Title: Prairie Wind
Author: Maxine Isackson
Publisher: Awe-Struck Publishing
Publisher URL: http://www.awe-struck.net/
ISBN: 978-1-58749-187-0
Genre: Historical Western
Rating: 4.5 Nymphs
Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Rose Nymph
Leah Worth could never have imagined the changes that were to happen in her short life but at the grand old age of nineteen, she finds herself widowed, in charge of a large cattle ranch and to top it all off, facing impending motherhood. Her broken heart is unable to withstand the constant grief forcing its way through her veins and Leah switches it off. Missing Tyler, the love of her life who she lost far too soon, who should be there to share in the ups and downs of life on the Nebraska Sandhills, Leah decides that going through the motions is all she can do.
There’s certainly no lack of distractions for Leah, with new arrivals and sad departures causing quite a commotion in the community. One such arrival looking for a place to stay is Louis Drake, an educated man whose calm demeanor and friendly attitude help him settle at the Diamond C ranch without much fuss. He likes to keep to himself but doesn’t shirk his share of the work, a philosophy that keeps him in good stead with the other men and Leah. It’s working alongside this man that allows Leah to look a little deeper and the more she looks, the more she worries. With feelings she thought long since dead beginning to stir once more, Leah starts to question just who Louis Drake really is and why he suddenly turned up in just the right place at just the right time.
Prairie Wind is a highly atmospheric story with vivid descriptions of late 19th century Nebraska really setting the scene. The level of detail was such that I felt completely immersed in the period. The introduction to Leah seemed a little awkward as there was a lot of back story that, added to the detail of the setting, interrupted the initial flow of the story but it soon found its footing. That is not to say that Leah’s background wasn’t completely enthralling – I believe the buildup to the moment Prairie Wind begins could have been a separate story in itself and I would love to read about Leah’s romance with future husband Tyler. It didn’t take long for me to realize that Leah was a character with substance. She grew and developed wonderfully throughout and I couldn’t have asked for a better leading lady. Louis was an intriguing fellow whose secrets I was interested to learn.
The pair worked well as leading characters and there was a very strong supporting cast that really created a community spirit. Having finished the book, the one thing that left me slightly out of sorts was the lack of romance. The pace of the story was perfect for the setting. Life was hard and life or death depended on the elements. The illusion of time passing was successfully done but it also meant that relationships took time to develop. I am happy to be teased and made to wait for things to happen but I felt the kinship between Leah and Louis to be somewhat anti-climactic and rushed. However, Prairie Wind was never meant to be a story simply about a guy and a gal falling in love. I love that I got to follow the drama of Leah’s world and I felt a deep connection to this strong woman’s difficult life.
Author: Maxine Isackson
Publisher: Awe-Struck Publishing
Publisher URL: http://www.awe-struck.net/
ISBN: 978-1-58749-187-0
Genre: Historical Western
Rating: 4.5 Nymphs
Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Rose Nymph
Leah Worth could never have imagined the changes that were to happen in her short life but at the grand old age of nineteen, she finds herself widowed, in charge of a large cattle ranch and to top it all off, facing impending motherhood. Her broken heart is unable to withstand the constant grief forcing its way through her veins and Leah switches it off. Missing Tyler, the love of her life who she lost far too soon, who should be there to share in the ups and downs of life on the Nebraska Sandhills, Leah decides that going through the motions is all she can do.
There’s certainly no lack of distractions for Leah, with new arrivals and sad departures causing quite a commotion in the community. One such arrival looking for a place to stay is Louis Drake, an educated man whose calm demeanor and friendly attitude help him settle at the Diamond C ranch without much fuss. He likes to keep to himself but doesn’t shirk his share of the work, a philosophy that keeps him in good stead with the other men and Leah. It’s working alongside this man that allows Leah to look a little deeper and the more she looks, the more she worries. With feelings she thought long since dead beginning to stir once more, Leah starts to question just who Louis Drake really is and why he suddenly turned up in just the right place at just the right time.
Prairie Wind is a highly atmospheric story with vivid descriptions of late 19th century Nebraska really setting the scene. The level of detail was such that I felt completely immersed in the period. The introduction to Leah seemed a little awkward as there was a lot of back story that, added to the detail of the setting, interrupted the initial flow of the story but it soon found its footing. That is not to say that Leah’s background wasn’t completely enthralling – I believe the buildup to the moment Prairie Wind begins could have been a separate story in itself and I would love to read about Leah’s romance with future husband Tyler. It didn’t take long for me to realize that Leah was a character with substance. She grew and developed wonderfully throughout and I couldn’t have asked for a better leading lady. Louis was an intriguing fellow whose secrets I was interested to learn.
The pair worked well as leading characters and there was a very strong supporting cast that really created a community spirit. Having finished the book, the one thing that left me slightly out of sorts was the lack of romance. The pace of the story was perfect for the setting. Life was hard and life or death depended on the elements. The illusion of time passing was successfully done but it also meant that relationships took time to develop. I am happy to be teased and made to wait for things to happen but I felt the kinship between Leah and Louis to be somewhat anti-climactic and rushed. However, Prairie Wind was never meant to be a story simply about a guy and a gal falling in love. I love that I got to follow the drama of Leah’s world and I felt a deep connection to this strong woman’s difficult life.
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