Rocky Mountain Rendezvous - Review

Rocky Mountain Rendezvous (Sisters of the Rockies, #1)

By: Misty M Beller

Publication: June 6th 2023 by Bethany House Publishers

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--In 1837, Juniper Collins and her sisters are shocked by their father's final request in his will for a special set of beads to be returned to a Piegan Blackfoot woman he credits with saving his life during his travels west. Together, the sisters set out for the trapper rendezvous to find the woman, but their mission turns more daunting when they come upon the mass of men and lodges spread out in the Green River Valley.

Riley Turner came west to find peace and quiet and live off the land, but when four unprotected women arrive at the rendezvous, he feels compelled to help them and is more fascinated by Juniper than any other woman he's known.

As their search brings only empty leads and dead ends, the sisters must decide whether to return east or stay in the mountains to continue looking--and that's if the mystery woman is even still alive. Is the risk to honor their father's last request worth the danger they find at every turn?

Discover the majesty--and treachery--of the Rocky Mountains in this unique combination of exhilarating adventure, inspiring faith, and sweet romance from USA Today bestselling author Misty M. Beller.

I like Misty M Beller. I've read two previous series by her (Hearts of Montana & Brides of Laurent). The description of Rocky Mountain Rendezvous didn't sound as exciting to me as some of her other books, but I felt she had enough track record with me to request it. The description kept me from diving in immediately, but I finally got around to reading this one and I did enjoy it.

Juniper is the second oldest sister of the four Collins sisters and the main female character of this story. She isn't the natural leader, that would be Rosemary--the eldest. But she is fiercely protective of her sisters putting her forward in many situations. The sisters were tasked by their father on his deathbed to return a necklace given to him by a Peigan healer when she saved his life many years ago. Despite the danger to them all, they set out on this mission. And they are determined to see it through. Even still, they do have a plan for after. They just didn't have any clue how difficult finding one woman would be in the Colorado wilderness.

Riley is a trapper and immediately takes on the role of protector for the Collins sisters. He can't believe that they know the potential dangers they face among the men of the rendezvous. Since he's determined to protect them, he also takes on the role of guide on their journey in searching for Steps Right. Riley does have an almost immediate attraction to Juniper although he doesn't have any romantic feelings for quite a while.

The journey of searching for Steps Right is what gives Riley and Juniper a chance to form a connection and develop further feelings for each other. Juniper and her sisters did have an agreement that no matter what they would not allow their attentions to be swayed by any men on their trip. And I appreciated their judgment to determine to pay for any services offered by a man along the way to not become indebted or beholden to any man in any way.

As per usual in Misty M Beller's books, there's also a bit of mystery. Steps Right isn't found among any of the native tribes they visit. Although more than one Native American they meet reacts a little oddly when they ask about her. Also, horses seem to be getting stolen from the rendezvous. Who is behind the thievery?

Rocky Mountain Rendezvous had a really slow start. I struggled to get into the book because it took longer than I wanted for the characters to connect in a meaningful way. The beginning at least was full of necessary setup and the overall plot of trying to find Steps Right. Necessary, sure, but I prefer romance-driven books where the relationships are driving the story. I am intrigued about future books in the series so I do look forward to finding out which sister will be the focus of the next book. Rocky Mountain Rendezvous gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Rocky Mountain Rendezvous? What did you think? Let me know!