Two things I wasn’t fully aware of when I was given this book to read; one, it was the second in a series and two, it is classified as being Christian literature.

Maybe my inability to connect with any of the characters in this book was due to the fact that I hadn’t read the first one in the series, and because of this I didn’t understand some of their personality traits and motivations behind the things they did and said throughout the book. Those I did connect with, and thoroughly enjoyed were characters, which obviously from the way they appeared in the novel, were making a debut on these particular pages. Maybe because I read this out of sequence, there were many times I just didn’t find the characters believable at all, and this really disappointed me to a point where I nearly consigned this book to the ‘to be finished later’ pile.

The saving grace in this novel, and the one that kept me reading through to the end was the vivid way in which the Author describes the small corner of Colorado the main protagonists call home. When the main character sees the scenery before her for the first time, and it takes her breath away it also takes the readers breath away too, such is the skill this Author shows when writing about the locations in which the novel is set. The Author has also obviously done a great deal of research into the local plants and herbs of the area, as well as the crafts of quilting and knitting and this shines through when she explains the use for the herbs and plants encountered. In many ways this book could have so easily become preachy as it is full of references to God, but it didn’t. While staying true to its genre it still managed to portray a harsh and gritty way of life for those who were trying to break ground and start new lives not only partway through a world war, but so close to the end of the depression era.

As much as this was an enjoyable read it didn’t make me want to backtrack and open the first, and I highly doubt I will read anymore in this series. I would recommend this to readers of Christian literature, but I would also advise they read Into the Free #1, before tackling this book.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/01/17/review-when-mountains-move-into-the-free-2...
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Two things I wasn’t fully aware of when I was given this book to read; one, it was the second in a series and two, it is classified as being Christian literature.

Maybe my inability to connect with any of the characters in this book was due to the fact that I hadn’t read the first one in the series, and because of this I didn’t understand some of their personality traits and motivations behind the things they did and said throughout the book. Those I did connect with, and thoroughly enjoyed were characters, which obviously from the way they appeared in the novel, were making a debut on these particular pages. Maybe because I read this out of sequence, there were many times I just didn’t find the characters believable at all, and this really disappointed me to a point where I nearly consigned this book to the ‘to be finished later’ pile.

The saving grace in this novel, and the one that kept me reading through to the end was the vivid way in which the Author describes the small corner of Colorado the main protagonists call home. When the main character sees the scenery before her for the first time, and it takes her breath away it also takes the readers breath away too, such is the skill this Author shows when writing about the locations in which the novel is set. The Author has also obviously done a great deal of research into the local plants and herbs of the area, as well as the crafts of quilting and knitting and this shines through when she explains the use for the herbs and plants encountered. In many ways this book could have so easily become preachy as it is full of references to God, but it didn’t. While staying true to its genre it still managed to portray a harsh and gritty way of life for those who were trying to break ground and start new lives not only partway through a world war, but so close to the end of the depression era.

As much as this was an enjoyable read it didn’t make me want to backtrack and open the first, and I highly doubt I will read anymore in this series. I would recommend this to readers of Christian literature, but I would also advise they read Into the Free #1, before tackling this book.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/01/17/review-when-mountains-move-into-the-free-2...
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The story is set in the 1940s and the author has done an amazing job of writing a beautiful historical book. I appreciate the descriptions of Colorado in those days and made the story very realistic. It wasn't easy trying to start a new life in the rough terrain and our main characters will soon find out how much work is involved to start a ranch.

Millie is quite young when she married Bump Anderson. She is ready to begin a new life and doesn't mind the treacherous grounds they will have to travel to reach their destination. Millie has another reason to leave her old home that she hasn't told Bump about. What will happen when he finds out her secret?

Bump is a hard working man and is excited to take on the challenge of getting a deserted ranch back up and running. I loved the details of what chores were done daily to keep the ranch going. It was very hard work and I was impressed with Millie and her dedication to helping her husband's dream come true. I don't think I would want to go to a land and start from scratch trying to rebuild it. I did find her friend Kat to be most unpleasant. She sure has her eyes on Millie's husband and that really added some friction between the newlyweds.

When Millie's grandmother comes to visit Millie, I really enjoyed how her heritage was a focal point of the story. Her grandmother shared some wonderful stories about the past and described some of the Choctaw traditions. It seemed to really help Millie understand where she came from and how important her ancestors were. I loved the descriptions of their culture and I could picture Millie sitting in awe as Oca shared memories. When Millie has a very hard decision to make , I could feel her despair and pain. The author did a great job of talking about a very hard subject but did it with grace and showed the struggle that women go through when faced with this decision.
What does Millie decide to do ? Dies she make the right choice?

The book is a wonderful journey of newlyweds starting out, their struggles and the lessons they learn as they grow in their faith and learn to trust each other. The secret that Millie has hidden from Bump will be a huge shock and I loved how the author shared the pain and hurt that the secret had caused. If you love historical fiction with a powerful cast of characters and reading about the challenges they face this is the book to get. There are several characters I didn't mention but you will discover how they are intricate to the story about second chances , trust and unconditional love.

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild for an honest review. ( )

I received a copy of When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell in exchange for an honest review.

After Millie’s marriage to Bump she hoped things would get better for her, but life throws her another curveball – what should she do now?

From the very beginning, I could not help but get caught up in this book. I really felt such sadness for Millie, but at the same time I felt joy as well. Millie had found joy, but she was so caught up in the nightmare of her past and keeping some of it a secret that she at times only glimpsed her joy. My favorite character, however, was Oka, I absolutely loved her wisdom.

This book shows that we cannot persecute ourselves for the past and the behavior of others who hurt us. Great read!
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I received a copy of When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell in exchange for an honest review.

After Millie’s marriage to Bump she hoped things would get better for her, but life throws her another curveball – what should she do now?

From the very beginning, I could not help but get caught up in this book. I really felt such sadness for Millie, but at the same time I felt joy as well. Millie had found joy, but she was so caught up in the nightmare of her past and keeping some of it a secret that she at times only glimpsed her joy. My favorite character, however, was Oka, I absolutely loved her wisdom.

This book shows that we cannot persecute ourselves for the past and the behavior of others who hurt us. Great read!
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