My first introduction to the splendid genre of historical fiction was Montana Rose by Mary Connealy, and I wanted to read more. A friend recommended Aiming for Love: Brides of Hope Mountain, Book 1.
In the first chapter, I fell in love with all three of the Nordegren sisters: Josephine, Ilsa, and Ursula. Usually, I care about the main character in the first book of a series, like Josephine, and stop reading the second book, because a new character, like Ilsa, doesn’t captivate my interest. But Connealy surprised me. Reading about the lives of all three sisters hooked my attention.
I love learning about history and family struggles, and didn’t want the story to end. Through the eyes of Jo, I learned how the grandmother’s fear and prejudice for the outside world affected the Nordegren sisters, forcing them to become self-sufficient hunters and gatherers to survive. I experienced what it must have felt like to be paralyzed by fear, then transform into a courageous woman who chose to provide shelter to a desperate family, risking sickness to her sisters and herself.
If you enjoy historical fiction and settings in nature with strong, independent female characters, this might be the book for you. If you liked Montana Rose by Mary Connealy, A Woman Called Sage by DiAnn Mills, and The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers, I think you will appreciate Aiming for Love: Brides of Hope Mountain, Book 1, by Mary Connealy.
