THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US BY CHARLES MARTIN

Image: goodreads.com

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a page turner! I finished this book in three days. That's a record for me. As you'll learn, if you choose to follow my blog postings, I will share 2-3 reviews per month. One because I am starved for time, or just living life, however you wish to look at it. But two, I am an incredibly slow reader. I don't scan. I devour each and every word so I can get the full experience of the story I, often, become lost in. My hope is that my reading and its resulting emotions will be shared with other book lovers in this space.

So, let's talk about Charles Martin's The Mountain Between Us. Two professionals - Dr. Ben Payne and Ashley Knox - are stuck at an airport in Utah due to maintenance issues and an impending storm. Rather than take the airline up on its offer to put the passengers up for the night until the storm passes, Ben charters a private plane in an effort to beat the storm. He invites Ashley, who is due to be married the next day. All seems to be going well with Ben's plan B until the unthinkable happens leaving he and Ashley stranded in the mountains and wilderness. To further complicate matters, no one knows they've left Utah or that they even chartered the plane!

While reading this book, I found myself emotionally tired from pulling for Ben and Ashley to make it out of their dire situation. There were lighter parts of the story that contained glimmers of hope and a bit of humor. And sometimes, I even found myself feeling like I was reading an episode of Naked and Afraid.

I found this book to be beautifully written. Martin's words are carefully composed and filled with emotion. I found value in what he shared through this fictional story and could even sense a spiritual theme. (If you read this book, be sure to also read the author's note at the end.)

Having said that, I didn't really care for the ending of this book. It was a bit of a cliché. I wished the author would have kept the focus on grief and healing rather than adding the romantic element. I think it would have made for a better story overall, hence the rating.

Recommendation: I would definitely recommend the book as a fast read over a long weekend. (And since we've got one coming up, maybe you can take me up on my recommendation then share your thoughts here.) The story's messages can help in dealing with grief and forgiving yourself for words said and words left unsaid.

Until next time ... Read on!