This book was a historical romance set in Yellowstone in the 1920s, featuring an artist and a preacher-turned-ranger. While I preferred the first book in this series to this one, I did still enjoy some aspects of this book.

For starters, the imagery in this book was BEAUTIFUL. There were so many aesthetic details of this book woven into the story, which made it fell really natural and not slow. I also really liked seeing the park and the scenes through Olivia’s paintings and perspective, as she painted her way around the park, which added another dimension to the visuals of the book.

I felt deeply for both the protagonist and the love interest, though I didn’t really feel super connected to either of them. Both of them had a pretty difficult backstory, though the backstory itself was not revealed until basically the end of the book, which left me confused throughout the majority of the book. In addition, when it was finally revealed, there didn’t really seem to be a ton of resolution for all this hurt and trauma that was experienced.

The plot of this book really moved really quickly and was more action packed than a lot of historical Christian fiction I’ve read, which I really liked. A lot of the action was pretty difficult to read and I wasn’t really a huge fan of a lot of what happened, which on one hand does make it that much more impactful, but also made it really hard to read. There was a lot of action that was pretty adult (including suicide, murder, blackmail, being held at gunpoint, being it on by a married man with a lot of power, emotional manipulation, rumors of affairs/secret lovers/crimes of passion, and a plethora of sexual desires/crimes, etc), and which made it so that I would not really recommend it to younger readers. In addition, there was a bunch of characters that were pretty sleazy, and wanted Olivia to be more seductive to get one way or another.

The storytelling in this book was weaker than the previous book and than I would have liked. There were several plot holes that never really got resolved, and some of the backstory/character motivations were really unclear. While it was still action packed, I felt like there was even a bit too much plot for it to be fully encompassed over the time of a book.

I really liked the spiritual discussions that was held in the book: Clark was really trying to discern God’s will for his life, and Olivia was slowly working back towards her faith, and there was overall a lot of discussion about living a life for God, which I really liked, especially against the background of the evil that is going on also in the book.

Overall, I liked this book, though not as much as I did the first book. The plot was quite weak and there was a lot of material that was . . . a lot to process. I liked the imagery and the aesthetic, as well as the faith message, and overall it was a pretty good book.

Due a trusted blogger telling me there are mentions of sexual content that is just too much for my taste as an unmarried Christian, I will not be reviewing this book.

Karen Burnett uses a great backdrop for her story: Yosemite National Park. She describes it and you feel you're there.
Her characters are not shallow and their love story develops slowly, slightly predictably but not in a bad way.

Olivia Rutherford receives an offer to paint watercolours of Yosemite National Park, in the 1930s. This must have been a complete contrast to the smoky air of cities, and most artists would jump at the chance. Olivia has a secret however; she’s not keen to spend time at the tourist lodge WHERE THE FIRE FALLS. But the lure of funding to paint for a magazine – plus the commission for painting a wealthy industrialist’s wife – are impossible to resist.

This author has a real gift for describing the beauty of nature, and specifically the US National Parks, and directing all the glory to their Creator! She is also excellent at creating flawed and relatable characters that the reader enjoys cheering for. I love the way she weaves her characters' faith into the story and how that faith is never stagnant, but is challenged and grows throughout the story. I also enjoyed the way she writes romance - not too much and not too little. My only complaints are that her stories are a little slow to get into and her villains are too bad for my taste. I like a more relatable villain that I have some sympathy for, but this authors' villains are just awful. I know some people who love that though so it's probably just me. All in all, this series makes for an enjoyable read that feels like an escape into the mountains and encourages the reader's faith.

I loved this book. I loved the history, the mystery, the romance, and the adventure. I’ve always wanted to visit Yosemite National Park! The author wrote such beautiful detailed imagery, I felt like I was there and it has put a yearning in me to visit. When watercolorist Olivia Rutherford is commissioned to paint images of Yosemite, she jumped at the chance. She needs the money and the recognition. However she has no idea of the adventure and danger that awaits her. She meets back country guide Clark Johnson who opens her eyes to the beauty of this national Park. I loved their budding romance, I loved the mystery that kept me guessing, and I love the imagery of the park. It was really fun being taken back to the flapper era of the 1920’s, too! This was my first book by Karen Barnett and I’m looking forward to reading more of her stories. If you love nature, adventure and history you will love this book.

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!!

This second historical fiction novel in the Vintage National Parks series transports us to Yosemite of the late 1920s.

Yosemite shines brilliantly as the most beautiful and powerful character in this novel, a wild place with its own heartbeat and a healing place of solace and comfort. I compulsively highlighted so many gorgeous passages describing the stunning crags and waterfalls, creeks and birdsong. The vivid imagery is delightful.

This is a clean romance, and I would give it a content rating of PG to PG-13. Having said that, it seems to awkwardly straddle the fence between Christian romance and bodice-ripping romance. To clarify: no bodices were harmed in the making of this novel. But I can’t even count the number of times that phrases like this were used: his pulse raced, the curve of his bicep, her pounding heart, a jolt of warmth through him, etc. I get it. They’re extremely attracted to each other, and that’s wonderful. Nothing inappropriate happens, but it was just weird to go back and forth from those kinds of descriptions to conversations about God and Christianity which became a bit heavy-handed at times, back and forth and back and forth. It was a strange vibe to me, not offensive, just odd.

Each novel in the Vintage National Parks series is a stand-alone read that doesn’t reference characters or events from the others, so you can jump right in wherever you like.

Thanks to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for a digital advance review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I am loving Karen Barnett's Vintage National Parks series! Where the Fire Falls is the second book and set in Yosemite. I've never visited there or Mt. Rainier covered in the first book, The Road to Paradise and yet I feel somehow I have through the pages of these excellent stories.

The characters of Olivia and Clark are entertaining and relatable, the history so enjoyable, the suspense had me guessing and the setting adds so much dimension it takes on a life of it's own. The overall storyline of finding our true place in the will of God for our lives was outstanding.

I can't wait to read the third book, Ever Faithful and travel to Yellowstone in this wonderful tribute series that puts the spotlight on the treasure of our National Parks.

It took me a few chapters to fall in love with Flapper artist Olivia Rutherford. But I quickly discovered there was more to this character than her bobbed dyed hair and painted face. (I think Clark felt the same way.)

Karen Barnett has created a masterpiece of mystery and intrigue that draws the reader into the story and--while giving lovely glimpses through glowing descriptions--makes them want to see the scenes of Yosemite for themselves.

I love the way Karen Barnett uses historical facts and real people throughout her books, lending not only authenticity but education to her tale. She always outlines these facts in the Author's Note afterwards so you're sure of what was fact and what was fiction

(Disclosure: I received an egalley of this book for review but will be purchasing my own copies of this series, not only for their exquisite covers but also for their enchantingly stories!)

What a lovely suspense read! I love the outdoor feel in this series, and the mystery is top-notch. It can be hard to find a good historical suspense read, since that's not precisely a "recognized" genre, and I always love it when I do. This book leaves nothing to be desired in the way of thrills and chills as the heroine works to help her younger sisters (while keeping a secret about the past, of course) and the hero battles to find his true purpose in life after a crushing betrayal.

Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy.

I had a lot of fun learning about the fire fall tradition! I enjoyed the first book and like this one even more. They can easily be read separately and/or out of order. I am not in to art, but it was still interesting to see how an artist goes about their trade. Between the national park history, art influence, mystery and romance, there is a little of everything packed into this book, I enjoyed the characters could relate to them. I learn best through books, so I enjoyed the park history portion the best. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this series!

(4.5 stars) - a picture may be worth a thousand words, but thousands of words paint some beautiful pictures here!

The premise to this book sounded a little different to me, and it's not my usual fare, but having read the author's gorgeously descriptive 1st book in the Vintage National Parks series (each story stands alone), I was quite willing to give it a chance.

So happy to find that book 2 is even better than the 1st! I found myself quickly immersed in the story & didn't want to put it down. The scenery descriptions are well done and the characters are likeable & sympathetic.

The story is suspenseful and the ending is exciting. The villain of the piece is not entirely unexpected, but it does take a rather unexpected turn. The happily-ever-after is most satisfying. I'm more than a little eager for book 3 now!

Clean romance level: passionate kisses
Religion: generic Christian with Scripture quotes, but fits well with the story rather than preachy

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

This second novel in the Vintage National Parks series can be read as a stand-alone novel apart from the first novel. Set in Yosemite National Park in the late 20s, this novel brings this beautiful park to life through the eyes of the two leading characters—Olivia (a painter) and Clark (a guide/Ranger). There is a bit of a mystery surrounding Olivia’s past as well as with her paintings. Olivia is pretending to be someone she is not, and Clark is running from his past. What a beautiful story of faith and renewal—in a wonderful setting!

1920s Love Story in Yosemite National Park
This wonderful story will immerse the reader in the beauty of Yosemite. The book is strongly Christian and talks about the spirit of God manifesting itself in the splendor of Yosemite. It is great fun to imagine this park and the others in the series before they were developed and loved to death. The romance is put together very well. The couple has a good fit, but both come with baggage that needs to be dealt with. This is a very good book in a very good series. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Such a sweet book set in a gorgeous area. Karen Barnett's beautiful descriptions of the scenery of Yosemite make the park seem like another character in the book. She has us wondering what Olivia and Clark's future (and pasts hold.) It was a great first read of summer for me.

Did not want to put this book down. I loved the flow of the story and all of the characters. I love the descriptions of the land in the national park. This makes me want to visit this area. I loved the use of art and some religion through this story. I love how people grow throughout the story. I received a copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Another well-written novel by Karen Barnett. This "Vintage National Parks" story takes place in the late 1920's in Yosemite.
As in the previous book, "The Road to Paradise," the setting is the real star here. The author does a great job of conveying how a location can leave you a changed person, or nudge you toward being your authentic self. I loved the descriptions of scenes that Olivia was painting. It also doesn't hurt that both Olivia and Clark are genuinely enjoyable characters and decent people who don't have to work too hard to get on the same page, in spite of outward appearances.
Olivia is an up-and-coming artist hired by a magazine to paint scenes in the national park, though she is hesitant to venture so far. She's put a lot of effort into creating the perfect image of herself as a city-bred flapper type, plus Yosemite is the site of some serious family drama she's not keen to dredge up. She hopes she can capture the scenes she needs just by sitting out front of the lodge, no exploration required.
Clark is the paid guide chosen to look after Olivia and her friends. He's a former minister forced to leave his congregation because of some unsavory rumors that caught him off guard. He's not sure what to do next, but Yosemite is in his blood, and he loves his work...except the parts where he has to look after tourists who are clearly out of their depth. He's certain that Olivia falls into this category...but Yosemite has surprises for both of them.

In this second Vintage National Parks story, we find ourselves in the beautiful Yosemite National Park in the late 1920s. Olivia Rutherford is a watercolorist who has been contracted to paint in Yosemite National Park for a museum layout. She has her own reasons for not wanting to go there, but has to put them aside in order to get enough funds to send her sisters to a prestigious private school. Her parents are both gone and her sisters are living with an aunt. She has promised her aunt that she will take care of them, but she needs to make some money. Once in Yosemite, she is transfixed with its beauty and produces some beautiful works. She also meets and becomes emotionally involved with ex-pastor turned trail-guide, Clark Johnson. All does not go well for Olivia and she finds herself having to recreate some of her art, while dealing with a devious and deadly person who she thought she could trust.

I really enjoyed this story. The characters we meet along the way are varied. From rich patrons to hermits in the park, they all have wonderful personalities that add to the story. The donkeys used in the trail-rides to explore the park were wonderful additions to the story. They also had their own personalities and their names were cute. Olivia was a wonderful character. Not sure about her talent and whether she would ever make a living at being an artist, her vulnerability make her an extremely likable character. Everything she is doing is for her sisters. Clark is another vulnerable character. With a bit of a cloudy past, he is still trying to find his way and not always listening to the messages he is being sent. This story is lovingly set on the backdrop of Yosemite National Park, which is a place I have wanted to visit for years. This story has me wanting to plan that trip sooner rather than later. This was a very satisfying story with a Christian bent to it, but it does not overshadow the adventures of Olivia in the park. I definitely recommend this story and series.

In WHERE THE FIRE FALLS, KAREN BARNETT gives us wonderful descriptions of the beautiful Yosemite National Park, blended with insight into her characters that make a truly delightful read. One gets the overall impression of God's care for His children in the beautiful world He has created for them.
Olivia Rutherford is sent to Yosemite by Scenic to paint scenes for the magazine. She has history with the place which she does not want to come out. Originally Olivia Rudd, she has remade herself into the socialite Olivia Rutherford in order to sell her paintings to high society and to make enough money to send her twin sisters to a prestigious school. Will the real Olivia emerge in these surroundings, especially when she and the wealthy Vanderbilts go on the trail with Clark Johnson as guide to really feel the scenery she is painting.
Clark is also hurting. A pastor who was thrown out of his church after being falsely accused, he has thrown himself into his job, while he is wondering what it is that the Lord wants him to do with his life.
There is history, romance, adventure, suspense and more, making up a really enjoyable read. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Waterbrook. The opinions in this review are completely my own.