"We're all one bad step from being on our face in the dirt. But how many of us have the courage to get back up and try again?"
Polio survivor June Turner may seem like an unlikely candidate for a park service ranger, but she is determined to push past the inevitable trips and falls in order to carry on her aunt and uncle's legacy, not to mention fulfilling her brother's dream. ("If anything happens to me over there, I hope you'll go back to the redwoods and think of me.") Something had happened, leaving June with a renewed vigor to seek employment at the newly established Redwood National Park.
Nearly five decades earlier another young woman feels like the giant redwoods are her calling. Marion Baker is broadly known as a staunch supporter of the Save the Redwoods League; goodness, she practically claims a lush grove of the majestic trees as her own, which in turn leads her to make a life-altering decision. Was it the right one? She may never know . . . or will she?
It is impossible to read this story without feeling compelled to visit Redwood National Park, its fascinating history and inspiring visions of a woodland cathedral practically beg to be admired by a multitude of adoring fans. Tucked between the branches are valuable life lessons, one of which being "they (the trees) work together, holding tight to the roots of their neighbors".
Teamwork, romance, accomplishment; June and Marion wrestle with all three between the pages of this lovely novel.
I am loving this national park series!
*I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
BackCover Blurb:
Some secrets have shadows as long as the redwoods are tall.
In the early 1920s, the accelerating destruction of the California redwoods is more than nature-loving Marion Baker can bear. Throwing herself headlong into the work of the Save the Redwoods League, she is shocked to learn that Frank Duncan, a man she's grown to love, is the son of one of the area's worst timber barons. Though devastated by the betrayal, she realizes this could also be an opportunity--if only she can convince him to help preserve her favorite grove from his father's greedy grasp. Is her love strong enough to persuade him to save these precious trees? Or will Marion choose to sacrifice her beliefs to keep Frank by her side?
Nearly fifty years later, in 1972, polio survivor June Turner is deeply proud of the legacy her great aunt Marion has left as a redwood warrior. And despite her disability, June is determined to prove herself capable as a ranger at the recently established Redwood National Park, even if it means taking to the trails with her crutch in hand. What better way to carry on the family tradition of preserving God’s magnificent creation?
When aspiring film student Adam Garner approaches June to help make a documentary about Marion's life, she swiftly grabs the opportunity to spread her aunt's worthy reputation. That is, until they unearth a secret that might shatter the family legacy. In the scramble for answers, June may lose not only her family pride but also her own dreams.
Karen Barnett's beautifully crafted split-time novel, set against the majestic backdrop of a beloved national park, immerses the reader in history that feels as fresh as if it happened yesterday.
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