To Climb the Mountain by: Kristy Werner

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: To Climb the Mountain
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Kristy Werner
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Hearts of Osage County #5
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Silent Stone Publishing
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: October 26, 2026
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Christian Contempoary Romance

Review:

To Climb the Mountain is the fifth book in Kristy Werner's Hearts of Osage County series. I recommend starting with book 1, as it follows a group of cousins and friends and builds on itself. I didn’t know how much I would like cowboy romance until I read the first book in this series, To Touch the Earth. This series has stolen my heart, and it is bittersweet for it to come to an end.

Trace Bennett has gone off to college, but when he goes to a party and drinks for the first time, his whole world is flipped upside down and starts to spiral out of control. Trace has dropped out of college and worked at a local ranch, but his drinking gets him in trouble, and he finds himself without a job. In a prodigal son realization, Trace goes to the only place he knows he can go: he returns home. Not everyone is excited to see him come home. One brother is understanding, and the other meets him with fists. His ex-girlfriend, Dakota, is also there to meet him, and it’s a hard mountain to climb.

Dakota grew up in and out of foster care, when a couple adopted her, and she found her forever home. When Trace left her, it was just another person to abandon her. Having to work through the process is a lot. When her adopted parents are fostering another girl, and she needs help opening up, when horseback riding for therapy is suggested, and Trace offers to help, things seem to be turning around.

The more time Trace and Dakota spend together, the more things are looking like they can repair things. But Trace has to tell Dakota the truth about what happened when he left. Pulling back the layers of Trace and Dakota and seeing them overcome their struggles and forgive and learn to ask for forgiveness, not only from others, themselves, but also from God.

This second chance romance was perfect and sweet, with kisses only.

Kirsty Werner did a great job of intertwining faith throughout the story.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. A positive review was not required. All views expressed are my honest opinion.