A Warrior’s Heart Review and GIVEAWAY!

About the Book

Book: A Warrior’s Heart

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: August 31, 2021

Brielle Durand still feels haunted by the massacre that killed her mother a dozen years before. Vowing to never let it happen again, she’s risen to be the key defender for her people’s peace-loving French settlement living in hidden caves in the Canadian Rockies. When a foreigner wanders too near to their secret homes, she has no choice but to disarm and capture him. But now, what to do with this man who looks at her in a strange way and insists he can be trusted?

Hoping to escape past regrets, Evan MacManus ventured into the unknown, assigned to discover if the northern mountains contain an explosive mineral that might help America win the War of 1812. Despite being taken prisoner, Evan is determined to complete his mission. But when that assignment becomes at odds with his growing appreciation of the villagers and Brielle, does he follow through on the promise he’s made to his government or take a risk on the path his heart is leading him down? Either choice will cause harm to someone.

Brielle and Evan must reconcile the warring in their hearts, if they’ve any hope to find the peace the seek.

Click HERE to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

More from Misty

A secret village living in hidden caves for a century…

One of the fun things about being a writer is letting your imagine run away with itself at times. In general, I’ve never considered myself a creative person. Not like my grandmother, who’s an amazing artist and decorator. She can look at something plain and normal and, with a little paint, create something truly beautiful.

But little by little, I’ve finally learned that just because I don’t feel creative like she is, I still have an imagination that can come up with intriguing ideas.

For example, I was listening to a historical podcast a few years ago that talked about the Vikings and the female warriors who would sometimes gain fame among them. As the hosts talked about the first Viking raids to North America, I started thinking… “What if one of those groups went farther west than any of us thought? What if they found the Rocky Mountains and lived there in a hidden community for centuries?” The thought took hold, and little by little, the idea for the Brides of Laurent series came to life.

I eventually changed the village to be a French settlement named Laurent. The village’s primary warrior was a woman named Brielle Durand, who’d worked hard to win her place as Le Commandant, leader of the Guards and Hunters. I love Brielle’s strength and wit, but also how real her personal struggles became as I wrote her character.

Add in a mountain man spy working for the United States government, and you have the secret for a romance with sparks to light up the mountain sky!

I pray you love A Warrior’s Heart, the first book in this new series. And keep an eye on some of the other characters in the book who might get their own stories soon!

Blessings!

Misty

My Review

Misty Beller has quickly become one of my favorite historical romance authors. I would not have thought that an author could pen so many books with similar settings, genres, and themes without falling into a rut or monotonous pattern, but Beller accomplishes this feat with aplomb. Each story is unique and uplifting, a glimpse into the nineteenth century and how romance and faith sustained the characters through hardship and heartache. Her latest novel, A Warrior’s Heart, truly stands out to me as one of the most intriguing, and my favorite to date, and it heralds the beginning of the Brides of Laurent series.

Set in the Rocky Mountains in Canada during the War of 1812, A Warrior’s Heart presents a world that sounds idyllic until a stranger enters and starts a ripple effect in the lives of its inhabitants. Native Scotsman and American Evan McManus is a man on a mission, looking for a specific mineral that the government believes will help them win this second war against the British, when he unwittingly stumbles upon a clandestine community and into the path of its capable lady warrior, Brielle Durand. With that fascinating premise, readers embark on an adventure of discovery, one which shatters stereotypes while creating a world not so far removed from our own in certain ways.

If I’m being honest, Laurent sounds like both a bit of a dream come true and a nightmare. I appreciate the detachment from the world at large and find myself wishing for that kind of self-sufficiency and for the well-being to continue. As Evan realizes, “Staying within these walls meant safety. In this land that was more treacherous than any he’d seen, these people had survived, and even thrived, because of the walls.” The thought of living in a space, likely without windows, hewn from rock, is unbearable to me, although I am impressed by the detail and planning of the homes and meeting structure and how everything is interconnected. Brielle notes that “Her people were peace-loving. They only wanted to remain completely on their own, invisible to the world except for the natives they traded with.” More and more in this current age, I find myself in agreement with this!

A few other aspects of the Laurent people captured my attention and stoked my interest, as well. The most obvious is Brielle’s unusual position as Le Commandant, leader of the guards and hunters. Her demeanor is difficult to decipher, and after she begins to reveal her emotions, she feels overwhelmed by all that she must do. When she doubts herself, Evan reassures her: “You excelled where you were gifted. That’s what all people who achieve great things have done. You leaned into your strength and accomplished feats few people would attempt.” The Laurent people’s fluency in three languages also breaks stereotypes of the native people of any land being simple-minded or uneducated.

Most precious of all is the faith element, which shines forth from both Evan and Brielle in spite of their seeming opposite natures early on. While I would have expected one or the other to have a stunted or even nonexistent faith, both characters exhibit faithfulness and godly compassion in their own way, and this bears fruit in their lives as the story unfolds. Just how far this harvest can reach will become evident when readers turn the final page of this inspiring new novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

My rating: 5 stars ♥♥♥♥♥

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, September 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 30

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 30

An Author’s Take, September 30

Remembrancy, October 1

Bigreadersite, October 1

lakesidelivingsite, October 2

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 2

Joanna Bair, October 2

Inklings and notions, October 3

To Everything There Is A Season, October 3

Reviewingbooksplusmore, October 3

Wishful Endings, October 4

For Him and My Family, October 4

Mary Hake, October 4

deb’s Book Review, October 5

Life of Literature, October 5

Betti Mace, October 6

Blossoms and Blessings, October 6

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 6

Blessed & Bookish, October 7

Connie’s History Classroom, October 7

For the Love of Literature, October 8

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 8

Connect in Fiction, October 8

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 9

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 10

Through the Fire Blogs, October 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 10

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 11

Simple Harvest Reads, October 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, October 12

Pause for Tales, October 12

Live. Love. Read., October 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/11dc9/a-warrior-s-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway