Reviews

Rocky Mountain Oasis by Lynnette Bonner

yhtak's review against another edition

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unhauled

amber_thiessen's review against another edition

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4.0

A mail order bride arrives. A Christian man tries to do the right thing and save her from his troubled cousin. Trust takes time, but he will patiently persevere in proving himself to her. Danger is close though and the Wild West is no stranger to chaos.

I loved the Jordan family, their faith and commitment to each other and to prayer. Brooke's tenacity despite her past is also endearing. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series. If you're looking for a Christian western, grab this one.

kebreads's review against another edition

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4.0

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters in this book drew me, the minor characters as well as the minor characters. I look forward to someday reading the other books in the series, since they feature the stories of some of the minor characters that I grew to love through reading this book.

This book touches on a number of social issues, including abuse. There is also some violence and gore in the book. Because of these things, I feel this book is more appropriate for people at least in there mid-teens.

This is a Christian book, and I enjoyed seeing how this influenced the characters. The one thing the really rubbed me a little wrong was that the translation of the Bible that was used for the verses quoted in the book is a translation that is much newer than the time period of the book. I feel using a translation that was around back in the time the novel was set would be more appropriate.

Content: Some violence and gore
Source: Kindle freebie

See my review at http://www.iamareader.com/2014/05/book-review-rocky-mountain-oasis-by-lynnette-bonner.html

astraia_sun's review against another edition

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4.0

I really enjoyed this book! I will straight up admit that I'm a huge sucker for mail order bride/marriage of convenience story lines. I also have a long history of reading Christian Historical Fiction, so I love it when they cross paths.

My heart went out to poor Brooke. She had such a terrible life before marrying Sky. In a little way the book reminded me of Redeeming Love, but just some of the general background of the characters. I also really liked the fact that the major mystery plot was based on a true story. At first I was a bit leery of that part, but it definitely grew on me.

My only quibble is that the book was TOO preachy. I know, it's a Christian novel and so of course there will be religion in it. I guess it just felt way too heavy-handed, which is a problem I have with a lot of books in this genre. It's hard to strike a good balance for me to be happy, so I guess it could just be my problem and not anyone else's.

In any case, I really look forward to reading the others in this series, especially the one about Jason.

caslater83's review

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5.0

This book was better than I had anticipated! Brooke is a woman with a scarred past--one that she struggles to let go of despite her innermost desire to move on. She is shipped out west as a mail-order bride, uncertain if the future will be any better than the past. Sky is a man who strikes me as the type of person who believes in truth, justice, and the American way (old-west style, of course). He hopes that somehow he can break through the barriers that prevents him from having the kind of relationship he wants with Brooke.

The style of writing is wonderful, the characters are relate-able, and I think you'll be quite satisfied with the story line.

kbaney's review against another edition

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4.0

Lynette Bonner transports you to Idaho and the wild west of the 1880's. The story follows Sky Jordan and Brooke Baker as they meet under very unconventional circumstances. Brooke has suffered terrible abuse in her past and has a difficult time learning to trust Sky. It's hard for her to believe he is different than all of the other men she's known. But Sky is a very trustworthy and his patience is tested as he continues to try to prove that to her.

The story had a few twists and turns with an unexpected murder that draws both Sky and Brooke into the tension that unfolds following the murder.

The book contains numerous scripture references as some of the characters are challenged to accept a new truth about who God is.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

alexlcriddle's review against another edition

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3.0

This novel was well written and especially interesting as some of the events are based on historical facts. The differing character view points added depth and intrigue to the story. Though it was a clean romance, there was some violence that was described in detail, so I would be weary if that bothers you. At times, I did find it to be a bit preachy, but can appreciate the author’s conviction and faith.

psitssarahhhh's review

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1.0

Not my favorite book, at all. I'm really surprised that I finished this book to be quite honest. Not only is the book extremely preachy, but the main characters are a bit dull and whiny. I would go into detail but ... I really don't want to. Not my cup of tea.

rachearl's review

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4.0

A woman is sent to the rural Idaho, as a mail order bride by her evil uncle. She is expecting the worst and she was headed right into when she is instead married to her intended's cousin, who is a man like she has never known before. This is the first book in the Shepherd's Heart series.

Sometimes books can resolve real life issues too quickly, making them unrealistic. I was impressed that this author didn't push her characters too far and let them develop at normal speed. They became more real because of it. Sky's patience with Brooke's past is just what she needs.
Great start to a fabulous series.

sydneyelaine's review

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4.0

This book was such an easy and sweet read. I really enjoyed it.

It was mushy-gushy. This is sort of a matter of opinion but I'm a mushy person so I loved reading about this. Some people may be annoyed with that, though. It had a good amount of suspense in it, but it wasn't until a few chapters into the book. There are definitely more things I enjoyed but I can't tell you why due to spoilers.

Some things to be aware of are mentions of abuse (physical and hints at sexual), a pretty graphic description of a murder, and another "scenes" of such. There is also a choice word, but there is only one.

I do recommend this if you are looking for a short, easy, mushy romance book.
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