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My Heart Belongs
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmela s Quandary
Journey now to Tuscon, Arizona, and into the Superstition Mountains of 1866, where...
A Chance for Escape Takes Two Unlikely Allies on a Romantic Adventure Along a Desert Trail
Since orphaned at age twelve, Carmela Wade has lived a lie orchestrated by her uncle, pretending to be a survivor of an Indian kidnapping and profiting from telling her made-up story on the speaker circuit. But as she matures into adulthood, Carmela hates the lies and longs to be free. On a stagecoach in Arizona Territory, Carmela and her uncle are fellow passengers with US Marshal Freeland McKay and his handcuffed prisoner.
The stage is attacked. Now a chance to make a new life may suddenly be within Carmela’s reach. . .if she can survive the harsh terrain and being handcuffed to an unconscious man.
Will Carmela’s wish come true, or will she forever be branded by her past?
More from My Heart Belongs in Series...
My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss: Priscilla's Reveille by Erica Vetsch (January 2017)
My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca's Plight by Susanne Dietze (May 2017)
My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring by Carrie Fancett Pagels (July 2017)
My Heart Belongs in the Shenandoah Valley: Lily's Dilemma by Andrea Boeshaar (September 2017)
A Chance for Escape Takes Two Unlikely Allies on a Romantic Adventure Along a Desert Trail
Since orphaned at age twelve, Carmela Wade has lived a lie orchestrated by her uncle, pretending to be a survivor of an Indian kidnapping and profiting from telling her made-up story on the speaker circuit. But as she matures into adulthood, Carmela hates the lies and longs to be free. On a stagecoach in Arizona Territory, Carmela and her uncle are fellow passengers with US Marshal Freeland McKay and his handcuffed prisoner.
The stage is attacked. Now a chance to make a new life may suddenly be within Carmela’s reach. . .if she can survive the harsh terrain and being handcuffed to an unconscious man.
Will Carmela’s wish come true, or will she forever be branded by her past?
More from My Heart Belongs in Series...
My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss: Priscilla's Reveille by Erica Vetsch (January 2017)
My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca's Plight by Susanne Dietze (May 2017)
My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring by Carrie Fancett Pagels (July 2017)
My Heart Belongs in the Shenandoah Valley: Lily's Dilemma by Andrea Boeshaar (September 2017)
255 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2017
17 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Susan Page Davis
176 books527 followersFROM AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: I'm a native of central Maine, and grew up on a small farm with a wonderful mom and dad, three sisters and a brother. Most of my books take place in small towns, many of them in Maine.
My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine!
Our children are all home-schooled. When Jim retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, we moved from Maine to Kentucky.
I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books.
Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.
For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.
My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine!
Our children are all home-schooled. When Jim retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, we moved from Maine to Kentucky.
I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books.
Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.
For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 16, 2017
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this Western adventure. Engaging characters with Camela and Freeland, and a delightful lack of overly descriptive romance! I could comfortably recommend this book even to young teens.
Carmela is a young woman of twenty whose uncle has been exploiting her for years. Her parents died on the trail to California, and she was cared for by kind friends for some months before her closest living relative, her uncle, could arrive to claim her. He, citing unpaid debts her parents owed, and guilting/punishing her into submission, invents a story of her having been a victim of an Indian attack and forces her to tour the country telling the story he invented.
Freeland's a marshal from Tucson and is riding along with a prisoner he is transporting when the stagecoach they are on is robbed. The bad guys leave Carmela and Freeland handcuffed together in the desert and ride off with their loot.
First there's the fight to survive the desert; then, the choice Carmela faces: for the first time in her recent life, she is away from her uncle and able to speak for herself. But how can she break through the habitual lies of years? How can she admit she's been telling an untrue story all this time?
Also: I loved Mrs. Finney!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this Western adventure. Engaging characters with Camela and Freeland, and a delightful lack of overly descriptive romance! I could comfortably recommend this book even to young teens.
Carmela is a young woman of twenty whose uncle has been exploiting her for years. Her parents died on the trail to California, and she was cared for by kind friends for some months before her closest living relative, her uncle, could arrive to claim her. He, citing unpaid debts her parents owed, and guilting/punishing her into submission, invents a story of her having been a victim of an Indian attack and forces her to tour the country telling the story he invented.
Freeland's a marshal from Tucson and is riding along with a prisoner he is transporting when the stagecoach they are on is robbed. The bad guys leave Carmela and Freeland handcuffed together in the desert and ride off with their loot.
First there's the fight to survive the desert; then, the choice Carmela faces: for the first time in her recent life, she is away from her uncle and able to speak for herself. But how can she break through the habitual lies of years? How can she admit she's been telling an untrue story all this time?
Also: I loved Mrs. Finney!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
February 11, 2017
I enjoyed this book so much! If you like a clean Western, look no farther!
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmela’s Quandry (2017, Barbour) by Susan Page Davis, second in the My Heart Belongs series, is a Christian Western with a touch of romance set in 1866 Arizona Territory, right after the civil war. The novel is a standalone story, with the first book written by another author and set in another state. I jumped at the chance to receive this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, because I previously enjoyed this author’s Prairie Dreams trilogy.
Rating: 5 stars
The heroine: Carmela Wade was orphaned at age twelve and became a ward to her Uncle Silas. Unfortunately, Silas viewed Carmela as a way to make a profit. He put black and blue Indian markings on her chin and coerced her to give speeches about her (completely fabricated) captivity by a group of Indians. She hates doing it, but “if she didn’t say her piece word-perfect and reply to the people’s questions with the answers he had formulated, she would pay dearly for it later.” In chapter two, the story jumps forward several years, and Carmela is still in the same predicament, but she is twenty years old and will soon reach her majority.
The hero: In the first chapter, which feels like a prologue, Freeland McKay’s little brother Will recognizes that Carmela is in need of help. Will asks Freeland to use his position as a deputy marshal to find a way to help Carmela. Circumstances intervene, and Carmela leaves town before he can do attempt to do anything. Five years later, her uncle has scheduled another speaking engagement in Tucson and this time, Freeland and Carmela cross paths. Adventure follows!
Christian elements:
*The theme of deceit versus truth is very much present throughout this book. In fact, it may be the best literary example I’ve ever seen. It includes a well-balanced and realistic picture of the impact of deceit and and of the aftermath once the truth is told. (It is simultaneously freeing and challenging to turn your life around.)
*I also really liked Carmela’s faith. “Her mother had always taught her that things turned out best for those who loved God. That was hard to accept now, with her parents gone and the deception she’d been forced to live for the past eight years. Now she was utterly alone, but she couldn’t shake off her faith. Bad things happened to God’s people, she knew that. She wasn’t sure why He allowed suffering, but somehow, all of this was supposed to lead her to a good outcome - if not in this life, then in the next.”
What I liked:
*The author included an impressive amount of detail, and this book seems to be very well-researched. I learned a little bit about the Superstition Mountains, which I had previously never heard of. Also, I found the following quote informative: “Now that the war was over, there was no money to build things like railroads. The West needed time to recover.” I’ve never witnessed the effects of a war, but this statement makes perfect sense.
*I enjoyed the action in this story. It was just enough to keep it interesting, but I didn’t feel like it was implausible.
What I didn’t like: I would have preferred more romance. Given the plot, I don’t think the lack of romance was a flaw, so this doesn’t affect my rating. But I think it’s worth noting here, because like me, some other readers prefer romance to be more present. Personally, I seek out almost exclusively romance novels, and I rarely (and grudgingly) read stories that are not romances. I actually wouldn’t classify this book as a romance. While there is a HEA (happily ever after) at 98% into the book, and the reader knows partway through that the hero and heroine hold each other in high regard, there is no witty dialogue or flirting between the two. Surprisingly, though, I was totally content with their interactions, because this was a wonderfully engrossing, well-written story.
I recommend this book to fans of Christian (and/or clean) Westerns. I will continue to read more of Ms. Davis’s stories. I have put Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island, Canada on my to-read list, as my husband and I will be going to PEI in the not-too-distant future. :-)
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmela’s Quandry (2017, Barbour) by Susan Page Davis, second in the My Heart Belongs series, is a Christian Western with a touch of romance set in 1866 Arizona Territory, right after the civil war. The novel is a standalone story, with the first book written by another author and set in another state. I jumped at the chance to receive this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, because I previously enjoyed this author’s Prairie Dreams trilogy.
Rating: 5 stars
The heroine: Carmela Wade was orphaned at age twelve and became a ward to her Uncle Silas. Unfortunately, Silas viewed Carmela as a way to make a profit. He put black and blue Indian markings on her chin and coerced her to give speeches about her (completely fabricated) captivity by a group of Indians. She hates doing it, but “if she didn’t say her piece word-perfect and reply to the people’s questions with the answers he had formulated, she would pay dearly for it later.” In chapter two, the story jumps forward several years, and Carmela is still in the same predicament, but she is twenty years old and will soon reach her majority.
The hero: In the first chapter, which feels like a prologue, Freeland McKay’s little brother Will recognizes that Carmela is in need of help. Will asks Freeland to use his position as a deputy marshal to find a way to help Carmela. Circumstances intervene, and Carmela leaves town before he can do attempt to do anything. Five years later, her uncle has scheduled another speaking engagement in Tucson and this time, Freeland and Carmela cross paths. Adventure follows!
Christian elements:
*The theme of deceit versus truth is very much present throughout this book. In fact, it may be the best literary example I’ve ever seen. It includes a well-balanced and realistic picture of the impact of deceit and and of the aftermath once the truth is told. (It is simultaneously freeing and challenging to turn your life around.)
*I also really liked Carmela’s faith. “Her mother had always taught her that things turned out best for those who loved God. That was hard to accept now, with her parents gone and the deception she’d been forced to live for the past eight years. Now she was utterly alone, but she couldn’t shake off her faith. Bad things happened to God’s people, she knew that. She wasn’t sure why He allowed suffering, but somehow, all of this was supposed to lead her to a good outcome - if not in this life, then in the next.”
What I liked:
*The author included an impressive amount of detail, and this book seems to be very well-researched. I learned a little bit about the Superstition Mountains, which I had previously never heard of. Also, I found the following quote informative: “Now that the war was over, there was no money to build things like railroads. The West needed time to recover.” I’ve never witnessed the effects of a war, but this statement makes perfect sense.
*I enjoyed the action in this story. It was just enough to keep it interesting, but I didn’t feel like it was implausible.
What I didn’t like: I would have preferred more romance. Given the plot, I don’t think the lack of romance was a flaw, so this doesn’t affect my rating. But I think it’s worth noting here, because like me, some other readers prefer romance to be more present. Personally, I seek out almost exclusively romance novels, and I rarely (and grudgingly) read stories that are not romances. I actually wouldn’t classify this book as a romance. While there is a HEA (happily ever after) at 98% into the book, and the reader knows partway through that the hero and heroine hold each other in high regard, there is no witty dialogue or flirting between the two. Surprisingly, though, I was totally content with their interactions, because this was a wonderfully engrossing, well-written story.
I recommend this book to fans of Christian (and/or clean) Westerns. I will continue to read more of Ms. Davis’s stories. I have put Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island, Canada on my to-read list, as my husband and I will be going to PEI in the not-too-distant future. :-)
February 24, 2017
Forced to give speeches,by her uncle, since she was 12 about a supposed Indian abduction that happened to her,Carmela is miserable. When her parents and brother died on the trail she is alone in the world until her uncle swoops in and takes her under his wing . He says her father owes him a large amount of money that she must repay the debt. He forces her to speak about a fictitious Indian abduction happening to her. These speeches happen in many towns and he makes a large amount of money . On the way to the next town their stagecoach is robbed and her uncle is wounded. Not knowing if he is dead or alive she is rescued from the stagecoach by the deputy US marshal. She longs to end the deception and this way of life. This book was very interesting and kept my attention. I am really enjoying the, My Heart Belongs series from Barbour books. It's fascinating to read historical stories about different states. This takes place in Arizona and I used to live in Yuma, Arizona where part of this story took place. I could definitely see this taking place in the wilds of the Arizona desert.
Looking forward to reading more from this series.
Pub Date 01 Mar 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Books for providing me with a review copy for my honest opinion.
Looking forward to reading more from this series.
Pub Date 01 Mar 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Books for providing me with a review copy for my honest opinion.
February 18, 2017
Carmela's Quandary...a great title for this story. Carmela was a little girl when her wagon train was attacked by Indians, her parents killed and she was taken captive. She lived five years with the Indians and was marked as their own by a series of tattoos that cover her lower face. Now she goes around speaking and sharing her story. Her uncle manages all her events and controls the money. Now Carmela is 20 years old and has a problem...a big problem. Everything she has said has been a lie!!!!
Carmela finds herself finishing a speaking engagement in Tucson, the second one in five years, and then heading out on a stagecoach to the next town for another engagement. There are also several other passengers onboard, one of whom looks like a grown version of a young boy she meet years ago on her first visit to Tucson. That young boy told her that he could help her, more importantly, his brother who is a deputy could help her. Well that deputy brother, Freeland McKay, is on the stagecoach escorting a prisoner. Carmela can't believe the chances of meeting him in this way. Could he possibly be the answer to her prayers? Could he be the one to help her right the wrongs and lies she told for years under her uncle's direction?
This was a sweet western romance with peril and soul searching. There were a few moments where it seemed slower paced and I found myself skimming. I enjoyed the struggle that Carmela had to go through. I liked watching her figure out how to go about becoming the person she truly wanted to be and not the person she was told she was by her uncle as well as all those who had heard her "story". She truly sought to do good and be a good person. Even with how she was used by her uncle she still had compassion towards him. She was definitely a good example for the many people she encountered. I liked the way the author wrote Carmela's character as being able to help others. Also that Carmela never lied in her personal interactions when asked questions, she did her best to be honest and not lie.
As the stagecoach they are riding on is attacked Carmela finds herself in several perilous moments. Her uncle is shot, she is handcuffed, the stage is stolen, her uncle gone, and she is left in the desert with an unconscious deputy. With many encounters with Indians, bandits, townspeople and others who were captured by Indians, Carmela has much to learn and much to offer.
The story alternates between Carmela and Freeland's POV. Sometimes they are together and other times they are separated by his duties as a deputy. I enjoyed reading their different perspectives and thoughts.
Content: Sweet clean romance, some shootouts and a couple battle wounds but nothing graphic. This is a Christian fiction so there is talk of God and the characters occasionally offer prayers asking for help. It flowed very well with the storyline and with the growth Carmela went through.
I received an ARC from Barbour publishing via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
Carmela finds herself finishing a speaking engagement in Tucson, the second one in five years, and then heading out on a stagecoach to the next town for another engagement. There are also several other passengers onboard, one of whom looks like a grown version of a young boy she meet years ago on her first visit to Tucson. That young boy told her that he could help her, more importantly, his brother who is a deputy could help her. Well that deputy brother, Freeland McKay, is on the stagecoach escorting a prisoner. Carmela can't believe the chances of meeting him in this way. Could he possibly be the answer to her prayers? Could he be the one to help her right the wrongs and lies she told for years under her uncle's direction?
This was a sweet western romance with peril and soul searching. There were a few moments where it seemed slower paced and I found myself skimming. I enjoyed the struggle that Carmela had to go through. I liked watching her figure out how to go about becoming the person she truly wanted to be and not the person she was told she was by her uncle as well as all those who had heard her "story". She truly sought to do good and be a good person. Even with how she was used by her uncle she still had compassion towards him. She was definitely a good example for the many people she encountered. I liked the way the author wrote Carmela's character as being able to help others. Also that Carmela never lied in her personal interactions when asked questions, she did her best to be honest and not lie.
As the stagecoach they are riding on is attacked Carmela finds herself in several perilous moments. Her uncle is shot, she is handcuffed, the stage is stolen, her uncle gone, and she is left in the desert with an unconscious deputy. With many encounters with Indians, bandits, townspeople and others who were captured by Indians, Carmela has much to learn and much to offer.
The story alternates between Carmela and Freeland's POV. Sometimes they are together and other times they are separated by his duties as a deputy. I enjoyed reading their different perspectives and thoughts.
Content: Sweet clean romance, some shootouts and a couple battle wounds but nothing graphic. This is a Christian fiction so there is talk of God and the characters occasionally offer prayers asking for help. It flowed very well with the storyline and with the growth Carmela went through.
I received an ARC from Barbour publishing via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
February 6, 2017
A historical romance with the flair of the old West! Quick paced for the most part, with interesting characters, and a bit of real history mixed in, it kept me turning the page to find out what happened next! Arizona Territory in 1866 was a rough, unsettled place, and made a colorful backdrop to the story.
Carmela is a sincere young woman stuck in a dishonest situation, torn between family loyalty and the need to break free. I loved her stalwart spirit, and the compassion she shows others, often at the risk of her own safety. Stepping out in her fledgling faith, she moves towards righting past wrongs, hoping for a new beginning. I couldn't help but cheer for her!
Freeland is a great western hero, brave and true, recognizing the special young woman he has been paired with in their adventure together. His kindness underneath the tough exterior made him a very likable character.
Recommend to readers who enjoy historical Christian romances in a western setting!
(An e-book provided by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.)
Carmela is a sincere young woman stuck in a dishonest situation, torn between family loyalty and the need to break free. I loved her stalwart spirit, and the compassion she shows others, often at the risk of her own safety. Stepping out in her fledgling faith, she moves towards righting past wrongs, hoping for a new beginning. I couldn't help but cheer for her!
Freeland is a great western hero, brave and true, recognizing the special young woman he has been paired with in their adventure together. His kindness underneath the tough exterior made him a very likable character.
Recommend to readers who enjoy historical Christian romances in a western setting!
(An e-book provided by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.)
March 16, 2017
5 Stars! The story inside this beautiful cover does not disappoint. I loved it!
Carmela's Quandary is a quick moving story filled with tragedy, suspense and many twists and turns.
Carmela becomes the ward of her Uncle Silas at the age of twelve when her parents die on the trail west. Silas forces young Carmela to perform in front of large crowds, telling a made up story of captivity. As Carmela ages, she longs to stop the lies, but her uncle says she must perform, he says she owes him for her father's debt. A stage coach robbery provides an opportunity like none other. With Uncle Silas injured and taken by the robbers, Carmela ends up handcuffed to a handsome deputy.
I will stop here, I don't want to give any spoilers. If you are drawn to the Inspirational Historical western fiction genre, you will love this book, if not, this would be a perfect introduction.
Carmela's Quandary is a quick moving story filled with tragedy, suspense and many twists and turns.
Carmela becomes the ward of her Uncle Silas at the age of twelve when her parents die on the trail west. Silas forces young Carmela to perform in front of large crowds, telling a made up story of captivity. As Carmela ages, she longs to stop the lies, but her uncle says she must perform, he says she owes him for her father's debt. A stage coach robbery provides an opportunity like none other. With Uncle Silas injured and taken by the robbers, Carmela ends up handcuffed to a handsome deputy.
I will stop here, I don't want to give any spoilers. If you are drawn to the Inspirational Historical western fiction genre, you will love this book, if not, this would be a perfect introduction.
May 18, 2017
This was certainly a Wild West adventure in the Arizona territory for one Carmela Wade and US Marshal Freeland McKay. Since being orphaned at 12 years old, Carmela has lived a life of bondage and lies with her charlatan uncle never allowed to grow up in a normal home with love and affection. I was actually shocked and amazed at the lengths her uncle went to make the act Carmela had to put on as believable as possible. There was quite a bit of action in this story: outlaws, Native American attacks, and kidnappings all taking place in a country that was just beginning to recover from the American Civil War.
I liked how the author showed how such fictitious stories can start and how mobs can quickly be formed with so little evidence or truth, especially when there is little to no forgiveness and she compared that to genuine forgiveness and love. There were also some great lessons that no matter what you have been through, your past can be a positive influence to help others in their current dilemmas.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive review.
I liked how the author showed how such fictitious stories can start and how mobs can quickly be formed with so little evidence or truth, especially when there is little to no forgiveness and she compared that to genuine forgiveness and love. There were also some great lessons that no matter what you have been through, your past can be a positive influence to help others in their current dilemmas.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive review.
June 3, 2017
This was so much better than the previous book in the series! While I no longer read much historical romance, I do enjoy them upon occasion. I was immediately drawn into this story, and was unable to put it down!
Carmela was a multi-faceted character stuck in horrible circumstances. I appreciated her fortitude and unwillingness to give up or complain about things. She was an inspiring character. Freeland seemed to be a good and honorable character, one who looked past Carmela's past to who she was trying to be. I was sad to hear about what happened to the brother that tried to bring the two of them together. The story wasn't preachy at all for being an inspirational romance, and the faith was actually very believable.
The main problem I had with it was that there really wasn't enough interaction between Carmela and Freeland to warrant declarations of love and proposals of marriage. I would have preferred to see a bit of a courtship between the two of them before marriage was proposed, honestly, but it didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the story overall. I am very eager to read the next book in the series!
Carmela was a multi-faceted character stuck in horrible circumstances. I appreciated her fortitude and unwillingness to give up or complain about things. She was an inspiring character. Freeland seemed to be a good and honorable character, one who looked past Carmela's past to who she was trying to be. I was sad to hear about what happened to the brother that tried to bring the two of them together. The story wasn't preachy at all for being an inspirational romance, and the faith was actually very believable.
The main problem I had with it was that there really wasn't enough interaction between Carmela and Freeland to warrant declarations of love and proposals of marriage. I would have preferred to see a bit of a courtship between the two of them before marriage was proposed, honestly, but it didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the story overall. I am very eager to read the next book in the series!
April 17, 2017
Carmela Wade has lived a lie since she was twelve. She's longed to break free of her uncle and their life on the road, traveling to tell others about her supposed life as an Indian captive. She's hated deceiving folks, but hasn't come up with a way to support herself and is still under age.
US Marshal Freeland McKay hopes to transport his prisoner to Prescott without incidents. When Carmela and her uncle travel on the same stagecoach, his curiosity is aroused. When problems befall them, he feels he must do what he can to protect her.
Susan Page Davis weaves an intriguing tale with just the right amount of historical details, suspense, and romance. I was sad when the book came to an end. Great job, Susan.
US Marshal Freeland McKay hopes to transport his prisoner to Prescott without incidents. When Carmela and her uncle travel on the same stagecoach, his curiosity is aroused. When problems befall them, he feels he must do what he can to protect her.
Susan Page Davis weaves an intriguing tale with just the right amount of historical details, suspense, and romance. I was sad when the book came to an end. Great job, Susan.
June 5, 2022
Very entertaining vacation type read especially for those who like stories of the old west.
November 26, 2018
My rating: 4/5 🌟
My Heart Belongs in The Superstition Mountains by Susan Page Davis is a great book if you are looking for a Christian western with a hint of romance. It's an action packed and suspenseful journey through the Arizona desert. Definitely a must for Christian Western fans. It will be a book I reread from time to time!
Find my full review & lessons I learnt from the book on my blog:
https://thesonoranreads.wordpress.com...
My Heart Belongs in The Superstition Mountains by Susan Page Davis is a great book if you are looking for a Christian western with a hint of romance. It's an action packed and suspenseful journey through the Arizona desert. Definitely a must for Christian Western fans. It will be a book I reread from time to time!
Find my full review & lessons I learnt from the book on my blog:
https://thesonoranreads.wordpress.com...
January 20, 2017
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountain : Carmela's Quandary is a great book. It is full of drama, mystery, romance, and action. All that a reader would expect in a historical fiction set in the west. A wonderful story to see the inner beauty.
5 plus stars.
5 plus stars.
March 5, 2021
I didn't finish the book, but I got far before giving up. The premise of the book is quite interesting and I sympathized with the heroine over the complexity of her decision whether to stop lying or not. At first, her hesitation is about things like getting into legal trouble, dealing with backlash, how to make a living, etc. I thought the author did well in bringing in the idea of how revealing the truth could actually harm others who took comfort in her story so it was not such a black and white issue.
The male lead seemed very one dimensional, and I felt no real connection between the two leads. I found his character a bit confusing too - at one point, he understands he will need to escort Carmela to the nearest large town for her safety. He seems happy or at the very least neutral about this fact. Then he meets his boss and is like "darn, I *have* to escort her?!"
I thought his next chapter would expand on his change of opinion - have him hem and haw a bit about his desire to do his job vs. his desire to be with his love. But instead it acted like he never realized he'd need to escort her before. Huh?
I found the depiction of Native Americans confusing and racist at times. At some points, the author does well pointing out the complexity of different native cultures and how their life is being impacted negatively by the incursion of settlers. It combats the unrealistic idealization of the "noble savage" by describing how their life is just as full of hard work and pain as anyone else's, no better or worse.
And then there are parts where the author/Carmela is like "of course our lifestyle is better in every way, they're savages! How could anyone view anything of theirs in a positive light?" To the point where I read (80% or so of the book), there was not one positive portrayal of a Native American. The native who saves Carmela earlier in the story comes back to be somewhat of a villain.
Characters, including Carmela, also use racial slurs. Whether that bothers you is personal taste. While I understand these words would have been used at the time when the story is set, the story was written in our time. I feel like using slurs without addressing their use at some point very problematic.
The author could have chose to have only the antagonists use them to denote their inappropriateness today, or have ignorant characters use them and they learn better later. Or at the very least, the main character could say at least once something like "there are good and bad people in every culture, so don't use that word to describe a whole people."
The male lead seemed very one dimensional, and I felt no real connection between the two leads. I found his character a bit confusing too - at one point, he understands he will need to escort Carmela to the nearest large town for her safety. He seems happy or at the very least neutral about this fact. Then he meets his boss and is like "darn, I *have* to escort her?!"
I thought his next chapter would expand on his change of opinion - have him hem and haw a bit about his desire to do his job vs. his desire to be with his love. But instead it acted like he never realized he'd need to escort her before. Huh?
I found the depiction of Native Americans confusing and racist at times. At some points, the author does well pointing out the complexity of different native cultures and how their life is being impacted negatively by the incursion of settlers. It combats the unrealistic idealization of the "noble savage" by describing how their life is just as full of hard work and pain as anyone else's, no better or worse.
And then there are parts where the author/Carmela is like "of course our lifestyle is better in every way, they're savages! How could anyone view anything of theirs in a positive light?" To the point where I read (80% or so of the book), there was not one positive portrayal of a Native American. The native who saves Carmela earlier in the story comes back to be somewhat of a villain.
Characters, including Carmela, also use racial slurs. Whether that bothers you is personal taste. While I understand these words would have been used at the time when the story is set, the story was written in our time. I feel like using slurs without addressing their use at some point very problematic.
The author could have chose to have only the antagonists use them to denote their inappropriateness today, or have ignorant characters use them and they learn better later. Or at the very least, the main character could say at least once something like "there are good and bad people in every culture, so don't use that word to describe a whole people."
May 7, 2017
What a read this book was! I was engrossed in Carmela's story from the first page and couldn't put the book down. Susan Page David has penned a story that will keep you entertained from beginning to end with characters you will come to love and those you will hate.
I immediately liked Carmela and felt sympathy for her having to live at the mercy of her Uncle Silas, whom I hated. He was such a greedy and mean person, and I didn't like the fact he was earning money off of Carmela and making her tell lies to people. It was so easy to understand why she did it and why she wanted out of the scheme. The more I learned about Carmela's life with her uncle the more I was hoping she would find a way out.
Enter the perfect leading man for this story: Freeland McKay. I liked him right away and loved his take charge personality and the way he treated Carmela. He was protective of her from the beginning and treated her with kindness and respect. I liked how the chemistry between the two didn't overpower the story and was in fact not really mentioned too much.
Mrs. Finney was a perfect addition to the book. Her motherly nature was welcoming after all the time spent on the trail. She was a nice balance to all of the male characters in the book. She was protective of Carmela and provided her some much-needed guidance.
This is one of those books that is so easy to read that you sit down to read for a little while and suddenly realize you've been reading for hours and are over halfway through the book. The pacing of the story is perfect and the author has such a way with descriptions that you feel as if you are part of the story and right there with the characters.
This book was fun to read and one I will be putting on the keeper shelf. This book was my first by this author and it won't be the last. I am also really loving this series which is all written by different authors. I will definitely be recommending this author and series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
I immediately liked Carmela and felt sympathy for her having to live at the mercy of her Uncle Silas, whom I hated. He was such a greedy and mean person, and I didn't like the fact he was earning money off of Carmela and making her tell lies to people. It was so easy to understand why she did it and why she wanted out of the scheme. The more I learned about Carmela's life with her uncle the more I was hoping she would find a way out.
Enter the perfect leading man for this story: Freeland McKay. I liked him right away and loved his take charge personality and the way he treated Carmela. He was protective of her from the beginning and treated her with kindness and respect. I liked how the chemistry between the two didn't overpower the story and was in fact not really mentioned too much.
Mrs. Finney was a perfect addition to the book. Her motherly nature was welcoming after all the time spent on the trail. She was a nice balance to all of the male characters in the book. She was protective of Carmela and provided her some much-needed guidance.
This is one of those books that is so easy to read that you sit down to read for a little while and suddenly realize you've been reading for hours and are over halfway through the book. The pacing of the story is perfect and the author has such a way with descriptions that you feel as if you are part of the story and right there with the characters.
This book was fun to read and one I will be putting on the keeper shelf. This book was my first by this author and it won't be the last. I am also really loving this series which is all written by different authors. I will definitely be recommending this author and series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
May 9, 2017
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmela's Quandary, written by Susan Page Davis, is a stand alone book in the My Heart Belongs series. The story takes place in the mid 1800's in the Arizona territory.
As a young girl, Carmela Wade was traveling with her family in a wagon train when many of them got sick and died. Carmela was left an orphan. Her uncle becomes her guardian and forces her to travel around telling stories of being a survivor of an Indian kidnapping. He uncle makes her study up on Indian history to make her story more realistic. He also uses ink to put an Indian marking on her face. When Carmela does not want to do this anymore, her uncle tells her she has to. She has to do it to make the money he father supposedly owed her uncle before he died.
One day Carmela and her uncle are traveling to another city on a stagecoach when the stage is attacked. Carmela, US Marshal Freeland McKay and his prisoner are taken off the stage. Her uncle is injured and is taken with the stagecoach along with the money it is carrying. McKay is knocked out and his handcuffed prisoner forces Carmela to unlock the cuffs. The prisoner then cuffs Carmela to McKay. They are left to walk to the nearest stagecoach station to get help.
This is a quick read story to curl up with on a lazy day. It is a historical Christian romance story but it also has a lot of mystery. I admire the strength Carmela has to finally stand up to her uncle and put a stop to the lies. She also tries to help a young girl who actually was taken by the Indians and returned. Carmela is so sorry for the life she and her uncle have been living, she announces in church the wrongs they have done. This is a nice story with the theme of forgiveness at the end.
I think anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction, especially those with romance and suspense will enjoy this book.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
As a young girl, Carmela Wade was traveling with her family in a wagon train when many of them got sick and died. Carmela was left an orphan. Her uncle becomes her guardian and forces her to travel around telling stories of being a survivor of an Indian kidnapping. He uncle makes her study up on Indian history to make her story more realistic. He also uses ink to put an Indian marking on her face. When Carmela does not want to do this anymore, her uncle tells her she has to. She has to do it to make the money he father supposedly owed her uncle before he died.
One day Carmela and her uncle are traveling to another city on a stagecoach when the stage is attacked. Carmela, US Marshal Freeland McKay and his prisoner are taken off the stage. Her uncle is injured and is taken with the stagecoach along with the money it is carrying. McKay is knocked out and his handcuffed prisoner forces Carmela to unlock the cuffs. The prisoner then cuffs Carmela to McKay. They are left to walk to the nearest stagecoach station to get help.
This is a quick read story to curl up with on a lazy day. It is a historical Christian romance story but it also has a lot of mystery. I admire the strength Carmela has to finally stand up to her uncle and put a stop to the lies. She also tries to help a young girl who actually was taken by the Indians and returned. Carmela is so sorry for the life she and her uncle have been living, she announces in church the wrongs they have done. This is a nice story with the theme of forgiveness at the end.
I think anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction, especially those with romance and suspense will enjoy this book.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
May 10, 2017
MY THOUGHTS;
One look at the cover and you're in love. Those mountains, why are they called the Superstition Mountains? The pace is fairly fast and the plot has many parts to the web that is woven within, suspense and loss. At the tender age of twelve, Carmela's parents died while traveling west. Carmela is left in the care of her Uncle Silas. Silas makes young Carmela tell stories, all lies, about how she had been a captive of Indians. She is forced to perform in front of people to make Silas money. But as Carmela gets older, she realizes this isn't what she wants. She's tired of the lies and her uncle. Then something happens that may just be in Carmela's favor. While on a stagecoach, which Marshall Freeland McKay is transporting a prisoner, it is robbed. Silas and Carmela are on this stage also. Silas is taken hostage by the robbers and Carmela ends up, well, let's say, attached to a hunk of a deputy. The author gives the reader, suspense, great character description, scenery description and what we all love, romance. Will Carmela be able to make a fresh start without her uncle? Or will he come back into her life? What about Carmela and the marshal? My only dislike about the book was Carmela and the marshal were apart from each other in a good portion of the book. I wanted more of them being together. It was a western romance with that danger suspense, Indians, robbers and so much more, that pulled it all together. You couldn't help but feel for Carmela and all she had to go through. You keep hoping that the handsome hunk of a deputy and Carmela will end up together and stay together, not come and go. Mixed in the book throughout is a little talk about God, some praying, but not a pushy religious book. So if you like clean, historical romance books, grab a copy and venture into the Superstition Mountains with Carmela, her uncle and that handsome hunk deputy.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Barbour Books and voluntarily decided to review it.
One look at the cover and you're in love. Those mountains, why are they called the Superstition Mountains? The pace is fairly fast and the plot has many parts to the web that is woven within, suspense and loss. At the tender age of twelve, Carmela's parents died while traveling west. Carmela is left in the care of her Uncle Silas. Silas makes young Carmela tell stories, all lies, about how she had been a captive of Indians. She is forced to perform in front of people to make Silas money. But as Carmela gets older, she realizes this isn't what she wants. She's tired of the lies and her uncle. Then something happens that may just be in Carmela's favor. While on a stagecoach, which Marshall Freeland McKay is transporting a prisoner, it is robbed. Silas and Carmela are on this stage also. Silas is taken hostage by the robbers and Carmela ends up, well, let's say, attached to a hunk of a deputy. The author gives the reader, suspense, great character description, scenery description and what we all love, romance. Will Carmela be able to make a fresh start without her uncle? Or will he come back into her life? What about Carmela and the marshal? My only dislike about the book was Carmela and the marshal were apart from each other in a good portion of the book. I wanted more of them being together. It was a western romance with that danger suspense, Indians, robbers and so much more, that pulled it all together. You couldn't help but feel for Carmela and all she had to go through. You keep hoping that the handsome hunk of a deputy and Carmela will end up together and stay together, not come and go. Mixed in the book throughout is a little talk about God, some praying, but not a pushy religious book. So if you like clean, historical romance books, grab a copy and venture into the Superstition Mountains with Carmela, her uncle and that handsome hunk deputy.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Barbour Books and voluntarily decided to review it.
December 10, 2016
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains was a well written book that has it all. It features romance, action, and suspense. It keeps you engaged throughout the book because the story moves at a good pace.
Carmela lost her parents when she was twelve years old to sickness. Her uncle, Silas, took over her care but when he did he told Carmela she had to work off a "debt" her father owed to him. He came up with a scheme to get Carmela to act as if she had been captured and held captive by Indians. He booked Carmela to speak in front of crowds all over the east for money. That is how they made their living. He even drew tattoos on her face because that mimicked what tribes often did to captives. Carmela is now twenty and is almost of age to be able to break away from her Uncle and stop speaking to crowds of people and telling them something that are lies.
Freeman McKay is a lawman who is transporting a dangerous prisoner by stage. Freeman, Carmela and Uncle Silas are on the same stage when it is hit by outlaws. Freeman is injured, his prisoner gets away, Uncle Silas is shot and taken hostage on the stage the outlaws have stolen. Freeman and Carmela find themselves handcuffed and out in the wilderness alone. After hours of Carmela sitting with Freeman as he remains unconscious, she is brought water by a mysterious Indian warrior. That water saved their lives. Freeman and Carmela have to make their way to the next station and on to Prescott so that she can settle and be safe. Carmela and Freeman develop a relationship of trust and she tells him the secret that she has been lying to crowds for money. Freeman is able to see past the tattoos on her face and see her strong character.
Once they reach Prescott, Freeman leaves Carmela behind in a boarding house. There Carmela forms relationships and is able to come clean about her past and find peace with God.
I enjoyed the ending as well and was so pleased to see Carmela finally find the happiness she deserved.
Carmela lost her parents when she was twelve years old to sickness. Her uncle, Silas, took over her care but when he did he told Carmela she had to work off a "debt" her father owed to him. He came up with a scheme to get Carmela to act as if she had been captured and held captive by Indians. He booked Carmela to speak in front of crowds all over the east for money. That is how they made their living. He even drew tattoos on her face because that mimicked what tribes often did to captives. Carmela is now twenty and is almost of age to be able to break away from her Uncle and stop speaking to crowds of people and telling them something that are lies.
Freeman McKay is a lawman who is transporting a dangerous prisoner by stage. Freeman, Carmela and Uncle Silas are on the same stage when it is hit by outlaws. Freeman is injured, his prisoner gets away, Uncle Silas is shot and taken hostage on the stage the outlaws have stolen. Freeman and Carmela find themselves handcuffed and out in the wilderness alone. After hours of Carmela sitting with Freeman as he remains unconscious, she is brought water by a mysterious Indian warrior. That water saved their lives. Freeman and Carmela have to make their way to the next station and on to Prescott so that she can settle and be safe. Carmela and Freeman develop a relationship of trust and she tells him the secret that she has been lying to crowds for money. Freeman is able to see past the tattoos on her face and see her strong character.
Once they reach Prescott, Freeman leaves Carmela behind in a boarding house. There Carmela forms relationships and is able to come clean about her past and find peace with God.
I enjoyed the ending as well and was so pleased to see Carmela finally find the happiness she deserved.
August 31, 2017
I liked the western flair to this historical story. It has Indians, stage coaches, robbers, a sheriff and a pretty woman who has had a hard life. Carmela has been coerced by her uncle to tell this fabricated story to people since she was twelve years old to collect money from them. Can I just say her uncle is a mean, shady and dishonest man? As you read the story you begin to see how devious her uncle is and how hard she tries to better herself. My heart went out to Carmela as I thought about how scary her childhood must have been.
Freeland is a US Marshall and finds himself on a stagecoach with a prisoner, Carmela and her uncle. The story gets very interesting as the stagecoach finds themselves in danger. I thought Freeland was very brace and I loved how he was so protective of Carmela. They find that they must depend on each other to survive and find help. The author has really written a western story that has all the makings for a movie. The intrigue and action is top notch , the characters are very strong and Carmela's faith is very refreshing. Can Carmela trust Freeland to help her get away from her uncle? Will Freeland be able to help make Carmela be happy? Will she finally live a life in freedom from her past and find love along the way?
I don't want to say more because the story has many elements in there that are vital for readers to grasp. It's not just another western story, but a western story filled with hope, danger, redemption and forgiveness.
I received a copy of this book from The Barbour Publishing Review Crew. The review is my own opinion.
Freeland is a US Marshall and finds himself on a stagecoach with a prisoner, Carmela and her uncle. The story gets very interesting as the stagecoach finds themselves in danger. I thought Freeland was very brace and I loved how he was so protective of Carmela. They find that they must depend on each other to survive and find help. The author has really written a western story that has all the makings for a movie. The intrigue and action is top notch , the characters are very strong and Carmela's faith is very refreshing. Can Carmela trust Freeland to help her get away from her uncle? Will Freeland be able to help make Carmela be happy? Will she finally live a life in freedom from her past and find love along the way?
I don't want to say more because the story has many elements in there that are vital for readers to grasp. It's not just another western story, but a western story filled with hope, danger, redemption and forgiveness.
I received a copy of this book from The Barbour Publishing Review Crew. The review is my own opinion.
May 22, 2017
So after reading the first book in the My Heart Belongs series, I should have made an accurate assumption that I probably shouldn't read any more. But, I had hope that the only reason I didn't like the first book (Fort Bliss, Texas) was the setting, in a military outpost. I was wrong. I didn't like this book either and my reasoning follows.
Carmela has been under the beck and call of her uncle, since her parents died so many years ago. Her uncle, seeing that he has a potential money maker on his hands, forces Carmela to follow a script complete with Indian tattoos about how she was an Indian captive. But sadly, none of it was true. The money made from Carmela telling the story over the years has helped line her uncle's pockets.
At one point in time, she cries and a young boy comes upon her and promises to get help. Sadly, the help doesn't arrive and it's years later before she returns with her uncle to the same town. While riding on stagecoach to the next destination, they come upon outlaws who leave Carmela and the sheriff with his prisoner behind. But, inadvertently take Carmela's uncle.
I truly had hope for this story, and I read with with great anticipation. But then I got tired of it. I didn't like Carmela. She seemed like such a fickle thing and the sheriff with whom she was with, the intertwining of their stories just didn't jive with me. Sadly, I didn't even finish the book, although in hindsight I should, just so I know what happened to Carmela's uncle!
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Carmela has been under the beck and call of her uncle, since her parents died so many years ago. Her uncle, seeing that he has a potential money maker on his hands, forces Carmela to follow a script complete with Indian tattoos about how she was an Indian captive. But sadly, none of it was true. The money made from Carmela telling the story over the years has helped line her uncle's pockets.
At one point in time, she cries and a young boy comes upon her and promises to get help. Sadly, the help doesn't arrive and it's years later before she returns with her uncle to the same town. While riding on stagecoach to the next destination, they come upon outlaws who leave Carmela and the sheriff with his prisoner behind. But, inadvertently take Carmela's uncle.
I truly had hope for this story, and I read with with great anticipation. But then I got tired of it. I didn't like Carmela. She seemed like such a fickle thing and the sheriff with whom she was with, the intertwining of their stories just didn't jive with me. Sadly, I didn't even finish the book, although in hindsight I should, just so I know what happened to Carmela's uncle!
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2017
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains
Carmela's Quandry
By Susan Page Davis
Carmela Wade has been forced to live a lie perpetrated by her Uncle Silas. And she knows no one can help her escape it. Though orphaned she has never been the Indian captive her uncle has promoted her as. Carmela's entertaining and sensationalized lies have lined her uncle's pockets.
But when the stagecoach she and her uncle are traveling on is attacked, she finds herself in a completely unexpected situation. She's stranded in the middle of the Arizona Territory handcuffed to Deputy US Marshall Freeland McKay. Could this provide Carmela with the opportunity she has hoped for over the years? Or will she all too soon find herself again under her uncle's control?
This is a mildly entertaining book about second chances and redemption. The setting is the Arizona Territory in the 1860's following the Civil War. I was expecting more with the Superstition Mountains as it was so prominent in the title, so I was a little disappointed that they were just mentioned a few times and not even approached. This book is classified as a romance - which is very slight (a plus in my opinion) but if you are expecting more courting you may be disappointed. If you are looking for a light read that will provide a few hours of reading escape you'll enjoy this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Carmela's Quandry
By Susan Page Davis
Carmela Wade has been forced to live a lie perpetrated by her Uncle Silas. And she knows no one can help her escape it. Though orphaned she has never been the Indian captive her uncle has promoted her as. Carmela's entertaining and sensationalized lies have lined her uncle's pockets.
But when the stagecoach she and her uncle are traveling on is attacked, she finds herself in a completely unexpected situation. She's stranded in the middle of the Arizona Territory handcuffed to Deputy US Marshall Freeland McKay. Could this provide Carmela with the opportunity she has hoped for over the years? Or will she all too soon find herself again under her uncle's control?
This is a mildly entertaining book about second chances and redemption. The setting is the Arizona Territory in the 1860's following the Civil War. I was expecting more with the Superstition Mountains as it was so prominent in the title, so I was a little disappointed that they were just mentioned a few times and not even approached. This book is classified as a romance - which is very slight (a plus in my opinion) but if you are expecting more courting you may be disappointed. If you are looking for a light read that will provide a few hours of reading escape you'll enjoy this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 21, 2017
Susan Page Davis came up with, not only a unique, but splendid beginning for a great story with, MY HEART BELONGS IN THE SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS: CARMELA'S QUANDARY, when the suspense took off with Carmela's Uncle Silas pushing her into a speech before the people. Not use to public speaking, Carmela was nervous enough without him yelling at her. Why was he creating or forming a problem for her? Was he forcing her into false reasoning? Carmela was in a deep quandary. Would she be able to stand before the people without faltering? If she couldn't, would she pay the consequences later.
It was May 1866 in the Tucson, Arizona Territory, and soon things started getting a little interesting when a stagecoach Carmela and her Uncle Silas were riding on was robbed, and Carmela's Uncle Silas gets shot. Will he survive the ordeal? If not, will Carmela be able to stand on her own two feet? Would she be able to make it without him? As I read on the story took on more shape and a deeper plot developed, when the puzzlement that Carmela withstood with her Uncle Silas came into play. I had to know what would happen next. This was one of the reasons I gave this story five stars. Carmela's character had such deep feeling for others, but she also felt insecure about what others thought about her. I also loved the striking cover page with its eye-catching color scheme. Amazing read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
It was May 1866 in the Tucson, Arizona Territory, and soon things started getting a little interesting when a stagecoach Carmela and her Uncle Silas were riding on was robbed, and Carmela's Uncle Silas gets shot. Will he survive the ordeal? If not, will Carmela be able to stand on her own two feet? Would she be able to make it without him? As I read on the story took on more shape and a deeper plot developed, when the puzzlement that Carmela withstood with her Uncle Silas came into play. I had to know what would happen next. This was one of the reasons I gave this story five stars. Carmela's character had such deep feeling for others, but she also felt insecure about what others thought about her. I also loved the striking cover page with its eye-catching color scheme. Amazing read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
June 3, 2017
My heart belongs in the Superstition Mountains is a story of abundant deceit, overwhelming fear, parental figure rejection of love, steadfast faith, and reclamation of trust in CHRIST. Camela became an orphan then sent to her Uncle Silas who was a manipulative lying, cheating, abusive, selfish shell of a man (if you can call him that, and I do) he turns Camela into a money machine. He dresses her up as with Indian markings on her, has her tell people that she was captured by Indians. She had to give the spiel exact or she would get it by Silas and when people questioned her, if her answers were not his answers word for word, she was in for it, but in all this there are 2 things that helped her. The most important one is JESUS (and so should we all - Amen?) Although she doesn't understand why HE is allowing what all she is going through. The other thing is - will Freeland(the town Marshall) be able to see and get Camela help before she leaves town. does he get to her in time? does she get away from Silas or is she stuck selling her stories and being beaten if one word is left out or told wrong? I received the book from NetGalley. The opinions for this book are all my own.
If you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviewers.blogspot.com
If you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviewers.blogspot.com
May 23, 2017
Carmela Wade has prayed for the day she could stop the lies she was forced to perpetrate by her Uncle Silas. Not only did he force her to tell lies, but he also forced her to give him all the money the two of them accrued because he said her father owed him money. Carmela’s opportunity arrives when their stagecoach is robbed, and the robbers take it with her uncle inside.
US Marshal Freeland McKay never dreamed he’d be the victim of a stagecoach robbery, and to add insult to injury, he’s handcuffed to a woman. They have no water, horse or any way to survive except through tenacity and lots of walking.
Susan Page Davis does a well-thought out job of showing the dilemma Carmela faces. She pulls you into the story and makes you feel the torment and agony Carmela faces after reaching adulthood.
Carmela’s story is one of courage in the face of extreme adversity, forgiving yourself and others and learning to trust the Lord.
Susan Page Davis has written a unique and different type of historical novel. It is a story that readers of historical romance are sure to enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.
US Marshal Freeland McKay never dreamed he’d be the victim of a stagecoach robbery, and to add insult to injury, he’s handcuffed to a woman. They have no water, horse or any way to survive except through tenacity and lots of walking.
Susan Page Davis does a well-thought out job of showing the dilemma Carmela faces. She pulls you into the story and makes you feel the torment and agony Carmela faces after reaching adulthood.
Carmela’s story is one of courage in the face of extreme adversity, forgiving yourself and others and learning to trust the Lord.
Susan Page Davis has written a unique and different type of historical novel. It is a story that readers of historical romance are sure to enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.
August 23, 2017
This was a different type western from any I've read before, but in a good way. I had recently read a book about the Superstition Mountains so this book caught my eye. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the main character, Carmela, and all she'd suffered in her young life. Losing her parents on a wagon train headed to California when she was twelve, being taken over by a devious uncle who only saw dollar signs in his niece and having ugly tattoos marked on her face by him to fool audiences into thinking she had been abducted by an Indian tribe and made a slave.
All comes to an end when their stagecoach is robbed by outlaws and her uncle is shot and carried off in the stolen coach. She and a deputy are handcuffed together by a criminal that escaped and they are left to die in the desert.
This novel includes Indian attacks, outlaw ambushes, fights for survival and abducted children. Lots of action among the pages. But a deep reliance on God through prayer and a strong moral obligation of truthfulness is standouts in the story. You'll be turning the pages into the night to find out what happens next, especially if you like early westerns.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley and was under no obligation to write a review.
All comes to an end when their stagecoach is robbed by outlaws and her uncle is shot and carried off in the stolen coach. She and a deputy are handcuffed together by a criminal that escaped and they are left to die in the desert.
This novel includes Indian attacks, outlaw ambushes, fights for survival and abducted children. Lots of action among the pages. But a deep reliance on God through prayer and a strong moral obligation of truthfulness is standouts in the story. You'll be turning the pages into the night to find out what happens next, especially if you like early westerns.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley and was under no obligation to write a review.
November 27, 2017
Traveling through 1860's Arizona Territory, Carmela Wade has been forced by her uncle to recount a sensationalized story of Indian captivity for audiences since she was twelve. Deputy Freeland McKay misses his chance to help Carmela just as the Civil War is declared. He encounters her years later only for them to end up handcuffed together, walking across the desert. And isn't that just the perfect way to develop a romantic relationship...
This is a well-written and fascinating story with details that will stick in the readers mind. The romance is sweet but Carmela and Wade's experiences are the primary focus of the story.
Carmela's Quandary is the second entry published in the My Heart Belongs series from Barbour Books, with various authors, and the first I have read. This was an excellent starting point for me and I'm looking forward to seeing what else is in store. Full review previously posted on bookworlder.wordpress.com
Recommended for lovers of Historical Fiction set in the American West with faith, adventure, fading tattoos and a bit of (eventually) sweet romance.
This review refers to an e-galley read courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is a well-written and fascinating story with details that will stick in the readers mind. The romance is sweet but Carmela and Wade's experiences are the primary focus of the story.
Carmela's Quandary is the second entry published in the My Heart Belongs series from Barbour Books, with various authors, and the first I have read. This was an excellent starting point for me and I'm looking forward to seeing what else is in store. Full review previously posted on bookworlder.wordpress.com
Recommended for lovers of Historical Fiction set in the American West with faith, adventure, fading tattoos and a bit of (eventually) sweet romance.
This review refers to an e-galley read courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 15, 2017
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains was full of twists and turns and lots of action! I was amazed at all the surprises that happened. Since I lived in Arizona most of my life, I am very familiar with the mountains. The Superstitions are east of Mesa and a beautiful sight to behold. I had a little trouble with the traveling by stagecoach from Tucson to Wickenburg. It seems like it would take much longer than what I read. However, I got past all that and enjoyed reading the saga of Carmela's Quandary.
Poor girl, her parents and brother died and her only relative was a money-hungry uncle who did not treat her well. As they traveled around the country, she gave speeches and the uncle kept the money. She was forced to lie about her childhood, saying she was abducted and lived with a tribe. There is romance and adventure, along with very interesting characters. I had no trouble following along since it is well written.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
Poor girl, her parents and brother died and her only relative was a money-hungry uncle who did not treat her well. As they traveled around the country, she gave speeches and the uncle kept the money. She was forced to lie about her childhood, saying she was abducted and lived with a tribe. There is romance and adventure, along with very interesting characters. I had no trouble following along since it is well written.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
June 7, 2017
My Heart Belongs in the Superstitions Mountains by Susan Page Davis, is an entertaining western romance set in Arizona of the 1860s. As a result of her guardian's dishonesty, Carmela's been living a lie for the past few years and she is sick of it. But she has no way to get out of the duplicitous mess she's in. She really just wants a man to love, a man who will love her for the rest of her life. A US Marshall on a mission of taking a murderer to Prescott for trial, Freeland ends up on a hijacked stagecoach with Carmela. Characters are realistic and well-rounded and draw the reader easily into the story. Action packed scenes keep the pages turning. The descriptions of life surrounded by Indians and outlaws are realistic and the historical details add good interest to the story. My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains is a captivating story of faith and the healing virtue of friendship and love, and whether the wrongs of the past can ever be made right. I received a complimentary copy of the book from Netgalley and was not expected to write a review. The opinions are my own.
May 21, 2017
One mistake can kill them...
The art of writing westerns pretty much went out with Louis L'Amour but there are a few names out there in Christian fiction that are keeping the genre alive. Susan Page Davis is one of those authors. It's been quite awhile since I've read one of her stories but I did recently read another book in the My Heart Belongs In... series that I really enjoyed. So when I got the chance at My Heart Belongs In The Superstition Mountains: Carmela's Quandary I quickly took the opportunity.
A fun and quick read, My Heart Belongs In The Superstition Mountains, is a story that is both sweet and exciting, full of adventure. Susan Page Davis keeps readers thrilled with outlaws, Indian attacks, escaped prisoners, and a near mob.
Western fans will be sure to enjoy My Heart Belongs In The Superstition Mountains, the newest adventure from the pen of Susan Page Davis.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
The art of writing westerns pretty much went out with Louis L'Amour but there are a few names out there in Christian fiction that are keeping the genre alive. Susan Page Davis is one of those authors. It's been quite awhile since I've read one of her stories but I did recently read another book in the My Heart Belongs In... series that I really enjoyed. So when I got the chance at My Heart Belongs In The Superstition Mountains: Carmela's Quandary I quickly took the opportunity.
A fun and quick read, My Heart Belongs In The Superstition Mountains, is a story that is both sweet and exciting, full of adventure. Susan Page Davis keeps readers thrilled with outlaws, Indian attacks, escaped prisoners, and a near mob.
Western fans will be sure to enjoy My Heart Belongs In The Superstition Mountains, the newest adventure from the pen of Susan Page Davis.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
July 7, 2017
You know those books that just catch you a bit off guard? The ones that exceed expectations or are just unlike what you thought you would get, and you love every moment of it? That is what I discovered in Susan Page Davis’s My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmela’s Quandry.
From early on in this book, I was drawn into Carmela’s story. A girl who was forced to lie on stage to grow her Uncle’s wealth. As those lies contradicted with what she thought was right, the tensions in the story grew. Add in a cast of wonderful characters, some good western fun, and a well-timed romance story and it just made for an enjoyable read.
So far in the My Heart Belongs series of books, Davis’s novel has by far been my favorite and I think it will take another great one to even come close to knocking this one off that pedestal.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**
From early on in this book, I was drawn into Carmela’s story. A girl who was forced to lie on stage to grow her Uncle’s wealth. As those lies contradicted with what she thought was right, the tensions in the story grew. Add in a cast of wonderful characters, some good western fun, and a well-timed romance story and it just made for an enjoyable read.
So far in the My Heart Belongs series of books, Davis’s novel has by far been my favorite and I think it will take another great one to even come close to knocking this one off that pedestal.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**
February 26, 2017
Carmela finds herself living a lie. Being an orphan she is raised by her uncle. Her life with her uncle brings him his income. And she begins to have feelings of guilt and doesn't want her past to also be her future.
I found this to be a really sweet read and I am glad that I was able to read it. I enjoyed the character of Carmela and she matures, learns about life and about herself and how to make choices and decisions. I think if you like western historicals, that you will enjoy this book, the people in it, the good and the not-so-good ones. It's a good Christian read and have enjoyed this and other books from this author.
I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review which I have given. All thoughts are my own..
I found this to be a really sweet read and I am glad that I was able to read it. I enjoyed the character of Carmela and she matures, learns about life and about herself and how to make choices and decisions. I think if you like western historicals, that you will enjoy this book, the people in it, the good and the not-so-good ones. It's a good Christian read and have enjoyed this and other books from this author.
I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review which I have given. All thoughts are my own..
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