Amnesia, fake marriage, & a mystery? Yes, please! Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure took all kinds of turns with a clever twist on the injury induced amnesia trope. Endearing characters, a swoon worthy, close proximity romance, & bad guys after a treasure kept me quickly turning the pages. There’s also a sweet faith arc woven into the story. Definitely a must read Western romance!

Jude Coulter’s been tasked with delivering a shipment of sapphires from his family’s Montana mine to New York. On the train ride home, he gets hit on the head by a crate. When he comes to, not only can’t he remember why he was in New York, but he’s also gained a wife.

Angela Larkin who works for the U.S. Treasury Department is on a mission to discover the location of the mine that produces the gorgeous sapphires that come up for auction every year. When the man she’s been following is injured & has amnesia, she jumps in with her quick ingenuity & offers to help him explaining that she’s his wife.

This story was so good! Poor Jude has no idea what’s going on & can’t remember marrying. As he stumbles his way through their journey back home, he relies on Angela to help him navigate. But, as he regains more of his memories, it’s hard to believe he would marry someone who doesn’t share his faith regardless of how attractive & kind she is.

There were so many swoony moments between these two. Jude is ever the gentleman, but he’s also a tease. I loved how the forced proximity dynamic worked. I also loved Angela’s faith journey. She’s from a mixed heritage family & grew up without faith other than attending a few Catholic masses. I loved how Jude helped her discover her faith.

There’s plenty of action too as a couple of bad guys are seeking the mine’s location as well. It’s a nail-biting journey as they travel by steamship, train, & horseback all while trying to evade the would be thieves.

Highly recommend to inspirational Western romance fans! I received an advanced complimentary copy from CelebrateLit but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. ( )

This is book three is the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch and I have read book one but sadly somehow missed book two. I say sadly because I love this family so much that I don’t want to miss anything. This author never fails to draw you into the realm of her characters and make you feel so at home that you never want to leave. From the beautiful cover to the last sentence you will be engrossed. I love Angela and her realization that God is real and cares about her. This book is well rounded with intrigue, romance, danger, and faith. I look up to Jude as he is not just strong physically but strong in character and I loved his prayers. Turn the pages quickly and be swept away to 1869 from New York to Montana Territory and the dangers that await along the way. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book and the adventures the family faces in the future. Add this to your must read pile.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required. ( )

“You, Lord, are a healer of hearts. The only One mighty enough to redeem us when it seems impossible.”

If you are a fan of clean, historical westerns with dollops of romance and faith, Misty Beller is an excellent author to follow. Ms. Beller has quite a few books out, and since I can’t quite keep up with her prolific output, Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure is the first book of this series I’ve read. It’s actually the third in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series but could be a stand-alone. I believe it’s probably better read in order of publication, though.

Desperate for a reason to follow Jude Coulter back to his home and source of his sapphire shipments, Angela Larkin, a treasury agent, uses Jude’s amnesia on the train to her advantage. How long can she claim to be his wife before Jude’s memory returns and he finds out her deception? Angela doesn’t like lying, but surely this is a case of doing something for the greater good.

As Angela and Jude travel first on the train and then on the steamboat together, they each find the other very intriguing and appealing. But Jude has made a solemn promise and Angela is out to catch a tax evader and worse.

How does God fit into this story? His hand is actually working throughout, though Angela wants nothing to do with God at first. I love that Jude and God had a lot of conversations about her!
"I'm continually amazed at how God brings things together in ways that only He could manage.”

I enjoyed meeting some of the Coulter brothers and other family friends whose stories are probably told in the first two books. I definitely want to go back and find out Two Stones’s story!

My one reservation about this book is it seems to have been hurriedly written and needs more editing. The number of grammar mistakes, missing words, and misuse of homonyms was quite unusual for a Misty Beller book and lowered the enjoyment.

I received a copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:
(Made me think.)
“…truth wasn't only in the words she spoke, but in the meaning the other person understood.”

(Made me laugh.)
“…it sure would be nice if God wouldn't have given people so much free will.”

(Made me cry.)
“She knew rejection well. It had been her friend every time she stepped foot out the door of their flat when she was a kid. No one looked past the races of her parents to see her. To decide if she was worth knowing.” ( )

This is a great addition to a wonderful series by this talented author. I love reading about the travels during this time period where trains were used to go to different places. I couldn’t imagine being on a dusty train for days with no privacy. The way the author brings Angela and Jude together is quite ingenious. Poor Jude doesn’t remember anything when an accident aboard the train takes his memory. It’s the perfect opportunity for Angela to step in and put her plan into action.

Their journey takes them deep into danger while secrets keep Jude in the dark. Angela has this need to prove herself because she has been treated unfairly throughout her life because of her heritage. I liked how Jude never wavered from his faith and wondered why he would marry Angela who didn’t believe in God.

As Jude starts to get his memory back, he suspects that Angela was not who she said she was. Why was she so determined to keep secrets from him? Watching her try to decide what to do, she begins to think about God. She can’t believe that God would want someone like her who is deceitful. As her story unfolds sympathy rises in Jude. This woman has been through a hard life losing her brother and trying to find a better life for herself. Working with the Treasury Office she had hoped to prove herself worthy. Now all her lies have been exposed. Can Jude forgive her?

The story picks up speed as danger gets too close to Angela . Angela is in over her head and Jude must step in to save her but will she finally tell him the truth? As they travel through the mountains Jude has time to explain about God more to Angela. We see a side of Angela that has been lingering just at the surface. She has never felt she was good enough. I love how the author illustrates redemption and forgiveness in this story. Angela has been lost for so long, but now she wants to know God. As they travel through the mountains her heart begins to soften.

The journey to reach home is long and filled with bumps in the road but Jude finally sees his family. He has much to share with them but most importantly he has brought Angela with him. Their story is emotional and one that shared how forgiveness can bring freedom to someone who once thought they were not worthy.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. ( )

Almost sneaky, getting you fully invested in these people quickly. Very intriguingly written and artful as it unfolds. I found that I was rooting for each of them strongly right from the beginning. I loved how it unfolded with faithfulness. Nothing over done or prolonged too far. Excellent story, and fits nicely in the series. Looking forward to the next one!

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ProtectingTheMountainMansTreasure #MistyMBeller #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel ( )