Stunning Yosemite National Park sets the stage for this late 1920s historical romance with mystery, adventure, heart, and a sense of the place John Muir described as “pervaded with divine light.”
Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford has shed her humble beginnings to fashion her image as an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region’s wealthy art-collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine, including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift Olivia and her sisters out of poverty.
After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a backcountry guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he’s faced with the opportunity to become a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling?
As Clark opens Olivia’s eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she discovers the people are as vital to the park’s story as its vistas–a revelation that may bring her charade to an end.
I love Where the Fire Falls! Olivia is a complex and complicated female lead. I love the depth that Karen gave her. Olivia grew throughout the story until she was someone I’d really love to meet. Her artistic style had my fascinated, too – I kept trying to imagine what it might look like. I almost broke out my watercolors to give painting mountains a try, because the descriptions were so realistic!
Barnett wrote really neat spiritual lessons into the story. I love the idea that we can be exactly who we are, just as God made us; that He’ll take us where He wants us to be, and that we can trust Him with what will happen next. That the past is important, but that we don’t have to let it define us, nor do we have to understand every detail – He’s got it.
We studied the 1920s a few months ago, and with the setting of this novel so vivid, and the park descriptions so exciting, I couldn’t help handing it off to My Big Helper. She loves historical Christian Fiction, and she was all over this one. In fact, she was super disappointed that we got to read Where the Fire Falls before it’s official release date – because now she has longer to wait until the third and final novel is released! (I don’t blame her – it’s going to be really hard to wait that long.)
One extra exciting element that Barnett wrote into this story were the supporting characters. There were a few who had really flamboyant backgrounds, and as I read, I kept hoping they would play a bigger role in the coming story. I finished the story still wanting more, and Barnett suggested that perhaps they would get their own novella in the coming months. Here’s to hoping!
Barnett excels at historical fiction. If that’s your genre, you’ll love Where the Fire Falls!
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
That sounds like a lovely book!