A crashed big rig, a mysterious baby, armed pursuers, and an active volcano create the perfect storm in Fire Mountain, the explosive first installment in USA Today bestselling author Dana Mentink’s new Elements of Danger series.
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Reading Fire Mountain made me late to family dinner – I couldn’t put it down! This gripping story has delicate themes of faith and romance supporting the main characters as they race to figure out the truth, but the clock is ticking in more ways than one. It’s a classic “one more chapter” book that builds to an intense climax as the main characters struggle to escape ruthless pursuers and a volcano that will erupt within hours.
Faith Under Pressure
One of my favorite themes in the book is how faith is refined and forged under pressure. The two main characters, Kit Garrido and Cullen Landry, have troubled pasts that drove them to isolate from friends, family, and as many other people as possible. Kit takes up her dream job of long-haul trucking; Cullen builds a lonely cabin and raises horses for company.
But when circumstances spiral out of control, they are forced to rely on each other to survive, although trust is terrifying for both of them. Even though their stories are very different, there’s a common theme of unforgiveness for both of them.
Kit saw unforgiveness destroy her parent’s marriage and drove her away from the God of her childhood.
Cullen can’t forgive himself for a terrible accident that hurt a close friend.
As they pause to catch their breath after a narrow escape, Kit rocks Cullen’s closely-guarded world when she points out how if Cullen can’t forgive himself, even when God has already forgiven him, then he’s putting himself in the place of God. Mic drop moment! Kit also realized that her mother’s sin does not have to define her own relationship with God.
Unlikely Partnerships in Crisis Situations
It takes courage to admit when someone is out of their depth. It’s one of the things about Kit that Cullen admires the most. That girl has spunk! And even though Kit hates relying on Cullen to help her get out of the dangerous situation, she quickly learns to appreciate how gentle and respectful he is. Maybe her assumptions about men don’t apply to everyone…and maybe meeting Kit is finally enough to shake Cullen out of his self-imposed isolation.
True Character is Revealed Under Extreme Circumstances
One of my favorite things about Fire Mountain is how out of the three main adult characters, the two men are far more confident and capable at taking care of the mystery baby than Kit is. Through several humorous scenes, Kit slowly becomes more comfortable at taking care of little “Tater Tot” (Cullen’s nickname for the baby) although she’s always relieved to pass the little girl off to one of the men.
It’s beautiful to read how tender and protective the men are with the defenseless child, always making sure she has a bottle to drink, soft cookies to nibble, and warm clothing to protect her against the volatile elements.
In Fire Mountain, each character is pushed far outside their comfort zone, but each one rises to the challenge in their own way. And they realize that no matter how much the past might hurt, it doesn’t have to set the pattern for future friendships. Maybe they are stronger together, even if it takes being chased by armed killers while outrunning a relentless volcano to realize it.
Leaving Behind a Calling Versus Choosing a New Path
Both characters have things they love about their lonely lives. Kit finally owns her own trucking business; Cullen genuinely loves his horses and the stillness of his mountain cabin. But they soon discover that maybe they chose the right thing for the wrong reason. It’s Kit’s deep mistrust of people that keeps her away from communities and her mom, while Cullen thinks he doesn’t deserve the love of his family and friends. While it’s too late to change the past, the characters realize that it’s not too late to change the future.
They each find peace and healing as they learn to trust again and open their lives up to close friendships…and maybe even something more.
Final Thoughts
Fire Mountain is a must-read for those who love heart-pounding action with a side of friendship and faith. It’s a masterful story of survival, trust, friendship, courage, and forgiveness as the characters refuse to compromise on what they know is right during their desperate search to discover the truth about little “Tater Tot.”
I’m looking forward to reading more books in Dana Mentink’s new Elements of Danger series!
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If you want to read this thrilling adventure for yourself, you can buy Fire Mountain by clicking on the image below to purchase it from the FamilyFiction Amazon link.
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