Crimson Mountain

by Grace Livingston Hill

When Laurel Sheridan, a school teacher, moves to the little town of Carrollton she has a tough time adjusting to the new environment. Finally she finds a friend after meeting a young soldier Phil Pilgrim whose family owns a munitions plant. Suddenly, Laurel's life gets endangered after she overhears a plot to blow up the new munitions plant. The only person she can trust in the town is Phil and she counts on his help badly...

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian, Fiction, Christian Romance, Historical Fiction

227 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

also wrote under the pseudonym Marcia MacDonald
also published under the name Grace Livingston Hill Lutz

A popular author of her day, she wrote over 100 novels and numerous short stories of religious and Christian fiction. Her characters were most often young female ingénues, frequently strong Christian women or those who become so within the confines of the story.

niece to Isabella MacDonald Alden

Reviews

[Lady Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third Reading Rating: 4.8 / 5

Third time re-reading this and I'm utterly in love! Honestly, considering that I keep coming back to this over and over again, it's clear that it's a special story in my heart! I'm pretty sure it's one of if not THE first book I've ever read by Grace Livingston Hill, so for introducing me to the author alone, I'm very grateful!

The reason this story just hit home so much is, in part, because of Laurel's new job as a high school teacher. I'm a high school teacher, and this will be my first year really getting into the career. Just as she's at the beginning of her career, so am I, and it really connects how intimidating a time it can be and how much we NEED faith to get us through it all! I really related to her, and though I didn't have wartime plots to stop or a handsome soldier-boy saving my life, I really felt myself in her character, seeing things through her eyes.

So glad I revisited this when I did, and can now (finally!) update it to the full four stars it deserves. Bless to all!

Second Reading Rating: 4.4 / 5

Still not up to booting it to the full 5 stars, though I couldn't exactly say why. It's a delightful read that gave me all the right feels and fluff, but there's just something that I have to say that I liked more about The Enchanted Barn than this story. Maybe it's because, while the stakes are technically higher in this novel than TEB, our main protagonist, Laurel, is never in as much danger as the heroine in the other novel. I guess that this one was more fluff and slightly less action, but it still such an enjoyable and calming read. Snuggling with this book, a cup of tea, and a nice blanket was nice this time around, and got me in a Christian mood for Christmas--as it should be--anyways.

Loved it!

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Well, this book's as sappy as you please, but every now and then, one needs a relaxing read, and indeed, this took me to the calm America of the 1940s, somewhere out in the country where the war hasn't touched the land or the people closely, an ocean away from all the trouble and turmoil. Of course, our "soldier boy" Phil is our connection to the war, but he hasn't been affected by it yet in the way that makes for a grim wartime story.

This book is meant as a "Christian romance", and it really shows, what with the way that Grace Livingston Hill is trying to squeeze in Christianity lessons into the romance and whatnot. I understood that this was what I had to expect, so I went along with it, but I can't fully reconcile it as being fully realistic because of this. Not that Christianity isn't praised and accepted in the real world every day, but I don't see religion as having much to do with romance or anything with an upcoming war (least of all WWII, which by far had the highest death rate of any war in history), so it did really seem squeezed in there at the sides.

Laurel and Phil and their interactions with one another were by far my favourite parts of the book. Polite, charismatic, heroic, and overall good guy Phil and innocent, beautiful, enthusiastically-worshipful and also polite Laurel made a cute couple, though a bit mushy at times. Their friendship lasted for most of the novel, despite how quickly they met and took a liking to each other, but then, this book was probably written by a lady who was a hopeless romantic, for millions of other hopeless romantics like her. To be honest, for myself, this might be an ideal book to read on a cold winter's day, wrapped up in a blanket and sipping tea by lamplight. For the past day or so in which I've been inside, it's also been pleasant. Just...not anything like a 5-star read. Well done, but not my ideal. That's all--that's honest.

[Alleluialu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an unexpected joy! I found it at the library when I was looking for a book to read with a "red" word in the title. This one came up and it is a little unassuming green library book - no picture on the cover or anything. It is a lovely story or a young woman, Laurel Sheridan, who sets out on her own after he parents die. She stays with a cousin for a while, but that cousin is only interested in finding her a rich husband who is well-known in society. That isn't what this young woman wants. She goes back to her hometown and finds a job as a substitute school teacher. She also meets a young man, Phil Pilgrim, while she is driving around on Crimson Mountain reminiscing, and her car breaks down. He stops to help her and saves her from a stampeding herd of cattle. It sounds very predictable and common when I read what I just wrote, but it's such a sweet story and it isn't mushy. It's romantic and exciting things happen. Phil is on his way to report to camp as a soldier. Before he goes, the two of them go to visit a woman who befriended him when he was a child. They accompany her to her little church and eventually both declare their love for Jesus and begin to seriously live a Christian life. After he goes off to camp, things happen up on Crimson Mountain where the government is building a munitions plant. It doesn't sound as if all this would go together, but it does - beautifully. The book is written in a lovely, 1940's fashion and I just loved it. It just goes to show that you never know what you will find between the ordinary covers of a library book. What a treasure!

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book starts a little rough and the opening paragraphs stumble along a bit before you get into the story, I much enjoyed this story set during WWII. There is a dash of intrigue, the usual unforgiving worldly relatives, and the man whose faith becomes a pure shining beacon for the world-weary girl to cling to. I liked that there was a certain amount of self-discovery that both young people had to go through. And as always the story comes out right at the end, leaving the reader with a soft sigh of contentment and a resolve to live better.

[Wendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot defend this stuff. It is formula fiction, predictable, safe, utter drek. Also, as one of my daughters informed me, the girls are just so *flimsy.*
But I love them.
Comfort reads.
And when she describes the food, her writing rises above itself and I pause and reread her descriptions of perfect mashed potatoes, custards, bottles of milk, delicately roasted chicken, and little blackberry tarts.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really gets to my heart strings with its story of two basically adrift and alone characters falling in love-it makes sense that they attach so quickly given how they were both so alone in the world. It's so sweet how they treat each other ultra respectfully. This book just has so much to make me say awwww.

[Dianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not GLH's best, in my opinion. The plot apart from the romance is very thin.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered that this book is coming out as an ebook, and so I got requested and received an ARC from the publisher. I have read Grace Livingston Hill before, and I do enjoy her books. I did not recognize this one due to the new cover, it was only after I was reading it that I realized I had read this book before years ago.

I enjoyed this book a great deal, and I recommend it.

I like the older blurb better. Phil is home checking out his old family property, and Laurel is in town as the new school teacher. Friendships turn to love, Faith in Jesus flourish, and a sinister plot is uncovered!

This book was originally printed in 1942, and is is just as good today as it was then.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first introduced to Grace Livingston Hill as a young reader. She was my first foray into Christian or Inspirational Fiction. I enjoy her simplistic writing style, her ability to speak on lifestyle purity in away that is completely foreign today and may have even been foreign in her own time, her ability to bring redemption in a dark world, and for her simplistic preaching within the story lines.
Laurel is seeking to find her own way in the world after a reversal of fortune and Phil is seeking to say goodbye before being shipped out by the Army. Neither is seeking the other, but Laurel is quite literally placed into Phil's way and ends up being saved by him. A shy friendship develops but they soon part ways. Laurel happens to overhear a plot and relays it to Phil via mail. Not long after, Phil is brought back into her presence and they discover they feel much more for each other than just friendship.
I love the simple secondary characters and how they add depth and humor to the story. It is always enjoyable to read how GLH always connects the main character with a protege of sorts, usually a child or teenager. I would definitely recommend reading this and discovering the journey that Laurel and Phil are taken on to discover God and a love of their own!

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of my least favorite Grace Livingstone Hill books so far. The romance was so quick I just got annoyed by it.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really not her best. The prose was not good. The plot was too sketchy. The hero's conversation was indistinguishable from the heroine's. The theology was more atrocious than usual.

[Anna Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story about a young girl about to step out from the privileged life to have a job and independence, and how she meets a jaded young man alone in the world and about to go off to war. They're two souls searching for something more, and in finding each other, everything changes. It's a beautiful story about a chance meeting that becomes a relationship.

The best part about this is that they've known each other all of their lives: he was the gas station attendant, and she the little girl who begged the chauffeur to let her ride in the car whenever he took it to be serviced at the station. They'd just gone their separate ways and had their own separate tragedies that sent them on spirals that ended up crossing.

The only complaint I have about this one is the 'once saved, always saved' BS that's utterly unBiblical that GLH espouts. ((See John 15:2, Revelation 14: 9-10, Matthew 12:32)) But then, she's uber-christian, and very, VERY brainwashed with dogma, to the point where doctrine like this doesn't matter to her.

But she's dead, and it's too late, and if you can overlook that, the rest of the book is AMAZING.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the title sounded familiar, it took me some way into the book before I remembered that I had read it before. It wasn't until the, fairly incompetent, villains showed up that I recognized any of the characters or plot points. There is quite a lot of Christian doctrine in this one as our protagonists start to turn their lives toward God. I acknowledge that this is important to this author, but it tended to slow the story down quite a lot, which makes what should be a rather exciting read into something rather more tame.

[Ann Whitaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite

I love Grace Livingston Hill's books but this was definitely not my favorite. The book moved so slow with very little real story line
The last 3 chapters were very good, it just took about 80% of the book to get there.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, but for a Grace Livingston Hill, it didn't have as much of a plot as her earlier novels. As always, it left a good Christian message, but the beginning was pretty slow until about halfway through the novel. I did like the WW2 spy turn, though.

[Shauna Ryall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a longer book than most of her books. There are a few plots that weave together, but it is a lovely story that it's true to the history of the time... pre-WWII

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, awesome read.

Fast paced, and sweet romance. Only wish it had been longer, loved the characters. One of Ms Livingston best books.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't remember this at all, but I did note "too much religion!" which is probably why I didn't read any more by this author.

[Gina Hott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hott Synopsis:
Laurel Sheridan has a decision to make. Several of them, in fact. Born into a privileged world she never anticipated being alone or working but she’s accepted both without a second thought. What she can’t decide is which of her suitors to accept.
None seems quite right even though all have money and seem to the very cream of society. Does she accept one as she’s being swayed to do or should she miss this fleeting opportunity?
Lily knows she needs space to make this decision so she accepts a job near her childhood home of Crimson Mountian to ponder the turn of events never realizing that here her dreams make come true… if the war effort doesn’t first condemn her fate.

Hott Review of Crimson Mountain:
This was some book!! This was a sweet romance that anyone can love, but it’s SO much more. There is a light adventure, a bit of suspense, a wonderful salvation message and explanation, and a lesson on being a woman.
I know we anticipate the romance and intrigue but the others are not prevalent. This book will be on a must read for the young women I know because it’s so applicable. Teaching young women that their identity is not with a man, that we shouldn’t spend our time looking for the one, and how to evade those awkward questions with grace and tact are all lessons found here that we all need!!

More…
Author: Grace Livingston Hill
Source: Barbour Books via Netgalley
Grade: A+
Ages: 16+
Steam: Nada
Series: Grace Livingston Hill #85

[Anna Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still plugging away at my GLH reading list, and I really enjoyed this one! It was a sweet WWII story that tugged at my heartstrings- I'm a sucker for the "man/woman alone in the world, finds friendship" trope (is that a trope? Or just human longing? Anyway...)

The romance was a bit fast (it is wartime though, so I'll allow it) but it was very sweet. I enjoyed the munitions factory intrigue subplot, even though it seemed a tad bit convoluted at times. (Who were all those men? Were they all back stabbing each other? Were they foreign spies? And what is a "fifth columnist "? I must Google...)

Overall, an enjoyable read from GLH. Maybe not high on my re-read list, but I would definitely pick it up again in the future! (Can you tell that every GLH book is rated based on re-readability for me? Writing quality by darned, I'm looking for personal enjoyment here people!)

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is so sad...

I don't think I'm going to make it through this little old novel. It's like a sweet old black-and-white movie. You know the plot. You know the characters. It's just a pleasant way to spend a rainy evening. But this is not a movie. It's a book and it goes on and on and ON! The author needed a stronger rewrite - many things are repeated. Repeatedly.

The opening rescue-from-the-cows was quite amusing. ;)

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read many of the books by Grace Livingston Hill about 30 years ago and loved them -- had forgotten the story line in many of them. Occurring during WWII in the small town of Carollton, Laurel had returned home to finish out the year for a teacher who became ill. She meets Phil who is home to sell his old home place on Crimson Mountain and the sparks begin to fly.

[Partridge Public]

Hill, Grace Livingston

[Rebecca Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of my favorite GL Hill books. A little too syrupy sweet and quite repetitive in parts.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has promise but needs more editing.