A Christian Historical Romance Novel. Adrien Lockman is through with the political unrest and bloodshed in his home country of France, so he sets off to the Canadian territory’s mountain frontier, in search of a place where a man can live his own life in peace. The last thing he expects to find is a woman, half-starved and half-frozen in a shack nestled among the towering peaks of the great Rocky … peaks of the great Rocky Mountains.
Mary Standish thought she’d finally found a place where she was accepted, trapping with her husband for the Hudson Bay Company. But when he dies after a gruesome grizzly fight, she determines to carry on their work. After all, life in these remote mountains is better than enduring the scorn and snubs of “civilized” folk. When she’s forced to face a winter harder than any she’s endured yet, her stubbornness may just be the death of her. Until a stranger appears at her ramshackle door.
Adrien had planned to explore the mountain country all winter before he settles down to build a farm in the spring, but he can’t leave this woman to die in the elements. Even though she seems desperate for him to go. As Mary regains strength, she’s torn between wanting to save her dignity, and craving the respect of this man who’s slipped past her defenses. As the winter worsens, the truth becomes all too real–the only way they’ll survive is together.
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He needs shelter, she needs help…
OK, I’ll admit it. I think This Freedom Journey is my favorite book so far in Misty M. Beller’s wilderness-set Heart Of The Mountains series. Significantly shorter than the previous two books I was still absorbed in the story of Adrien and Mary, oh, and I can’t forget their friend Domino. I did think one character’s recovery from a serious health incident was a little bit fast for reality but who am I to know for sure. Aside from that I did enjoy this book quite a bit and can’t wait to listen to the next one.
I did listen to this story as an audiobook. I sincerely appreciated the fact that the narrator was the same as the previous two. This was excellent for continuity and I just plain think her voice is an easy one to listen to. I didn’t notice any glitches or hiccups in the production aspect. The sound was clear and the recording was good.
This Freedom Journey was an enjoyable listen and the audiobook did justice to Misty M. Beller’s story. If you like historical romance with a faith message and have a little time on your hands why not check into this audiobook.
(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
This Freedom Journey A Heart of the Mountains Novella by Misty M. Beller
This is a wonderful tale full of heartache and mixed with the healing power of God and the patient, slow love of a gentle man! Many romance books talk about love at first sight or display a love story that happens really quick, but this book shows how it’s important to wait on God’s timing! Beautifully written
I also enjoyed the audiobook version on Jan 20, 2020! The narration was perfect for this story and series! Leonor speaks softly but with precise cadence and is a marvel at the various character voices!
I know this was only a novella, but I enjoyed it just as well as the full-length novels in the series! I shouldn’t have been surprised, as I’ve LOVED all of Ms. Beller’s books that I’ve read!
Once again, Ms. Beller put me right in the mountains, alongside our hero and heroine, with her beautiful descriptions of the region. I want to visit, myself, now!
Adrien is the hero you love to love and Mary draws all of your sympathy, despite the tough exterior. Together, they fight the elements, their own feelings, and (occasionally) each other as they struggle to survive the harsh realities of Canada’s mountain frontier.
Bravo to Author Misty M. Beller for, once again, stunning me with another breathtaking read!
Life in the Canadian Rockies, lots of snow, blizzards, Indians and oh so cold! This author puts you right there with them and you can almost feel the frost bite and stinging of the snow hitting you in the face! Such an interesting and life threatening time as they battled the terrible Winter weather because the only way they would survive is together. Such a good story!
This Freedom Journey is a highly enjoyable, fast-paced novella filled with non-stop action that had me holding my breath a couple of times. There is definitely no room to get bored with this one!
Mary is one tough cookie, let me tell you! She is struggling to survive an excruciatingly hard winter in the Canadian Rockies when Adrien happens upon her half starved, three months pregnant, and totally all alone. None of this stops Mary from doing all she can to keep doing all she must. Mary works SO hard and is SO stubborn it’s exhausting. She’s been on her own for a while and cannot trust that Adrien won’t be taken from her too. Out of a sense of self-preservation, Mary refuses to rely on anyone or anything including God. I like Mary’s character, and I appreciate message the reader can learn through her.
To me, Mary represents us humans when we go at life on our own — when we rely on our own selves, when we do all the work on our own without anyone’s help, when we figure the answers out to our problems with no help from anyone. When Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV), “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” He is thinking about all of us who have enslaved ourselves to the yokes of our own making. Yokes of our own making provide nothing but pain, suffering, and weariness. But Jesus … His yoke brings peace, rest, and provision. Mary eventually learns this lesson, but not before some serious heartache and loneliness.
This Freedom Journey is a lovely novella that I very much enjoyed reading. I do highly recommend this story. It is well written and engaging, and the characters are very realistic. If you are looking for a quick, adventurous, sweet story then This Freedom Journey is definitely the book for you!
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This Freedom Journey is a novella by Misty M. Beller. A story that will grab your attention. I could practically feel the cold snow from the blizzard. I enjoyed reading Adrien’s and Mary’s story.
This is book three in the Heart of the Mountains series but can be read as a standalone so don’t hesitate if you haven’t read the first two in the series.
I chose to read this on a summer day that was in the 90s. Probably a good thing since all the snow storms were great for cooling me down. Author Misty Beller made them seem so real I was waiting for the wind to start howling outside.
This book is a journey of learning to trust again in the face of adversity. The danger of the story will keep you on the edge of your seat. The sweet, clean romance will warm your heart. Both Mary and Adrien are strong but vulnerable characters who were well written. You will love them. If you enjoy historical fiction I recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Right from the first page the author had me and I felt that I was in the blizzard that was hitting the Canadian Rockies, and praising God when he stumbles on the Cabin.
We are given a woman who has suffered incredible loss and a man who has left his home in France and put them together in the middle of the wilderness, and now we are about survival.
I hoped from the beginning to the that these two-lonely people would end up together, but I didn’t know until the end how things would work out the way I wanted.
I received this book thought Celebrate Lit Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
The intricate details of the wilderness the author describes makes me feel like I have transported back in time. I could feel the hard winds and the snow as it covered the terrain. It was very hard to survive during the winter and having to rely on traps wasn’t easy. Mary is a force to be reckoned with. She has survived the harsh land alone and isn’t sure who this stranger is that has found her place. Mary has been trying to carry on the work her husband was doing, but the winter had other ideas. I loved reading about her shack and how determined she was to survive on her own.
Adrien stumbles upon Mary’s place and finds her not in good health. I’m really surprised she allowed him to stay, but in her weakened state she had no choice. He proves to be helpful in providing food and slowly her strength returns. I wonder what they thought of each other? It’s not everyday you find a traveler in a storm but Adrien is glad he has shelter for now. Mary is very quiet and you can tell in her eyes she has suffered greatly. Will she learn to trust Adrien?
There was much danger in the wilderness and the scene with Mary and the donkey was heart stopping. The author clearly has a keen skill of writing where you can picture the action with her words. I am impressed with how tough Mary is and appreciate that the author made her a self sufficient woman. The story is well written and kept me glued to the story. The story has danger, hope and finding your way to God. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and reading about their transformations.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
This Freedom Journey by Misty M. Beller
A historical romance set in the Canadian Rockies
My rating is 4 stars
Adrien stumbled through the blizzard and was relieved to find a shack in which he could take shelter from the almost white-out conditions. He was stunned to find a half-starved, half-frozen woman there and set about to care for her as best as he could. But he underestimated Mary Standish.
I really liked Adrien’s noble and kind manner. His faith obviously directed his actions – he was a great example of “follow me as I follow Jesus”. He had great intuition in how to react to Mary’s fears and her grief.
Author Misty M. Beller captured the sense of being all alone in the middle of the wilderness quite well. I was able to picture the little shack with the dirt floor and cold wind reaching its icy fingers through the cracks. Brr. The beauty of the Canadian Rockies is a sight I would love to see with my own eyes one day, though I think I’ll plan that trip for spring or autumn. . .
Though the relationship between Adrien and Mary developed quickly for modern standards, the way that she went from being almost terrified of him to trusting him did make sense and worked well, especially given the need they had to depend on each other.
The overall tone of the story was contemplative and the pace was gentle, if perhaps a little bit slow, at the beginning.
Read the full review of This Freedom Journey by Misty M. Beller with a Preview and Guest Post at AmongTheReads.net
I would like to thank Celebrate Lit for giving me a copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
This Freedom Journey
I really enjoyed this book. Full of adventure and touch my emotions and very inspirational. Adrien is traveling in the blinding snow and comes upon an cabin where he least expected it. He meets Mary who is a widow and trying to survive on her own. Mary was so hard working and very stubborn at times and so brave. It would be a very hard life to live in the wilderness. He also has a mule with him, they had quite an adventure at times caring for the mule, trying to keep it out of the winter elements. The mule added so much to the story. The characters were really real to me. I received this book from Celebrate Lit and was not required to leave an positive review.
This beautiful story takes place in the wilds of Canada in the early 1800s. Mary is a widow. Her husband had been killed by a bear several months earlier and it is during the worst winter she could imagine. She is alone with no food and no real hope for survival.
Adrien is trying to find shelter for himself and his mule. He can barely see his hand in front of his face as they plod forward hoping for divine intervention. When he is about to lose hope, he comes upon a ramshackle cabin in the middle of the wilderness with a small woman with blue eyes. She is obviously near death and he wants to help her to heal and protect her from certain death.
As they spend time together, Mary begins to trust that Aiden is a good man. Adrien is attracted to Mary and wants a future with her. He believes in a God who will help him as he trusts that he knows what is best for his life. He wants Mary to have that same trust and come to know God and his ways. There are wolves, severe weather and difficult times for both of them. There is a happy ending and it is a clean story with no sex or foul language.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book and I enthusiastically offer my review.
What a satisfying prequel to Heart of the Mountains series! We meet Mary and Adrien through the first two books of the series but don’t learn about their love story until this novella. Their steadfast devotion to each other made them endearing secondary characters but this novella truly brings out their relationship and romance. As is Misty Beller’s style, the stark yet majestic beauty of the Canadian mountainous winter is breath-taking and real. Her writing transports the reader to 1800s Canadian mountains as the winds howl, snow and ice prevail, and man must fight the elements to survive. Even in the midst of this hardship, a tender romance develops between Mary and Adrien.
Mary is a young widow, struggling to survive the harshest winter she’s seen since she’s moved from the comforts of eastern US. Adrien is a Frenchman who’s left his country fraught with tension, revolution, and unrest. Mary, the strong, stubborn practical one, slowly learns to lean on someone else other than herself. Adrien is patient, sweet, tender, protective, and loving. Their relationship is based on survival at first but slowly develops into a beautiful love story. Adrien’s faith shows in each of his actions and Mary becomes drawn to that flame of calm and reassurance.
Can’t wait for the next book in the series!
I was given a copy of this book by the author/publisher and through Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
Adrian and Mary’s story is beautiful and inspiring. From the moment Adrian steps into Mary’s life and rescues her from near death, I looked forward to the moment where they’d find love with each other. As always, Misty M. Beller has unexpected twists and keeps you reading every page.
Misty M. Beller books involve the wilderness, the hardships, the tragedies the frontiersmen confront, and she will describe it so you will feel like you are there with the characters. The characters face adversity, deal with faith or lack thereof, Indians, people that can’t be trusted or can they? I’ve read all of Misty’s book in this series and it always enjoy revisiting characters that had their own stories. Each book can be read as a stand alone and when a former character is introduced into another book there is enough background information to keep you from guessing but not so much you will be bored.
I received this book from the author as an ARC (advanced reader’s copy) and no expectations were given. All opinions are my own and no one asked for definitive rating.
Misty has a way of keeping you turning pages to see how the hero/heroine get through the struggles, danger, unexpected developments and let’s not forget “romance”
I have enjoyed all of Misty Beller’s Heart of the Mountains books. Mary and Adrien are both strong characters. You will like reading some of the difficulties faced by early settlers in the Montana Territory. Mary and Adrien meet during a particularly cold winter and probably would not have survived without each other. I recommend this Freedom Journey to others who enjoy historical fiction. I received a complimentary e-book from the author. This is my honest opinion.
We begin this story in a deathly blizzard. Adrien Lockman has left his homeland and had ventured into the Rocky Mountains of Canada. He realizes if he doesn’t get to shelter soon both he and his mule Domino will freeze to death. God shows him the way to a little shelter in the middle of nothing and in it he finds Mary, she appears to be on deaths door herself. Mary Standish is alone in the wilderness, cold and hungry and Adrien has arrived just in time to help save her.
Misty Beller takes us on the journey to show us Adrien and Mary’s story. It is a touching story of trust and struggles and then love. Such a sweet love story but told in a way that is believable for the time we are reading about. I received an early copy to read and review. I loved this novella. It gives us the backstory to Aunt Mary who we met in book 1 when Emma and Simeon travel north to Canada. I love this entire series and highly recommend not only this book but the other two as well.