This book starts off with a bang and doesn't let up until the end. It's a romantic suspense that is full of action, adventure, an earthquake, murder, and so many secrets that come to light. It will keep you guessing and turning the pages to see what happens next. This is a book you don't want to miss!
I received a complimentary copy from Harlequin - Romance, Love Inspired Trade via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love being a part of NetGalley. It gives me the opportunity to read new authors. I was browsing and caught the title of this book. Yosemite is one of my most favorite places in California. A Romantic-Suspense set there; how could I resist? I really do not have anything against clean-romance, Christian Fiction, but it has been my limited experience that they are just not very well written and that I have a great deal against. This book was over the top melodramatic with lots of plot inconsistencies and although the plot was very intriguing, the gut-wrenching moralizing was a bit much.

Stella Rivers is an arborist and is on a potential client call near Yosemite when the man she is meeting is shot and the shooter takes aim at her. Running for her life her van ends up overturned in the river where she is saved by none other than her former fiancé, whom she hasn't seen in 18-months and from whom she is keeping a really, really big secret. Then the "Big One" strikes.

Von Sharpe is on a hike with his dog, Bear. Von has some heavy decisions to make concerning his future with the Air Force. The want to medically retire him due to an injury to his knee and he isn't ready to give up just yet. He has been rehabbing at his deceased brother's wilderness survival camp, but he isn't fit company for the guests. When Von realizes who he has just pulled from the river the earth moves and he isn't sure at first if it is his emotions or an earthquake rocking his world. Then it becomes a fight for survival and hashing out their past history will have to wait.

At the camp some guests are missing and must be found, but Stella's most pressing need is to get to her aunt and nine-month-old baby girl. Not wanting to reveal her secret, she bides her time and escapes as night falls and a storm moves in. Von follows and discovers Stella has a child and that someone is out to kill Stella. Just who that is and why is secondary to keeping everyone alive and safe.

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

So, first of all, I have never been to Yosemite, but after reading this book, I truly want to go and see the sights, just without all the danger that the characters in this book faced. Stella Rivers is meeting a client in the park when the earthquake occurs and her life is thrown into chaos. Not only is she in danger from the ravages of nature, but there also seems to be someone intent on killing her for some unknown reason. Not to worry because there is a hero ready to protect their, none other than her former ex-fiancée Von Sharpe. Von is a K-9 handler and has the most amazing and well trained dog named Bear. Bear was one of my favorite characters in the book because he is so protective and intuitive about when someone is in danger. In fact, all of the characters are well developed and all of them are stuck together in a small camp in Yosemite, trying to survive natural disasters as well as man-made threats. I enjoyed the constant feeling that something new and dangerous was always about to happen, even when all seemed peaceful. I really liked the red herrings and misdirection provided by the author that led me on a merry chase of continually guessing incorrectly who the villain was. Mostly, I enjoyed the lightning fast pace of the story and getting to know the characters who jumped off the page into my heart and mind. This is compelling romantic suspense with a touch of thriller and a lot of mind-spinning twists. Yes, Yosemite is on my bucket list now to visit as it was so well portrayed by the author. I just don’t want to get trapped there, by nature or a killer.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author as part of her review team. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Christian-fiction, romance, suspense, danger, thriller, threats, murder-witness, romantic-suspense, terror, stalker, stand-alone-novel****

Not TTS enabled for visually impaired
I found it riveting but problematic for me because of vision issues. The characters were great, the tension and suspense kept building, and the visual sense of the environmental dangers was spot on. I
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Harlequin - Romance, Love Inspired Trade via NetGalley. Thank you!
Pub Date 27 Feb 2024

"Trapped in Yosemite" has lots of action, a lost love due to circumstances but a chance at renewed love, shadowed only by the renewal and growth of relationship with God theme without being overly sappy or in your face preachy or religious. There is murder, shots fired, an earthquake and aftershocks, intrigue and loads of information about disaster rescues, plants and trees, trained dogs and more.

There is a large cast, but not too, too many, and easy enough to follow. At times there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between some of the secondary characters as to what role their inclusion does to move the plot along. Strong Characters are important to moving a sound narrative from point to point. While the plot does move, and in my opinion, the secondary characters do lend to the movement, you can count on new information concerning the above mentioned items and the possibilities after the physical movement of the earth.

I had planned to read this as soon as it arrived but back to back deaths in my family prevented me from that task--I was blessed that I was able to move through my own lingering grief with the main characters.

I have read reviews by others and I am always amazed at the play by play synopsis given as part of a review-- I tend to review the strength of the writing, the logical movement of the narrative and whether I fill a connection between and with the characters.

I believe this book is a hit and has the potential to move forward with the other characters in a series if Dana Mentink desires to expand.

I do recommend. Please note God and building a faithful relationship is mentioned in this book--the main characters are both working through the stages of grief, but in a subtle way as backstory and motivation and not the main focus. This is not a bodice ripper although there is romance--the kind that builds from maturity.

Wow! Trapped in Yosemite gutted me in the best kind of way. It’s been a long time since I really cried while reading a book, but this one did me in – and it’s a suspense story!

Mentink keeps the tension high throughout the whole book – not just the suspense, either, but romantic tension and worries about main character Stella and her daughter’s well-being. There’s a lot happening in these pages, and Mentink handles it all with ease. The natural disasters keep the danger levels high even without the killer, who keeps turning up like a bad penny. When you factor in the trauma that Stella and Von are still dealing with, you’ll be crying, too.

Part of the reason that Trapped in Yosemite got to me so much is because that trauma includes lost babies. That’s hard, and it isn’t something you just bounce back from. Mentink handled it all really well, but if that’s something that’s too much for you, this might be a book to shelve for now.

Otherwise, get your copy of Trapped in Yosemite and stock up on tissues and chocolate. You won’t be putting this one down – though you might need a hug by the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

What an exciting and action-packed story! I was hooked right at the beginning and couldn’t read fast enough. Danger was coming from every direction. It seemed like anything that could go wrong did go wrong. Whether it was a massive earthquake, powerful aftershocks, freezing temperatures, a snowstorm, or a murderer, there was never a dull moment. My anxiety was high and just kept climbing.

I liked Stella and Von. They were realistically flawed, and while they had a lot to overcome regarding their past relationship, I was rooting for them to work things out. It was obvious that they still cared for each other. I thought Bear was awesome, and I really enjoyed seeing the bond between him and Von. I hope this is the beginning of a series because there are a couple of characters I’d love to read more about.

I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Yosemite. I’ve never had a chance to visit, but now it feels like I have. I love when an author can transport me to a setting like that.

This was a thrill ride from start to finish, and I enjoyed every second. If you’re a fan of action-packed romantic suspense, you’ll love this book. I highly recommend it!

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Overall this was a very good book. It had a lot of action. It starts out with Stella witnessing a murder. As she's running away, there's an earthquake. She finds herself trapped at a resort with none other that her old boyfriend, Von. The mystery kept be guessing right up till the end.

The negative aspect of this book is that she lived with her former boyfriend and had a baby with him. He doesn't know the baby is his till the middle of the book. There was never anything really mentioned about that not being the way a Christian should live their life. I would not want my teenage granddaughters to read the book and think living together before marriage was ok. In the description it is listed as a Christian book. For this reason, I giving the book 3 stars instead of 4.

I was given this book by Love Inspired via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

I received a copy of this book.
Full of action and plot twists.
Great Story and characters.
Looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Dana Mentink for this ARC of Trapped in Yosemite in exchange for my honest opinion and review. Unfortunately, I did have to DNF'd due to triggering content.

The overall premise of this story was incredibly intriguing, and I was really enjoying the plot line, writing style and suspense building. It was fast paced which many readers will enjoy, but some of the content involving our leading lady in this one was a bit unexpected - which is why I had to stop.

Will definitely check out other works from this author in the future.

Trapped in Yosemite is the first novel I've read by Dana Mentink, and it was a exciting, edge-of-your seat, fast-paced and suspenseful read, with a dash of second chance romance, and, with just a few blips that kept me from giving it a 5-star rating, but the blips were few and far between, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars instead.

First the triggers, and there are quite a few, including murder and mayhem, a stillborn child, child endangerment, a broken engagement, a stalker or stalkers, earthquakes (yes, earthquakes), and more. This is also an inspirational Christian romance, which I hadn't noticed when I requested an advance reader copy of this novel, since I am of a different faith, but at least it wasn't overly preachy until the latter part of the novel.

The main character is Stella Rivers, a single mother and a recently graduated arborist, who's been called to Yosemite on her first reall assignment--a look at what's killing some maple trees. She's immediately suspicious since maple trees are not native to Yosemite. Stella's 9-month-old daughter, Hannah, has been left in the keeping of her aunt, Zoe, who lives nearby in Cloud Top, but Stella is nervous, and when a man, calling himself Matt Smith, barrels down a hillsude to meet her car, and is almost simultaneously shot and killed, and when the shooter tries to do the same to her, she heads deeper into the the National Park to get away.

Hannah eventually gets to her aunt's small cabin and the Mountain Dog Wilderness Guides, a glamping operation originally founded by her ex-finance, Von's, now deceased brother Ronnie, and who else could possibly be there but Von himself, along with his military K-9 companion, Bear, and quite a few other campers. Stella had never bothered to inform Von that she was pregnant with his child, who is now 9 month's old, and Von assumes she moved on rather quickly after they were "splitsville," a word I'd not seen or heard since the 1950's. To say that Von is, at the outset, highly unlikeable, cold and closed off emotionally is putting it mildly, and it took a long while for me to begin to like him. Unfortunately, my dislike of him was the one of main reasons for my 4-star rating--he is one hard-to-read hero. My opinion of his character does eventually improve when he's told that Hannah is his daughter, but what will that mean in the long run for Stella and Hannah?

And then there's the earthquake, which rocks the area, blocks the roads, and makes it impossible to leave the camp, and to get supplies for all those visitors/campers trapped there, and to help the one person severely injured by the quake, or was the quake really responsible for his injuries? One more mystery to solve. Additionally, Stella is still being stalked and hunted, but she has no idea why. So who is after her and why becomes the central focus of the rest of this exciting novel, and that's as much as I'm telling you since I don't do spoilers.

What I will tell you is that this well-written, high-octane novel is definitely worth reading, especially if you're a fan of Christian romantic suspense and murder myseries, and, if you're not put off by the aforementioned triggers, I think this is one novel you'll enjoy reading.

As stated, I read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

WOW! That is the first word that comes to mind when I finished reading this book. It starts out fast paced with a murder and an earthquake and doesn't slow down until the last couple of pages. The author pulls you straight into the book from the first page. You have a young woman who is trying to make a life for her and her young daughter and now she has a target on her back in the middle of an earthquake. This author has a way with words that makes you feel like you are right there in the chaos. Here is an excerpt from the book "He thought of Half Dome, mirror smooth, cleaved as neatly as if it had been done with a blade. Were they about to be similarly savaged right there on that mud-covered slope?" I don't want to go into more detail because I don't want to leak out any spoilers. If you have read any of this authors books then you already know what amazing books that she writes and this one tops them all! If you haven't then you don't know what you are missing out on. I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book beforeit hit the shelves. All my opinions are in my own words,

So I was fully planning on giving this book three stars cuz I found it eh but the ending was basically cut short.

Overall I liked the premise of this book and the idea of a thriller romance because I am a big fan of those types of books. Firstly, the relationship between Von and Stella was lacking to say the least. I felt like we didn't really get to see them as an actual couple instead it was just a hero/victim complex the whole time. The constant monologue also got to be a bit much to the point where I would just skim or zone out and have to reread.

However, the reason I bumped it to two stars is that the ending was totally unresolved in terms of what happened to the people/person/whoever (trying not to spoil) that was after Stella. What happened to them? Did Paul ever get better since he was basically out the whole book? Like why was all of this left out? We find out the story behind it all but then get no resolution.

Additionally, and this didn't affect my rating, but I wasn't a fan of the religious stuff throughout the book and probably wouldn't have read it if I had known it had that.

Trapped in Yosemite by Dana Mentink is everything you’d expect from the name…peril, earthquakes, and run-for-your life danger. Stella Rivers is attacked, while at the same time an earthquake wreaks havoc in the mountains of Yosemite. But an unlikely hero steps in—her ex-boyfriend, Von Sharp. Together they help rescue people trapped in the snow-covered mountains while dodging bullets from someone intent on killing Stella.

This book has everything for suspense fans. Lots of drama and danger. Anyone who reads Love Inspired Suspense will love this trade book, which is a longer version of a Love Inspired Suspense. There’s lots of time to fall in love the characters, and so many characters have big secrets to hide. I love a good “who-dun-it” story, and with everyone being trapped on the mountain, you know that one of them has to be behind the death threats. Everyone is a suspect, and the author did a great job of weaving in secrets and betrayals to keep readers guessing to the very end.

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own

I enjoyed this second chance romance out in the wilds of California. Normally my mountainous, National park reads are set in Colorado or Montana, so this was a new one. I liked the military aspect of it. It was I retesting having an arborist. I liked the natural disaster and stranded aspects too. There was a feel of forced proximity. Of course, the danger and suspense, both natural and man made were great. A great read from this author. I liked the different positions our characters had on faith as well.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

If you aren’t tied together by God, the wolf will tear you apart in short order.

The author does not disappoint! A true nail biter with endless twists and turns. A seemingly innocent visit by arborist Stella Rivers becomes a struggle for survival when a murder occurs before her eyes. Add a major earthquake to the mix and it all becomes questionable.

A story of ongoing action, second chances, learning to forgive and more will keep you guessing right up to the satisfying conclusion. That is if they can survive being trapped in a park with no way out and someone set on murder.

An early copy was received through Love Inspired Trade and NetGalley. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.

Trapped in Yosemite will definitely keep you on your toes. I felt like I was in Yosemite during the earthquake, aftershocks, flooding and all the snowstorms. The suspense was off the charts and palpable. I love stories that deal with storms especially snowstorms. I like to imagine that I'm actually in a blizzard without being in a blizzard. Yes, I'm weird. LOL. Trapped in Yosemite did that for me. I was totally immersed in the story. It was a story filled with secrets and plenty of action. You'll be surprised to find out the whodunit at the end. We get to meet some wonderful dogs. I love a good k-9 story and this one fits the bill. Plus, we get a cute ending that made me shed some tears! I loved it. Definitely a winner in my book. I was given a copy, but all opinions are my very own!

This was my first read by this author and I really liked her writing style. This book is very fast paced and interesting throughout. I loved Stella and Von and baby Hannah! With danger lurking around every corner, first with an earthquake and then with a shooter and more events to follow it was definitely suspenseful. I liked watching Stella and Von reconnect. This story has light Christian themes, I do wish there would have been at least a little emphasis on sex before marriage being a sin though. Overall a good romantic suspense story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley and the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I have never read anything by this author before, but I will be watching out what else they publish! This book kept me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end.

Man! Trapped in Yosemite is so good! The book started off with instant action and it just kept coming. The premise of being trapped by an earthquake, and all that goes on is one I haven’t seen. I had real trouble putting it down. Mentink even surprised me with the ending, and that doesn’t happen often enough.
I highly recommend Trapped in Yosemite!