Lauralee Bliss

In When the Avalanche Roared by Lauralee Bliss, the cold, ruthless nature of the avalanche is more than a day to remember — it’s a fierce reminder that faith is forged in the most brutal of storms. This story asks you to witness a disaster and it invites you to walk through the wreckage with the characters, grappling with whether faith can stand firm when the world around you is buried under the chaos and danger.

Griffin caught my attention right away. He’s not your typical hero with a show more cape or a grand gesture. Instead, he’s a quiet, hardworking man who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. And yet, there’s this steady, unshakable peace about him. When the avalanche hits, it’s as if his faith, honed through years of hardship, becomes the only thing that doesn’t crumble under the weight of snow and chaos. It’s not about being fearless. It’s about trusting God despite fear. Griffin’s motto seemed to be something like: Don’t ask for an easy road, ask for a faithful heart.

Then there’s Lillian, who starts out unsure of where she belongs. She’s caught between a life she thought she wanted and a connection with Griffin that she’s not sure she’s ready for. Her spiritual journey throughout the book is about finding her voice, her purpose, and her trust in God when she’s been left in the dark. As she faces the avalanche of uncertainty in her life, it reminded me that faith isn’t always about having a clear path ahead. Sometimes, it’s about choosing to take the next step, even when you can’t see the whole picture.

This book goes beyond surviving the avalanche; it’s about the fierce reckoning that follows and how real faith endures. How do you rebuild? How do you keep going when the ground is unstable, and every day feels like it could fall apart? Griffin and Lillian’s relationship doesn’t happen because of some grand romantic moment—it grows because they learn to trust each other, trust God, and their faith in Him in the midst of everything falling apart. The wreckage leaves physical scars and carves out spaces in their hearts where they find something so much deeper than amazingly courageous survival.

What I really loved about When the Avalanche Roared was how Lauralee Bliss took this historical event and didn’t just let it be a plot point. She used it as a mirror for the characters’ personal avalanches—their doubts, fears, and struggles. There’s this rawness to how faith is shown here: it’s not clean, it’s not always pretty, but it’s real. Lillian’s growth is a perfect example of this, as she comes to terms with the avalanche inside her own heart—the one that’s been blocking her from embracing her own faith, her own purpose. It echoes the truth of Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

There’s a raw, unyielding kind of strength that rises from the rubble of disaster—and from facing the storm inside yourself, when the snow piles so high it swallows everything you thought you knew, and all that’s left is the deafening roar of loss. When the Avalanche Roared is about standing tall and fixing your eyes on Jesus when everything you once trusted is buried beneath fear and grief. This story slams home the truth that, in the crushing weight of life’s avalanches, the one thing you can cling to—the one thing that never crumbles under pressure—is God.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on the writing and story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability. show less

Bugs , backpacks and beautiful trails oh my. I am not a camper nor a hiker so this book intrigued me. Why would someone want to hike for days with weather that changes daily and lack of water becomes a reality?

The author has a lot of determination and a thirst for adventure in this book. It is chalked full of inviting trails which seem to go on forever. It surprised me that she was pretty calm when meeting strangers on her journey and I especially loved her endurance as she traveled to see show more God’s beauty.

The author really did her research before taking off and I thought how prepared she must have been. I’m pretty sure I would not last an hour on a trail. My idea of hiking is making a trip to the mailbox. Camping for me is in an RV with all the luxuries minus bugs, and bad weather.

I was shocked when she went home with one of the ladies she encountered on her hike. The offer of a soft bed and ice cream is tempting but I would never go with someone I didn’t know. I’m not as trusting as the author and it sounded like she had a great time visiting with the lady and her husband. They do seem to become friends and that encouraged me to have more faith in mankind . There always seemed to be a big issue with water. Staying hydrated is very important and I worried about our hiker throughout the book.

The different places the author visits on her journey were quite interesting . There are good people in this world and it was evident as the author gets help from strangers. I loved that she was able to witness and pray with people along her journey. The book was interesting but I’m still not convinced I want to go hiking.

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

When the Avalanche Roared is the fifth book in the amazing A Day to Remember multi-author series. I love this series whose stories bring to life lesser-known historical disasters. The event in this story is the deadly Avalanche of 1910 in the small village of Wellington, Washington. Ms. Bliss skillfully combines fact and fiction in this heartbreaking, emotion-packed story which is also filled with hope and faith. Through vivid, detailed descriptions, I could picture the destruction and feel show more the trauma of the event. This storyline differs from the others in the series in that the actual disaster does not appear until half-way through the book. The first half of the story focuses on the railway business, storm trapped railway passengers, and residents of Wellington (most of whom were Great Northern Railway employees). By the time the disaster strikes, you are totally invested in the characters which heightens the impact and devastation of the event. The main characters socialite Lillian Hartwick and railway worker Griffin Jones are an unlikely match. I love the way they grow individually and how their romantic relationship develops during the tragedy. I especially appreciate the strong, encouraging faith message of hope and God’s sovereignty running throughout the story. I totally enjoyed this book and highly recommend it and the series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less

5 stars, People Coming Together

WHEN THE AVALANCHE ROARED (A DAY TO REMEMBER SERIES, BOOK 5)
by Lauralee Bliss

This series is about more obscure historical events, each of the events have an engaging story guaranteed to draw you in. Highly enjoyable series.

The novel is about a tremendous avalanche that took place in Wellington, Washington in 1909, with a charming story woven around the devastation.

Lillian Hartwick is recently engaged to lumber baron, but Anthony Travers, is a driven man and he show more abandons his new fiancé to go make another lumber deal.

Lillian decides to leave her family's home in Everett, Washington and travel by train to Wellington, Washington to help out her cousin Elizabeth who is quite pregnant, but her husband Clyde is tremendously busy working the rotary snowplows to free the trains from the never ending snow.

Griffin Jones is a railway worker, a "jack of all trades," working wherever he is needed.

The town of Wellington is dependent upon the railroad, that brings visitors and employees to their humble town.

I really liked Griffin. He was ridiculed mercilessly by several other railroad workers, but rather than feeling sorry for himself, he set his sights higher and used his faith to see him through.

Lillian doesn't want to be controlled by the conventions of society. She takes a part time job as a postmistress, while she and Elizabeth are waiting for the baby to arrive. I have a fondness for postal employees, especially historical ones.

Highly recommend this book. Perfect for anyone seeking #adventure #historicalevents #inspirational #ChristianFiction

...Cascade Cement... I had not heard of that before, priceless!

I received a complimentary copy of #WhentheAvalancheRoared from #BarbourPublishing #BarbourFiction #NetGalley I was under no obligation to post a review.

#ADaytoRememberSeries #FavoriteBooks #LauraleeBliss #strongfemaleprotagonist #standaloneinaseries #standalone show less