Lost in Yellowstone: A Contemporary, Forced Proximity Romance

by Susan Oloier

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 9, 2026

About the author

Susan Oloier lives with her family in the desert southwest. She loves to read, swim, and work out. She's been published in national and regional magazines, such as The Daily Beast, as well as online. She had a two-year-long stint as a magazine columnist for an outdoor publication.

She writes both adult and young adult contemporary novels, as well as memoir. Her favorite genre, by far, is contemporary romance.

When she's not working on a new manuscript, she can be found reading
a book or walking her younger son’s labradoodle.

Reviews

[Emily Pennington]

🐻 Ted and Isabel . . .

Real estate agent, Isabel Seabrook, has made the decision to head for Yellowstone National Park in the winter so that she can spread the ashes of her deceased fiance Connor. She hasn't allowed herself to properly grieve, and it is compounding her stress. Unfortunately working harder doesn't seem to make it hurt less. She has allotted herself one-month to locate a suitable place for his ashes before she heads home.

Wildlife photographer Ted West has come to Yellowstone to photograph grizzlies in the wild for his magazine assignment. Aside from her obvious inexperience camping, his noisy neighbor with loud disco music is ruining his hope of finding any grizzlies. This seems to be her first camping trip, and she is obviously unfamiliar with the rules of behavior when camping. And yet, he seems to be the first person able to recognize her pain once he pays attention. Will he try to comfort her without becoming involved in her life? Or will his caring be enough to draw them together? Or would none of this matter if he bled to death after a female bear with cubs attacked and injured him? Bleeding heavily as he tried to walk, he knew he would not be able to make it back to camp, especially if other wild animals soon caught the scent of his blood! Grab your copy and find out the fate of both of them because the story line is not finished with us yet... will he get to say goodbye?

[Jacqueline Johnston Cotton]

Wow, this book took me by surprise in a good way. So beautifully written about the emotional journey of healing and moving on from grief. The book was fantastic with complex characters that are so easy to love. It was entertaining to watch their relationship grow and evolve. Plenty of excitement that keeps the pages turning. You will be drawn in from the first page of this sweet story and won't be able to put it down. I loved it! I would definitely recommend this book and I really look forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Michelle Shamy]

This was a super cute story with Ted and Isabelle. Both up Yellowstone due different reasons. Both camping right across from one another. Ted is there to photograph the grizzlies. Isabelle is there to spread her finances ashes once she finds the perfect spot. Her disco music is driving him nuts and she isn’t exactly camping literate. So he goes to help. He likes his bachelor ways until meeting with him. This story was great. Seeing these two slowly fall for one another made for a really sweet story.

[Barbara]

The first book in the National Park Romance series follows Isabel Seabrook as she travels to Yellowstone National Park in the winter and unexpectedly falls for Ted West.Overall, I thought it was a very good start to the series. The storyline is compelling, the characters are great, and I thoroughly enjoyed the happy ending. An engaging story, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Poonam]

When grief builds walls around your heart, even the possibility of happiness can feel like a betrayal.

Isabel knows that feeling all too well. After losing her fiancé, she never truly allows herself to grieve. Instead, she buries herself in work, becoming a successful real estate agent. Every time she catches herself feeling even a moment of happiness, guilt creeps in, as if moving forward would mean leaving him behind.

Lost in Yellowstone beautifully explores how complicated grief can be. There isn't a timeline for healing, nor are there neatly defined stages that everyone experiences. Isabel never had someone she could truly lean on through her loss, so she coped the only way she knew how, by becoming a workaholic and avoiding the emotions she desperately needed to face.

Eventually, she decides it's time to travel to Yellowstone National Park and scatter her fiancé's ashes. What follows is a moving journey of grief, longing, healing, and ultimately, acceptance.

Enter Ted West, a wildlife photographer with a reputation for casual relationships. Their first meeting is far from ideal. Ted sees Isabel as just another city girl with loud music, no camping etiquette, and absolutely no outdoor survival skills. But as they continue crossing paths, his opinion changes completely. Beneath her guarded exterior, he sees someone carrying unimaginable pain.

What I admired most about Ted was his patience. Although he recognizes his feelings for Isabel quite early in the story, he never crosses a line or pressures her. He understands that her heart is still entangled with her past, and sometimes the greatest act of love is simply giving someone the space to heal.

I initially wondered how the romance would sustain itself once Ted acknowledged his feelings so early. But the emotional yearning that follows is wonderfully written. The slow emotional build-up, the restraint, and the quiet hope make the payoff all the more satisfying.

Lost in Yellowstone is about:

* Healing after loss.
* The breathtaking backdrop of Yellowstone National Park.
* A patient, emotionally mature hero.
* A romance built on empathy rather than instant passion.
* A reminder that sometimes simply being present is the greatest gift you can offer someone who is grieving.

Susan Oloier captures grief with remarkable honesty. Through Isabel, she shows how healing isn't linear, and through Ted, she reminds us that love doesn't always arrive with grand gestures, sometimes it quietly waits until we're ready to receive it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Johanna]

Book 1 of National Park Romance. And a wonderful start it is! Look forward to more from this world.

'But when Isabel’s disco music gets too loud, and she struggles to work through camping logistics, Ted is thrust into her orbit. A spark ignites that makes each person’s solitary endeavor harder to accomplish, especially when both experience flickers of attraction.'

The characters were very appealing and likeable and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and expertly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Richardson]

I've read several books written by Susan Oloer; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is the first book in the National Park Romance Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Isabel & Ted.

[Kaitlyn]

Cute read, Isabel and Ted are fun, their story was fast paced and sweet and definitely kept me on my toes.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.