About the Book

Book: A Mountain Too Steep

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Suspense

Release Date: July 18, 2023

A car accident that might not be an accident at all. A murderer bent on revenge. And a woman desperate to keep her family together.

She’s already lost her soul mate. She’ll do anything to protect her children.

For the sake of her kids, Camilla Wright managed to survive after her husband’s murder. When she’s awakened in the night with the news that her teenage son and nephew have been in a horrific car accident, she rushes to the hospital in a haze of shock and panic.

The boys were supposed to be skiing in the mountains east of Salt Lake City. What were they doing so far west? More alarming, the wreck might not have been an accident at all.

While Jeremy fights for his life, Camilla is running out of time to discover who lured her son and her nephew into the desert. With each new clue, the terrifying truth becomes clearer.

Her husband’s killers are closing in…

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About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. After college, working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

More from Robin

It was Monday, July 16, 2018, at about nine-thirty at night.

I was home with my husband and daughter, watching TV, when my sister called. Since my son was visiting her family in Utah, I rushed to pick up.

“Robin,” my sister said. “The boys have been in a terrible accident. They’re being life-flighted to Salt Lake City. They’re both alive. That’s all I know.”

My knees hit the floor. Then I was lying prone on my kitchen tile. Ninety-nine percent of me was thinking, Oh, God. Please, please…

Nine-tenths of one percent was thinking, Why am I on the floor?

And I’ll be honest. About one-tenth of a percent was thinking, When was the last time I mopped?

Such are the inner workings of a human mind in the midst of tragedy.

The next twelve hours were chaos. We needed to get from our Oklahoma home to Salt Lake as soon as possible. We found a flight that left at eight a.m. and booked it.

And then we waited.

While the minutes ticked past in slow motion, we got occasional updates on the boys’ condition. Joshua, my nephew, had a head injury and trauma to his gut.

Jacob, my son, had severe lung damage. Severe enough that, as soon as he arrived at the ER, they intubated him.

Both boys were transferred to the ICU and pronounced stable.

When my husband and I arrived the following morning, we saw Jacob. A tube down his throat. Tape across his face. Scrapes and cuts and bruises all over his upper body. One arm in a plaster cast from his biceps to his fingertips. Unconscious.

And then the hard part began.

The boys’ accident was such a unique and life-altering event in our lives. Watching a cherished child battle for his life, not knowing if he’ll win or lose, is like nothing you can imagine.

Or maybe you can. Maybe you’ve experienced something similar. People are in car accidents every single day. And motorcycle accidents. And other accidents.

And there are illness and addictions and mental health struggles. The list goes on and on.

If you’ve dealt with any of those, then your trauma was probably very different from ours. And yet, you and I could probably find a lot in common. The fear. The surreal moments. The pendulum swinging between hope and helplessness.

The constant litany of prayers.

We were fortunate. Our son and our nephew both survived and recovered. When we were on the other side, I knew I’d write about the experience someday.

And so…I did.

A Mountain Too Steep tells the story of two boys in a car accident in the middle of the Utah desert. The physical trauma the boys experienced is almost exactly what our boys endured.

The rest of the story is purely fictional, thank God. I like a little danger in my life—safe danger. Let’s leave the vengeful gang members in the realm of fiction, shall we?

I cried throughout the writing. And the editing. And the rereading. Even though five years have passed, the memories are still fresh.

Tears aside, I love this story. It’s about a woman whose husband was murdered, a widow who’s endured her own nightmare and who’ll do anything, anything, to protect her children.

I think you’re going to like it.

MY REVIEW

This is a heart pounding story that destroys a family when the husband witnesses a murder. Daniel is an ER doctor and saves lives everyday. When he is called to testify against a dangerous man, everything comes unglued. He has now been missing for several years and his wife and children are trying to move on. When Camilla gets a call late at night that her nephew and son are involved in a terrible car accident everything changes. Their lives hang in the balance and it is a wrenching scene when Camilla first sees them.

I loved how the author used her own personal experience with her son and nephew. The car accident is very similar to the one in the story and I could sense the pain the author went through. I have always heard, “write what you know.” The author delivers a very realistic look at the inside of the ICU and the struggles patients face each day. It is definitely a rollercoaster ride.

Camilla is taking each day one at a time until someone from her past shows up. The agent who helped her when her husband testified has shown up at the hospital. His news is devastating and tells Camilla that she may have to think about The Witness Protection Program. Her son’s accident may have been retaliation. How can she uproot her children and start over? Is the danger real and who is behind this?

What an intense story this is when Camilla finds herself facing her biggest fear. I loved how she called on God to protect her and her family. The question I kept thinking was, “ Is Daniel really alive? ” Will Camilla be able to trust God and allow Him to keep her safe? She comes to realize that no matter what, she would “worship Him.”

I noticed a very important message in the story. Even though Daniel testified and put himself and his family in danger, he did it to save others from the man who murdered someone. The letters we read throughout the book from Daniel shares his deep thoughts and how much he loved his family. He had regrets but wanted to be forgiven and hopefully start fresh. As Camilla races to her destination, she realizes the sacrifice her husband made. He chose to speak up so justice could be served.

Get ready for a story that will have many twists and secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I think this is one of the best suspense stories I have ever read. The author gives a hint of the next book coming up and I can’t wait to read it.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.