your knees as often as possible, and move out of the way when necessary.” Such sage advice remains pertinent today, reminding us that only God Himself saves people; we are called to obey and plant the seed of God’s Word in people’s hearts.
A sweet yet action-filled story, I would recommend “Hills of Nevermore” to readers who enjoy Christian fiction, historical romance, and Westerns. There are discussion questions at the end for further study. I did have a few criticisms. The shifting viewpoint between several of the characters was disconcerting at times, particularly between America and Addie. Also, I valued the connection between the title and America’s Gramma and wish that it had been directly linked to heaven in America’s mind instead of inferred. As a character, America fell a bit flat for me. Did she truly grow spiritually throughout the novel? I had hoped for more in this regard and felt disappointed in her character overall. Nevertheless, I did enjoy this story and plan to read the sequel.
This book is about two widows making a life for themselves by working together to build one’s dream of a restaurant of her own. America Liberty Reed lost her husband and had to give up her farm because she couldn’t work it alone. So she took her newborn baby girl and joined a wagon train heading west.
Addie Martin lost her husband on the trek west and decided to continue on so she could build her dream. Addie welcomed America and her baby to go with her and her son. America agreed to go and work with Addie to build her restaurant until America could save enough money to strike out on her own.
These women endured hardship and sorrow, joy and pain to eek out a living together. Each has a man who is interested in them. Reverend Shane Hayes falls for America and Nate Whalen takes a shine to Addie, but her son Travis gets in the way, feeling his mother is betraying his father’s memory by taking up with Nate.
Then there’s the bad element in and around town. The law in Virginia City is corrupt and vigilantes take matters into their own hands. How will these hard working widows survive in this new town? Will they give into their loneliness and remarry? If you like clean, christian, historical romance with suspense, intrigue, plot twists and love, you will love this book. Janalyn Voigt is a new-to-me author and I enjoyed the book, but it was a bit difficult for me to get through. Pick up a copy and form your own opinion. Enjoy!
HILLS OF NEVERMORE By Janalyn Voigt
5 stars April 24, 2019
Another winning book! A lot of pain, suffering, travesty, sin, and loss bring two widows with children into the wilds of Idaho and true love both worth fighting for and waiting for. Janalyn brings a variety of issues to the story including faith in oneself over faith in God, fleeing from His grace and forgiveness, step parenting, grief, vigilanty justice, trials of the wagon train, terrors of living in mining camps, gold rush mentality, and more! A wonderful book, I’d love to listen to in audio!
Amazing!!!! Janalyn takes the reader on an exciting and dangerous journey on a wagon train and it stops in the Idaho Territory during the gold rush!! There’s Indians, killers, hangings, vigilantes, rowdy saloons and miners who love gold and whiskey!! They don’t won’t to hear what Shane, the circuit riding preacher has to say about God. Neither does one of the widows from the wagon train either. America has such a dark secret she can’t let Shane know and she thinks God could never forgive her for it. I loved Shane and America plus the other widow Addie and the man she meets on the wagon train.
Janalyn Voigt did an outstanding job writing about this town and the people trying to survive and I lost sleep because the book was so exciting I couldn’t stop reading.
I really loved that she told what actual events happen or places that were real in those days.
**I received a copy of this free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. I wasn’t required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own.**