#TheSecretSideoftheMoon – Rosepoint Publishing

Rosepoint Rating: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

For readers who like historical fiction with a bit of a love story. This is a stand-alone book.

Pennsylvania, 1798ꟷMina Sommerfeld’s young life is in danger. Married to a cruel degenerate, she must escape or die. To save herself, she commits an unspeakable crime then flees to the Cumberland Mountains for sanctuary. Assuming a new identity, Mina leads a solitary existence, happily working the land and practicing the “old ways”. But the line is thin between the mundane and magical in this new world, and she soon discovers that everyone here has secrets. Although these outcasts protect Mina, her newfound peace does not last. An officer in the American Army discovers her past, and she must decide whether to stay and fight or flee once more.
Spanning more than a decade, The Secret Side of the Moon takes you from the Amish countryside of Pennsylvania to the mystical mountains of Appalachia, culminating in the brutal battlegrounds of the Great Lakes during the War of 1812.

Once again, author Amanda Hughes splashes the pages of history with gritty adventure about audacious women in the past. Her page-turning tales will keep you on the edge of your seat as you take wild rides through dramatic and dazzling periods of history.

My Review:

I love seeing a new book become available by one of my go-to authors. She writes smashing tales about women in varied historical settings from the 17^th Century to the 20^th. This time, the setting is the late 18^th Century and two of my favorite settings: the Appalachians and the Great Lakes.

Mina Sommerfeld has been given in marriage to Gottlieb. She was very young and naïve, and “marital duties” have become somewhat of a shock. Worse, her ignorance of the act and lack of conceiving a child has led to more than one physically violent confrontation. He is careful not to leave publicly visible marks, but she feels it is escalating.

One day she finds evidence of his unhappy previous wives and knows that might be her coming destiny. Another serious altercation has her finding the strength she needs to flee and she does, with little more than the remaining clothes on her back.

Mina’s goal is many days away in the mountains where she could feel safe and stopping one day for sustenance, finds herself with a serendipitous opportunity. With no experience of living off the land, she relies on many of her grandmother’s teachings of the “old ways.” And, she is discovering other hard-scrabble farmers, leading their own quiet lives, possessing their own secrets, but push come to shove, are willing to lend some help and wisdom.

“Like so many settlers, particularly in the mountains, they embraced Christianity but blended it with ancient rituals.”

Mina gradually gains support of the tight-knit community and finds a side hustle that brings in some extra barter or cash when needed. Time, however, brings change and change is not always positive when she is made aware that an American officer discovered her secret. Also, it appears a war is coming and were it not for a change of her circumstances, she might have never been thrust into the middle of it.

Mina is a sponge and she learns quickly, absorbing all the knowledge of the life and area she can. There is opposition to the officer but the gentle tugging of emotions is new to Mina. She appeals for help, often with charms, or rejoices in her newfound abilities with thanks.

The cast of characters puts you square in the middle of the cabin with them, fixing meals, boiling laundry, and learning to shoot for protection. Descriptions of life is vivid and colorful, often depicting the hardships as well as the moments of simple joys found in their animals or music.

I greatly enjoyed the historical aspects of the narrative. There are always tibits woven into the storyline that both surprise and amaze, such as the Siege of Detroit (1812). Mackinaw Island has been on our list since we moved to northwest Indiana and the site of the Battle of Tippecanoe is just under eighty miles from our present location and one of our first sightseeing trips after we relocated.

The plot is fast-paced, full of amazing, well-developed characters, with a storyline that not only drives interest, but pushes full throttle to a suspenseful and tension-filled climax. A main character you can watch grow and cheer in her accomplishments as well as strengths.

The author writes stories about bold women and all are standalone. My last book by the author was Soaring Above. All are a little bit of magic, a little bit of romance, and all provide unique heart-pounding action. If you enjoy women who can learn to be strong and independently bold (even if they didn’t start out that way!), this is one to check out. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Book Details:

Genre: 19^th Century Historical Fiction, US Historical Fiction
Publisher: Lillis and Jaymes
Publication Date: October 15, 2026

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Bestselling and award-winning author, Amanda Hughes is a “Walter Mitty”, spending more time in heroic daydreams than the real world. At last, she found an outlet writing adventures about bold women through the centuries. Well known for her genre-busting books, she is the winner of the Gems National Medal for Writing, featured in USA Today and was nominated for the 2017 Minnesota Book Award. Amanda is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and when she isn’t off tilting windmills, she lives and writes in Minnesota. Don’t miss these page-turning novels for readers who like historical fiction with just a bit of a love story. All of her books are stand-alone and can be read in any order.