National Park Summer Series Book 2
Revell Pub
May 2025
Chase The Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher intertwines romance with some mystery, treasure hunting, and adventure.
Acadia National Park ranger Scout Johnson has wanted to work in Acadia National Park for years, especially to escape her meddling mother. But along with the opportunity comes the responsibility of supervising Frankie, a 19-year-old intern. When he accidentally leaves her stranded on an island, Scout discovers old papers hidden in a lighthouse detailing a centuries-old shipwreck and missing gold. The cryptic message points to a forgotten shipwreck, a vanished treasure, and a lighthouse keeper’s suspicious death. Seeking answers, she gets her supervisor’s blessing to team up with Naki Dana, a representative of the Penobscot Nation. He helps her to decipher clues leading to the hidden gold caches. As they work together, Scout finds herself falling for the handsome, mysterious man, though opening her heart may be the bigger challenge.
“I wrote Scout, the female lead having a Southern mama! Her mother is constantly trying to matchmake, pushing men who check all the right boxes on her list: Southern, well-educated, professional, with a family legacy she approves of. Scout wants no part of it. She’s looking for butterflies, for someone who makes her genuinely happy and who puts her first, something her father never did. But here’s where it gets complicated: when Scout finally meets someone who gives her those butterflies, she still catches herself wondering whether she can bring him home to her mother. She can’t fully escape that voice, no matter how hard she tries. And that dichotomy describes Ranger Scout Johnson—she’s earnest, loyal, dedicated to the NPS…and she’s always got a pink ribbon in her hair.”
A character in the story is Acadia National Park. The author noted, “I chose this park for its remarkable diversity: ocean, forests, granite cliffs, the charming town of Bar Harbor. That variety gave me so much to work with, because treasure from a shipwreck is hidden in caches throughout the park, and Scout is racing to find them before the public gets wind of it. Fourth of July weekend is bearing down on her, which means crowds, chaos, and a ticking clock. Every corner of the park becomes a clue, a hiding place, an obstacle. By the time you finish the book, you’ll feel like you know Acadia, whether you’ve ever been there or not.”
Journalist Chase Fletcher is also searching for the treasure. He is desperate to save his family’s generational local newspaper from bankruptcy, and the treasure hunt story could be the scoop needed. Chase negotiates a spot on Naki and Scout’s investigative team in return for delaying the story’s publication.
There is a brewing love triangle, where Chase seems convinced that Scout is interested in him. Yet, Scout seems to have eyes for Naki. Readers wonder if Chase is competing with Naki for Scout’s interest, rather than really being interested in her.
“Naki is a Penobscot policy maker, the son of a chief, a Harvard-trained lawyer standing at least six foot six and deeply committed to helping his people reach their potential. Some call him swoon worthy. He’s also rather smitten by Ranger Scout Johnson. While Chase Fletcher is the man whom Scout’s mama would approve of for her only daughter. His only flaw is that he’s a Mainer, not a Southerner. Handsome, well educated, a good pedigree. What’s not to like? Naki and Chase are both chasing Scout. She’s…not so sure about either man.”
This story is complex, realistic, and has relatable characters. A bonus is Naki explaining to Scout about the park’s Native American history that helps to give emotional depth to the storyline.
