I’ve read all three of Imogen Martin’s books now and have loved them all. The Mountains Between Us is an enthralling piece of storytelling which kept me gripped throughout.
Grace is one of the bravest and most resourceful heroines any reader could ever have the pleasure of rooting for. I found the story of her continuing adventures with her husband James Randolph a compelling and exciting tale of courage and the pioneering spirit. They face untold hardships and at times I was so worried for them, I almost forgot to breathe. They embody the American Dream.
I also loved the sense of community in this book. Grace and her friends form a strong bond of sisterhood through acts of kindness and courage. It was satisfying to follow their adventures and the way each was able to bring their unique skills to benefit the group. Randolph and his diverse group of friends, too, are like a brotherhood. This book celebrates the best of humanity.
I’ll be eagerly anticipating this talented author’s next book, and would like to thank her, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC which I read in return for an honest review.

During the time of the gold rush in 1848 Grace with her husband James set off to start anew in California. Her husband's past demons continue to chase him and Grace must stand strong to protect her own life as well as her family's.

Thanks, Netgalley, for this ARC. This book had emotion and highlighted the sacrifices people make during times of war and discord and how it can even affect a marriage but unfortunately this one just felt a little too slow for my taste.

I do appreciate that the couple struggled, it made them stronger but I just expected more from this read.

The ending felt unresolved too.

Of course, as soon as I finished it, I found out this was a sequel and the first one is the two falling in love before marriage...I might read it just so I can have a better understanding of who they are as individuals and as husband and wife.

There definitely were some good moments and even memorable lines, but the fact that I was mostly bored, I just had to meet in the middle with my rating.

The level of historical detail in this novel is frankly astounding, recreating not only actual events around the Californian gold rush, but painting the picture in such rich detail the period setting is completely immersive.

The story continues Grace’s and James’ romance after their marriage and although it can be read as a standalone, there is more pleasure to be gained from reading To The Wild Horizon first. From an uncertain start in the farmlands of Oregon to the early days of prospecting for gold, then on to the lawless new town of San Francisco, their love is tested to the limit. But will they win through?

It was 1848 when Grace Randolph and her husband James left Oregon and Grace's siblings and family; she was sad to leave them, especially her brother Tom. He was still young - she hated to be so far away from him. But she needed to be at her husband's side as they set off for California to make their fortune, with the gold fields seducing many. Finding a lovely spot to set up camp beside a river, which would hopefully produce gold, Grace and James were happy. After several months they decided to pack up camp and head for the new town called San Francisco. As the Randolph's procured some land by the wharf, as well as for a home, James began building warehouses. His vision for the future was a good one which would make them wealthy. The small cottage which was built for Grace took the possessions they'd been carrying on their mules. They were working hard, and were content. But danger was on the horizon - lawlessness was fraught in the new colonies, and men took it onto themselves to serve justice.

When James left with friend Geoff and his son Simon, Geoff's wife Hillary stayed in San Francisco with their daughters and Grace. The men were going searching for gold once more. Grace and Hillary had heard nothing of their men for months, and when they heard terrible news they weren't sure what to do. But the women were determined...

The Mountains Between Us is #2 in The Wild Horizon series by Imogen Martin and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I did the first. The blurb was misleading, as the "mountains between us" section didn't occur until three quarters of the way through. But the characters themselves were hard working young people, women and men, and also quite diverse. I enjoyed the introduction of Cora as well as Ling Mei and really hope there's another book to continue Grace's story. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.

Five wonderful stars for this fabulous book. Imogen Martin has quickly become one of my favourite authors. The books transports us to the gold rush and doesn't flinch from the lows but goodness some wonderful highs too. You really care about the characters and enjoy the wonderful friendships. My tiny quibble is that I did not know this was the second in a series and my preference would be to read book one first. I cannot wait until there is a new book to enjoy from this author.

A historical fiction novel about the gold rush, this has great character development and plot. While it had some tense scenes, the book was overall pleasant to read.

The Mountains Between Us by @imogenmartinauthor

I received an ARC copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off slow for me. Sometimes when I read books of hardship it can get to me and it becomes slow going. This story follows the Grace and her husband James who traveled from Oregon to California during the Gold Rush of the late 1840s. The story was filled with hardships and Grace is a tenacious, persevering woman who continuously picked up the pieces after tragedies. While slow in the beginning the story wraps you in and I found it to be very moving. Hearing the history of early California was also extremely interesting, something I didn’t know quite enough until reading this story. I found myself googling names and places, eager to find out more about the Gold Rush and how the communities in San Francisco and through out the state were created.

📚Book 9 of 2025
4 ⭐️s

Set in around San Francisco during the gold rush in 1849 the Randolphs are setting out to California. Leaving her brother's farm in Oregon, Grace and James make their way to find gold. He was a Captain in the army but was discharged and is finding it difficult to deal with, yet he won't tell Grace what happened. There is much to be said about the lawlessness of the times in those "gold fields" but the desire to become rich overtakes the discovery to find nuggets and gold dust. I didn't know this was a sequel and would have read the first book. Having said that though I'm finding this novel as a standalone to be just fine and enjoyable. This book is well researched and well written. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Mountains Between us by Imogen Martin was an inside look at the hardships faced by people during the California gold rush. James and Grace Randolph set out to claim their part of the gold that was being discovered in California. Along the way, they face many hardships - a difficult journey, a fire that destroys everything they've worked for, and James' suffering from his time in the war. James and friends get captured by a gold magnate and are forced to work under deplorable conditions, forcing Grace and two other women to use their feminine prowess to free the men and bring them home.

I enjoyed this book. I thought there were places in the novel that drug out more than necessary. I thought the characters were likable, though I felt like most of them were not developed terribly well. The writing was much more about what the characters were doing (the actions) rather than describing the characters' thoughts and feelings. My two favorite characters were Cora and Ling Mei.

I think the jacket cover synopsis needs to be rewritten. It makes it sound like the biggest event in the book is the rescuing of the men, but that was only 2 chapters, 3 if you count the trip there and back. I don't think the summary accurately reflects what the book is about - the hardships of living in California during that time, the turmoil it put on families, and the responsibilities of women to step out of their traditional roles to support their families.

Overall, I'm glad I read the book. Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy.

Set in the gold rush era, James and Grace Randolph set off to California after reading a newspaper article about the success of men finding gold nuggets so easily. James had been a captain in the army previously, then they went to Oregon where Grace wanted to be with her younger brother Tom and her older brother and his family. James decided pretty quickly that he wasn't a farmer so they headed to California. Along the way they fall into traps of not so good gangs, they meet friends that become like family, and they grow together in so many ways. The story is full of adventures both good, bad, happy and sad. Grace will prove that she is a woman of strength and loyalty. I loved the way the author portrayed the women in such strong characters, helping their husbands but not being put away as nobodies.

This is my first read by Imogen Martin and I will continue to read her books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Imogen Martin and Storm Publishing for allowing me this e-arc copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

James and Grace Randolph return to Oregon to her brothers with an unsure future ahead of them as James has left the army under questionable circumstances. “The Captain” isn’t sure what his future holds and quickly discovers that farming isn’t it. Hearing of the success of others panning for gold in California, the couple heads south to join the gold rush taking over the newest state.

Though initially successful, setbacks plague the couple causing friction in the young marriage. When James finds himself in trouble, Grace once again proves herself an extraordinary woman of the era and comes to the rescue in a multitude of ways. It’s Grace who really shines in this sequel proving that women should not be underestimated.

The story starts off a little slow in the first quarter of the book as the couple continually laments their bad luck, but the pace quickly picks up as they find their future in California. The second half of the book will have readers finding it hard to set the story aside. The secondary characters added to the sequel are both rich and compelling. Mei Ling’s steadfast loyalty and Cora’s business acumen make Grace’s journey all the more interesting and entertaining. “The Mountains” are both physical and metaphorical between the young couple, but in the end only make them stronger. Be sure to read To the Wild Horizon before this novel to fully understand James and Grace’s relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and of course the author Imogen Martin for the advanced copy of the book. The Mountains Between Us is out on February 18th. All opinions are my own.

I read the prequel to this story and looked forward to reading how Grace and James marriage worked out on their journey to California. They are both strong characters. I did not expect the twists and turns in this story. I really enjoyed the story! I look forward to reading more from this author.

This book was very close to a five star read for me. It follows the story of husband and wife, James and Grace as they join the California Gold Rush, and the successes and loses that come with it. When James goes missing, Grace has reason to believe he has been kidnapped and sets off across the perilous mountains to find him.

The romance, and ultimately the marriage, between James and Grace is strained due to miscommunication, the inability to fall pregnant and James’s struggles with his time in the military and his subsequent discharge. It’s not until you finish the book that you realise the mountains between them were not just literal mountains, but many metaphorical ones as well.

It was so evident in the details and descriptions that the time in history in which the book is set, the geographical location and the way of life was researched meticulously. As a reader, you appreciate the time and effort the author has put in to making sure you feel almost transported back in time, walking alongside the characters, seeing, hearing and feeling as they do.

I love a strong, female main character and Grace certainly delivers. But she is not the only one, and I really enjoyed the stories of all the women in this book as they overcame adversities and prejudices.

The only thing I wanted more of from this book was depth in the two main characters, specifically depth in their love for each other. While there’s no denying Grace’s love for James when she sets off across the mountains to find him, the book starts off with the pair two years into their marriage so you don’t get an understanding of where such a powerful love and loyalty came from. It wasn’t until I finished the book that I discovered it is actually a sequel. While The Mountains Between Us can be read as a standalone, I would really encourage new readers to first read To The Wild Horizon. And I would also encourage the author and publisher to make it a little more clear on the cover of this book that it is a sequel.

But overall, a captivating story of a woman’s determination to bring her husband home, in more ways than one. Highly recommended and am off to read the first book to discover the origins of the story of James and Grace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review

This was a really good book and follow up to the previous one. I liked Grace and her strength thru difficult times. All the women were strong and determined. It was fast moving and kept my attention to the end

What a brilliantly written story. I loved it!
The Mountain Between Us is a story set in the gold rush era around San Francisco and California in the 1800s.
Grace Randolph and her husband, James, have just travelled far, to get to her brother's home in Oregon hoping to settle when news comes of gold being found.
Eager to be among the first, James plans to leave to join the Argonauts already there, and Grace accompanies him, begrudgingly leaving her brothers to be with her husband.
The tale details the hardships they face along the way, the successes they savour and the tragedies.
They forge new friendships ,and unfortunately make new enemies, as well as welcoming faces of old.
During one period of hardship, Grace is left alone, with another woman and her family, as the menfolk go to find more gold to support their families, and James is captured.
It is not the story of just one woman's bravery, but of several, in their own way, forging a path that rescues the captured men, and begins to create justice in a lawless society.
Grace is a tough woman, who I admired.
Ling Mei, a Chinese immigrant, brings her own calm and knowledge to their story.
And I did love Cora, one of a pair of French sisters, originally brought over as courtesans to work in a saloon, but who show their own strength of character as they build their own business.
I read this pretty quickly, eager to know how it ended, and I'm mighty glad that there is already a book detailing how James and Grace met, which I was unaware of.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC.

I loved this book about a woman looking for her husband as she travels to California
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: 02/18/2025

The Mountains Between Us takes place during the California gold rush. As a California girl myself, I just had to request this book! My husband also pans for gold in our local rivers, so I was excited to get accepted for this ARC.

James and Grace Randolph journey to California from the Oregon Trail in hopes that rumors of Gold are true. In the beginning, they had great success until other “forty-niners” started to make their claim. James and Grace hoped for a better future, but lawlessness was something they did not expect.

I enjoyed this story and loved that Imogen Martin accurately described the process of gold panning. I can tell she did a lot of research for this book. I wanted to know the origins of James and Grace, but I found it lacking. I wanted more! This novel can be read as a stand-alone even though it’s part of a series. I would’ve enjoyed it better if I would’ve known.

What a gripping tale. Being British, this is a period of history I know nothing about. This novel brought it to life for me. What a blockbuster of a read. Absolutely fabulous!

After meeting Grace and James in "To the Wild Horizon" I was excited to get to see what happened after their trip on the Overland Trail. This novel brings them to California during the Gold Rush. San Francisco is a bustling gold mountain town that is growing bigger each day. They face many trials, some natural disaster, and some inflicted by others.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the historical descriptions. There was romance and suspense. Plus the women were head-strong.

#NetGalley #ImogenMartin

A poignant and exciting story about a husband and wife who met on the Oregon trail and are caught up in the madness of the California gold
rush. I really like them and their close friends who support them. The scenes of how unruly and lawless San Francisco was at that time are
chilling. We also learn about how gold prospecting was done and how entrepreneurs like Grace and James could establish themselves in this
environment.

There is both tragedy and hope in the story and although it is not my usual genre of historical novel, I am glad I read it. I like the writer's style and
I will probably look up her earlier book.