A Treasure Concealed (Sapphire Brides Book #1) - Tracie Peterson

A Treasure Concealed (Sapphire Brides Book #1)

By Tracie Peterson

  • Release Date: 2016-02-23
  • Genre: Religious Fiction
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 58 Ratings

Description

Bestselling Author Tracie Peterson Launches Exciting New Series Set in 1890s Montana

Emily Carver wants a home where she can put down roots instead of following her gold-hungry father from one mining camp to another. She also longs for tenderness and love, both of which are missing in her life. Yet when she realizes she's losing her heart to the intriguing new man in camp, she fiercely fights her feelings, afraid that love will only result in disappointment and heartache.

Caeden Thibault, a young geologist, comes to Montana to catalog minerals indigenous to the state. He's a serious and guarded young man trying to escape the pain of his past. He has avoided all romantic entanglements, fearing he might become like his abusive father. But something about Emily Carver has caught his attention, something he never expected. . . .

Will these two broken souls allow God to bring healing and hope to their hurting hearts?

Reviews

  • A Treasure

    4
    By Zoe @ Blessed and Bewildered
    I have found A Treasure Concealed to be a gem of a find (pun intended).  I snatched up this book because as a Montana native I love to read books based upon the history of my favorite state.  It is evident that Tracie Peterson invested time in research for this book. Montanan’s love many things about our state.  It’s open spaces, ruggedness, and abundance of outdoor recreational activities.  It’s rich yet truly heartbreaking history related to westward expansion and the exploitation of the Indians.  The Lewis and Clark expedition commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800's and more.  Peterson adds richness to A Treasure Concealed with well researched insight into two other attributes, one of which is the primary setting for the story. _____________________________________________________________ A Treasure Concealed is set in the historically rich Yogo City in central Montana near Lewiston.  The mines in this area didn't produce much gold but they did produce something just as valuable...sapphires.  Those same mines are still rendering sapphires.  I remember going out to the sapphire mine Gem Mountain when I was a kid and panning for sapphires.  I am wearing a ring right now with three beautiful sapphires that my uncle found during one of our visits.  He had the sapphires set in a ring for my grandmother which I have inherited. There is quite a bit of information about Yogo City and Yogo Gulch, the site of the famous mines mentioned in the story.  Yogo Gulch is a ghost town that you can visit.  Travel MT provides information about visiting the ghost town. A quick Google search brought up quite a few resources regarding the area. Here are just a couple: - For more information on Yogo City take a look at the article Images of the West: Yogo City or Bust in the Big Sky Journal.     - The Moccasin Mountain Arts and Gifts site has a history of the area and the discovery of sapphires on their website. _____________________________________________________________ Charles M. Russell (1864-1926) was born in Missouri but moved to Montana when he was sixteen.  If you come to Montana I highly recommend a stop in Great Falls to see the C.M. Russell Museum which calls him “America’s Cowboy Artist”.  Charlie Russell's admiration of the Northern Plains Indians is evident in his work along with that of the cowboys and soldiers of the time. Peterson gives Charlie Russell a quick mention in A Treasure Concealed.  If you don't know who Russell is you would just run on past his historical significance.  You would likely also miss that Jake Hoover, a more prominent character in A Treasure Concealed, is also a very real person that Peterson has fictionally fleshed out.  The following quote from Hoover gives a hint to their relationship. "I figure the name Charlie Russell is gonna be famous one day. Sure a far sight from that scrawny kid I found half starved on the trail. I’m right proud to call him friend.” Russell and Hoover have a rich history. “In 1880, Russell came to the Judith Basin of central Montana a few days after his 16th birthday to try his hand as a cowpuncher. After a brief, unsuccessful stint on a sheep ranch, Jake Hoover, a hunter and trader, took Russell under his wing and taught him the ways of the wilderness. Russell spent two years as Hoover’s apprentice, working with and living in Hoover’s cabin on the South Fork of the Judith River.”  Source Peterson is just giving us a teaser, a taste if you catch it.  Russel is not central to her story and neither is Hoover’s history with him but it was fun for me to find that historical nugget in A Treasure Concealed.  If you are interested in more information about Charlie Russell, Big Sky Fishing has a biography on their website. You can also find a gallery of his artwork at Art.com.  _____________________________________________________________ It is quite obvious that the historical information grasped my attention greatly.  A Treasure Concealed is not a history text though but a beautiful story with an adventure, a bit of romance, and some powerful lessons: - The need to not give in to pride...the killer of hope, dreams, friendship, love, acceptance, etc. - That we all need to be content in the blessings of today. - We need to have a love and desire to help those who are struggling. - The blessings found in community. - Most importantly, the power of God’s forgiveness and saving grace. The name of the story, A Treasure Concealed, reveals three treasures.  Two are of earthly value and one that has the greatest value of all and is of eternal significance.  A Treasure Concealed is a beautiful historical love story.  Plus, I know I know, I’m doing it again… The characters love Montana so how can I not love them in return? I received a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. My thanks to the author and publisher. There are links embeded throughout this review that are not allowed on this review site. Please come and see my complete review with links at www (dot) blessedandbewildered (dot) com.
  • Engaging novel!

    4
    By Kris Anderson, The Avid Reader
    A Treasure Concealed by Tracie Peterson is a historical, Christian romance novel and the first book in the Sapphire Brides series. It is 1895 in Yogo City, Montana. Emily Carver’s mother, Nyola is ill. Emily is doing her best to take care of her, her father (Henry), and their home. Emily just wants a permanent home. She wants to be settled in one place. Her father has kept their family moving her whole life (gold fever and wanderlust) and Emily has no desire to move again. Emily hides her figure under bulky, manly clothes (it would not due to look to feminine in this area). So far Henry has not uncovered any gold on his claim (the area has been played out, but he does not believe it). They only thing he keeps bringing up are pretty blue pebbles. One day Caeden Thibault comes to town. Caeden is a geologist with the government (and running away from his own past and pain). Henry meets Caeden in town and invites him to camp out on their property (Henry is very friendly and generous). Emily is shocked when Caeden comes into their home while she is getting out of the bath. This is the beginning of a tumultuous romance. Can these make it work? What happens when Emily shows Caeden the blue pebbles? You will need to read A Treasure Concealed to find out. A Treasure Concealed is an entertaining Christian, romance novel. A Treasure Concealed is well-written. Tracie Peterson did a wonderful job in describing gold mining life in Montana. I could picture the town, the people, the Carver’s home, and the difficulties these people faced. It has the normal romance elements, but it had something special. The novel focuses on people regaining their faith, that we have a loving God, and leaving a problem in God’s hands (instead of worrying and fretting over an issue). A Treasure Concealed has a lovely ending. I give A Treasure Concealed 4 out of 5 stars (which means I liked it). I will definitely be reading the next book in the Sapphire Brides series. I received a complimentary copy of A Treasure Concealed from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the book.

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