Her heart longs for peace, but peace won't keep them safe.
Brielle Durand is still 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 home, she has no choice but to disarm and capture him. But now, what to do with this man who 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 his promise to his government or take a risk on where his heart is leading him? Either choice will cause harm to someone.
Brielle and Evan must reconcile the warring in their hearts to have any hope of finding peace for their peoples.
Review
Misty Beller has created a world that I wish I could move into. The village of Laurent drives your imagination into overdrive. What would it be like to stumble upon a hidden society that had been separated from outside contact for over a hundred years? Of a people so isolated that they were hiding from a war that no longer existed and were now an integral part of something entirely beyond their knowledge? A place where children could speak multiple languages and survive on the barest of necessities and yet would never be given an option to leave their hidden sanctuary?
The avenues for story telling here are endless. My own fingers itch to add a tale to this incredible setting - no wonder M. Beller has turned this into a series! If the village isn't enough to capture your undivided attention, than the characters that fill it will certainly be enough. I couldn't get enough of Brielle, the council, the healer Audrey, and the American Scout Evan. These characters along with many others wove a tale that I couldn't put down until I'd turned the last page. This story was beautifully done and I can't wait to read the next installment of Brides of Laurent. I give this book five stars and definitely encourage anyone who loves a good story to add this to their book pile.
Thank-you so much to Graf Martin Communications and to Baker Publishing House for giving me a copy to review.
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