Book Review: Ever Faithful

Vibrant historic Yellowstone National Park comes to life in this romantic mystery about a man hiding the truth, braving the west to become something more — and the woman who must confront his deception.

A man who can’t read will never amount to anything — or so Nate Webber believes. But he takes a chance to help his family by signing up for the new Civilian Conservation Corps, skirting the truth about certain “requirements.” Nate exchanges the harsh Brooklyn streets for the wilds of Yellowstone National Park, curious if the Eden-like wonderland can transform him as well.

Elsie Brookes was proud to grow up as a ranger’s daughter, but she longs for a future of her own. After four years serving as a maid in the park’s hotels, she still hasn’t saved enough money for her college tuition. A second job, teaching a crowd of rowdy men in the CCC camp, might be the answer, but when Elsie discovers Nate’s secret, it puts his job as camp foreman in jeopardy. Tutoring leads to friendship and romance, until a string of suspicious fires casts a dark shadow over their relationship. Can they find answers before all of their dreams go up in smoke?

 

Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of The Golden Gate Chronicles (Out of the Ruins, Beyond the Ashes, and Through the Shadows) and Mistaken. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two kids, and three mischievous dachshunds. When she’s not writing, Karen enjoys photography, hiking, public speaking, decorating crazy birthday cakes, and dragging her family through dusty history museums. Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) honored her with the Writer of Promise Award in 2013 and a Cascade Award for her debut novel, Mistaken, in 2014. In 2016, she was named Writer of the Year by the prestigious Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Karen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) and has been published in Guideposts and other national magazines.

My Impressions:

I have loved my bookish trips back to the early days of the National Parks with Karen Barnett’s Vintage National Parks series. First I journeyed to Mt. Rainer, then to Yosemite, and now with the 3rd installment, I traveled to Yellowstone. Ever Faithful, a book set amidst the beauty and wonder of the oldest of the parks, is my favorite of the three. Filled with vivid descriptions, memorable characters, and a message of hope and healing, this historical romance receives a highly recommended rating from me.

I have never been to Yellowstone, but Barnett’s detailed descriptions sent me to the interweb to check out the awesome sights this park contains. I loved visiting via the book, and now have another destination to add to the bucket list. The Yellowstone backdrop with its mud pots, geysers, hot springs, and majestic forests and rivers was perfect for the development of characters Nate and Elsie. Both characters view themselves as imperfect — either too scarred to be beautiful or too dumb to ever amount to anything. As their relationship grows, each helps the other to see the beauty and purpose that God envisioned when He created them. The historical setting with the CCC corp and the early days of the parks was very interesting. I loved that the author includes endnotes to let the reader know the facts behind her fiction. One of my mother’s older brothers worked in the CCC, and Ever Faithful gave me a glimpse into his experiences. While billed as an historical romance, there is adventure and mystery — something for just about everyone!

For a road trip read or a staycation, Ever Faithful is the perfect choice. This fun book kept the pages turning! The only negative was that it ended too quickly!

Highly recommended.

Audience: adults.

To purchase, click HERE.

(Thanks to Waterbrook for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)