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    Aiming for Love
    Aiming for Love
    Aiming for Love
    Audiobook9 hours

    Aiming for Love

    Written by Mary Connealy

    Narrated by Barbara McCulloh

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Josephine Nordegren is one of three sisters who grew up nearly wild in southwestern Colorado. She has the archery skills of Robin Hood and the curiosity of the Little Mermaid, fascinated by but locked away from the forbidden outside world--a world she's been raised to believe killed her parents. When David Warden, a rancher, brings in a herd much too close to the girls' secret home, her older sister especially is frightened, but Jo is too interested to stay away. David's parents follow soon on his heels, escaping bandits at their ranch. David's father is wounded and needs shelter. Josephine and her sisters have the only cabin on the mountain. Do they risk stepping into the world to help those in need? Or do they remain separated but safe in the peaks of Hope Mountain?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 1, 2019
    ISBN9781980052487
    Aiming for Love
    Author

    Mary Connealy

    Mary Connealy (MaryConnealy.com) writes "romantic comedies with cowboys" and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series Wyoming Sunrise, The Lumber Baron's Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

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    Reviews for Aiming for Love

    4.5/5

    44 ratings9 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book by Mary Connealy. She had me laughing out loud and kept me entertained and enjoying this book. She is a delight to read. Three sisters are raised by their grandma and grandpa in the woods away from civilization. The girls have not seen people much of at all. They were taught the Holy book and another book...much like the proverbs of life.
      Joe is one of the sister and in to their private life walks Dave. It is a great read!
    • 5/5
      I love this story. Joe was such an interesting character. I love the way Mary integrates history, humor, and adventure!
    • 5/5
      What a wonderful journey the author takes readers on in this new story filled with danger, adventure and life lessons. It was so easy to fall in love with the three sisters that fill the pages with survival, danger and relationships. The author made me feel like I was there as Jo explores on her own. What she stumbles upon surprises her since there hasn't been anyone around in along time. The isolation Jo and her sisters endured must have been hard at times. They always had their grandpa around to look out for them. I liked how they were able to hunt and live on their own for so long.The contrast between two families make the story intriguing and adds an element of caution for all. What would you do if you found someone on your land unexpectedly? Would you help them in their time of need? I liked learning about the different traits each of the sisters had. They complimented each other well with their skills and helped them to be able to survive on their own for so long.I don't think I would be thrilled to suddenly see cowboys and cattle invading my quiet life. The story is filled with many surprises and I loved the faith element in the book. It is a very promising start to a new series by the author. She always has a unique way of telling a story that keeps you glued to the pages as characters grow and experience life. I loved the main focus on Jo and her new relationship with someone. I look forward to the next installment in the series. I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
    • 5/5
      It is always exciting to come across a new-to-me Christian fiction author who is able to draw me in with the first of their books that I pick up, and doubly so when their work is refreshingly unique! I can safely say that Mary Connealy’s “Aiming for Love”, book one in the Brides of Hope Mountain series, is one of the most distinctive novels I have had the pleasure of reviewing. My appreciation extends to the book cover, as well. It initially enticed me just by its beauty and woodland backdrop, and as I read, I realized how perfectly it captures the essence of the novel. Mostly wild, but with hints of civilized society. As the two meet, it becomes a question of whether they will blend or remain at odds.Living off the grid seems to be an up-and-coming fad, fueled by TV shows and the popularity of minimalism. I will admit that it certainly has its appeal, and there are times when I would love to head off to Walden Pond. It’s no surprise, then, that I immediately enjoyed “Aiming for Love”. Hidden away in the highlands of Hope Mountain, Josephine (Jo) Nordegren and her two sisters, Ilsa and Ursula, were taught how to survive without any outside contact. Even in 1873, this is an unusual feat. When rancher Dave Warden sets up nearby, their seclusion is challenged for the first time in their lives, and this is when things really get interesting! “Aiming for Love” brings up so many fascinating issues that the pages seem to fly by even as they make the reader pause to think. Jo’s journey is captivating and filled suddenly with questions: “Did a woman give up her whole world because a new one caught her interest?” “Had her life, lived so alone, made her the purest form of herself?” And the wonder of it is that we often ask ourselves these same questions today, albeit likely in a different context. The crux of this story is the importance of community, particularly within the church. Scripture makes it clear that not only are we to love our neighbor, but also to nurture relationships with each other. Connealy skillfully illustrates the dangers of isolation and stagnancy through the Nordegren sisters’ lives and gives insight into cult mentality. Something that intrigued me is the intermixing of Bible stories with fables and fairy tales, which seems so easily discernible but would not be to someone taught only that they were all part of God’s Word. This is valuable insight to consider when interacting with people who are not of the Christian faith or who hold false beliefs. In that regard, Ma Warden is a shining example of patience and compassion in this novel. Fans of Joanne Bischof’s Blackbird Mountain series, Catherine Marshall’s “Christy”, and Misty Beller’s novels will no doubt want to add Mary Connealy and “Aiming for Love” to their to-read lists. I would also recommend this book to anyone in search of an adventurous story with some suspense, and to those interested in living off the land and how that impacts a person’s disposition and belief system. I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
    • 4/5
      Josephine Nordegren and her sisters live isolated lives in the wilderness of Colorado. Then, when Jo crosses paths with Dave Warden, her little world begins to grow—but not without a few mishaps and dangerous encounters.I loved getting to know the characters in Aiming for Love, the start to Mary Connealy’s new Brides of Hope Mountain series. Jo and her sisters prove admirably capable and resourceful (though completely quirky), while Dave and his family quickly open their hearts to the strange women. Plenty of humor fills the narrative as the two groups interact, and it kept me smiling from beginning to end.I do wish that more had been resolved by the end of this first story. However, as in the High Sierra Sweethearts series, I expect that some of the danger, mystery, and interpersonal conflict will take the whole series to resolve. I’ll just have to wait until I can get my hands on Woman of Sunlight.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
    • 4/5
      "Aiming for Love" is the first book in the Brides of Hope Mountain series by Mary Connealy. We are taken into the life of Jo who lives on Hope Mountain. She has never been off the mountain. The only people she has seen is her own family. She has two sisters, parents who are missing since she was a little girl. She is living with her grandparents who also has been deceased for years. It leaves Jo and her two sisters to run the household. They are terrified of the outside world because of her missing parents and having a grandmother who taught them to fear outside people because they are infested with deadly diseases. Dave is making his way up Hope Mountain to create a homestead but runs into Jo. He is shocked to see these women living by themselves. After Dave's parents were forced from their ranch they joined Dave. Sickness starts to happen to make Ursula terrified. Mary Connealy does an amazing job of painting the picture of the locations and character descriptions. There was enough I can see, but also not too much so you can have a little imagination. This is a unique story. I feel this book is a women empowerment book. These women were able to run their home where the weather and supplies at times hard to come by. The story itself is rich, beautiful and a natural. It felt like I was reading a biography on these two families. The characters had growth. However, I wish Connealy developed Dave and Jo's relationship more in the book. It felt rushed. I wouldn't say this a book about love its more about family. The faith content was well done. It wasn't preachy and it felt natural. You will be found reading the second book because I want to learn more about these families and how they survive. Also, to see where Jo and Dave's relationship goes. I look forward to reading more books from Mary Connealy especially this series. I can see this series become a move on Hallmark. *I received this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own. *
    • 4/5
      Mary Connealy has created another winner! Aiming for Love has all of the ingredients that we've come to love in her books: laugh-out-loud fun, clean romance that will increase your heart rate, and a good dose of faith and inspiration. In this book she introduces us to three sisters who are unusual, to say the least. The Nordegren sisters have grown up high on a mountain in southwestern Colorado and have been isolated from society for the last ten years. Their parents died when they were young and their grandparents convinced their granddaughters that the outside world had caused their deaths. Josephine, Ilsa, and Ursula are now young women who excel in wilderness skills and in living off the land but know nothing about living with other people. And then, the outside world comes to them and Jo realizes that people in that 'other world' might not be so bad! And it's obvious that rancher David Warden is intrigued by this young woman who 'had eyes so light blue it was like looking into the stars shining in the night sky. Her hair white as moonlight.' Could romance be coming to Hope Mountain?Aiming for Love is such an entertaining story and I was especially impressed with Connealy's ability to describe the Nordegren sister's confusion about some of the phrases that Dave and his ranch hands use. Words and phrases that are so common to us seem so foreign to Jo and her sisters and their ability to combine Bible stories with fairy tales makes for some fun reading as Dave struggles with understanding just what Bible scripture Jo is talking about.Aiming for Love has adventure, hope, inspiration, and the reminder that we all need each other. If you enjoy romantic comedy and Christian fiction, you will certainly enjoy this first book in the Brides of Hope Mountain. I am already wondering which Nordegren sister will be the next bride!I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mary Connealy and I am voluntarily sharing my thought in this review. These are my honest opinions.
    • 5/5
      This was one of my favorite books by Mary Connealy. I love the women of Hope Mountain. I loved Jo, Ilsa and Ursula. These three women have lived together on a mountain away from all other people since their grandfather died. They basically have honed their survival instincts and haven’t even talked to anyone else in 10 years. This story focuses on Jo and her finding Dave. This is very inspirational and full of hope. I can’t wait till the second book comes out in this series. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
    • 5/5
      Imagine losing everyone you love, except your two sisters. As if that isn’t enough, then living high in the mountains by yourselves, never venturing away to see what the rest of the world is like. The fear instilled in the core of their very beings kept them fending for themselves with no outside help. I find it almost unbelievable that anyone could survive like these three have. The exceptional detail given reminded me how incredibly important it must have been to be observant.The outside world comes to their valley. Will it bring the disease and death they had been taught about as children? Perhaps it will bring new experiences, friends and a whole different life! I loved learning about Jo, Ilsa and Ursula and hope we will meet them again soon on the mountain called Hope.This ARC was received through Bethany House Publishers, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. My 5 star rating, comments and impressions were not solicited.