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The Mountain Between Us: A Novel Paperback – June 28, 2011
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When a blizzard strands them in Salt Lake City, two strangers agree to charter a plane together, hoping to return home; Ben Payne is a gifted surgeon returning from a conference, and Ashley Knox, a magazine writer, is en route to her wedding. But when unthinkable tragedy strikes, the pair find themselves stranded in Utah’s most remote wilderness in the dead of winter, badly injured and miles from civilization. Without food or shelter, and only Ben’s mountain climbing gear to protect themselves, Ashley and Ben’s chances for survival look bleak, but their reliance on each other sparks an immediate connection, which soon evolves into something more.
Days in the mountains become weeks, as their hope for rescue dwindles. How will they make it out of the wilderness and if they do, how will this experience change them forever? Heart-wrenching and unputdownable, The Mountain Between Us will reaffirm your belief in the power of love to sustain us.
- Print length336 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherCrown
- Publication dateJune 28, 2011
- Dimensions5.19 x 0.72 x 7.99 inches
- ISBN-100767927028
- ISBN-13978-0767927024
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Hey…
I’m not sure what time it is. This thing should record that. I woke a few minutes ago. It’s still dark. I don’t know how long I was out.
The snow is spilling in through the windshield. It’s frozen across my face. Hard to blink. Feels like dried paint on my cheeks. It just doesn’t taste like dried paint.
I’m shivering…and it feels like somebody is sitting on my chest. Can’t catch my breath. Maybe broke two or three ribs. Might have a collapsed lung.
The wind up here is steady, leaning against the tail of the fuselage…or what’s left of it. Something above me, maybe a branch, is slapping the plexi-glass. Sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard. And more cold air is coming in behind me. Where the tail used to be.
I can smell gas. I guess both wings were still pretty full of fuel.
I keep feeling like I want to throw up.
A hand is wrapped around mine. The fingers are cold and calloused. There’s a wedding band, worn thin around the edges. That’s Grover.
He was dead before we hit the treetops. I’ll never understand how he landed this thing without killing me, too.
When we took off, the ground temperature was in the single digits. Not sure what it is now. Feels colder. Our elevation should be around eleven-five. Give or take. We couldn’t have fallen more than five hundred feet when Grover dipped the wing. The control panel sits dark, unlit. Dusted in white. Every few minutes the GPS on the dash will flicker, then go black again.
There was a dog here somewhere. All teeth and muscle. Real short hair. About the size of a loaf of bread. Makes snotty, gurgling sounds when he breathes. Looks like he’s jacked up on speed. Wait…
‘Hey, boy…Wait…no. Not there. Okay, lick but don’t jump. What’s your name? You scared? Yeah…me, too.’
I can’t remember his name.
I’m back…was I gone long? There’s a dog here. Buried between my coat and armpit.
Did I already tell you about him? I can’t remember his name.
He’s shivering and the wrinkles around his eyes are quivering. Whenever the wind howls, he jumps up and growls at it.
The memory’s foggy. Grover and I were talking, he was flying, maybe banking right, the dash flashed a buffet of blue and green lights, a carpet of black stretched out below us, not a light bulb for sixty miles in any direction, and…there was a woman. Trying to get home to her fiancé and a rehearsal dinner. I’ll look.
…I found her. Unconscious. Elevated pulse. Eyes are swollen shut. Pupils are dilated. Probably a concussion. Several lacerations across her face. A few will need stitches. Right shoulder is dislocated and left femur is broken. It didn’t break the skin but, her leg is angling out and suit leg is tight. I need to set it…once I catch my breath.
…It’s getting colder. I guess the storm finally caught us. If I don’t get us wrapped in something…we’ll freeze to death before daylight. I’ll have to set that leg in the morning.
Rachel…I don’t know how much time we have, don’t know if we’ll make it out, if…but…I take it all back. I was wrong. I was angry. I never should’ve said it. You were thinking about us. Not you. I can see that now.
You’re right. Right all along. There’s always a chance.
Always.
Product details
- Publisher : Crown; 39501st edition (June 28, 2011)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 336 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0767927028
- ISBN-13 : 978-0767927024
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.19 x 0.72 x 7.99 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #49,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,733 in Action & Adventure Romance (Books)
- #4,122 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #11,910 in Contemporary Romance (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
CHARLES MARTIN is a New York Times bestselling author of 16 previous novels, including his most recent, 'The Record Keeper.' His work is available in 35+ languages. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their three sons.
Mary Steele is an emerging author from England, born on June 15, 1991, in Manchester. She specializes in spiritual and personal growth literature, focusing on themes of self-discovery, healing, and empowerment.
Her notable works, including "Embracing Change" and "The Path to Inner Peace," resonate with readers seeking inspiration and guidance. Mary's writing combines engaging storytelling with deep insights, encouraging audiences to reflect on their own journeys. Through her compelling narratives, she aims to empower others to connect with their true selves and navigate life’s complexities, establishing herself as a promising voice in contemporary spiritual literature.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this novel captivating, with a love story of survival that draws them in from the first page. The writing is well-crafted, and the characters are well-developed, with one customer particularly appreciating the flashbacks to the main characters' lives. Customers praise the emotional content, with one review noting how it tears at the heartstrings, while others highlight the realistic surroundings and graphic descriptions of the environment. The book maintains a fast pace, with one customer completing it in a single day, and features impressive survival elements, including the struggle to survive after a plane crash.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book's story captivating and compelling, describing it as a love story of survival.
"...Definitely a book worth re-reading for the poetry and vividness of the journey." Read more
"...It's a riveting story of survival, stripping away all the facades constructed by two people who come to depend upon each other for their very..." Read more
"...could've been "Bridge of Madison County, On Ice" takes an interesting and clever turn. One you don't want to miss...." Read more
"...I have to say, the book is quite sexy and I mean that in a good way! I look forward to the movie and to the next Charles Martin book I read." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as well written and an adventure story, with one customer noting it is told from Ben's perspective.
"...Definitely a book worth re-reading for the poetry and vividness of the journey." Read more
"...It was absolutely amazing! It was well written, engaging and one I could not put down. Definitely 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟..." Read more
"...The Mountain Between Us" is a captivating story, written with the skill I've come to expect from Charles Martin." Read more
"...The book is well-written and I found the adventure of trying to survive extremely interesting...captivating, really...." Read more
Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, particularly noting their adventures and hardships, and one customer specifically mentions enjoying the hero Ben and Ashley.
"...Loved all the characters especially the pilot Grover. Heartbreaking and uplifting...." Read more
"An amazing story with depth of character and the backdrop stealing the show in appropriate moments. I want to start over and read it again!" Read more
"...So, my bad. The main one being that this man is a superhuman dude. A brilliant surgeon. An eagle scout. A champion runner. Really?..." Read more
"This book was one of Martin’s best. The weaving of the two characters together and yet apart was magical...." Read more
Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, describing it as evocative and soul-searching, with real sorrow that touches readers on a different level.
"...Loved all the characters especially the pilot Grover. Heartbreaking and uplifting...." Read more
"...with the characters and picture the struggle, cold, and pain amidst nature's beauty...." Read more
"...The author is magical. He gets real love, real sorrow, real sacrifice. Would this really be so hard to portray in a movie, apparently so." Read more
"The characters were beautifully drawn and very real. The situation was beyond belief, but their strength kept me hoping that they could survive...." Read more
Customers find the book engaging from the start, drawing them in from the first page and keeping them hooked throughout.
"...A story of bravery, resilience, excitement and twist. I will say that I did watch the movie after reading the book...." Read more
"Good story, engrossing at the beginning. Dragged a bit in the middle but resolved nicely at the end." Read more
"...BETWEEN US I read at a slow, steady pace, yet found it captivating, engaging, moving, and even educational...." Read more
"...was my first time reading a Charles Martin novel and this book consumed me early on...." Read more
Customers appreciate the survival story, particularly the struggle to survive in the mountains and after a plane crash, highlighting the resiliency of the human spirit.
"...A story of bravery, resilience, excitement and twist. I will say that I did watch the movie after reading the book...." Read more
"...mulling over your personal relationships, and checking yourself to uncovering your strength. And the ending — a total shocker to me...." Read more
"...inspirational to me in my faith of God and his son, but in giving me hope for my future. I am healing by reading his books...." Read more
"...way the power of love, the freedom of forgiving yourself, and the resilience and strength people are capable of. It's very inspiring." Read more
Customers praise the book's pacing, describing it as a fast read that moves quickly and can be completed in one day.
"...writing - is fully employed here, so much so that the reader is walking and crawling with them, hunting rabbits and moose, desperately trying to..." Read more
"...THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US I read at a slow, steady pace, yet found it captivating, engaging, moving, and even educational...." Read more
"...The book was sooooo good that the movie was kinda a let down. It was slow and the storyline was completely changed...." Read more
"...It is narrated by Ben. There are many chapters where he mysteriously talks to his wife through a tape recorder, revealing their love story to the..." Read more
Customers appreciate the visual quality of the book, praising its realistic surroundings and graphic descriptions of the environment.
"...Such beautiful and awful descriptions of being stranded in the freezing mountains. Loved all the characters especially the pilot Grover...." Read more
"...This one is not. It is refreshingly realistic...." Read more
"An amazing story with depth of character and the backdrop stealing the show in appropriate moments. I want to start over and read it again!" Read more
"...Ben and Rachel’s relationship, a little obvious but it was still gorgeous to read...." Read more
Reviews with images

A man caught between two roses
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2025I could barely put this book down. What a great device using a recorder for Ben to journal his love letters to his wife. Such beautiful and awful descriptions of being stranded in the freezing mountains. Loved all the characters especially the pilot Grover. Heartbreaking and uplifting. Haven’t seen the movie yet so do not know how well it can depict the survival skills and endurance the characters possess. Definitely a book worth re-reading for the poetry and vividness of the journey.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024Wow! Just Wow! I don’t know who recommended this book but thank you. It was absolutely amazing! It was well written, engaging and one I could not put down. Definitely 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ben and Alex are strangers who find themselves on a private plane trying to beat a winter storm. Alex is headed to her wedding and Ben to his wife and kids. When the pilot has a heart attack midair, they crash in a desolate wilderness. They have to rely on each other, their backgrounds and skills to try to survive. This is compounded by no one knowing they were even on the plane or that it crashed. A story of bravery, resilience, excitement and twist.
I will say that I did watch the movie after reading the book. The book was sooooo good that the movie was kinda a let down. It was slow and the storyline was completely changed. It was definitely not as well written and exciting as the book. Highly recommend the book!
- Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2024While a romance and an adventure the cover is misleading and that was a betrayal. But the book without the cover is imaginative and intriguing. The end is rather disappointing and at the same time HALLMARK LIKE.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2012Orthopedic surgeon Ben Payne is in Salt Like City, trying to fly to Denver before a big snowstorm hits. He meets a writer, Ashley Knox, who's trying to get home to Atlanta for her wedding. At the last minute, the flight is cancelled. But Ben is able to find a charter pilot who will fly him to Denver, and he invites Ashley to come along.
Over the Uinta Mountains, the pilot has a heart attack, but manages to crash-land the plane before he dies. When Ben regains consciousness, he knows he has broken ribs. Ashley's leg is broken. The snow has closed in and largely buried them.
Neither Ben nor Ashley told anyone they were taking a charter flight. The pilot didn't tell the tower he had passengers. No one will know to look for them or a plane crash. They are out of cell phone range, and far, far from anything even suggesting human activity. From the crashed plane, Ben fashions a sled to pull Ashley, and they set out into the unknown.
Charles Martin has written a number of remarkable novels that connect place and relationship - novels like "Chasing Fireflies," "The Dead Don't Dance," "Maggie," "Wrapped in Rain," "When Crickets Cry," and "Where the River Ends." Martin is as much a storyteller of landscape as he is of people and brokenness. All of his previous works have been based in the southeastern United States - Georgia, northern Florida and South Carolina, a familiar landscape for Martin. With "The Mountain Between Us" (published in 2010), while part of the story is based in the Jacksonville area, Martin sets most of his story in the Utah wilderness.
It's a riveting story of survival, stripping away all the facades constructed by two people who come to depend upon each other for their very lives.
Ben is married to Rachel, with two children. Ashley is engaged to marry with two days time. They will spend the next four weeks together fighting snow, fending off mountain lions, trying to find food and shelter and somehow find civilization. And tend to their injuries.
Along the way Ashley will learn that Ben is separated from his wife, and Ben will learn that Ashley isn't entirely convinced she should be marrying Vince. Yet each remains faithful, even as they are forced into a personal proximity to each other that most married couples don't have. And Ashley begins to sense that Ben is carrying some deep personal pain that he won't let go of.
Martin's usual attention to detail - a trademark of his writing - is fully employed here, so much so that the reader is walking and crawling with them, hunting rabbits and moose, desperately trying to stay alive. It's an unforgiving landscape, it's winter, and the cold is felt on every page.
"The Mountain Between Us" is a captivating story, written with the skill I've come to expect from Charles Martin.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2010It's a book set in Utah, without one Mormon joke.
Not one.
Of course, the plot isn't all that funny anyway.
A man (Dr. Ben Payne), trying to get home from a medical conference, is frustrated when his commercial flight was canceled. So he does what all of us would do. He charters a private plane to beat the storm. (What? You wouldn't do that? Well that's why people don't write books about you.) At the last moment, he thinks of another stranded passenger he'd had a conversation with - a woman trying to get to her wedding, which happens to be that weekend.
The two of them hurriedly get on a plane with an older pilot, but not before Ben checks his voicemail, in which his wife says she forgives him. He doesn't call her back, before taking off from Salt Lake with a blushing, beautiful bride-to-be. In fact, none of the three people in the plane tell anyone that they're headed off on a single engine plane instead of the commercial jet liner.
Ben finds his new friend attractive, of course, but is a loyal sort of man. As they take off from the hangar, the old pilot gives her wedding advice and regales them with stories of romance and long-term love.
That is, until his story is cut short by the fact that he inconveniently has a heart attack right in the middle of one of the harshest stretches of land in the United States. No, not Philly... the High Uintas Wilderness. Miraculously, Ben and the bride-to-be (Ashley Knox) survive... and so does a host of items that allow them to survive for 28 days in the frozen tundra of Utah. (A compass, a bow, an item that boils water, a lighter, and so forth. What they didn't crash with, Ben can create out of good old fashioned American ingenuity and spit. That's the kind of guy he is - a hiker, a runner, and someone who can down a moose at fifty yards.)
Ashley's leg is broken, and Ben has to help her survive by setting her leg, carrying her a million miles on a make-shift sled, and helping her go to the bathroom. Except there is no bathroom, because this page turning survival story mostly takes place on the side of a mountain.
As Ben and Ashley bond - and she consequently misses her wedding - they are attracted to each other. I mean, what man doesn't love leg hair stubble and the smell of starvation on his loved one's breath? And what woman wouldn't fall for the guy who invited her to fly in a blizzard, on a single engine prop plane with a pilot that makes John McCain look like a young whippersnapper?
Ben, it turns out, is separated from his wife though he faithfully records messages for her on a voice recorder. Ashley eavesdrops on Ben's sweet words to his wife, as he tells stories about his current battle for survival, interspersed with tales of their former love. It's therapeutic, apparently, and he happened to buy a value-pack of batteries at the airport.
Ashley begins to wonder if she's engaged to the right kind of guy. Her fiancé, for example, wouldn't know how to gut a moose. Nor would he leave her such tender messages.
But what could've been "Bridge of Madison County, On Ice" takes an interesting and clever turn. One you don't want to miss.
(Originally published on SixSeeds.tv)
Top reviews from other countries
- MarinaLReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 31, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Much better than the movie!
Unusually for me, I watched the Kate Winslet/Idris Elba movie version first. The movie's good, but the book is so much better! I thought it was beautifully written, with chapters being delivered in reasonably short bursts, maintaining the reader's interest. The story is seen and told through the eyes of Ben Payne, a doctor. Events taking place in the present are interlaced with flashbacks relating to events that have already occurred in Ben's life. Ben has been at a medical conference and is trying to get back home when he is told that his flight has been cancelled due to bad weather. He is scheduled to operate on a patient within a few hours and he decides to charter a flight to Denver, which will almost certainly get him home in time. Ashley Knox is also stuck at the same airport. She and Ben get talking and he invites her to join him on the charter flight and split the cost. Since she is about to get married, she also needs to get home sooner rather than later. But, when the pilot has a heart attack while flying over the Uintas National Forest, the charter plane crashes into the wilderness and Ben and Ashley must work together in an effort to survive. Ben has broken a few ribs and Ashley has broken a leg in the crash. So far so good - the book and the movie kind of agree in content. But it's at this point that the movie and book story lines begin to diverge. The book takes on a life of its own and I'm really struggling now to understand why the movie pursued the angle it did. The book is a wonderful concoction of a tale of endurance, love and survival against all the odds. And it's quite cleverly written on two levels, so we're not just talking about endurance, love and survival on the mountain alone. I absolutely love the book and I really wish the movie had stuck to it!
5 people found this helpfulReport -
jeanne adamekReviewed in Germany on October 8, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind blowing
Ahhh... I have found a new author to read. I found that this novel was beautifully told. Not only could I picture all that was happening, but even now, hours after I finished, I keep remembering things that were said and thought. Things that I think most of us really know but somehow in our busy lives tend to forget or not think about. To say that I was "moved" by the story would understate my feeling for this book.
I would unhesitatingly recommend The Mountain Between Us to anyone who is even thinking about reading it.
-
DonatellaReviewed in Italy on January 15, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Tante parole nuove
Per imparare l’inglese
- Shirley MisenerReviewed in Canada on June 16, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved This Book
Loved this book, Loved the characters it all was real to me - such writing it is a book to read!
- satishkumarReviewed in India on September 13, 2019
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent must read
Awesome read and pace
Can't stop reading once started
Is it a true story
Can't wait for next book to read