In A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott, Meg travels across the terrain of the Grand Canyon to prove her worth as a photographer.
My Review of A Distance Too Grand
When Meg’s father dies, she risks everything to fulfill the photography contract he had made with the army. What she did not expect was to find the man whose proposal she had turned down five years earlier leading the expedition.
Ben was the leader of the expedition she now found herself on and the two are constantly being drawn together even as they fight their attraction because of their history.
The Characters in A Distance Too Grand
I was immediately drawn to Meg. She had a strong personality without being overbearing. I respected her desire to prove herself in her profession. The interesting thing is some of the attitudes reflected in the book still exist today.
Women have to work twice as hard in some fields to prove that they are as good as their male counterparts. Meg was portrayed as being independent while still retaining her femininity. I liked the way she befriended those around her and inspired them to be better.
Ben was a driven, focused character. He had the responsibility of carrying out multiple assignments from the army while also seeing to the safety if his team. What I liked about Ben was that he led his team without being domineering. In a time when the attitudes towards women was less than enlightened, he came across as someone with sensitivity and understanding.
Together, Meg and Ben made a great couple one whose relationship was based on mutual friendship and respect. I liked that they each challenged the other to be better while also supporting them on the path they had chosen for themselves.
The secondary characters who stood out the most for me were Dot and Hank (I have to admit that the two privates and even the corporal sometimes merged in my mind, but that may have been me rather than any flaw in the writing.)
The Themes in A Distance Too Grand
One of the themes in A Distance Too Grand was that God cares about us. There were times when Meg wondered if God really cared about her and the answer was always yes.
God revealed Himself to her through nature and the protection He offered to her and her friends.
Another theme was God’s provision. While they were in the wilderness, they had no choice but to depend on God. Oh, they thought they were taking care of themselves but it was God’s provision all the way.
Know God–the faint themes in this book were faint yet the reader is left with the reminder that even if you don’t choose to acknowledge God, His presence and power is evident all around you.
Know yourself–Meg and Ben both had to come into their identity outside of people’s expectations. Like us, they had to realize that at some point it’s necessary to step away from what people expect in order to become the person God created you to be.
Run your race–for much of A Distance Too Grand, Meg was haunted by the specter of Ben’s mother while Ben had to contend with his father’s influence. It wasn’t until they realized that the only Person whose opinion mattered was God’s that they truly blossomed.
The ending wrapped up a little too quickly for me but the sweetness of the couple’s happily-ever-after made up for it.
A Distance Too Grand was an exciting, thrilling wild through the Grand Canyon of a hundred or so years ago. The romance between the two main characters blossomed through their friendship reminding us that the best love stories start with friends.
I enjoyed reading A Distance Too Grand and look forward to reading the next book in the series. Get your copy of A Distance Too Grand.
About A Distance Too Grand
Meg Pero has been assisting her photographer father since she was big enough to carry his equipment, so when he dies she is determined to take over his profession–starting with fulfilling the contract he signed to serve on an Army survey of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in 1871. What she doesn’t realize is that the leader of the expedition is none other than the man she once refused to marry.
Captain Ben Coleridge would like nothing more than to leave without the woman who broke his heart, but he refuses to wait even one more day to get started. This survey is a screen for another, more personal mission, one he cannot share with any member of his team.
As dangers arise from all sides, including within the survey party, Meg and Ben must work together to stay alive, fulfill their duties, and, just maybe, rekindle a love that neither had completely left behind.
About Regina Scott
Regina Scott is the author of more than 40 works of warm, witty historical romance. Her writing has won praise from Booklist and Library Journal, and she was twice awarded the prestigious RT Books Reviews best book of the year in her category.
A devotee of history, she has learned to fence, driven four-in-hand, and sailed on a tall ship, all in the name of research. She and her husband of 30 years live south of Tacoma, Washington, on the way to Mt. Rainier.
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