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    The Road to Paradise: A Vintage National Parks Novel
    Unavailable
    The Road to Paradise: A Vintage National Parks Novel
    Unavailable
    The Road to Paradise: A Vintage National Parks Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Road to Paradise: A Vintage National Parks Novel

    Written by Karen Barnett

    Narrated by Ann Richardson

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    It’s 1927, and the National Park Service is in its youth when Margie, an avid naturalist, lands a coveted position alongside the park rangers living and working in the unrivaled splendor of Mount Rainier’s long shadow. But Chief Ranger Ford Brayden is still haunted by his father’s death on the mountain, and the ranger takes his work managing the park and its crowd of visitors seriously. The job of watching over an idealistic senator’s daughter with few practical survival skills seems a waste of resources.

    When Margie’s former fiancé sets his mind on developing the Paradise Inn and its surroundings into a tourist playground, the plans might put more than the park’s pristine beauty in danger. What will Margie and Ford sacrifice to preserve the splendor and simplicity of the wilderness they both love?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDreamscape Media Audio
    Release dateMar 4, 2019
    ISBN9781974951604
    Unavailable
    The Road to Paradise: A Vintage National Parks Novel
    Author

    Karen Barnett

    Karen Barnett is the author of Beyond the Ashes, Out of the Ruins, and Mistaken. Named the 2013 Writer of Promise by Oregon Christian Writers, Karen lives in Albany, Oregon, with her husband and two kids. When she s not writing novels, she loves speaking at women s events, libraries, and book clubs. You can learn more at KarenBarnettBooks.com.

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    Reviews for The Road to Paradise

    4.5/5

    20 ratings7 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Historical fiction. Clean and well written. First time reading the authorbut not the last
    • 4/5
      The cover of Karen Barnett’s The Road To Paradise so perfectly complements the story it hardly needs a review. Mount Rainier, snow-capped, guarding the hills, with trees and lodge, and old-fashioned car on the road… Road to Paradise is firmly set in America's recent history, in a time when business interests competed with a human need for rest, relaxation, beauty, and the power of nature—or is that today? It’s a time when a woman fights against the assumptions of her family—that too might be today, and not just for women. It’s a time when it’s not right to buck the system, but nature, red in tooth and claw, is also our home. We invade the lands of mice, and men delight in tearing down, rebuilding, entertaining… A Road to Paradise reveals a place where beauty is fragile enough without the invasion of a city’s lights, and tells a story of a man and woman falling in love, against their will and wisdom, guided, perhaps, by the hand that made it all.The Road To Paradise includes many Biblical references from a character well-versed in her faith. But she's not so well-versed in the ways of human nature. She sees beauty as God’s gift, but if God gives beauty, why does he make this mountain so dangerous that lives are lost at the whim of a winter storm. Seeing God’s hand in good coincidence, who can she blame for the bad?More than a love story, more than a painting of nature and history, The Road To Paradise is as enticing as its scenery, as thought-provoking as good and evil, and as satisfying as a walk on Mount Rainier. It’s highly recommended.Disclosure: Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      In this first book of the Vintage National Parks series, author takes us to Mount Rainier in Washington State. Signed into law in 1899 by President William McKinley, Mount Rainier National Park is the nations’ fifth national park and the first created from a national forest.Sit back and get ready to enjoy the beauty of the park as author Karen Barnett describes it’d splendor. The majestic beauty of the park is only accentuated by the wonderful little yarn Barnett unravels.It’s 1927. Margaret (Margie) Lane is an avid naturalist. She has fled to the park after her former fiancé strikes her. Margie is a senator’s daughter and has only known the lap of luxury. But she’s more than willing to give it up to settle herself in God’s beauty.Unknown to her, Margie’s father has made a significant donation to the park in order to secure her a position for the summer. The calendar may read June, but there is still snow on the ground.Margie reports to Chief Ranger Ford Brayden, who is extremely uncomfortable with a green-horn woman in his park. The park has been Ford’s life. He took over his father’s job when he died attempting to scale Rainier. Ford hasn’t come to terms with that yet although it’s been two years now.Margie manages to provide a radiance to the park that is warmer than the upcoming summer. Soon Margie’s ex-fiancé shows up, doing his best to disrupt the mountain’s peace. Margie has other plans and will stop at nothing to thwart him, including attempting to climb to the summit.The Road to Paradise is the perfect summer read. All the descriptions of the snow and the budding spring soon make readers forget that sweat is dripping down their spines. The interaction between the characters is honest. The plot moves along nicely and the pacing keeps readers quickly turning the page to learn what happens next. The Road to Paradise receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
    • 5/5
      Title: The Road to Paradise (A Vintage National Parks Novel #1)Author: Karen BarnettPages: 344Year: 2017Publisher: WaterbrookMy rating is 5 stars out of 5.Ashford Brayden, or Ford to most everyone, can’t believe he has to spend his summer babysitting a senator’s daughter who thinks she knows nature! Ford meets Margie Lane and realizes she has lots of book knowledge, but no practical hands-on experience. Why must he be saddled with her? He reluctantly takes her on hikes and tours of the park and slowly realizes her faith guides her life and she sees God at work in every aspect of life. He is still doubting a God who would take his father’s life in an avalanche that happened two years ago. Margie’s zest for life begins to impact Ford and he comes to want to spend more time with Margie, but could a park ranger and a wealthy senator’s daughter actually have a successful relationship?Margie Lane has wanted to be a park ranger since she was a young girl, but in 1927 in Washington state that is unheard of. She will settle for spending time in her beloved park at the foot of her beloved Mt. Ranier. She has no desire to climb the mountain as she is afraid of heights, plus women don’t do that sort of thing, right? She likes Ford and admires his survival skills, but knows she can’t allow a relationship with him as he hasn’t given his life to God. Also, she has an obsessive ex who wants her to bend to his will, but this would make Margie miserable. He wants her at all costs and when he threatens her beloved park, Margie has a big decision to make.This is an absolutely delightful story! At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Margaret Lane as she seemed very naïve, but the more I read the more I came to her viewpoint and could identify with her love of God. Every small flower or plant showed God’s unique creation to Margie and she was in awe of her Creator. She felt nearest to him while in nature. I came to see how strong Margie’s faith was and how she lived her life full of faith as an example to all around her. The vivid descriptions of the scenery put me right there on the mountaintop and nearby surroundings. I can’t wait for more books in this series! I highly recommend this wonderful story of the early history of our National Parks System along with an added bonus of a romance!Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 5/5
      I loved everything about this story. The characters were so much fun. There was laughter and crying. There was a bit of suspense also. I did not want to put this book down. This really kept me wanting more. I enjoyed learning about the national park system and a bit about how it worked in the beginning. I received a copy of this book from bloggingforbooks for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
    • 5/5
      Karen Barnett has a winner on her hands! The first book in her Vintage National Parks series, The Road to Paradise, has everything — history, romance, adventure, and the majestic beauty of an American jewel. Great wiring and endearing characters kept the pages turning for this reader. Perfect for your summer reading, I give The Road to Paradise a highly recommended rating!Many may believe Margie Lane is only the pampered daughter of a US Senator, but she is determined to live her dream — living and working surrounded by God’s creation as a part of the National Parks Service. And many have their doubts, especially Chief Ranger Ford Brayden. While Margie sees the wilderness as a place of healing and refuge, Ford knows the danger that lurks beneath the beauty. As they spend more time together, will their differences divide or compliment each other?The Road to Paradise is set in the early days of the National Parks Service. Tension between commercial development and conservation was as real then as it is now. I loved that Barnett emphasized the early work of rangers and naturalists who made sure that future generations of Americans could experience the wilds of our nation. Mt. Rainer National Park, the setting of the novel, becomes almost a character in itself. It is a prominent part of the book, with its history and majesty fully developed. Barnett also does a great job of making her main human characters real and relatable. The earnest Margie and the dedicated Ford are characters I came to love. She also includes a bad guy you’ll love to hate! LOL! There is plenty of chemistry between the characters that will appeal to the romance fan. As they traverse the park, adventure, challenges, and danger abound making this novel a page-turner. Historical details are seamlessly woven throughout the narrative, allowing the reader to experience the rustic life at the park in the 1920s. Barnett includes a spiritual thread that is meaningful without being preachy.The Road to Paradise is the perfect book to take along on your own road trip this summer. And I am anxiously anticipating the next installment in this series.Highly Recommended.Audience: older teens to adults.(Thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
    • 5/5
      As an enjoyer of national parks, I was excited to see this book. It gives you a feel of what Mount Rainer park was like as the park was getting started and some of the things that had to be work out with our national park system. I think I would have liked to have been Margie and had the chance to work at Mount Rainer. The story also has the point of view of one of the rangers, Ford Brayden. He is still working out how to best do his job and working with Margie is not one of the things on his list. They both love the simplicity and beauty of the parks though and will do all they can to preserve it. I also loved the cover of the book as it reminded me of postcards that I had purchased at some of national parks. More from the author I received my book from blogging for books, the review is entirely my own.