SO WILD THE WIND

A Wonderful Read

Once again Bonnie Hobbs has created beautiful characters in 'So Wild the Wind'.

Set in 1867 you feel like you also lived in those times when Bonnie takes you on this journey of a young woman named Alida Garrison who survives so much loss from the Civil War to her personal loss of her son. Just when you think it couldn't get any tougher for this young heroine it does. She is met with tragedy and fear in a man's world and Alida finds her way through with guts and gumption.

After a time Alida learns how to not just survive, but to become a stronger woman than she ever thought she could be with the wisdom and help of an old wise woman named Cora. I loved that character. Eventually Alida finds love, but in a different way than you expect.

This book is filled with rich characters and beautifully written scenes that will move you to think about grief and loss in a different way. There is always hope and working through this life without it is not something any of us wants to do... we've all felt hopeless at some time and Bonnie Hobbs gives us this wonderful story to remember there is always hope and where there is hope there is lOVE.

love, and hope

So Wild the Wind is as exciting as the title. Young Civil War widow Alida Garrison and her young son find themselves going down with the ship off the Texas Gulf coast. Alida makes it; however, her son does not. Broken-hearted, she washes up on the beach. Cora, who is masterfully crafted by Hobbs, is an aged healer to cares for Alida as her body and spirit recuperate. Alida blames herself for not having the strength to save her son. Martin Cooper, a hard-hearted Confederate who is angry for the South's surrender, is trying to raise a young son and fend off debilitating health issue, also by the healing ways of Miss Cora. Cooper wrangles Alida into caring for and schooling his young son, William. He wants Alida, who reminds himself of his deceased wife, for himself and will stop at nothing to get her.

Yet there is another suitor, Rafe Bishop, a crippled Union soldier who is kind and caring, knowing Cooper’s harsh ways and disgruntled attitude. A raging squall not only runs in the waters off the gulf but also through Cooper’s rouge heart and stone mansion.

So Wild the Wind is a story of loss, grief, love, and hope. I highly recommend it.

A good read with a satisfying ending

So Wild the Wind is as exciting as the title. Young Civil War widow Alida Garrison and her young son find themselves going down with the ship off the Texas Gulf coast. Alida makes it; however, her son does not. Broken-hearted, she washes up on the beach. Cora, who is masterfully crafted by Hobbs, is an aged healer to cares for Alida as her body and spirit recuperate. Alida blames herself for not having the strength to save her son.

Martin Cooper, a hard-hearted Confederate who is angry for the South's surrender, is trying to raise a young son and fend off debilitating health issue, also by the healing ways of Miss Cora. Cooper wrangles Alida into caring for and schooling his young son, William. He wants Alida, who reminds himself of his deceased wife, for himself and will stop at nothing to get her.

Yet there is another suitor, Rafe Bishop, a crippled Union soldier who is kind and caring, knowing Cooper’s harsh ways and disgruntled attitude. A raging squall not only runs in the waters of the gulf but also through Cooper’s rouge heart and stone mansion.

So Wild the Wind is a story of loss, grief, love, and hope. I highly recommend it.

A fascinating, character-driven story that seems to beg for a sequel

This is a book that will surprise you. It's published by Five Star, a publisher of historical Westerns for the library market. But this is not a traditional historical western, instead, it's a literary cozy that will satisfy the reader until the last page. The story is set in post-Civil War Texas Gulf Coast, an area of wild storms and reclusive natives. The plot offers pirates and Government spies in a story that seems both oddly familiar and yet offers new twists to what we think we know of both.

I tortured over whether to give it 4 stars or 5. In the end it came down to personal taste, not the skill of the author. The story progresses in a leisurely pace, often backtracking so that it draws the reader slowly along. My personal preference is for an all-out romp of a story. But I have high regard for the writing, the research and the storytelling. A fascinating, character-driven story that seems to beg for a sequel.

It's a romance with baggage

I was fortune enough to be given an ARC of So Wild the Wind. The is a "gothic" type read with the fabulous premise of a ship sinking off of the Texas Gulf. I'll say no more on that count for fear of spoilers. But, I'll bet your mind is already there...

At any rate, the town (if one could really call it that) - is remote - as all good Gothic setting are. The characters are still dealing with the ghosts of the American Civil War, which makes for an unusual twist.

Beyond the fabulous setting and premise, I would especially like to point out how different races and cultures are not stereotyped. There is a Mexican healing woman (who is older) - but that's what towns had in the southwest.

I especially liked the ending.

It's a romance with baggage - and I like that as well. I don't read many romances, but everyone carries their past with them. Hmmm. That might be a theme of the book.

Happy Reading!

The book is well-written with secrets to discover, convincing descriptions of place and storms, and several heart-pounding scenes.

So Wild the Wind by Bonnie Hobbs is an adventure/gothic romance taking place after the Civil War on the Texas Gulf Coast. The heroine survives a shipwreck and is cared for by an older native woman in a remote village. Two men, one a Confederate ally with a young son and one a former Union soldier, vie for her attention.

Pirates and a diverse cast of characters provide excitement, although the tale moves along at a somewhat leisurely pace. There are twists and turns which keep the reader interested and surprised.

The book is well-written with secrets to discover, convincing descriptions of place and storms, and several heart-pounding scenes.

A worthwhile read.