CAPTURE THE MOMENT by Suzanne Woods Fisher
SERIES: National Parks Summers #1
GENRE: Contemporary Romance (Christian)
PUBLISHER: Revell
RELEASE DATE: May 6, 2025
PAGES: 320
She’s ready for adventure–isn’t she?
Kate Cunningham is facing the opportunity of a lifetime. As a zoo photographer, she’s spent years photographing animals in carefully controlled environments, but now National Geographic has dangled an irresistible prize: If Kate can snag a unique photo of a legendary bear in Grand Teton National Park, they just might publish it. It’s the kind of challenge Kate has been waiting for, and she’s eager to prove herself in the wild.
With more enthusiasm than experience, Kate soon realizes that capturing an image of this bear isn’t as simple as she hoped. Fortunately, she crosses paths with Grant Cooper, a seasonal park ranger who knows the terrain–and the bears–better than anyone. His tracking skills could be exactly what Kate needs to succeed, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes. But they’re not the only ones with an interest in the park’s most famous bear. And his motives are far from innocent.
Before I say anything else about Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher, can we talk about that striking cover? It’s the first thing that drew me to this book, and every time I look closely at it, I see a new detail. My favorite part is what we can see reflected in the lens and the splash of color it gives us … plus Kate’s sweater looks so cozy! And then I found out that it was set at Grand Teton National Park – which is on my bucket list to live near – and I got even more excited about reading it! Add in the swoony park ranger we meet… I mean, the one KATE meets… and I’m sold. (Y’all, he is a teacher too!!!)
Zoo photographer Kate Cunningham had me solidly in her corner from the very beginning with her approachable personality, her creativity, and her dedication to her dream of getting a photo in National Geographic. To do that, she’s on a mission to capture a photograph that’s different from all the others taken of Grand Teton’s legendary queen-mama grizzly bear. My heart went out to Kate as she learns the hard way that wildlife photography ‘in the wild’ is more competitive than she was expecting, and bless her she’s a little clueless about the potential dangers around her. But that just means Ranger Grant Cooper (aka ‘Coop’) has more opportunity to step in and spend time with her, and I loved watching their friendship develop into a sweet romance over the course of the novel.
But that’s not the only plot that kept me invested in Capture the Moment, nor the only characters I loved meeting. Fisher also makes it easy to fall in love with two endearingly lovable but ‘patience-requiring’ teenagers: Frankie, a 16-year-old boy who is Coop’s intern and roommate for the summer (Frankie fluctuates between ‘borderline juvenile delinquent’ and ‘trail guide ready’ but he is always a bit of a hot mess); and Maisie, the 13-year-old granddaughter of Ranger Tim Rivers (Maisie is ADORABLE … but also never quits talking and always seems to be underfoot haha). Tim is a great character too, for that matter, and I’m curious if he’ll appear in any other books in this series. I also enjoyed the addition of a mystery/suspense subplot that heightened the wait for Grizzly 399 to emerge from hibernation with the introduction of a poacher who’s after her as a trophy. (And Fisher wrote the poacher’s perspective with the perfect amount of intrigue and villainy.)
Bottom Line: In Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher, I found it so poignant that each layered character we meet is hunting something: be it peace, purpose, answers, the next great photo, wisdom, love, belonging, God, or (for a host of reasons) Grizzly 399. The alternating perspectives – including the villain’s – helped me feel like I really knew the characters by the time it was over and I hated saying goodbye to them. But I sure enjoyed the story that unfolded between them all in the meantime – a multi-faceted plot that included romance, mystery, suspense, twists, danger, humor, and faith. It’s also a beautiful and timely love letter to the Grand Tetons (and park rangers) and its beloved queen grizzly who captured the heart of the world. I’m looking forward to whichever National Park that this series takes us to next!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion
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Suzanne Woods Fisher is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty books, including A Healing Touch, Capture the Moment, and many other beloved contemporary romance and Amish romance series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at SuzanneWoodsFisher.com.
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