American Wonders Collection A Distance Too Grand, Book 1, (Paperback)

A Distance Too Grand is an adventure. This book, written by Regina Scott, will take you back into time and far away to the Grand Canyon in 1871. Honestly, I could not put it down and can't wait for the next book. Regina Scott is obviously a talented writer who can captivate the reader! Meg Pero is a talented photographer, except she is female in a time when that could be a disadvantage. Women were not to be off on adventures taking photographs. However, she ends up on an expedition with her former beau from West Point, Captain Ben Coleridge. Under Ben's command, Meg and a team are off to explore the Grand Canyon. Will they find Ben's missing father? Will Meg have the opportunity to shoot those beautiful photographs? What about their time when Ben was a West Point? I loved this book and was slightly obsessed with finishing it. It is a great beach, wintertime, weekend, etc. read! I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review. I was thrilled to do just that!

** “Besides, there was something right, something satisfying, in believing Someone was watching over her. And she needed him most of all now. She refused to give up that comfort for petty thought and blame. … She had to believe this would all work out in the end somehow.” ** It's 1871 and the U.S. Army is sanctioning a survey expedition of the Grand Canyon to search for possible wagon trails across the natural wonder. In Regina Scott's “A Distance Too Grand,” Meg Pero hopes to take her deceased father's position as the expedition photographer — to not only capture photos for the survey team, but capture nature's beauty and make a name for herself. The only problem? The team is being led by Captain Benjamin Coleridge, a man whom she once turned down. As the team sets out, Meg and Ben must overcome their past failed relationship and learn to work together. As the group battles weather, dangerous animals, rough terrain and potential sabotage, can they find a path for future travelers to follow? Will Ben find answers as to what happened to his missing father? And will love bloom once again for the couple, or has the distance grown too grand? The author does a great job of developing a lovely cast of characters. Besides Meg and Ben, there's the spunky cook Dot and her cartographer husband Hank, dedicated through and through; the mysterious and hard-edged guide Pike; and the small group of calvary men who prove their mettle time and time again. Besides being a great romantic historical fiction novel that reminds us of what the men and women before us did to forge paths across our mighty nation, “A Distance Too Grand” offers several other incredible themes, like having an awe for the Creator and His creation; a burdened shared is always lighter; everyone is good at something, and everyone has a story to share; the impact of making assumptions; wondering if God truly cares; and the fact that God is always ready to help us. “A Distance Too Grand” isn't overtly “religious.” It does make occasional references to God — mostly in offering quick prayers for help and guidance — as well as characters returning to a stronger reliance on God. Anyone who loves historical fiction, stories about the creation of our nation, or has a love for our national parks will enjoy this book. Although her books take place later than this one, fans of Karen Barnett's “Vintage National Parks” series will enjoy “A Distance Too Far.” I look forward to Regina Scott's second installment, which takes us to 1886 Yellowstone. Five stars out of five. Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.