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Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Through Water and Stone by Karen Barnett, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
There is so much to love in this new release from Karen Barnett! I've enjoyed all her National Parks novels, but this one set at Zion National Park is my favorite. It drew me in right away and I quickly came to care about each and every one of the characters in this dual timeline novel.
In the historical half of the story, park ranger and bereaved father Henry finds an abandoned infant along a river bank. After losing one young son to a flash flood, it seems incredible that the river could possibly bring him another. Henry's wife Alma insists that the foundling belongs with them, and they petition the court for adoption rights. But who are Billy's real parents? Will the mystery of his birth tear their newly healed family apart?
In the contemporary counterpart, Talia finds herself out of a job after becoming a whistleblower at her company. Seeking refuge with her grandfather, a former park ranger, Talia takes a seasonal job at Zion to give herself a chance to slow down and breathe. When a DNA test done on a whim shows that she may not actually be related to her grandpa, Talia starts looking into a mystery that her family has kept long buried.
While the setting is stunning, so is the storytelling. I loved how the interwoven storylines kept me guessing as to the true outcome of the abandoned baby all the way until the end. Every time I thought I knew how it was going to turn out, the author surprised me again, and the resolution was much more touching than I could have imagined.
All the point of view characters were well-drawn, and the faith theme was beautiful and relatable. This will definitely be one of my favorite books of the year!
I received my copy of the book from JustRead Publicity Tours. All thoughts in this review are my own.
About the Book
Title: Through Water and Stone
Series: National Parks
Author: Karen Barnett
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: September 23, 2025
Genre: Christian Fiction, Dual Timeline
In 1948, Zion National Park ranger Henry Eriksson and his wife, Alma, are less than one year removed from their infant son's sudden death in a flash flood, and the weight of the loss hasn't diminished with time. When Henry discovers an abandoned baby in a hatbox on his morning rounds, he's unsure how to react, but Alma is delighted, and she reignites with purpose at what seems to be a miracle from God.
Nearly eighty years later, Talia Eriksson leaves her job at an athleisure company in Palo Alto, California, in disgrace and returns to Zion National Park to reconnect with her grandfather and review her life goals. But when an at-home DNA test exposes family secrets, Talia and her newfound friend, law enforcement ranger Blake Mitchell, work together to search for answers.
Talia navigates the rocky path into her past with Blake by her side, what she discovers may alter everything she knew to be true about herself. With the uncertain future looming, Talia must learn that family is deeper than genetics and that trusting God can mean being still and clinging to the Rock.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub | Bookshop
More in this Series:
About the Author
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Through Water and Stone and $20 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight October 1, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 8, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
