Five Fall Favorites
2026
The Blessings of Life
Day 3
Nature
Take a step back in time to 1927 and embrace the peace that Margie Lane has come to experience at Mount Rainier National Park. Ford Brayden as Chief Ranger has been tasked with showing Margie around. Ford would rather be out doing anything rather than be stuck with a pampered senator's daughter who probably can't tell the difference between a skunk and a raccoon.
Two women divided by time but united by a fascination of platypus and a search to understand this unusual animal. The book shifts between Rose Winton in 1808 and Tamsin Alleyn in 1908. Rose is determined to see her father, Charles Winton's work recognized while Tamsin searches for this long-lost research.
Tansy Calhoun doesn't know if love will ever come her way, not after heart was broken when the man, she had feelings for, left the mountains she calls home far behind. But at present Tansy has a purpose and she can't let those who depend on her down. She is the book lady of her community, traveling by packhorse as a librarian in the rugged mountains of Kentucky. It is a harsh world and when the faraway influences of New York hurt the local economy with something dealing with banks shutting down - a Depression, her pa takes off in search of work. Tansy and her brother Josh are entrusted with keeping the family looked after.
She doesn't remember her life before the forest. But she remembers her nightmares and the beast that haunts them. Eliza Ellis calls the forest home, which is isolated with just her dog Merrylad and Captain, her father. She knows and loves her home. She dreams about the worlds that live within her books, never thinking she would ever see them.
Elnora Comstock has a deep-rooted love of the Limberlost Swamp where she has spent her life. She knows the trees as if they were her dearest friends, and in a way, they were. All her life her mother resented her, blaming her for her father's death because she was born the night he died. A victim to the dangers of the very land that Elnora loves. Elnora is in those years of transition moving from girlhood to womanhood, entering high school. And she uses her knowledge of the natural wonders around her to help with the costs involved with her life.
These are my picks for books that
best represent Nature.
Take a step back in time to 1927 and embrace the peace that Margie Lane has come to experience at Mount Rainier National Park. Ford Brayden as Chief Ranger has been tasked with showing Margie around. Ford would rather be out doing anything rather than be stuck with a pampered senator's daughter who probably can't tell the difference between a skunk and a raccoon.
But soon Margie and Ford find themselves having to work together in an effort to save the natural beauty and wilderness of the mountain from the man Margie had thought was her friend, the man she thought she would marry. And this fight is one that could cost them everything if they lose.
I really enjoyed The Road to Paradise as it explored the beauty and wilderness and the hand of God in all that she saw. I also appreciated the ingenious way that Margie and her father dealt with the threat that they were facing. I have to be honest I really wished I could step into the pages of this book and explore the beauty that was brought to life as the story unfolded. Those who enjoy early 20th Century American history will want to check-out this book, which is the first of a series that explores the National Parks.
About the Book:
An ideal sanctuary and a dream come true–that’s what Margaret Lane feels as she takes in God’s gorgeous handiwork in Mount Rainier National Park. 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?
Karen Barnett’s vintage national parks novels bring to vivid life President Theodore Roosevelt’s vision for protected lands, when he wrote in Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter: "There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the Canyon of the Colorado, the Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are preserved for their children and their children's children forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred."
Two women divided by time but united by a fascination of platypus and a search to understand this unusual animal. The book shifts between Rose Winton in 1808 and Tamsin Alleyn in 1908. Rose is determined to see her father, Charles Winton's work recognized while Tamsin searches for this long-lost research.
This was and is an intriguing read. I experienced it as both a written book and an audiobook. No matter how you decide to enjoy you will be drawn into it. There is danger. There is intrigue. There is romance. And all play together into a fascinating blend of historical fact and fiction. I was surprised about some of the information in regards to platypus, especially the dangerous aspects concerning them (let's just say I found it shocking when presented as it was).
I would recommend it to fans of historical fiction, split-time fiction, or those who just want a book that is out of their ordinary reading fare.
About the Book:
Two fearless women—living a century apart—find themselves entangled in the mystery surrounding the biggest scientific controversy of the nineteenth century: the classification of the platypus.
1808 Agnes Banks, NSW
Rose Winton wants nothing more than to work with her father, eminent naturalist Charles Winton, on his groundbreaking study of the platypus. Not only does she love him with all her heart but the discoveries they have made could turn the scientific world on its head. When Charles is unable to make the long sea journey to present his findings to the prestigious Royal Society in England, Rose must venture forth in his stead. What she discovers will forever alter the course of scientific history.
1908 Sydney, NSW
Tamsin Alleyn has been given a mission: travel to the Hunter Valley and retrieve an old sketchbook of debatable value, gifted to the Public Library by a recluse. But when she gets there, she finds there is more to the book than meets the eye, and more than one interested party. Shaw Everdene, a young antiquarian bookseller and lawyer, seems to have his own agenda when it comes to the book. Determined to uncover the book's true origin, Tamsin agrees to join forces with him.
The deeper they delve, the more intricate the mystery of the book's authorship becomes. As the lives of two women a century apart converge, discoveries emerge from the past with far-reaching consequences in this riveting tale of courage and discovery.
Tansy Calhoun doesn't know if love will ever come her way, not after heart was broken when the man, she had feelings for, left the mountains she calls home far behind. But at present Tansy has a purpose and she can't let those who depend on her down. She is the book lady of her community, traveling by packhorse as a librarian in the rugged mountains of Kentucky. It is a harsh world and when the faraway influences of New York hurt the local economy with something dealing with banks shutting down - a Depression, her pa takes off in search of work. Tansy and her brother Josh are entrusted with keeping the family looked after.
When Caleb Barton returns to the mountain, he expected to find Tansy wed and with a houseful of little ones about her. After all, he left before she could break his heart. Could he get a second chance to marry the girl, the woman, of his heart? He sure hopes so, he just needs her to see him as a suitor for her and not as a disappointed suitor of her sister. But can a man of the mountain appeal to a woman who dreams of the world beyond that she has only ever seen through words on a page?
Along a Storied Trail is a lovely piece of historical fiction. Actually, this book had moments that reminded me of Catherine Marshall's Julie and Christie. More so of Christie just because of the rural mountainous location. Julie because of a flood that the community has to face. Overall, I think this an enjoyable book and anyone who enjoys American Historical Fiction set during the Great Depression will find much that is appealing in this offering from Ann H. Gabhart.
About the Book:
Kentucky packhorse librarian Tansy Calhoun doesn't mind the rough trails and long hours as she serves her Appalachian mountain community during the Great Depression. Yet she longs to find love like the heroines in her books. When a charming writer comes to town, she thinks she might have found it--or is the perfect man actually closer than she thinks?
Perdita Sweet has called these mountains home for so long she's nearly as rocky as the soil around her small cabin. Long ago she thought she could love, but when the object of her affection up and married someone else, she stopped giving too much of herself away to others.
As is so often the case, it's easier to see what's best for others than to see what's best for oneself, and Perdita knows who Tansy should choose. But why would anyone listen to the romantic advice of an old spinster?
Saddle up for a heartfelt story of love--love of family, love of place, and the love of a lifetime--from bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart.
She doesn't remember her life before the forest. But she remembers her nightmares and the beast that haunts them. Eliza Ellis calls the forest home, which is isolated with just her dog Merrylad and Captain, her father. She knows and loves her home. She dreams about the worlds that live within her books, never thinking she would ever see them.
But when Felton Northwood steals her away from all she's known, her world is shattered. He tells her that the life she's known is a lie. For 14 years her life has been a lie. But Felton knows that Eliza is the key to clearing his family's name of the murder of Lady Gillingham. If only she can remember the truth he knows the Northwood name will be restored. But Eliza's return awakens danger - someone is determined to keep her memories hidden away, even if it means ending her life.
Anyone who loves fiction with a Gothic feel will LOVE this book. This has forbidden romance, a displaced character, unwanted attraction, family secrets, and a beast. This book has emotional swings as Eliza tries to adjust to everything while longing for what she had. The forest and its simple, uncomplicated living calls to her.
This book does an excellent job of concealing the true villain, and there were several likely suspects. The way the story comes together is perfect. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an excuse to stay up all night reading. This is a can't put it down book.
About the Book:
The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?
Elnora Comstock has a deep-rooted love of the Limberlost Swamp where she has spent her life. She knows the trees as if they were her dearest friends, and in a way, they were. All her life her mother resented her, blaming her for her father's death because she was born the night he died. A victim to the dangers of the very land that Elnora loves. Elnora is in those years of transition moving from girlhood to womanhood, entering high school. And she uses her knowledge of the natural wonders around her to help with the costs involved with her life.
Eventually, her mother is forced to face the truth of that night and comes to regret her treatment and resentment of her daughter. Elnora is more than a little surprised, but she forgives her mother and welcomes the change in their relationship. The Limberlost also introduces Elnora to the man she eventually falls in love with.
This book and its companion Freckles were my first true introduction to the natural world and its delicate balance, fragile, yet hazardous if not properly respected. Another book my grandma introduced me to. There is a timeless charm in it, and I loved Elnora's solution for gifts to her classmates and friends when she wanted to give them something for their class graduation. This book harkens back to simpler times, but life as one can easily see has never been easy.
The book my grandma gave was a 2-in-1 edition that included Laddie with The Girl of the Limberlost. Laddie was also set in the Limberlost and was a family-centric story that had a much happier dynamic. Most everything was seen through the eyes of Laddie's little sister, whose name we never learn, if I'm remembering the story correctly.
About the Book:
A Girl of the Limberlost, a novel by American writer and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter, was published in August, 1909. It is considered a classic of Indiana literature. It is the sequel to her earlier novel Freckles. The story takes place in Indiana, in and around the famous Limberlost Swamp. Even at the time, this impressive wetland region was being reduced by heavy logging, natural oil extraction and drainage for agriculture. Katharine blames Elnora for his death, because her husband died while she gave birth to their daughter and could not come to his rescue.
Be sure to visit all of the
Team Mouse sites
Meagan @ Blooming With Books (you are here)
and the FFF hosts for daily freebies
Katja @ littleblossomforjesus.wordpress.com
and
Kate @ onceuponanordinary.wordpress.com
Be sure to enter the giveaway and visit all the sites daily for bonus entries when you comment.
Comments must be made under or signed off with the same name people use to enter the giveaway; otherwise bonus entries are null & void because they cannot be matched to a giveaway entry.
Giveaway runs September 21 to 26, 2026 (11:59 pm est)
The winners will be selected using a random name picker;
Katja and Kate will reach out by email to each after the party.
The prizes:
One international and one U.S. prize.
The U.S. prize is a copy of A Dream of Flight by Kate Willis (paperback for the continuous U.S. only) and either a $15 USD cash prize via PayPal or an Amazon gift card (winner’s choice).
The international prize is a copy of A Noble Comfort by Katja H. Labonté (paperback for a Canadian address, ebook otherwise) and a $15 USD cash prize via PayPal or an Amazon gift card (winner’s choice).
