Heartfelt Story Blending History, Romance, and Faith

I’ve always enjoyed reading Angela Couch’s books—she’s such a fantastic writer, and When the Mountain Crumbled is no exception. This historical Christian fiction novel is book four in a series of six, each centered around real disasters that not only altered landscapes but also deeply affected the lives of the people who lived through them. Couch’s ability to bring history to life while weaving in strong, relatable characters is what makes her writing so captivating.

In this novel, we meet Samantha Ingles, a disciplined and rule-bound schoolteacher living in a small mining town in the Canadian Rockies. She’s built her life around order, but everything changes when part of a mountain crashes down, leaving the town in ruins. Samantha’s controlled world is shattered, forcing her to confront not only the devastation around her but also the emotional walls she’s carefully built.

On the other side of the story is Constable David Harty, who reluctantly leaves his three young nieces in Samantha’s care as he searches for his brother, feared to be buried in the coal mine after the landslide. The disaster has already taken much from his family, and the tension between him and Samantha adds another layer to the challenges they face as they navigate survival and loss.

One thing I loved about this book is how Couch captures the raw emotions of a community grappling with tragedy while also highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. The landslide is more than just a physical disaster—it becomes a metaphor for the crumbling emotional walls between the characters. As Samantha cares for David’s nieces, we see her soften, learning to comfort in a way that contrasts sharply with her strict, controlled nature. Similarly, David’s initial frustration with Samantha turns to understanding as they both learn to lean on one another during the crisis.

The backdrop of the Canadian Rockies and the looming threat of more destruction adds to the tension, but what really shines through is the message of hope and healing. Despite the devastation, Couch reminds us that love and faith can grow even in the darkest of times.

When the Mountain Crumbled is a heartfelt, beautifully written story that blends history, romance, and faith. It reminds us that even when life feels out of control, there’s always room for hope. Angela Couch once again proves why she’s such a talented storyteller, and I’m excited to see where this series goes next.

I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Note: I received a copy of this book from the author and was not required to write a positive review.

When the Mountain Crumbled is on Tour with Celebrate Lit!

Author: Angela K Couch

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release date: September 2024

Though Mountains Crumble, Hope Is Not Buried

Enjoy a series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Discipline and rules are the foundation on which Samantha Ingles has built her life—the life of a spinster schoolteacher in a small mining town in the Canadian Rockies. All that crumbles from her grasp when part of a mountain crashes down on their community.

Constable David Harty has little patience for the strict schoolmarm but has no choice but to leave his three young nieces in her care while he tries to discover the fate of his brother. Already, the girls have lost their mother and brothers to the landslide and require comfort and love while they await the fate of their father, possibly buried in the coal mine.

With the mountain looming over their heads threatening more lives, and the town scrambling to save who they can from the rubble, can hearts find healing—both for their own sakes and the children in their care?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

To keep from freezing in the great white north, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the 2016 International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and toasty warm) by chasing after five munchkins.

More from Angela

Around 4:10 am on April 29^th, 1903, approximately 110 million metric tonnes of limestone broke from the side of Turtle Mountain and crashed down into the Crowsnest Valley, burying ranches, camps, an active coal mine, and a part of the town of Frank. What has come to be known as “Frank Slide” was the deadliest landslide in North American recorded history, claiming the lives of more than seventy people.

I first visited Frank Slide as a child, as it is located only an hour’s drive from my home. All I remember from that experience was the heaps of rocks and boulders, and the story of the mine-horse named Charlie. When driving through the Crowsnest Pass as an adult, I began to appreciate the terror of that night and the horrible loss of life. Not until expanding my research while writing this story, did the miracles of Frank shine through everything horrible that happened. That became the focus of my story, When the Mountain Crumbled.

I find our own lives follow a similar pattern. Tragedy, hardship, sickness and disappointment… but do we see the miracles?