Synopsis
It is 1886, and the government has given the US Cavalry control of Yellowstone. For widowed hotelier Kate Tremaine, the change is a welcome one. She knows every inch of her wilderness home like the back of her hand and wants to see it protected from poachers and vandals.
Refused a guide by Congress, Lieutenant William Prescott must enlist Kate’s aid to help him navigate the sprawling park and track down the troublemakers. But a secret from his past makes him wary of the tender feelings the capable and comely widow raises in him. As they work together to protect the park and stand firm through injustice and tragedy, they may just find that two wounded hearts can share one powerful love when God is in control.
Review
Disclaimer: Although I received a copy of this book from the publisher, the words and opinions below are my own.
Regina Scott’s American Wonders Collection continues with a novel set in America’s first national park. The book starts with something that’s still problematic over a century later: human interference with the park’s natural beaty and a disregard for the danger it possesses. Will and Kate meet by one of the parks famous mud pots, where she berates him for being off the official path. Sparks immediately fly, and her son loves being around Will, but both are wary of getting closer.
Nothing Short of Wondrous was a great read. I loved the descriptions of the park as it was back then, from the rudimentary accommodation for visitors to the coach and horses that would bring them to the park. I hadn’t known that the US Cavalry had overseen this park and others prior to the formation of the National Park Service. Nor had I thought of the impact of the changes that they brought about on scurrilous poachers and the local Indians who were moved on from their ancestral lands and so could no longer hunt there.
Besides the romance, there’s also a good dose of suspense. Kate finds her business under attack, and there’s a search for a poacher that may or may not be involved. My copy of the book has a big spoiler on the back cover; hopefully, future editions will have the copy that doesn’t include that because it doesn’t come until near the end of the book and I was constantly looking for it as I read. There’s also a strong Christian message of second chances throughout.
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Product Information
Publisher: Revell (a division of Baker Publishing)
Publication Date: October 20, 2020
Author Information
Regina Scott is the author of fifty works of warm, witty historical romance, including A Distance Too Grand. She was twice awarded the prestigious RT Book Reviews best book of the year in her category. A devotee of history, she has learned to fence, driven four-in-hand, and sailed on a tall ship, all in the name of research. She and her husband of thirty years live south of Tacoma, Washington, on the way to Mt. Rainier.
Regina Scott’s Website http://reginascott.com/