This year I have decided to read some Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) from authors I have been enjoying. To honor their gift of a free book, I plan to dedicate an entire article to reviewing the ARCs that I read. All opinions below are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.
There All Along (Mountain Promise #1) by Malory Ford
5 STARS!!, Christian Contemporary Romance (This cover does not do the book justice.)
Goodreads Synopsis | YouTube Audiobook
Author bio: Malory is a wife and mother, avid gardener, aspiring baker, and a voracious reader.
She is a believer inspired by everyday encounters with the Lord, interactions with her friends and family, and the occasional trip into a history book.
Find Malory Ford on Amazon, YouTube, and Instagram.
One-sentence Synopsis
(Find a one-sentence review at the end of this post!)
Sarah and Micah have loved each other for years, but they both believe that pursuing a relationship will forever destroy their beloved friendship.
Initial Reactions
I cannot believe I have given a contemporary romance book five stars. But Ford has a way with her characters and her stories that just speak to my heart. Her writing style is straight-forward but never boring. Her characters are all unique, a little exaggerated, and somehow still have internal complexity that makes them interesting. And the small town atmosphere of this book is spot on. I absolutely love the small town of Reindeer Pass.
I have only been reading contemporary Christian fiction for about 3-4 months and have found that I’m extremely picky about it. There are things that other genres can get away with that contemporary books simply cannot because the characters and relationships must fit into our real modern world. And I have to say that Ford does SUCH a good job writing healthy characters with healthy relationships. There is no patriarchy, there is no lusting or an inability to resist physical contact, there is no condoning of sinful patterns or habits, and there is no legalism. I have found her books to be the most balanced and truly clean contemporary romances I have read (Kristi Ann Hunter being another one - but she has only one contemporary book).
The Setting
The book that got me hooked on Ford’s books on YouTube was Memories and Mistletoe, which is also set in Reindeer Pass. Hannah and Jayce were in that book and when I realized that There All Along was set in Reindeer Pass, I was determined to be personally offended if Hannah and Jayce were not somewhere in the story. They were there. I was so relieved.
Apart from the characters I was hoping to see, this small town near the mountains is unique. It provides some seclusion and also some fun adventures because it is farther north than most settings I have read in books. I do believe I could live in Reindeer Pass and be a happy person.
The Characters
I am just going to start with a *contented sigh*. Sarah, our leading lady, uses running as a way to find peace. I can appreciate this because many people who have experienced what she has will find much more harmful ways to dull and deal with pain. But even if that’s how her running addiction started, it is evident that now she does it to be in her body and release some of that energy that comes with difficult experiences. I was pleased to know enough of Sarah’s background to understand her but not have to deal with all of the difficult details. Also, the experience she has in her past with one of the men she dated is so common and I was so happy to see that portrayed as an unacceptable thing as opposed to “normal”.
Micah, our hero, is the best of modern gentlemen. P.S. The group of men in this town are all that way, and I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I love seeing this series normalizing healthy, respectful Christian men. Back to Micah, he’s the local doctor and hates vomit (strange quirk but it helps the story along quite nicely at one point). He is so patient and does so well at giving Sarah space even when he wants to take over whatever is happening. And his relationships with little old ladies are JUST THE SWEETEST. Is Reindeer Pass real?? Please, let it be so.
The Story
Sarah’s past is pretty sad. The way it unfolds throughout the book is well done, and the ways we see that Micah was a part of her past is also important and helpful for the story. The main plot points in the book involve Sarah’s dad being released from prison and Sarah starting to get threatening letters and, eventually, vandalism to her home.
Another important aspect is Sarah deciding to train for a mega-race of 50 (I think) miles. All of these things are kind of happening at the same time, and it causes Micah to amp up his protective tendencies. And, I have to say, Micah’s protectiveness, Sarah’s slow realization that she needs help, and the chemistry between the two of them, was all spot on.
The larger community and side characters of friends are what I think really make Ford’s books cozy reads. There are little subplots happening alongside the main story and those make it feel like you are entering into a real world. Everyone else’s lives are not put on hold just because two long-time friends are finally figuring out they love each other.
For Fun: Can I write a one-sentence review?
I loved how Sarah, a sweet heart with a difficult past, and Micah, a caring best friend, both overcome their fears of losing their friendship and do what their small town friends have been waiting for - for them to share their feelings with each other.
Content Warnings
a couple of sweet, non-detailed kisses, suspenseful moments involving threatening notes, vandalism, and stalkers (these were written in such a way that did not trigger my anxiety about such things)
Thanks for reading! Are there certain things about a book you would want included in these longer review posts? Or something that you need to know before buying a book? Let me know in the comments!