He'd follow her anywhere, regardless of danger, but her recklessness may lead to his doom. An evocative tale of passion and pitfalls.
1880s Arizona Territory: Renowned silversmith and accomplished woodsman Alec Twelve Trees is arrested and beaten by a rogue US Cavalry patrol. This act of blatant racism invokes the ire not only of his father, but of the entire village of White's Station. While the town's leading citizens try to force the Army out, Alec is nursed back to health by Irene Donovan.
A young woman ruled by her passions, Irene is a gifted herbalist. Indulged by her father and six older brothers, she often lets her willfulness trump her better nature. But Alec understands her: he's been her best friend since their school days, and loved her almost as long. He's never revealed his feelings, certain her family will not accept him. It's not the only thing he's wrong about.
An intensely private man, Alec refuses to relive his torment at a court-martial of his assailants, but Irene begs him to reconsider. Alec honors her wishes, and realizes he is powerless to escape her charms, even though he believes she will never give him the love he craves.
As a parade of suitors marches through her father's door, Alec's agony is sometimes overwhelming. Irene is blind to his torment, and her frivolous nature rears its ugly head again. She escapes one hazard with her honor barely intact. The experience leaves her shaken, but even Alec can't predict her next reckless act.
When Irene charges headlong into danger once again, all of his skill may not be enough to save her. Or himself.
With intriguing characters and meticulous period details, this novel reveals the best and worst of human nature, and will reaffirm your belief in the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.
"Absolutely wonderful book! The story and characters are so well written I caught myself talking, crying, laughing and yelling at them! I highly recommend this book." - BookBub Review
If you've enjoyed Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon, and The Redemption Mountain Historical Western Romance Series by Shirleen Davis, you're bound to love this novel.
Books in the Donovan Family Saga:
- Whispers in the Canyon, #1
- The Winds of Morning (Prequel)
- The Woodsman's Rose, #2
- Rainbow Man, #3
- Without the Thunder, #4
MacShane, Gifford: -
Gifford MacShane is the author of historical fiction that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.
Her novels feature a family of Irish immigrants who settle in the Arizona Territory in the late 1800s. With an accessible literary style, MacShane draws out her characters' hidden flaws and strengths as they grapple with both physical and emotional conflicts.
Singing almost before she could talk, MacShane has always loved folk music, whether it be Irish, Appalachian, spirituals, or the songs of the cowboys. Her love of the Old West goes back to childhood, when her father introduced her to the works of Zane Grey. Later she became interested in the Irish diaspora, having realized her father's family had lived through An Gorta Mor, the Great Irish Potato Famine of the mid-1800s.
Writing allows her to combine her three great interests into a series of family stories, each with romance, traditional song lyrics, and a dash of Celtic mysticism. Having grown up in a large & often boisterous Irish-American family, she is intimately acquainted with the workings of such a clan and uses those experiences to good purpose (though no names will be named!)
The Donovan Family Saga includes WHISPERS IN THE CANYON (Book 1), THE WOODSMAN'S ROSE (Book 2), RAINBOW MAN (Book 3), and THE WINDS OF MORNING, a prequel novella requested by her fans. MacShane is currently working on Book 4 of the series, as yet untitled.
MacShane is a member of the Historical Novel Society and is an #OwnVoices writer. An avid gardener, Giff cultivates pollinator plants and grows tomatoes (not enough) and zucchini (too much). She loves to sing, though her cats don't always appreciate it. A self-professed grammar nerd who still gets a kick out of diagramming sentences, she currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband Richard, the Pied Piper of stray cats.
