I am never disappointed by a Karen Barnett book. Ever Faithful was no exception. Elsie Brookes is a pillow puncher (maid) at Yellowstone National Park. She dreams of attending college and becoming a teacher. When the opportunity to earn extra money by teaching a group of CCC boys she’s reluctant, but this chance is too good to pass up.

Nate Webber took the fall for a crime his brother committed. Instead of going to jail, he’s sent to a CCC camp to chop down beetle-infested trees in Yellowstone. Older than most of the boys, it becomes clear that he’s leadership material. If only he could read the training manual.

When Elsie discovers that Nate can’t read, she’s determined to help him learn. Soon he’s studying more than just his letters. He’s figuring out how to win Elsie’s heart.

But there is a firebug at Yellowstone National Park and suspicion is thrown on the CCC men. Can Nate and Elise figure out who is setting the fires before someone gets hurt?

I loved these characters. They were so alive and there were several times I really feared for their future. Barnett’s style is so lovely and picturesque as she takes you through the story and leads you on a tour of the 1930’s Yellowstone Park with its summer staff, yellow buses, and many geysers. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I didn't finish this book because the plot and characters aren't interesting to me. I read the first book in the Vintage National Parks series and enjoyed it immensely, then read the second book and found it problematic. This third book, Ever Faithful, isn't drawing me in the way that I hoped it would. Many thanks to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for an advance review copy; I truly do appreciate it.

Like other reviewers, I thought I’d figured out who the arsonist was. Then I refigured out who it was. Then I admitted that I wasn’t sure and just waited for the revelation. It does makes sense and the clues are there. I like it when a story keeps me guessing but one which also doesn’t pull the villain out of thin air.

I also came to enjoy the secondary characters who weren’t what I expected when they were first introduced. Mary and Red are fun and serve nicely as foils for the more serious Nate and Elsie. I can also see how Mary and Elsie have been friends for so many years as they act this way. There is some tension between all the different CCC men most of whom have never met before arriving there. The addition of the layers of immigrant backgrounds and religions was also a nice touch and made these characters come alive.

Elsie and Nate are two slightly older (early to mid 20s) characters (for the period) who have both suffered losses and setbacks. Elsie has had to work hard to save her money while still watching her friends go off to college each fall. Now she doesn’t want to put off her dream any longer. She’s never dated and it’s understandable that she’s confused about her feelings. Nate has never thought he’d amount to much – and that’s certainly what his father and teachers have pounded into his head. He falls for Else but truly feels he has nothing to offer her.

I enjoyed watching their friendship form and as Elsie helped Nate unlock the issues that had kept him back. I have no knowledge about teaching methods of the day to tackle his issues but what she comes up with makes sense. Having Nate put her feelings and aspirations first helps Elsie realize just why the other man won’t be the one in her life. The romance was, however, a little quick. One minute they’re “just going to be friends” and suddenly it’s game on – so to speak.

Though this is an inspirational romance, I felt that no one was being preached at or to – neither the characters nor I as the reader. These are people who are religious but no one is out to convert anyone. Instead, the degree of faith feels natural and the inclusion never feels forced.

Thanks for including some information on the historical details including the fact that the term used for the park workers (outside of the rangers) is “savages” and that this might be offensive for some though this wasn’t your intention. I haven’t read the first two books but after finishing this one, I will be seeking them out. B

While I've heard of the Civilian Conservation Corps, I never really gave them much thought. In fact, I never  realized that this program was only for young men. Author Karen Barnett now has me very interested in the CCC and the men who were part of it.

I loved Nate! As an avid reader, it is hard to even imagine how awful it would be to struggle to read and to be labeled stupid and worthless because you can't. Yet Nate's response was still to be a man of integrity and to protect his siblings and provide for them in any way he could. Therefore, he was willing to go nearly to the other side of the country to do a job he knew nothing about. His responses to the beauty of Yellowstone were quite natural, especially from one who had never been outside of Brooklyn.

As one who loves to teach, I did relate quite well to Elsie. Her love of knowledge and desire to share what she knew drew me to her. She had her own struggles that made her feel unworthy and unlovable. It was so fun to see her pulled so far out of her comfort zone and yet able to use her gifting in such an important way.

I really enjoyed learning more about Yellowstone and the people who worked there. It was interesting that the maids, porters, laundresses and such were all college students. I also loved reading about the setting though it made me miss the mountains so much!

There was a thread of mystery as a series of fires were started around the park. The author did a great job of clearly providing the right clues and yet misdirecting enough that I wasn't sure who was starting them until right before it was revealed.

I did feel some of the details didn't make sense and that something more was going to be shared about one of the characters who was a little "off" yet the author didn't seem to finish that thread. Perhaps that will be followed up in another story...

Lovers of national parks and lovers of historical fiction are likely to enjoy this fun story!

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett is a sweet historical novel rich in detail and emotional depth. Ms Barnett does masterful research and that comes through in the novels she writes. This one is no exception. Yellowstone comes alive in this novel and it makes me want to visit! I particularly like the true story of the workers who came to help Yellowstone at the direction of the President. If you love a well told story and historical fiction, I highly recommend this novel. I received a digital copy of this novel from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

BEAUTIFUL STORY!

EVER FAITHFUL is the latest novel in the Vintage National Park Series by author Karen Barnett. This is set in beautiful Yellowstone when it was still very wild and untamed back in 1933. It surrounds two main characters, Nate and Elise. Their backgrounds differ immensely because she has grown up in Yellowstone (her Dad is a Ranger) & he has grown up in New York. They both share unbelievable broken pasts and hurts and that helps them them form a friendship. Barnett paints a beautiful background for her plot as she describes all the many wonders of Yellowstone. She adds a varied cast of characters including Rangers, workers in the hotels, on the grounds, bus drivers (all with clever nicknames!) and the CCC workers who’ve come to work in the National Park, too. Barnett shows the fortitude and determination that it took for those dedicated people to invest their lives in Yellowstone and in doing so some of them found the the love of their lives. I was provided an ARC of this book by Waterbrook&Multnomah & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

(4.5 stars) - totally worth the time

This is the 3rd of Barnett's "Vintage Parks" series, and worthy of its membership therein - I believe it's even the best of the series.

Each book is a complete standalone story; the common thread is that each takes place at a different national park during the time period when the system was just beginning to develop.

While this one is not aa action packed or exciting as the 2nd was, it's pace is steady, and the story keeps pulling you in more and more as you go. The history is just as fascinating & immersive as ever.

To be honest, it didn't pull me in right away, so I started out worrying that the story wasn't going to hold my interest, that Elsie wasn't a strong character, that Vaughan was going to be a bad boyfriend stereotype, disliking Mary, thinking that I knew who the firebug would turn out to be, and the book overturned all my expectations.

There isn't quite as much of the park description as in previous books, but much as I loved Yellowstone, I think it suited this story best as it was done.

It's believably written, and by the end of the story, I was thoroughly invested in the characters - and I loved the happily-ever-after epilogue best of all.

Clean romance level: passionate kisses
Religion: some talk of God's plan for your life & why He lets bad things happen, but it's so low key & non-preachy, only an anti-theist could find it objectionable.
Language: some may consider a one time use of "God-knows-where" as using His Name in vain

Barnett is writing a series of books that each focus on the early days of one of our National Parks. Each reads well as a stand-alone.

It is spring 1933 in Yellowstone National Park and work crews are readying the park for the summer crowd. This year, due to the still lingering effects of the Depression, groups of young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps will be assisting in this work. Nate has joined the CCC in order to help out his family financially. Elsie, the daughter of one of the park rangers, will be once again working to make money in order to attend college and become a teacher. This year as well as her usual job in the hotel, Elsie will be working with the young men in the evenings to assist in developing their reading and writing skills.

Both Nate and Elsie are plagued by what they believe are unsurmountable problems that keep them from achieving their personal and educational dreams. The interaction between Nate and Elsie and the growing relationship between them is sweet to watch. Both lack self-confidence and need to believe that God does have plans for them to prosper.

Living just a short distance from Yellowstone in northern Colorado and having seen it in the early 1950's up til now, it was interesting to view it from an even earlier time period. Barnett's descriptions were wonderful at creating pictures of the wonder and beauty found at Yellowstone. The touch of suspense with the arson fires and the slowly developing romance between Nate and Elsie along with Elsie's friendship with Rose and Mary rounded out an interesting plot. I loved the names for each of the groups of workers e.g. "pillow punchers" for the hotel maids.

Definitely a series I would recommend.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

Ever Faithful, the third story in the Vintage National Parks series by Karen Barnett, explores Depression Era Yellowstone National Park. Elsie Brookes dreams of attending college but is concerned about leaving her ailing mother. In order to earn extra money, she agrees to teach the incoming Civilian Conservation Corps workers basic subjects. Nate Webber has lived a hard life in Brooklyn and agrees to join the CCC in order to keep his younger brother from going to jail. He sees Yellowstone as a new start, but hopes no one discovers he can't read. I've enjoyed this series a great deal, but I think this one holds a special place in my heart. My grandfather was a member of the CCC in the late thirties, so it was so much fun reading about this interesting group. Barnett spins a great tale while also painting a picture of the National Parks from long ago. I can't wait to continue this series!

This is such a unique series. I really enjoyed the first one and was looking forward to this book. It did not let me down.

I’ve never been to Yellowstone so it was fun to visit through the eyes of Elsie and Nate. Their romance is a slow burning one (pun intended). With many other obstacles in their way it’s hard for them to find the path to each others hearts.

There is one character I was suspicious of from the start and this alone was enough to make me want to keep reading to see what would happen next and how things would play out.

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A copy of this book was given to me though Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

Elsie Brookes grew up as the daughter of Yellowstone's head ranger, and takes great pride in her knowledge of geology gained from the park. Her greatest desire, though, is to teach, but even after four years of working as a "pillow puncher" (hotel maid, for those of us who don't know the Yellowstone Park lingo), she still doesn't have enough money in her savings for her college tuition. When she is offered an extra stipend to teach the new Civilian Conservation Corps boys, she jumps at the chance. Many of the young men never finished high school and are barely literate. Is she up to the challenge?

Nate Webber has spent his life trying to keep food on his family's table. When his little brother gets in trouble, Nate takes the blame on his own shoulders. Given the choice of joining the CCC or jail, he chooses to travel to Yellowstone. His father has told him all his life that he is stupid and worthless because he can't read, but he is willing to work hard if it means he will be able to send money home to his starving family, and hopefully, keep his brother out of jail. When Nate's natural leadership abilities get him a job as foreman, can he keep his inability to read or write from his superiors when they expect weekly written reports from him?

As Elsie gets more acquainted with the new CCC recruits, she is drawn again and again to Nate's quiet confidence. Sure that he is the best man in the bunch, she is stunned to realize that the secret he's been keeping is something she may be able to help with. As they work together on his reading, they discover more than a friendship. When random fires break out in the park, threatening the very lives of those entrusted with preserving it, Elsie and Nate work to discover who has been setting them. Burned as a child, Elsie has a more than healthy fear of flames. Can she work past her fears to track down the real culprit?

Well, I now have a "new" place I want to visit. Yellowstone National Park came to life in Ever Faithful in a new, and majestic way as I read Nate and Elsie's story. The sense of history was enthralling, and the pictures I've seen on Facebook of many of the sites from the book made it much easier to picture things as I read them. I can hardly wait to pick up the first two books in this series about the history of some of our National Parks.

Sweet romance readers will love this story. There are actually a couple of romances going on during this story, but Nate and Elsie's is the main one. There is also a good bit of American history here, mostly from right after the start of the Great Depression, during the tenure of FDR. The CCC was part of his New Deal program, and in this story, most of the men who participated appreciated having work in a time when jobs were scarce. Three squares a day didn't hurt, nor did the muscles they gained doing the work required. These historical tidbits were fascinating! I would absolutely recommend this book, and look forward to reading the other two. I'm also hoping Ms. Barnett has even more parks she wants to write about!

"Ever Faithful " by Karen Barnett is a romantic Christian fiction book. It takes place at Yellowstone National Park. It gives the reader insights into what it is like to be a ranger in the park system. Elsie Brookes is a ranger's daughter. She enjoyed being a ranger's daughter. For 4 years she was a maid at Yellowstone National Park. She wanted to earn more money and decided to teach men at the Civilian Conservation Corps about the history and animals in the park. She learned she really liked teaching and planed to be a teacher in the future. During her time with the CCC she developed a relationship with Nate. Nate was required to read but could not read. Elsie decided to teach him how to read. As a result, they both get to know each other as she taught Nate. How will the relationship continue since she is his teacher? What will happen as the book unfolds? This book gives the reader a lot of insight about what it is like to be a park ranger and share your knowledge with the new rangers and the park visitors. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book. I will post my review on Amazon, facebook, my blog and share with staff at church.

The third and final installment of this series was well worth the wait! I liked them all, but I liked this one the best! The CCC history has been fascinating to me since I met William Jamerson when he toured with his book, Big Shoulders and I also realized that the state park closest to me has a ton of history of things built there from the CCCer’s. Ever Faithful really brought this time in our history to life with the characters and their back stories. Their potential was amazing and I found myself rooting for all of them. The mystery portion did surprise me although I did suspect before it was revealed. This series is a fantastic way to learn about some of our national parks and their rich history. It is truly a fun series that I hope to revisit some day!

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

I’ve been to Yellowstone and it was lots of fun to read about what it was like in the 1930s when the CCC came to work in the Park. What a great job Barnett did in making Yellowstone come alive to the reader! Both the hero and heroine of the story felt inferior and unworthy. Their journey to finding each other and finding their worth in the eyes of God and each other was beautifully done. I have enjoyed all the Vintage Parks series and would love for the author to come up with another one!

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this series. It offers so much for historical fiction lovers, not least of which is the snapshot into the history of some of America’s most amazing natural landscapes. Even better, the stories are specific to the settings and bring them vividly to life, but at the same time, each story has been very different from the others in the series. You’d be hard pressed to think of another series like it.

I particularly loved that this book featured the Civilian Conservation Corps. When combined with Elsie and the other park staff, it brought together a fantastic mix of personalities, all of whom were well developed regardless of how large or small a role they played in the story. And I grew fond of Nate, in particular—a young man who would now be recognised as having dyslexia, but in the 1930s, simply believed himself to be “dumb”. I especially loved that his friendship with Elsie developed very naturally and seemingly without emphasis before moving into something more.

What kept me hooked into this story most firmly, though, were all the interpersonal relationships and their unique points of tension. There were so many little undercurrents typical to young people who are still finding their footing in the adult world, particularly when it came to friendship and romance, and the author managed to capture it all without turning it into a soap opera. These interpersonal undercurrents also fed my suspicions about who may have been involved in the fires and kept me second guessing myself all the way to the end.

In short, this was another wonderful addition to the Vintage National Parks series, and I’m hoping that there will be more of the them in the future!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

What I Loved: I have adored this entire series and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the final book. Barnett is well acquainted with National Parks and it shows in her writing. Not only was her setting vividly detailed, but she shares such knowledge about Yellowstone along the way. I particularly enjoyed learning about the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was a new note in history for me.
There was a light mystery weaved into the story. I’m happy to say that regardless of what I thought I knew, I was surprised in the end.
Barnett marries a steady message of faith with a cast of lovable characters. Nate Webber was my favorite. But there were so many from the CCC who were colorful and unique.

Rating and Recommendation: I’m giving Ever Faithful 4.5 stars and recommending it to those who enjoy historical Christian fiction or those who like nature settings.

~ I received a copy from WaterBrook. I was not compensated for this review. All thoughts are my own.

I enjoyed this book. It is the 3rd book in Karen Barnett's National Park series. You do not need to read the other 2 first - this certainly could stand alone.

I absolutely love the history and research that go into books like this one. I have been to Yellowstone so it is neat to revisit (even if only through words).

FDR created the CCC to get the unemployed back to work during the depression. This book explains that plan and how it was implemented through the National Parks.

I would definitely recommend this book for history buffs or anyone that just enjoys a good read.

Ever Faithful is a terribly cute retro-romance that proves ‘traditional’ doesn’t have to equal ‘boring’; in fact its slow-burning romances and sweet courtships provide beautiful entertainment for the reader.

It’s 1933 and Elsie Brookes is working as a maid at the Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge.   She figures that two more years of doing the laundry and freshening up cabins will finally put her dream – entering college to take a teaching course at the University of Montana and hopefully being allowed to cultivate her bubbling interest in science – within touching distance.  With her best friends Mary and Rose working at her side, life is a struggle but they’re all happy together, supportive and encouraging about the ambitions that keep them going.  Elsie’s biggest worry is her rheumatic mother, whose fragile health keeps her anchored to the Wyoming area and prevents her enjoying much of a social life.

Then terrible news arrives. Mammoth Hot Springs and many of Yellowstone’s smaller hotels are going to be closed for the summer due to low reservation levels brought on by the Depression. Elsie’s father encourages her to apply for a transfer to the Canyon Hotel, the largest on-Park accommodation establishment, which is also two hours away.  He’ll take care of her mother, and Elsie will get the chance to keeps saving for college and will also be able to teach new recruits to the Civilian Conservation Corps camp being built nearby.

The Depression has hit Nate Webber and his large family hard.  Ever since the death of his oldest brother in the line of duty, his baby brother Charlie has turned criminal, his abusive ex-cop father has fallen face-first into the bottle and their mother has become agoraphobic.  Nate himself, pegged as developmentally disabled by the system, left school at the tender age of  ten to help support the family.  When Nate catches Charlie fencing jewelry, he takes the blame – it’s the only way to keep his brother out of reform school.  But instead of putting Nate into prison, the Police Commissioner pushes him into joining the Civilian Conservation Corps which provides Nate with a job and the educational opportunities previously denied him.

Mary, Nate, Rose and Elsie meet up in Montana, where the camp is built and friendships are made.  Elsie settles in to teach the CCC boys while working as a maid, and Nate resists her attempts at basic lessons while excelling at his park ranger training, including taking care of a mischievous raccoon kit.  Mary soon develops a crush on Red, one of Nate’s friends, and becomes the subject of a quadrangle between Red, Hal - her current boyfriend - and Mutt, another CCC member.  Elsewhere, Elsie and Nate begin developing a friendship that turns into love, while Elsie juggles the attentions of Nate with those of Teddy, a park ranger she’s always had a crush on.  And Rose becomes attracted to Graham, Elsie’s cousin, with whom she has a complicated relationship.  Both Nate and Elsie are concealing secrets that might stop his advancement up the ladder at school  and the progress of Elsie’s relationship with both Nate and Teddy, respectively.  When an arsonist begins lighting fires around the camp, danger is thrown into the mix, and not all of our heroes may come out alive.

Ever Faithful reads like a cheerful 1950s-era magazine story – and I mean that as a compliment.  There’s a fun, cute, ‘golly-gee’ tone to the proceedings, and the story is tender, nicely thought-out, prettily written about, and a good exploration of both Christian faith and personal growth.  The novel’s Christian characters walk the walk of folks who use their faith in a positive, self-improving way, and its storyline develops its characters in nicely believable ways.

Elsie believes it’s God’s plan for her to teach, and watching her grow into that plan from a sheltered childhood is enthralling.  She is firm on her determination to follow her dreams, and won’t let concerns as to what she should do divert her from her path.

Nate, too, must grow beyond what his father has told him about his intelligence in order to embrace his talents and skills.  His growing story is my favorite in the whole novel.

The rest of the book is dotted with solid supporting characters. My favorite was Val, who’s concealing his Jewish heritage for fear of receiving racist abuse and becomes Nate’s best friend.  The rigors of depression and self-hatred are also examined thoroughly.

The book does have one flaw - I had to take a half-grade off for a little bit of showing, not telling in the prose.  You shouldn’t have to tell me your characters are bubbly like geysers – show me!  Also there’s a LOT of plot going on in this book as you can tell from my description, though the author generally balances it well.

But other than that Ever Faithful is a really sweet book that teaches the reader that to be true to God is to be true to oneself and their fellow man.  What more can you ask from an inspirational romance?

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BOOK REVIEW: Ever Faithful (A Vintage National Parks Novel)
BY: Karen Barnett
Another great delivery by Karen Barnett with her third Vintage National Parks novel. She so capably captures the beauty of Yellowstone National Park through the written word that the reader can almost see and appreciate the natural beauty of the park during the 1930s. One can comfortably travel the trails of Yellowstone from their overstuffed lazy-boy at home.
The story follows New Yorker Nate Webber, who can’t seem to do anything right. He jumps at the opportunity presented to him to join Roosevelt’s newly established Civilian Conservation Corps, and is shipped off to California to tackle beetle infested trees killing the forest of Yellowstone. Despite his inability to read or write, Nate shines as a leader and is quickly recognized as such, but it’s a secret he can’t hide for long.
Elsie Brookes has worked hard to earn enough money to attend University to fulfill her life-long dream of becoming a teacher. Having left home and difficult memories in the east, Elsie and her parents have embraced a new life in California. As the daughter of a Park Ranger, Elsie knows the lay of the land and spends her time recording information and earning money for school. She has no time, nor desire, to fraternize with the other workers.
Of course, Elsie and Nate cross paths on more than one occasion and form a friendship were secrets are easily spilled. When an unwelcome visitor of her past comes to work at the Park, Elsie is faced with memories she’d rather forget and a series of mysterious fires keeps the newly formed CCC on their toes, and casts doubts on the budding friendship.
Secrets. Fires. Crime. Heartbreak and Ugly tears.
Faith and forgiveness. Grace.
All of these themes are effortlessly sewn together, making for a rewarding reader experience.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sometimes the beauty of God’s creation takes my breath away. Yellowstone National Park is a place of incredible views that can draw one closer to their Creator. I wish I could say that I have been there in person, but even looking at pictures is stunning. The majesty of Yellowstone National Park is what initially drew me to Karen Barnett’s newest novel, Ever Faithful.

I am one to finish a good fiction novel in 2-3 days at most, and this book was no exception. I enjoyed the clean romance between Nate and Elsie, and there were just enough twists and turns in the plot to keep me interested. I found the characters to be relatable, especially Elsie, because I am a teacher myself (special education). I could appreciate her heart for teaching and learning, and how much she cared about making sure her students were successful. She did not give up on Nate, and she treated him with dignity and respect. I also could see some of my students with special needs in Nate. Some of them have been beaten down, teased, and just feel that they will never amount to anything because of their learning difficulties. My job and my calling is to build them up, and show them that while they may learn differently than others, they are still smart and valuable citizens. So, the parts of the story where Elsie was tutoring Nate were the most meaningful for me.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys clean romance, engaging characters, and a scenic setting. Happy summer reading!