I really enjoyed this book, for a variety of reasons: I really liked the protagonist, the setting, the action in the plot, and the way that Mount Ranier was described. First of all, the setting was immaculate! The book is set in Mount Ranier National Park, and the beauty of the mountains was captured so well in these pages–the protagonist, Margie, loves the mountain and wants to be a park ranger–I really felt like I could see the beauty of the mountain! There were so many little details that were described and the wonder of God’s creation was palpable through the pages of this book.

As I’ve touched on a little, I really loved the protagonist, Margie! She was really smart and hardworking, and also really appreciated God’s creation and the beauty of the mountains. She was also funny, good at interacting with people, and personable, which made her character really fun to read and relate to.

I enjoyed reading the love interest’s story with his point of view. While I didn’t quite relate with him as much, I was able to clearly see from his perspective and understand his experiences and thoughts, which does not happen for the male perspective of books like this. In that regard, he was really well written and done.

I was not a huge fan of Margie and Braydon’s romance though: it felt really insta-lovey and forced, rather than a natural chemistry. While they still had chemistry, it didn’t feel quite as authentic as their thoughts were described. In addition, there were several vivid kiss scenes before they had announced their interest in each other, and more kiss scenes while they were deciding whether to stay together, which didn’t really sit well with me. In addition, at the end, when they inevitably got together, there were some pretty uncomfortable comments about their ~attraction~ towards each other (kissing on the neck, kisses on the earlobe, etc) and what they intended to do after they got married. The epilogue was also really ,,,a lot, as it was set immediately after their wedding, and had many comments “ways to stay warm during a winter” and things like that, which were just . . . A LOT.

Characters aside, I really liked the overall storyline! The plot moved a lot faster than some Christian historical/inspirational fiction I’ve read, and there were a lot of interesting historical segments included in the story that I enjoyed. Politics and regulations from the 1920s is so interesting to me, and there was quite a bit of that included, which I liked learning about.

Overall, I really liked the imagery and the message behind this book: it was structured in such a way that it wasn’t slow or hard to read, but rather moved along quickly while still including all of the necessary details that helped the setting really come to life. There was some pretty adult language/thoughts, and I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance, but overall, I really liked this book for the aesthetic, the visuals, and the plot.

I enjoyed reading this historical romance. Margie is a romantic who used her Father's connections to get a job at Mt. Rainier National Park even though she has little experience. The Ranger, Ford is haunted by the death of his father and has little use for Margie invading his park. Margie's ex fiancee has commercial plans for the park and is hoping to win her back. There are few surprises and the story moves along in expected ways. The author does a wonderful job with place and time setting. Her descriptions of the park make you feel like you are there. The book was a quick and enjoyable read.

This is a sweet Christian novel bringing us back to the Golden Age with all of its charm and old-school clash of the worlds! She is beautiful, spirited, poetic - and naive. He is all rationality, decisions, muscles and manliness (with the hidden scars for the better attractivity effect :)). She is US senator's daughter. He is a national park ranger. And yet - these two sparkle from the first moment. And their sparkles are not the overheated, soon-gone fire we know from nowadays adventures, their fires are hot, yet cozy and dependable - as they will need to trust each other. And they do have the base to build something stable together - if they can manage to conquer the challenge.

I have enjoyed this romance! Ms Barnett has this rare ability to write cozy with deepness; her characters do fight very serious battles, yet she can balance these battles with (probably her inner) peacefulness and stability. She frames the pain and misunderstandings with down-to-earthiness and loveliness - and with the dash of sass, too, so the stability is not over-stable.
This novel is thus thoroughly enjoyable, calming and entertaining - like a mug of tasty soup after coming from the rain - and there might be an ingredient or two in it for a food for thought!

The Road to Paradise is a sweet, Christian, historical romance set in the Mt. Rainier National Park in the 1920s.

Margie's dream has always been to work at Mt. Rainier National Park, and now she finally has a chance! But Chief Ranger Ford Brayden doesn't know what to do with a female park ranger, and he is especially irritated at how she romanticizes the park. Doesn't she know how dangerous nature can be?

When I first started reading this book, I was in college studying literature and literary periods. And oh, did this book delight me then! The main characters seemed to represent some of the exact things we were studying, romanticism and naturalism, and the author pitted them against each other via the characters' squabbles.

Margie represented the Romantic Period, and as such, she had a Romantic view of nature and spouted off Wordsworth, Thoreau, and other Romantic writers at every opportunity. She was all about how beautiful nature was and the God who created it that way. She romanticized it, putting herself in danger several times when exploring Mt. Rainier.

Ford represented Naturalism, the view of nature following the Romantic period that said that nature just existed (forget the beauty), God was apathetic, and both would just as soon kill you as let you live. This view came from Ford's experiences, namely, his father's death which was caused by nature. And so when he meets Margie, with all of her romanticized ideas of how nature and God are so wonderful, it drives Ford crazy, especially when Margie puts herself in danger because she doesn't have any respect for how deadly nature can be.

I just love that the author put that in the book.

Of course, there was another plot running alongside the one I mentioned. There was a romance, a competition for the ownership and use of the national park, and a dastardly ex-fiance. That part of the story was also done well and was enjoyable. I really enjoyed the sweet romance.

This book was an interesting, clean, Christian romance, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated to write a review.

The Road to Paradise is a delightful read. The imagery is vivid and the story is engaging. The beginning of the story is a little slow, but it really picks up and becomes very enjoyable a few chapters in, so stick with it. The point of view alternates between the two main characters. Margie is depicted as a starry eyed young woman with a deep love for and faith in God. Ford, on the other hand, is a rugged mountain man who has seen enough tragedy on the mountain to make him doubt whether God exists. As the story progresses the two come to know and understand each other. Together they fight to save the mountain they love. Reading this novel really makes me want to visit Mt. Rainer. The descriptions are just so appealing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Waterbook for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Love the vintage aspect of this story.(Set in the 20’s)Descriptions of the National Parks make you want to go visit one!Easy,fast fun read.
I’m not ashamed to admit the gorgeous cover drew me to this mystery.Planning on reading all of her other books now.
Thankyou Netgalley and Waterbook for this ARC

I'm combining my reviews of the first 3 books in the Vintage National Parks Series, which I read in 3 days, because my rating and views for them are very similar. Filled with great characters, great scenary, and interesting mysteries, these are excellent. Nature lovers and historical fictions fans will really enjoy this author's talent, which jumps off the page. Very engaging and entertaining. Highly recommended.

I really appreciate the copy for review!!

I enjoyed the last book in this series, "Ever Faithful" and went into this one hoping for a similar experience. The start of the book was quite good and I loved the sections about the history and natural beauty of the park. The set up of the conflicts for both main characters was handled well and these conflicts were believable. I knew that the book was an inspirational but felt that sending the main characters into certain danger and threat of death in order to achieve the return of one character's faith was too far fetched. Had the characters found themselves in this danger and found God, then okay. But deliberately forging ahead into life threatening circumstances when they had the choice to turn back was foolish.

I've wanted to buy this series ever since I first saw the gorgeous vintage artwork that adorns the covers. So I jumped at the chance to review The Road to Paradise, to find out if the book was as beautiful as its cover. I was not disappointed!

The Road to Paradise is simply exquisite. Karen Barnett takes us to Mt. Ranier National Park as it was in 1927, painting a vivid picture of the glorious scenery, introducing us to fictional characters who steal our hearts.

A must-read for anyone who enjoys the work of Gene Stratton-Porter or simply loves 1920s fiction woven around God's creation.

This is the first in a series on novels that take place in the U.S. National Parks. In The Road to Paradise, the reader visits Mount Rainier which, from the descriptions in the novel, sounds incredibly beautiful and rich in natural resources. Overall, this one is an historical romance set in the 1920s. There is some general Christian religion and spirituality in the novel which is published by a Christian press. The characters and descriptions are fun and engaging. This is a light read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e galley in exchange for an honest review.

An engaging and entertaining book with a sweet story and amazing natural descriptions.
I loved the style of writing, the cast of characters and the setting.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

(4 stars) - the gorgeously described setting is as much a part of the romance as the relationship

Though the plot is not original, the story is so well written that it’s hard to put down. The setting is described in such detail that I had no problem immersing myself in it. The main characters are easy to relate to and fully 3-dimensional.

The pacing in the middle did begin to lag, and the heroes did seem to handle the villain with a bit too much naivete, while the villain himself, for all the build up, was surprisingly easily vanquished.

Nevertheless, the wrap up was quite satisfying , and the book overall was most enjoyable, so I not only recommend it, but will be reading book 2 of the series (Where the Fire Falls: A Vintage National Parks Novel) next!

Clean romance level: sweet kisses
Religion: Christian references, plot centers on hero’s falling away from God/heroine not wanting to be “unequally yoked” which is pivotal to the relationship development; not preachy but non-Christians may be put off by its integrality

Romance in 1920s Mt. Rainier National Park
This is a clean and Christian romance that takes place in the late 1920s in the beautiful Mt. Rainier National Park. This is a sweet romance, a history lesson, a lesson in mountain ecology and a statement about protecting our wild places all rolled into a very nice story. This is the only novel in the series that I have read and I plan on reading the others. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Just as "Anne of Green Gables" left me yearning to move to Prince Edward Island and "The Enchanted April" convinced me that an Italian villa can transform even the unhappiest of souls, "The Road to Paradise" stole my heart and wrapped it around the wilderness of Mount Rainier.

I loved seeing such magnificent scenery through the eyes of an idealistic kindred spirit.

“ 'A naturalist.' The word coursed out from her heart to her fingertips, like a flower unfurling in the morning light. She clutched the small leather bag containing her journal to her chest. She couldn’t wait to record the day’s events on its crisp pages. The first thing she’d do would be to inscribe her name on the inside cover. Margaret Lane, Naturalist."

And I adore our heart-wounded hero:

" 'Study…with me? I’m no teacher.'

'Not with you, exactly. But someone like you. One who speaks the language of creation—who can hear the whispers of the waterfalls, see the secrets hidden in the soulful eyes of the black bear…' she lifted her hand to gesture to the surrounding forest. 'To sit at the feet of a master.'

What kind of fairy world had Margaret Lane dropped out of? He looked her up and down. Clearly, she’d never been in close quarters with a bear."

I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical romance with vivid imagery that transports you to another place. I’m looking forward to reading the other novels in the “Vintage National Parks” series.

Thanks to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for a digital advance review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Quotations are taken from the published edition of the novel that I found in my local library.

THE ROAD to PARADISE by KAREN BARNETT is a really delightful read. There is romance, danger, suspense and good Christian content.
Margie Lane, with help from her father, a United States senator, is employed as a naturalist at Mount Rainier National Park, where she has dreamed of working her entire life. She has two reasons for being there, namely her passion for wild life and conservation and her need to get away from Philip Carmichael, who seems to have a hold over her family.
The story takes place in 1927.
When Ranger Brayden, known as Ford, sees this petite woman for the first time and realizes that she is going to work under him, and that he will be responsible for her safety, his first reaction is to scare her back to the privileged life from whence she came! When she quotes poetry and spouts Latin names for even the tiniest flower, he is even more wary, and then she comes out with her faith in God, seeing Him as the Creator of all this beauty and the One who loves mankind with an everlasting love, and he really wants to run away!
Margie's aim is to lead at least one person to Christ during the summer, then she will feel satisfied that she is in the place God wants her to be. She is a courageous and rather quaint character, with her love of the Lord and His Word, of books on natural history and poetry, her avid journaling of all she finds, and her love for people, flora and fauna.
Ford, a real "mountain man", takes his work seriously, having taken over as chief ranger from his father, who also lived for the Park. His father was a staunch Christian, but Ford, who feels responsible for his father's death, fails to see God's goodness, even in these beautiful surroundings.
When "their" park is threatened by those who want to profit from "improvements" that they feel would ruin everything, Margie and Ford are determined to save the place they love.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Waterbrook & Multnomah. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I never knew I needed "Vintage National Park romance" as a genre until I came across this book. How lovely a concept is that?! This should definitely be a thing (and fortunately, it is now: this is just the beginning of the series).

The love story was sweet, but the real star of the show was the PLACE! This story is set at Mount Rainier in Washington state in the 1920's.

Margie, the daughter of a state senator, is on her way to the park to work as a naturalist and hopefully hide from her fiance, who has turned into much more trouble than she bargained for. At the park, she meets Ranger Ford Brayden, a strong and steady but emotionally wounded man who lost his father a couple of years ago to a climbing accident. Ford is dubious about Margie's ability to handle herself in the wilderness, especially since she seems to approach life with a very Pollyanna-ish attitude. She spouts nature quotes and poetry left and right and seems to pay more attention to the beauty of nature than to its danger. As he gets to know her, though, he finds that not only is she charming, she has the common sense and authenticity that make her a perfect match for the national park (and for him).
Hijinks ensue when Margie's fiance arrives, full of plans to develop the park into a playground for the rich and famous. What Margie feels driven to do to stop him leads to one of the most gripping and vivid portions of the book. The sense of place created by this author is truly magnificent. It's not surprising to learn that the author spent time working at Mount Rainier, because the level of detail and imagery she created really transport the reader. So much so that last night I dreamed I was in Tacoma staring at the mountain. I'm not even kidding. :)
This is a "Christian romance," so the characters' faith or lack of it plays a part, and that aspect of it felt occasionally more heavy-handed than what I would normally read, but that is a personal preference.

I was not sure what I was expecting when I started this book, but it turns out this was a bit of a historical, romantic, adventure, political story. I loved the descriptions in this book of Mt. Rainier National Park. The story takes place in 1927, when many people were still trying to develop the lands that had been set aside for State and National Parks. Dollar signs often trumped conservation.

Margaret (Margie Lane), daughter of Senator Lane, convinced her father to get her a job at Mount Rainier National Park. She is an avid Naturalist and feels at home in nature. Unfortunately for her, all of the Ranger staff is male. When Ranger Ford Brannon is told that he is to give her a position, as her father has contributed to the construction of the new Nature Centre, he begrudgingly agrees. What neither he nor Margie expect is the attraction they have toward one another. With Margie dealing with her ex-boyfriend's unwanted attention and the threat of her father condoning the near destruction of the park, she has to use her sharp mind to beat them at their own game, even risking her own life to do so.

This is a well-written story with a great plot. I enjoyed getting to know the well-developed characters and appreciated their faith and the part it played in the story. Margie was a Christian woman and so were many of the other characters, Ford, has lost his faith and with the quiet encouragement of others, he once again finds it. The adventure of climbing to the summit was very tense and I was not sure what was going to happen. Overall, I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading more from the Vintage National Parks series.

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett is a lovely glimpse at Mount Rainier National Park in the late 1920s. Margie Lane, the daughter of a senator, is a budding naturalist who comes to work at the National Park. Ranger Ford Brayden has lived his entire life on the mountain. The two clash, then join forces to keep a villanious businessman from destroying the park they both loved.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were unique, as was the setting. Barnett's descriptions of Mount Rainier made me want to plan a visit to see this beautiful place. I look forward to reading more from this author!

So, this blog is about Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett. This is the first book I have ever read by Karen Barnett and it won't be my last. Can we swoon over the cover first? Look how amazing the colors are! And, the picture in general! How great is that?

This says it is a vintage national parks novel, but I was told they are just fine as stand alones. This one is about Margie, a wealthy senator's daughter who is used to luxury and privilege. However, Margie's heart lies with her faith and with nature.

With an arrangement from her father, unbeknownst to Margie, she is placed in a position to work in the park overlooked by Mount Rainier. Margie is enthralled with nature and the mountain. She feels very close to God in the park and takes comfort in being in the presence of God's artistry.

Her supervisor, Ford Brayden, is skeptical of Margie and feels that she is out of her league in the park. As time goes on and she spends time with Ford, she is alarmed that Ford doesn't share her faith in God, mainly due to a tragedy that happened in Ford's life. Margie wants to change his view, which is turning out to be a lot harder than she had hoped.

Margie is battling troubles of her own. She is being harassed by Philip Carmichael who thinks that Margie owes him more than she does. He feels that he is entitled to a relationship with her based on their shared past. He also does not take her faith or love of the outdoors and flowers seriously. All Margie wants is to be left alone to work in and enjoy the park.

Margie is greatly tested when she has to go up against Philip who is threatening the life she loves. Can Ford and Margie overcome their issues while helping each other and by relying on God?

I really liked this book. First of all, I felt the premise and the setting was very original. And, I have said this multiple times in my other posts, but I so love a book that makes me me want to learn something new, something that makes me want to look up more information on the internet. In this case, this book made me want to know more about national parks.

I definitely recommend this book if you like Christian fiction. It was original and Ms. Barnett used beautiful imagery to really bring the park to life for the reader.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

I have a confession that will shock most people who know me. I love adventures. Whether it be exploring on a safari in Africa, cruising down the Mississippi on a riverboat, hiking to the top of Mount Rainer, sign me up! However, I have one slight requirement; the adventure has to be literary form while I am simultaneously enjoying the comfort of my air conditioned house. So maybe my confession wouldn’t really shock anyone, but I do take my literary adventures seriously. If there is a thrilling adventure in a book, please don’t ask me to stop my adventure for trivial things such as cooking supper, a pile of laundry, or getting some sleep. That just isn’t polite! I encountered one of these adventures in The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett. I enjoyed the historical aspect since the book takes place in 1927, and I thought the romance between a politician’s daughter who just happened to be a naturalist and a dashing park ranger chief was sweet. But what I really loved was the incredible expedition up Mount Rainer. I couldn’t imagine actually taking such an expedition since I really don’t care for real life adventures. Yet, when an author uses the perfect words to describe an adventure’s happenings so that I can completely visualize it in my mind, I truly feel like I am there, and I can’t get enough of it. During the expedition, the author had me holding my breath at times, shivering in the intense cold, and gasping at the magnificent views. This book gave me a wonderful adventure, made me eager for more, and yes, kept me up way too late last night.

I would recommend this book to anyone who dreams about adventures just not in real life. I would also recommend this book to those who enjoy national parks, the 1920s, and historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook & Multnomah through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.