Book Review & Tour – Chasing the Wind

The Story:

A beautiful, half-Indian girl raised by the Californios finds her fate intertwined with an American frontiersman haunted by his past in 1850 California.

As California comes to statehood amidst the madness of the gold rush, Isabella Vasquez must wed a buckskin-clad American who wins her in a card game. Though their union is passionate, Isabella soon finds herself abandoned in a brothel, where she rises to fame as a singer known as the Bluebird. Yet because of her Indian blood, the Bluebird will always be bought and sold in the white man’s world. When more is demanded of the Bluebird than just singing, Isabella flees to Fort Ross in search of her Russian father and her own race of people.

Peter Brondi has battled Indians all his life. The last thing he wants is a half-Indian wife. While taming the West with Kit Carson and John C. Fremont, Peter has fought the Mexican War and lost his beloved fiancée, Maggie, to his half-Indian brother, Paul. To satisfy his father’s dying wish, Peter vows to find his brother and put an end to the hate that’s between them. But when history repeats itself and Paul steals Isabella away, Peter must come to terms with his past and the animosity he holds against all Indians, including his half-brother and the wife he has forsaken.

*Chasing the Wind is the final story in the sweeping saga of California Rising, a tale of love, betrayal, and the ties that bind brothers together and California to the nation.

Keep reading to the end of this post for a giveaway!

My Thoughts:

This is an intriguing story about the wild west.
A forced marriage. Misunderstandings. Danger
Disagreements between family members.
Finding God.
These and so many other elements come together to make this an interesting read.
I think Isabella was my favorite character in this story. Her beauty and strength combine to make an unusual and very captivating character.

There is quite a bit of talk about drinking, gambling, prostitutes, and brothels in this book. And although I am sure this was very much a part of the wild west back in those days, I would hesitate to recommend this book to young girls, because of that very thing.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

About Paula Scott:

Paula began her writing career as a civilian contracted to write for the United States Air Force’s newspaper and magazines. Later, she wrote feature stories for a daily California newspaper. A fifth generation Californian, Paula’s great great grandmother came to California in a covered wagon and married a California farmer. Paula’s family has been farming ever since. Paula works on her family’s farm, writes historical fiction, and blogs about life, love, and farming at psbicknell.com

Paula Scott links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Goodreads Amazon Link to JustRead tour launch page

Guest Post

When I started this series in my early twenties, my Grandma Helen was so excited. Grandma Helen had sold her favorite horse in Montana and bought a train ticket to California when she was just 17 years old. She met and married my grandpa when she became a cook in a California gold mine where Grandpa was a handsome, young miner.

Grandma Helen loved the Golden State and was an avid reader. She wanted me to write books long before I wrote anything. “You can do it, honey,” she used to say when I was a kid. “Become a famous author for your grandma.” I can still hear her voice and see her twinkling blue eyes as we rode horses together all over the California foothills.

Western romances were my grandma’s favorite. Here she is in her cowboy hat hugging her sister-in-law, Mary. Her brother my Uncle Johnny is wearing a cowboy hat too. Their father, my great-grandfather John is standing between Johnny and my dad in the white T-shirt has his arm around his grandpa. I’m the boyish-looking girl hiding behind my dog Gidget in this 1979 photo.

My Grandma Helen is no longer with us, but I know her sister, my Aunt Gracie, will love Chasing the Wind. Aunt Gracie reads every novel I write, and I pushed hard to finish this novel for Aunt Gracie’s 99^th birthday. Thanks so much for celebrating Aunt Gracie’s birthday and the publication of Chasing the Wind with me