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A Walk In The Park #3
Love Is Grand
Experience the grandeur of the Grand Canyon alongside Ainsley Davis as she returns to her job as a park ranger after a hiatus that centered around the birth of her child and the death of her husband. Once an adventurer, now Ainsley flees danger and avoids risks. She enjoys the attentions of Jake, an ex-cop, who goes out of his way to protect her, and she cringes when her old friend Dustin tries to push her back into the adventures of life. Love is a risk, so will Ainsley consider a future with either man?
316 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
Annalisa Daughety
31 books109 followersAnnalisa Daughety won first place in the Contemporary Romance category at the 2008 ACFW Genesis Awards. After graduating from Freed-Hardeman University, she spent time working as a park ranger for the National Park Service. Originally from McCrory, Arkansas, Annalisa now resides in Memphis, Tennessee. Read more at www.annalisadaughety.com.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 10, 2025
Enjoyed this one just a bit more than the other two in the series due to those sweet journal entries in each chapter. 4.5 stars ⭐️
October 13, 2010
I have now read and loved all three books in Annalisa Daughety's A Walk in the Park series. Dare I say it? The latest in the series, Love is Grand, set at the Grand Canyon, had to be my favorite. It could be because I so closely connect with Ainsley Davis' worries, fears and concerns as a first-time mother, or because of how quickly I fell for Dustin and was rooting for him to win the girl.
In this book, we see Ainsley face her fears as she returns to her job as Grand Canyon park ranger for the first time after losing her firefighter husband in a horrific accident.
When I began the book, Ainsley drove me crazy worrying over every little thing her 1-year-old daughter, Faith, did--whether she was walking near grass or playing with a sweet puppy. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt because she'd been through such turmoil since the passing of her husband, but I still wanted to scream out loud at her overprotective ways. Then, I slowly realized how deep her love for Faith ran, and how it is exactly like my love for my own 1-year-old daughter. I'm not kidding when I tell you that after reading one of Ainsley's journal entries about how proud she is to be Faith's mother, I snuck into my sleeping daughter's bedroom and picked her up from her crib simply because I wanted to hold her in my arm's for a few minutes. (Side note--in case you're wondering, yes she did then end up playing like a wild woman at 10 p.m. for about an hour, but that's not the point!)
And then there's Julie, Ainsley's niece who is spending the summer at the Grand Canyon with the family. What woman can't relate to a being a teenager head over heels for the wrong guy? We all know that story like the back of our hands because we've either done it, or let our best friend cry on our shoulders after her heart was broken by Mr. Bad Boy. When Julie finally stood up to Heath about his selfish, immature ways, I was proud of her, sincerely proud of a fictional character.
Dustin and Jake were very interesting guys in Ainsley's life. Both were good guys, both likable, both adorably cute (in my head) and both were crazy about Ainsley. But from the moment Dustin walked on the scene, I was crazy about him, too. Learning his history with Ainsley made their bond so easy to understand and respect.
Watching Ainsley slowly regain her faith, in both God and herself, was an amazing transformation to experience. I really enjoyed seeing Dustin's subtle impact, whether he was pushing her to test her own limits or reminding her of Bible devotion he'd recently studied.
There is the perfect blend of romance, friendship, family and spirituality in Love is Grand, and I'd highly recommend that you have at least one tissue by your side toward the end. Happy reading!
In this book, we see Ainsley face her fears as she returns to her job as Grand Canyon park ranger for the first time after losing her firefighter husband in a horrific accident.
When I began the book, Ainsley drove me crazy worrying over every little thing her 1-year-old daughter, Faith, did--whether she was walking near grass or playing with a sweet puppy. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt because she'd been through such turmoil since the passing of her husband, but I still wanted to scream out loud at her overprotective ways. Then, I slowly realized how deep her love for Faith ran, and how it is exactly like my love for my own 1-year-old daughter. I'm not kidding when I tell you that after reading one of Ainsley's journal entries about how proud she is to be Faith's mother, I snuck into my sleeping daughter's bedroom and picked her up from her crib simply because I wanted to hold her in my arm's for a few minutes. (Side note--in case you're wondering, yes she did then end up playing like a wild woman at 10 p.m. for about an hour, but that's not the point!)
And then there's Julie, Ainsley's niece who is spending the summer at the Grand Canyon with the family. What woman can't relate to a being a teenager head over heels for the wrong guy? We all know that story like the back of our hands because we've either done it, or let our best friend cry on our shoulders after her heart was broken by Mr. Bad Boy. When Julie finally stood up to Heath about his selfish, immature ways, I was proud of her, sincerely proud of a fictional character.
Dustin and Jake were very interesting guys in Ainsley's life. Both were good guys, both likable, both adorably cute (in my head) and both were crazy about Ainsley. But from the moment Dustin walked on the scene, I was crazy about him, too. Learning his history with Ainsley made their bond so easy to understand and respect.
Watching Ainsley slowly regain her faith, in both God and herself, was an amazing transformation to experience. I really enjoyed seeing Dustin's subtle impact, whether he was pushing her to test her own limits or reminding her of Bible devotion he'd recently studied.
There is the perfect blend of romance, friendship, family and spirituality in Love is Grand, and I'd highly recommend that you have at least one tissue by your side toward the end. Happy reading!
October 2, 2010
POV: 3rd Person: Ainsley, Jake, Dustin, Julie
Sensuality: Warm (a couple of kisses only)
The 3rd installment of the A Walk In The Park series about 3 friends who work for the National Park Service.
Ainsley Davis is a mother to a toddler and also a widow. Her husband died in a forest fire two years ago right after she found out they were expecting their first child. She has spent the last two years being pregnant and then caring for her infant daughter all while hiding out in her parents' basement. Now it is time for her to return to her job at the Grand Canyon. It holds lots of memories of her husband, but she knows it is time to face them.
Dustin Cooper lost both his best friends the day that Ainsley's husband died. One died and the other left him. Ainsley hasn't returned his calls or emails for months. He has always cared about her and wants to heal with her.
Jake McGuire is looking to heal in his own way. The Grand Canyon is a great place for him to search his soul and meeting Ainsley seems like a bonus to him.
Once again, Daughety writes a heartwarming story of healing through God. It does not come across as preachy or judging. Everyone grows in the Lord in their own way and we find our own ways to trust in Him and overcome our fears and insecurities. Ainsley, Dustin, Jake, Julie, and Quinn are all well written characters that I would like to know in real life and would be friends with.
It was also nice to visit with Ainsley's friends, Kristy and Vickie, from the prior two books.
Well done and worth the read. A wonderful series. It is not necessary to have read the others to read this one, but they are also worth the read.
*I received this book from the publisher via netgalley*
Sensuality: Warm (a couple of kisses only)
The 3rd installment of the A Walk In The Park series about 3 friends who work for the National Park Service.
Ainsley Davis is a mother to a toddler and also a widow. Her husband died in a forest fire two years ago right after she found out they were expecting their first child. She has spent the last two years being pregnant and then caring for her infant daughter all while hiding out in her parents' basement. Now it is time for her to return to her job at the Grand Canyon. It holds lots of memories of her husband, but she knows it is time to face them.
Dustin Cooper lost both his best friends the day that Ainsley's husband died. One died and the other left him. Ainsley hasn't returned his calls or emails for months. He has always cared about her and wants to heal with her.
Jake McGuire is looking to heal in his own way. The Grand Canyon is a great place for him to search his soul and meeting Ainsley seems like a bonus to him.
Once again, Daughety writes a heartwarming story of healing through God. It does not come across as preachy or judging. Everyone grows in the Lord in their own way and we find our own ways to trust in Him and overcome our fears and insecurities. Ainsley, Dustin, Jake, Julie, and Quinn are all well written characters that I would like to know in real life and would be friends with.
It was also nice to visit with Ainsley's friends, Kristy and Vickie, from the prior two books.
Well done and worth the read. A wonderful series. It is not necessary to have read the others to read this one, but they are also worth the read.
*I received this book from the publisher via netgalley*
April 27, 2011
I'm really hoping she adds more to this series!
July 8, 2018
OK, I will admit that I found this book the most interesting. I like the emphasis on Ainsley's healing and moving through her grief. The writing was still pretty juvenile, but it was a decent diversion for a few days.
There seems to be a chronic amount of brushing stray strands of hair out of faces in this series, but I guess if you are writing Christian romances intimacy is limited to that sort of thing. Also, do all Christian guys wear khakis and polo shirts? They do in these books.
There seems to be a chronic amount of brushing stray strands of hair out of faces in this series, but I guess if you are writing Christian romances intimacy is limited to that sort of thing. Also, do all Christian guys wear khakis and polo shirts? They do in these books.
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March 15, 20252010 Grand Canyon. She is a widow with a baby. It is a friends to more story, with a secondary friends to more storyline between a teenager and a “bad guy”. There are at least 4 POV’s if not more. It’s not spicy and there’s some faith. Theme of overcoming anxiety and dependence. It’s nice not knowing who the MFC will end up with.
August 31, 2017
A wonderful close the series. Worth the read.
February 28, 2024
3 1/2⭐️
The Grand Canyon portions were amazing…the storyline was good but I liked the 2nd book best
The Grand Canyon portions were amazing…the storyline was good but I liked the 2nd book best
May 4, 2024
I liked this one even better than the first two in the series.
May 22, 2024
A good conclusion to the series, glad to see this character have a great storyline after what happened in the first book
March 27, 2025
Have enjoyed this series and getting to know each of the friends Will definitely look for more books by Analisa Daughety
October 12, 2014
This book was a very sweet romance, with parallel story lines. While somethings were predictable, there were others that didn't happen the way I thought they would. What I really liked about this book was the little journal entries that started each chapter. They were very intimate and as the story went on you can see how the character grows and changes. I also love that this story was set against the backdrop of the Grand Canyon. While I have never been there, there is just something majestic about it, lending to the romance of the story.
This is the story of a woman that is just started to put her life back in order after the death of her husband, on the day they found out she was pregnant. As the author states, it was the best day of her life and the worst day of her life. I can't imagine having to deal with both of those life changing events on the same day.
Ainsley faces so many new challenges in this next chapter of her life. She is a single mother, moving out of her parents house again, working a job that she loved. But even with her steps forward she encounters things that make her step back a few steps, fears that seem to dig in and she has a hard time letting go.
Ainsley is supported by her family and friends. Her niece Julie stays with her to take care of her daughter, helping to ease the transition of being with her 24/7, to daycare when Julie has to go to college. The relationship between aunt and niece is great, they each end up teaching a lot to the other. Giving each a pause and allowing them to see the other side of things.
There are also tons of old and new friends. Each of them takes a different track with Ainsley, based on their past and what they think she needs. The thing is with her timid entry back into the land of the living she needs both of them to start with, but of course one is what she really needs.
I really thought this was a great story where everyone learned a lesson, even from bad events. You will definitely walk away with a feel good feeling after reading this one.
This is the story of a woman that is just started to put her life back in order after the death of her husband, on the day they found out she was pregnant. As the author states, it was the best day of her life and the worst day of her life. I can't imagine having to deal with both of those life changing events on the same day.
Ainsley faces so many new challenges in this next chapter of her life. She is a single mother, moving out of her parents house again, working a job that she loved. But even with her steps forward she encounters things that make her step back a few steps, fears that seem to dig in and she has a hard time letting go.
Ainsley is supported by her family and friends. Her niece Julie stays with her to take care of her daughter, helping to ease the transition of being with her 24/7, to daycare when Julie has to go to college. The relationship between aunt and niece is great, they each end up teaching a lot to the other. Giving each a pause and allowing them to see the other side of things.
There are also tons of old and new friends. Each of them takes a different track with Ainsley, based on their past and what they think she needs. The thing is with her timid entry back into the land of the living she needs both of them to start with, but of course one is what she really needs.
I really thought this was a great story where everyone learned a lesson, even from bad events. You will definitely walk away with a feel good feeling after reading this one.
May 4, 2012
Two years ago Ainsley’s husband Brad was killed in a accident. After living with her parents for the last year she heads back to work as a park ranger at the Grand Canyon. She has a 14 month old daughter named Faith. Dustin was once one of her best friends even introduced her to her late husband. Now after not talking to him since his death Ainsley finds he has changed a lot. She also makes friends with Jake who comes to the park to get away from his other job and finds himself attracted to her. Ainsley is dealing with a lot of fears now that she is back at her job. She is always worried something bad will happen at any time. Dustin tries to help her over come them and Jake wants to protect her from them. Will Ainsley find love again with one of these guys or will she not be able to let go of the past?
I enjoyed this book. It was very sad because Ainsley was working through her grief of losing her late husband. Even those this was a love story I felt the fact that her pain was still so fresh made it harder to get into the book and like the romantic interests. The idea of her having two guys showing interest was fun but very predictable I ended up liking one of them way better then the other. How it ended up playing out was also very anticlimactic. The story was well written thought and I liked the journal entries at the beginning of each chapter which added a intimacy to the book.
I also liked Julie, Ainsley’s niece and felt that side story fit well into the main story line. It was good to see her start to have more respect for herself. Even though the ending was some what predictable it was a good story and I recommend going back and reading the first two books. I have not read them myself but hope to. If you want a light romance novel this is a great choice!
http://abbiesreadingcorner.com/2011/0...
I enjoyed this book. It was very sad because Ainsley was working through her grief of losing her late husband. Even those this was a love story I felt the fact that her pain was still so fresh made it harder to get into the book and like the romantic interests. The idea of her having two guys showing interest was fun but very predictable I ended up liking one of them way better then the other. How it ended up playing out was also very anticlimactic. The story was well written thought and I liked the journal entries at the beginning of each chapter which added a intimacy to the book.
I also liked Julie, Ainsley’s niece and felt that side story fit well into the main story line. It was good to see her start to have more respect for herself. Even though the ending was some what predictable it was a good story and I recommend going back and reading the first two books. I have not read them myself but hope to. If you want a light romance novel this is a great choice!
http://abbiesreadingcorner.com/2011/0...
August 11, 2011
Ainsley Davis was living her dream life until the day of the fire. She was a career park ranger at the Grand Canyon, married to a wonderful guy, and had just found out she was pregnant. Then the fire took her husband’s life.
The story opens almost two years later with Ainsley’s decision to return to her old job, away from the family that had sheltered her and the baby. Ainsley has changed. She’s no longer the confident, fearless woman she once was. Now she lives in the paralyzing knowledge that Faith is just one parent away from being an orphan, and it’s affecting her life and her job performance.
Jake is a newcomer to the park, recovering from a difficult situation in which he, as a cop, feels he could have prevented. That will never happen again. He sees Ainsley’s vulnerability and wants, above all, to shelter her. Meanwhile, Dustin had been close friends with Ainsley and her husband. He still works at the park, and he challenges Ainsley to grab life again and not give in to her fears.
Ainsley isn’t sure there’s room in her life for romance at all. She’s trying to be a good mom and employee. But if she were looking, who would she pick? Safety? Or the adventure she once craved?
Love is Grand is Book Three in A Walk in the Park series. The three novels follow the romantic adventures of Ainsley and her two friends, rangers at different national parks in the US. I haven’t read the other two books and didn’t feel like I was missing anything vital to understanding this one, even when Ainsley and her friends took a brief vacation together or talked on the phone with each other. Aside from a satisfying love story, I also caught glimpses of a very famous American landmark.
The story opens almost two years later with Ainsley’s decision to return to her old job, away from the family that had sheltered her and the baby. Ainsley has changed. She’s no longer the confident, fearless woman she once was. Now she lives in the paralyzing knowledge that Faith is just one parent away from being an orphan, and it’s affecting her life and her job performance.
Jake is a newcomer to the park, recovering from a difficult situation in which he, as a cop, feels he could have prevented. That will never happen again. He sees Ainsley’s vulnerability and wants, above all, to shelter her. Meanwhile, Dustin had been close friends with Ainsley and her husband. He still works at the park, and he challenges Ainsley to grab life again and not give in to her fears.
Ainsley isn’t sure there’s room in her life for romance at all. She’s trying to be a good mom and employee. But if she were looking, who would she pick? Safety? Or the adventure she once craved?
Love is Grand is Book Three in A Walk in the Park series. The three novels follow the romantic adventures of Ainsley and her two friends, rangers at different national parks in the US. I haven’t read the other two books and didn’t feel like I was missing anything vital to understanding this one, even when Ainsley and her friends took a brief vacation together or talked on the phone with each other. Aside from a satisfying love story, I also caught glimpses of a very famous American landmark.
January 4, 2011
LOVE IS GRAND by Annalisa Daughety is an inspirational contemporary romance set in modern day Grand Canyon, AZ. It is book three in the "A Walk in The Park" series, but can be read as a stand alone. Book one "Love Is a Battlefield, Book two "Love is Monumential". It is well written with details,depth,and is fast paced. It has a widowed park ranger, friends, faith, challenges, trust,love, learning to love again after a tragedy,family, hope, the adventures of life, second chances, and following God's plans for your heart, future and love when you let him back into your heart. This is a sweet,heartwarming story of how life can change in a moment and how you must adjust to the changes with the help of family, friends and your faith.This has been an encouraging series showing the how real people meet the challenges,and difficulties of life.The characters are real, believable,and will tug at your heart.You may even need a tissue or two. I would recommend this book especially if you enjoy the challenges of every day people,faith at work and friends helping friends. This book was received from Net Galley for the purpose of review and details can be found at Barbour Publishing and My Book Addiction and More.
June 27, 2016
Third book in the series picks up two years after the first. Ainsley lost her husband in an accident the same day she found out she was pregnant. For the past two years she has been living at her parents, hiding from life. She has just moved out and returned to her job at the Grand Canyon where she is haunted by memories from the past and fear that overtakes her daily. Her niece, Julie, comes to stay with her for the summer to help look after her 14 month old daughter during her transition back to work. Julie is experiencing her own transition period going from high school to college and is in a relationship that her family and friends think is toxic for her. At the canyon she meets Colt who is so much different than her boyfriend. Ainsley has two guys expressing interest in her, one who has known her for a long time and wants her to face her fears, the other she just met and wants to protect her. Both girls learn about overcoming the past and embracing the future. I found myself cheering for one of the guys more than the other and was glad that things worked out for him. One of my favourite parts was the journal entries at the beginning of each chapter. I also enjoyed experience the wonder of the grand canyon through the authors eyes.
July 15, 2013
Yet another great book in this series! Ainsley was very easy to relate to, both from her standpoint as a young widow and as a single mom. The problems with Julie are also relevant to both moms and young women alike. Once again, the book is not "preachy" but the message of faith comes across loud and clear. I really liked the struggles that Ainsley and Julie both faced, and think that it helped them both become better women. I've enjoyed every book in this series, and wish that there were more books in the series, as the National Parks mentioned in this series make wonderful backdrops to the stories themselves.
January 24, 2014
This is book three in the series. ainsleys husband brad dies in the line of fire as a firemen. She is pregnant with his child. the story takes place in Arizona at the grand canyon. ainsleys fears take over and she moves back home with her family. She shuts herself off to the outside world as her fears and depression takes over her life. Will she be able to cope with being a single mom? will she return back to the grand canyon? Will she get over her depression and fears? Will she find true love again? well you gotta read it to find out. you won't be disappointed.
May 4, 2013
I picked this book up at a used book store and didn't realize until I got home that it was #3 in a series. I'm really glad that the story stood well on its own. I really liked it a lot and well I'm not sure that I would go back and read #1 and #2 in the series I would read more books by this author.
May 27, 2014
Set in Grand Canyon National Park, both park ranger Ainsley and her niece, Julie, learn a lot about themselves, God, and how to move on with life. This book had a little added tension with both girls dealing with two men in their lives and the complications of choosing the comfort of current relationships or the risk of allowing unexpected new relationships to develop.
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July 28, 2014Book 3 of 3
September 8, 2013
I absolutely love this trilogy of books !Awesome stories of love , friendship , pain and joy !
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews