"The Rose Legacy" by Kristen Heitzmann

I read this book last week, and although it took a couple chapters to get into it, I found myself hooked. After a few chapters, I found it hard to put down, as I wanted to know "what happens next?"

The Rose Legacy is a story of a girl named Carina who has "run away" from her pampered life in California to what she believes is an "ideal life" in the Rockies.  She quickly finds herself in trouble (before she even makes it to her destination), and she learns that she is often too innocent for her own good.

From the back cover: Fleeing her idyllic home in Sonoma, California, Carina Maria DiGratia journeys to the mining town of Crystal, Colorado. Clinging to hopes of a new life, she finds reality has a harsh welcome for her. Overrun with men seeking their fortune and women bound by circumstance, the town hosts both dreams and nightmares, with little surety for tomorrow. But at least here Carina is far from the betrayal that still pierces her heart... Early on, two men vie for her trust, but neither is what he seems. Will Carina discern the truth and confront the turmoil hidden in her own heart in time to prevent tragedy?

In the first book of the Diamond of the Rockies series, Heitzmann weaves a story full of suspense and romance.  As part of a series, this book appropriately leaves the reader wanting more, looking forward to the next book in series.  I definitely look forward to reading more books by this author!

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing this copy for me to read and review.