My review of Wind Dancer by Jamie Carie

About the book:

Raised in a British-held frontier town during the American Revolution, Isabelle Renoir is not like other women around her. A free spirit, she dances in the moonlight as a praise offering to God and is more at home fearlessly taking her long rifle and knife into the woods for adventure and inspiration.

But Isabelle’s latest journey may be more than even her strength can handle when a huge storm throws the raven-haired beauty off course and into the path of rugged American spy Samuel Holt. After matching wits and denying their passion for each other, they are attacked by Indians, held prisoner, and forced to watch the horrific killing of Isabelle’s brother. Now together but in captivity, they must fight spiritual forces that no knife or rifle could ever conquer in order to be free.

My review:

Wind Dancer is a pulse-pounding, heart-engaging novel that is hard to put down. In fact, I read it in less than two days. As the reader, you are in the world the author created, and you are part of the characters' lives. You are attacked when they are attacked. You are captive and feel helpless when they are bound with seemingly no way out.

The most powerful scene is when Isabella's brother is tortured and the heroine, Isabella, has to watch. I cannot understand the intense emotions she went through, but the author did a great job at helping you see how someone could almost become crazy with grief. And forgiveness? I can't imagine a time when it would be more difficult to do.

The author sets up an incredible stage for showing the struggle this creates for someone who loves God and longs to serve him, yet comes face to face with indescribable evil and the need to survive. Wind Dancer was full of passion, just like all of Jamie Carie's novels are. I've come to expect this with her stories and thusfar I've been pleased with everything she writes. I particularly enjoyed the "pretend marriage" scenario the hero put them in and how that all played out. What fun!

Few female authors are able to describe the horrors of living in that time period as well as Carie does and it's an incredible experience to read it. You will not be able to put this book down, and the story will stick with you after you close the book. I SO love stories that make me care. And unlike many "strong heroines," Isabella was more likeable than most. The author did a great job with her characterization. I highly recommend this book.

Wind Dancer was published by Broadman and Holman and released in January of 2009.