This novel should appeal to fans of Christian romance. I found it to be thoroughly enjoyable, especially the main characters of Kate and Coop and the setting in Grand Teton National Park. The pacing is a tiny bit slow, so you should know that going in. However, the character development is strong, and the faith angle is wonderful. Some moments made me suspend my disbelief and didn't seem quite realistic. However, I was able to overlook that because of my overall enjoyment of the story. I especially liked how, in the context of a romance, the characters found healing and strengthened their faith.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

"Capture the Moment" is a Christian romance. A lot of experienced wildlife photographers want a memorable picture of a famous mama bear in Grand Teton National Park. Kate soon realizes that she'll never get published in National Geographic if she keeps standing next to her competition, but no one knows when the mama bear is coming out of hibernation or even if she's still alive. Coop would rather be in the back country than keep a eye on photographers, though rescuing the inexperienced Kate and giving her tips is enjoyable. When Kate learns Coop knows where mama bear's den is, she asks him to take her on the difficult hike into an area the public isn't supposed to go into in order to get her prize shot. Throw in a teen boy whom Coop has to mentor, his boss's 13-year-old, very enthusiastic (about everything) daughter who keeps hanging around, and rumors of illegal hunting, and he has his hands full.

The characters were well-developed, likable, and acted in realistic ways. Though I can't believe that Kate was willing to risk damage to her beloved, expensive camera to get that critical picture without even checking that the motion sensor function on the camera worked. Or knowing that the teen girl can't stop talking or moving, that they took her along when she and Kate would have to sit in the vehicle for 2-3 hours. And I don't think the author actually knows what waders are as Kate often walked around in them like boots. But the story was entertaining. Kate and Coop got along well and built each other up. The kids found some healing in their families.

Several characters didn't believe in God but became more open to a relationship with Him through events in the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, entertaining romance and park adventure.

Combining photography and the national parks made this a must read for me!

The characters made this story so interesting but my favorites were Maisie and #399. These weren't the main characters but they made such an impression on me. Maisie has been through so much in life but she maintained such joy and a bubbly personality filled with fun facts. 399 is a much loved bear that lives in the Tetons. I loved how she was portrayed throughout the story, a celebrity bear with a resilient spirit.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

It’s more often for me to begin a story and find that I resonate with the characters later on. But when I read the description, I saw myself immediately because I have actually been taking wildlife photos at the San Diego Zoo for years ! I loved that little mention of it later in the book. I really enjoyed watching Kate come into her own, despite her peers critical opinions, she was driven by faith and was determined to prove she had just as much right even with less experience from her competition in wildlife photography. I was rooting for her because everyone needs to start somewhere and if you are passionate enough there is room for everyone to begin their dream. The chapter header quotes of nature were such a joy. The setting and scenery was the perfect backdrop for a romance to bloom as well.

Suzanne Woods Fisher has another excellent romance story set in Grand Teton National Park that contains a bit of mystery and suspense. I really enjoy Suzanne's contemporary romance and this one was really interesting with the bears and wildlife of Teton National Park at the forefront. The main characters Kate and Coop (his nickname but still cute for these two with the alliteration), have a memorable introduction when. With Kate's mishaps and her nickname "Zoo Girl" plus the teenage side characters, the story moves along at a good pace. The setting in this national park is wonderful and I enjoyed the descriptions of this park that I visited as a pre-teen come alive to me as a reader.

The cover grabbed my attention right away. I loved that the main character is a photographer and could tell that would be a part of the story from that cover. I enjoyed reading about how she planned on getting the perfect photograph of grizzly bear 399. The personalities of the other photographers Kate encounters enhance the storyline and Kate's character. Coop as a park ranger has many encounters with Kate in the story, most of the time trying to guide and protect her.

Maisie is a wonderful side character and her personality shines in this book. Coop's young sidekick Frankie is also adds a lot to the book and Coop's character development. These two young people add heart, a touch of sadness in their stories but also humorous moments. Tim and Sally are older side characters and they definitely help move the story along. There are a lot of side characters but I felt they added to the story.

This book is the first in a series that the author is publishing through Revell Fiction, with all 3 books set in different national parks. There are some wonderful Christian faith elements woven into the story. I recommend this series for readers ages 14+. The teen characters may connect with the young readers, though with the suspense and talk of poaching/hunting the bear, some sensitive readers may want to wait until they are older.

Thank you to Revell fiction for allowing me to read a NetGalley ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Capture the Moment
by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Revell
Series: National Park Summers, Book 1
Rated: 4
Obtain: Borrow
Back of the Book: “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.”

Impressions: I really enjoyed this story. The romance and suspense gently strung me along throughout the book. There were strategic encounters of suspense that developed curiosity while reading. Who was this mysterious poacher? How does this all fit together? I think the characters were likable and easy to root for falling in love. I’d love to see a follow-up on the sidekicks, Maisie and Frankie.


Quotes: “’ Well, just remember, solitude might be comfortable, but it’s not where you find the most growth.’”

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

Received as an ARC and it was such a cute, easy to read story. While 399 (a big mama bear) is the star of the book, there are several smaller character plots that hold your interest and keep you reading. Once I started, I simply could not put it down.

Apparently this is the start of a National Parks Summer Series, cannot wait for next book!

I love this sweet story set in one of the USA's national parks! It takes some rather unexpected twists and turns, I must say!! However, it ends very well. A cute summer-time romance read with a little mystery thrown in!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I love reading Suzanne Woods Fisher's books. They are always well written and interesting. This one pulled me in because I have a love for photography and I love the Tetons!
This story revolves around Kate Cunningham, an aspiring wildlife photographer and Grant Cooper, a Park Ranger. They were interesting characters and I learned a lot about the park, bears and photographing in the wild.
The supporting characters, especially Maisie were all well developed.
The story did seem long to me and I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would.
But it is a sweet, informative story and I would recommend it to any one who loves the National Parks, nature, bears or photography.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

Loved the setting! It totally made the book for me. this is such a sweet story with adorable characters. I loved all the quirky personalities and how they interacted! This is fun. And appropriate for a younger (teen) audience, while i still appreciated it! I look forward to the next instalment in the series (hopefully it doesn't take too long to be released!).

I started out really enjoying this, it was very different from anything I've read.

I didn't like the transition between characters. There was nothing to really tell you that the POV was changing. This threw me off a few times.

Other than that, I thought it was a decent read.

“Most of what makes a book 'good' is that we are reading it at the right moment for us.” - Alain de Botton

I chose this book because of the author. I have read many of her books with great enjoyment. This one fell short of the mark even though it is set in one of the most beautiful places in the United States. There were too many subplots for me to navigate. It could be that it just wasn't the right time for me to appreciate the nuances of the book.
Kate has been a zoo photographer, but her boyfriend convinced her to go to the Grand Teton National Park to photograph Grizzley 399. He told her that National Geographic will publish the best picture of the bear coming out of hibernation. Coop is the ranger who works the part of the park where 399 lives. He encounters Kate and finds a way to help her out. Wade is a poacher who wants the pelt of 399 and infiltrates the National Park Service as a way to get into the park to hunt for the bear. Tim is a senior ranger and Sally is the managing ranger. Tim's granddaughter, Maisie, is a boy-crazy teen, and she's often in the way of whatever action is going on. All of these people are cast in roles that are too close to main characters. That's too many. Trying to keep all these people straight while reading the book was overwhelming.

Suzanne Woods Fisher usually writes very readable books. I generally like what she writes, but I found this one to miss the mark.

Three stars.

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Join Kate as she travels to the Grand Teton National Park for a chance to break into the wildlife photography world--she's on a quest to capture a one-of-a-kind shot of #399--the biggest female grizzly in the world to get her big chance with National Geographic. She's also eager to get a break from her boyfriend Oliver who is a becoming a bit controlling.

Grant Cooper is a high school teacher who loves spending his summers working in the park. After some unsual decisions from the chief acting ranger he's finding himself on lowly bear jam control. But after meeting Kate, he decides that keeping the photographers out of the bears' way may mean more time with Kate.

The overall theme is protecting the park from what appears to be a serious threat of a poacher.

I love the characters of Maisie and Frank--Perfect side characters.

The plot was great and I loved the lines of faith woven throughout the story. The poacher's identity came out of nowhere and was a great extra element of intrigue!

This will be a fun new series to follow--I love the majesty of our national parks! I also had a bit of a connection with this one because I've backpacked into the Grand Tetons and it really is as spectacular as they described.

4 Stars
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

I love photography so of course I picked this up based solely on the cover and author. I was not disappointed.
This is a wonderful story and I highly recommend it.

In the past, I've enjoyed Suzanne Woods Fisher's novels--- both her Amish and contemporary romance--- so I was excited to read her newest. Capture the Moment certainly did not disappoint! Kate is a wildlife photographer who has previously worked at a zoo, but who is hoping to get her big break by photographing a highly sought after bear in Grand Teton National Park. There, she meets Grant- a seasonal park ranger- who might just be the one to help her get the shot... but it seems that there might be something more sinister going on in the park than just some photographers. It was a great blend of romance, adventure, faith and danger with plenty of twists and turns to keep me intrigued from start to finish. There were a few twists that I saw coming and others that definitely took me by surprise. And while Katie does start the book in a relationship with someone else (which I don't typically prefer), it was done well and I found I did enjoy the slow burn between her and Grant. There were a lot of great characters introduced in this story, and admittedly, it did take me some time to sort everyone out and get used to all the different POVs, but in the end, I loved seeing how they all grew throughout the story. If you enjoy a little adventure with your Christian romance, this is certainly one you'll want to check out.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful complex story that had me from the beginning. Enjoyable and easy to read but depth of characters was immense. A reminder to listen to God in the small quiet moments and act on those whispers.

Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a nice Christian romance with a mystery element. It was interesting to read about wild-life photography. I liked the characters and the character development. I loved how every character got healing/self-discovery. The mystery element was a little predictable but overall, it was an enjoyable read.
I got the ARC from Revell via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are mine

Here is a quote that I want to share;
“Maybe so.” Tim nodded, understanding. “Sometimes you need to embrace what’s right in front of you, even if it’s just for a season.”
That's some great advice for sure. I just had someone a friend for a season and now it's hard letting go like Coop says.
It's hard to get to know someone knowing that they may be in your life a short time.
I know God plans it that way but still....
This was a fantastic book with all new characters and a relaxing get away with some park Rangers that I really enjoyed in getting to know.
Fisher has done a wonderful job in keeping my attention and I love this new story of hers. This proves that she can write anything. It's what I love about Fisher.
I was happy to see that she had written a new one and had been wondering if she would.
Another quote is
Forget the former things do not dwell on the past. What a great reminder
Kind of what I'm going through which is why this story resonated with me in lots of ways.
5 stars for another amazing story of hope, resilience, and faith along with forgiving other people.
A definite can't put down book! I hated to see it end!
My thanks to Revell publishing via NetGalley for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

As someone who used to be a photographer, and as a believer, this book was right up my alley. I grew up going to national parks and exploring nature often, and I loved that Suzanne Woods Fisher created a beautiful story around Grand Teton.

I did have a little hard time with the pacing and jumping around to all the different characters in the third-person POV storytelling, but I enjoyed getting to know the characters on a deeper level that we would’ve missed out on had she kept the focus on the main FMC.

Capture the Moment is an earnest and faith-filled novel about finding your place in the world and using your efforts for God’s glory.

I’ve already had an interest in visiting national parks and this series is solidifying that with its first book, Capture the Moment. Author Suzanne Woods Fisher takes readers to Grand Teton National Park where her descriptions make me feel like a tourist viewing the beautiful wildlife. Yet there is danger lurking in this story in the form of a suspected poacher and how park rangers and staff might be able to catch him. A lot of characters are introduced right away but the glossary at the front of the book is helpful for remembering who’s who. The storylines intertwine among the varied characters, creating an interesting tapestry for the main and sub plots, as well as the inherent danger to be dealt with. This book has romance, mystery, adventure and humor along with a few plot twists I didn’t see coming, making it a very enjoyable read. I loved learning about this particular park and a bit about what park rangers do and enjoyed the author’s background notes at the end of the story. Looking forward to reading more in this series!

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required and these are my own and honest opinions.