After years of isolation on top of Hope Mountain, Ilsa Nordegren may finally be ready to leave. Raised to fear the world, Ilsa and her sisters never planned on coming down, but when the Warden family arrived in need, they had to help. And it may cost them everything. Having made his fortune, Mitch Warden returned home and found the family homestead abandoned. In a land grab, a ruthless cattle … cattle baron had forced his family to escape up the mountain, and when he follows, the last thing he expects is to fall smitten to a black-haired woman who dresses like Robin Hood.
Warden is intent on helping his family reclaim their land, but doesn’t realize the risks his past has brought. Dangerous men have tracked him, and rather than risk innocent lives, he’s determined to end the danger. But that means a journey to the city–and when Ilsa insists on joining him, the mismatched pair suddenly find themselves on a venture they’ll never forget.
more
If you loved Nell, this enjoyable look at a girl who leaves the mountain for the big city is definitely for you. Isla has spent her whole life secluded, until an attempt on her neighbors life changes everything. After saving his life, Isla helps Mitch ind justice until a social misstep forces the pair to marry. With more killers coming after Mitch, the pair travel to Chicago and Isla must adapt to rules she’s never heard and conveniences she could hardly imagine. All this and a love story too. Nice one Mary Connealy!
Oh my goodness gracious!!!
Mary has done it again! She made me fall in love with yet another of her leading males. Yep, you heard me right, Mitch is my favorite right behind Luke, Vince, and Dave.
Ilsa is this awesome, knife wielding, Tarzan lady.(and I wish that I could be just like her)
But there is also an innocence about Ilsa that is captivating, like how she doesn’t know most of the rules of society(understandable since she has lived in the mountains all of her life) and Mitch, dear, sweet, Mitch. Even though he drags Ilsa around by the wrist like a child sometimes, I don’t think I would mind either because I would be distracted by all of his handsomeness.
Mitch is this handsome, intelligent man who just wants to escape from all the troubles of the city, but trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes.
Mary, the plot was great, I love the characters, the cover is just beautiful, and I cannot wait to read the next Book in this series!
This book continues the story of the same three sisters and family that removed themselves from society to protect themselves from bad people, situations, and disease, but this story focuses on the next sister, Ilsa and another Warden brother, Mitch. This is the story of their sudden marriage and the adventures they are on together to find a murderer. The story is confusing in a few places as it randomly switches to the point of view of some of the side characters a bit too frequently, when the story should be focused on Ilsa and Mitch. But overall this is an entertaining and enjoyable Colorado western from author Mary Connealy.
Series: Brides of Hope Mountain
Genre: historical, romance, western, Christian
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication date: March 3, 2020
Number of pages: 304
Other books in the series:
1-Aiming for Love
Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Book 2 in the Brides of Hope Mountain series. Ilsa had always lived on Hope Mountain and was told that to go down it would lead to death. Mitch Warden arrives on Hope Mountain following his family as they are trying to stay ahead of a land rustler. Mitch’s past is catching up with him as two men try to kill him on Hope Moutain, and Ilsa is a witness. Trying to find out who is behind the shooting Mitch and Ilsa travel to the big city, along the way Ilsa learns about life off the mountain. This story is full of adventure, romance, humor (two Bibles), and suspense. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read Ursla’s story in book 3.
Mary has done it again. Another story I couldn’t put down till I finished it. It was exciting, action packed, romantic, and one of the best stories I have ever read. I hope there is a 3rd book in the series.
This is Book 2 in Mary Connealy’s Brides of Hope Mountain series. I only just finished Book 1 (Aiming for Love) 2 weeks ago, and I was so excited to be able to review this next book as a part of Mary’s launch team. I did receive a copy of this book for free in an exchange for an honest review.
In this book, we take up with Mitch Warden and Ilsa Nordegren where we left off with them in book 1. These two characters were introduced in the first book, and they continually butted heads. In the next book, their interactions quickly change and before you know it, they are married out of an issue with propriety and on an adventure of their own in Chicago shortly after the 1871 fire.
Because this is a story of marriage of convenience, we get to see Mitch and Ilsa fall in love. They find themselves on a honeymoon that includes Ilsa comically figuring out the modern world (since she’s lived her entire life on top of Hope Mountain with only her sisters as company) in the midst of murder attempts, kidnappings, shootouts, and carriage chases through the city. The last portion of the book is very exciting and you will be on the edge of your seat. A honeymoon is a time for a married couple to bond together and that’s exactly what happens with Ilsa and Mitch. Who knew a honeymoon could be fraught with such danger and mayhem!
The Brides of Hope Mountain is indeed a series. There are plot elements that continue from book to book. The focus just changes from each book depending on who the main point of view characters are. In book 1, both of the major problems are introduced. One problem is solved in Book 2 and the rest I imagine will be resolved in book 3. It would be wise to start at the beginning in book 1 and continue with all three books. You’ll be glad you did.
Woman of Sunlight is an enjoyable and amusing story. It contains characters to care about and root for, an engaging plotline and in the end it will leave you with a warm, feeling to combat the troubles we are currently battling in the world today.
Woman of Sunlight, a bright title that leaves me almost expecting a book with an Indian (I know it’s not politically correct but as someone with some Cherokee blood in my family, I find it fine to refer to Native Americans as Indians as well… *shrugs*) woman who was named Woman of Sunlight, I knew it wouldn’t be that way but that’s almost what the title made me think and I was unsure of how it would fit the book until I started reading, and then it made perfect sense. I found the title was completely correct.
After reading about Mitch’s and Ilsa’s banter in book one of the Brides of Hope Mountain I was excited to see where they would go, I wasn’t expecting what happened to happen, for them to marry like they did, for the reasons they did, and since it went like it did I’d say this book is better for readers over the age of sixteen.
I didn’t find Mitch to be hero material in Aiming for Love, he wasn’t that impressive, he lacked a good character and was somewhat annoying but I still almost liked him. Just found him lacking, in Woman of Sunlight from his perspective I found that he was actually a good character.
I liked the glimpses into Ursula and what I expect her story to be in the next book, I am eagerly waiting for the conclusion to the Brides of Hope Mountain series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
“And truth be told, he was a good-looking varmint.”
–Ilsa Nordegren
Who wouldn’t fall in love with a handsome western hero described as a “good-looking varmint?” Mary Connealy once again gets our attention in the latest edition to her Brides of Hope Mountain series as she further explores the story of Ilsa , the youngest of the Nordegren sisters and the wildest by far, and Mitch Warden, the oldest of the Warden sons who have moved uninvited up to Hope Mountain for the winter.
Ilsa and Mitch definitely have strong, bold personalities that send sparks flying. Fun and filled with humor, this story of their unplanned marriage and their adventures off the mountain make for a truly unique and entertaining read. Encompassing everything from wild western adventures to big city escapades, these two characters will engage your attention and keep it.
Readers of inspirational historical fiction and western fiction will enjoy this humorous tale. Coming in October is book three, Her Secret Song, which will explore Ursula Nordegren’s story. Don’t miss this great series!
This ARC copy was received from Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley.com. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
4 out of 5
#WomanOfSunlight #NetGalley
Ilsa’s adventures in the city
I love the unusual characters and circumstances in Mary Connealy’s stories! The narrative and conversations are always laced with such humor! There are so many quotable passages it’s difficult to not pick them all!
The Nordegren sisters’ unique upbringing and circumstances made them appear quite eccentric to outsiders. Their fear of outsiders bringing in sickness. Their ability to blend into the wilderness like feral animals. Their ignorance of the ways of the world. Their misconception about just how many Bibles there are. . .
As the Brides of Hope Mountain series continues, Ilsa ends up getting a chance to see the world, following Mitch, under circumstances she hadn’t expected, to cities and towns with more people she had ever dreamed possible. Her reactions were so funny, which seemed reasonable for a woman who had never seen more than four people in the same place in her life. Until the Wardens came to their valley.
I especially loved the way Mitch reacted to Ilsa’s quirks. How he began to realize that he didn’t want to change her, to mold her into a “proper” lady. He even got to the point of trusting her instincts and allowing her to use her abilities in ways that would have threatened many men.
Ilsa had the same struggles as Jo did in Aiming for Love related to their misconception that Aesop’s Fables was “the other Bible”. Mitch was appalled by this at the start and was not quiet in his correction. And yet he began to realize that his approach to correcting her wasn’t exactly helping. I liked the method he finally ended up employing to help her see the truth.
I also loved that the name of Jesus was mentioned. So many of the Christian fiction stories I’ve read lately refer to God and Lord but few actually proclaim the beautiful name of my Savior. He was presented as the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost. And salvation was proclaimed. Yay!
One mystery presented in Aiming for Love was solved here, that of who it was that sought to have Mitch killed. The mystery regarding the man attempting to steal the Circle Dash ranch remains unsolved. Wax’s was revealed a bit more, enticing me to want to read the next book in the series when it comes out. Which I hope is soon! I’m very curious to find out if my theory on something I think will happen is correct.
If you have not yet read, Aiming for Love, you’ll want to read that first. The stories in this series build on one another. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a series you won’t want to skip!
Read my review of Woman of Sunlight by Mary Connealy at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
The synopsis for Mary Connealy’s current series, Brides of Hope Mountain, captured my attention. really like the covers too. Lots of bright colors and beautiful woman grace the wilderness. I throughly enjoyed Aiming for Love, the first book in this series. Jo was an unique and different style of character. Connealy does it again with Ilsa. She is not like any heroine I have ever read. And I read a lot of suspense novels. She is brave and unfamiliar with the new world outside her mountain home, but she isn’t afraid to try new clothes, food, and surroundings. As for Mitch, the hero, he seemed a little off in Aiming for Love, but he redemmed himself in Woman of Sunlight. The plot moved really nicely along.I did like how Connealy paid attention and Isla’s indifference to her surroundings, but kept her true nature alive throughout the novel. I liked this story too. I really can’t wait to read Ursula’s, the third and final sister’s, story.
I received a complimentary copy of Woman of Sunlight by Mary Connealy from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.
Married to Your Enemy!
Ilsa and Mitch have just gotten married and they don’t even like each other—and they have to hurry because someone is trying to kill them. Welcome to the Wild West of 1873. Along with her two sisters, Ilsa has spent her entire life living in isolation on top of a mountain. Not only have strangers invaded their homeland bringing all their new ways of living alone, Ilsa is now married to one of them.
No sooner have Ilsa and Mitch said their vows than they are off to Chicago. As they try to solve the mystery of who is behind the murder attempts, they find themselves in as much danger as they left behind, and killers abound.
Because Ilsa lived cut-off from the world, she experienced her first train ride. Every time the whistle blew, she was traumatized, and wanted off. Other firsts were coffee, which she liked after it had milk and sugar. She found the taste of ice cream, strawberries, and apple dumplings such a delight that she couldn’t get enough.
This is a fun book that also contains a very serious story that is full of danger. Ilsa’s faith is refreshing, and is a great part of this tale. This story stands alone, but there are still some threads that need to be answered in the next installment. This 5-star book will be enjoyed by those who like well-written fiction or westerns with a touch of humor.
Bethany House Publishing through NetGalley has provided bookreadingtic with a complimentary copy of, Woman of Sunlight, for the purpose of review.
This is book 2 in brides of Hope Mountain a great continued story of the three sisters living on top of Hope Mountain this is Ilsa and Mitch’s story. Mary Connely is a master story teller this has everything love, suspense, gun fights and humor. I love this story and can’t wait for the next one I highly recommend this.
I received a complimentary copy
and voluntarily left this review
Woman of Sunlight is a delightful read. I loved the quirky heroine that Mary Connealy created in Ilsa Nordegren. She is full of surprises, and I love her youthful naivete. This second book in the Brides of Hope Mountain Series is one you won’t want to miss. I highly recommend it.
I was looking forward to reading this book because I am a big Mary Connealy fan. I love her writing style and have enjoyed many of her books. I was a bit disappointed in Woman of Sunlight, however. I had a difficult time getting interested in the story, and difficulty connecting with the lead character, Ilsa Nordgren. She was just a little too quirky and unbelievable to me. Also, I felt that the faith element at times was treated flippantly. To be honest, I really tried to like this book, but it just missed the mark for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own
It was a pleasure to continue the story of the Nordegren sisters from the first book. This one focused on Ilsa, the wood sprite who runs through the trees and gives Mitch what-for. They definitely have a volatile relationship in the beginning which is fun, but everything changes when they face assassins who are after Mitch. Ilsa’s fearless defense of him shifts his realization of how he regards her with admiration and affection instead of frustration and guilt for getting her sick with chicken pox. Ilsa’s isolated existence on the mountain made her adventure to the local town and on to bigger cities an eye-opening experience, where she takes things at face value and Mitch feels the need to explain and interpret her misunderstandings. They become quite a pair as they work together to solve the mystery of who’s behind the hired guns and how Mitch was betrayed before he escaped to the mountain. We also get come chapters from Ursula and Wax’s perspectives, setting us up for the next book. I’m really looking forward to it!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
WOMAN OF SUNLIGHT begins soon after the conclusion of book one, AIMING FOR LOVE. The author gives enough backstory that it would be possible to read this one on it’s own, but why would you want to? To get the maximum enjoyment, read AIMING FOR LOVE first. When hired killers come up the mountain looking for Mitch Warden, he decides he will have to go to Chicago to the Pinkerton agency for help getting to the bottom of who wants him dead. Because of a debacle in the town of Bucksnort where they take the men to the sheriff, Ilsa goes with Mitch. This was Ilsa’s first time off Hope Mountain and it was such fun to see things through her eyes, first in Bucksnort (“And there were people everywhere. She counted six.”) and then in Chicago. As they got to know each other better, I appreciated how patient Mitch was with Ilsa’s questions. More attempts were made on their lives, causing them to work together and trust each other. We were also given glimpses of Ursula, the oldest sister, who is too fearful of living with outsiders (the Wardens) and chose to go farther away up the mountain. Since the trail is impassable in the winter, she is totally alone. We are given some intriguing clues to what may come for Ursula in the next book. I can hardly wait! As usual, Mary Connealy has given us a book full of action, faith, humor, and romance, which to me is a winning combination. I highly recommend WOMAN OF SUNLIGHT.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
This is the second book in this fascinating series. In book one of the Brides of the Hope Mountain series we met the three sisters living extremely isolated lives atop a mountain. Whereas the first book took place mostly on the mountain, this one takes place among town and city. Although the sisters were raised and taught to never go down from the mountain less they die. Ilsa, this younger savage fairy princess, has to overcome her fear of towns and weird going on, that she did not understand. Mitch Warden has the duty thrust upon him to enlighten her to the ways of the civilized world. This novel takes us on a wild journey of suspense and danger, peppered with life threatening moments even murder. Also romance and of course Conneally’s own brand of humor. Looking forward to book number three with the very weird oldest sister, Ursula being tamed. I have my ideas who will do the taming, but we will see……… I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.
I am loving Mary Connealy’s latest series, Brides of Hope Mountain. Aiming for Love was great but I believe Woman of Sunlight is even better! The saga of the Nordegren sisters continues in book two approximately where book 1 ended.
Ilsa’s character is so much fun. Her true innocence leaves her wide open to one misunderstanding or misinterpretation after another when she encounters the world below Hope Mountain. Despite their dislike of each other and many disagreements that took place in book 1, Mitch and Ilsa find themselves having to depend on each other – maybe for their very lives.
Woman of Sunlight was filled with Connealy’s typical humor and romance so it was such fun to read. The story was kicked up a notch or two by quite a bit of action, danger, and suspense laced with more than one surprise along the way. The growth of the relationship between Mitch and Ilsa was beautiful to witness and I enjoyed both characters immensely. I saw some hints that one of the bad guys might be having second thoughts about his involvement in crime and am hoping my suspicions about a possible featured role in the next installment are correct. Whatever the case, I loved this book and can’t wait to read the final installment of this series. It promises to be every bit as good.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
This second story in the Brides of Hope Mountain series picks up right where the last story ended. I enjoyed spending time with Ilsa and Mitch in this story and getting to know them better.
I didn’t want to put this story down for a moment. The adventure, the mystery, and of course the fun banter between these two characters kept me wanting more and turning pages late into the night. I do have to admit that I didn’t like how this book ended. But with that said, I was thrilled to find out that there will be a third book, and I can not wait to get my hands on that story!
If you are looking for a page-turning, witty story, filled with mystery and adventure then do yourself a favor and be sure to pick up a copy of this book! Do be sure to catch the first book in the series, because you will want to read these wonderful stories in order.
(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.)
Mary Connealy has done it again! This book is wonderful. Ilsa loves her mountains, but longs to see more of the world. She and Mitch end up navigating dangerous situations and learn to trust one another. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. I can’t wait until her next installment in this series!