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Winds of Glory
FREEDOM'S FLAME
Indentured bondsman Ashton Markham thought he knew al the hazards of spying for the Colonial cause - until he was forced to wed wealthy Tory Bethany Winslow to escape the gallows. Yet as he risked his life running British blockades off Rhode Island's besieged coasts, he found that beneath Bethany's fierce loyalty to the crown lay a rebellious, courageous spirit - and a passion beyond his most daring dreams.
LOVE'S FIRE
Bethany had loved Ashton from childhood, but never imagined that her bold ruse would result in their marriage. Surely such a marriage of convenience was doomed. But against bitter distrust and shattering betrayal, she would match his defiant bravery, challenge his pride - and claim her place in his fiery heart forever.
Indentured bondsman Ashton Markham thought he knew al the hazards of spying for the Colonial cause - until he was forced to wed wealthy Tory Bethany Winslow to escape the gallows. Yet as he risked his life running British blockades off Rhode Island's besieged coasts, he found that beneath Bethany's fierce loyalty to the crown lay a rebellious, courageous spirit - and a passion beyond his most daring dreams.
LOVE'S FIRE
Bethany had loved Ashton from childhood, but never imagined that her bold ruse would result in their marriage. Surely such a marriage of convenience was doomed. But against bitter distrust and shattering betrayal, she would match his defiant bravery, challenge his pride - and claim her place in his fiery heart forever.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Susan Wiggs
170 books7,544 followersSusan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org) She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.
According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 12, 2015
Winds of Glory is set mostly in Newport, Rhode Island and begins when things are really heating up between the crown and the colonies. Bethany's family is wealthy and loyal to the crown, and as the book opens she's just come home from her stint at getting a female education - all grown up and beautiful - 'natch. She's always been fond of Ashton Markham, son of her father's horseman, and now that she's all grown up sparks start flying between the two, but not much hope for anything more than a few stolen kisses - her parents have better matches in mind for Bethany.
A tad bit spoilerish below:
Events happen that put Ashton in the crosshairs of the British soldiers (mistaken identity), and to stop his hanging Bethany claims he's compromised her and got her pregnant and the judge lets Ashton off as long as he does right by Bethany and marries her. Well, poor Ashton knows he didn't sully Bethany's virtue and assumes she really was sullied by this nasty British officer and Bethany's carrying his child. Worse yet, Bethany's parents aren't exactly thrilled since she was supposed to be engaged to said British officer and her father pulls some old indentured contract with Ashton's father (it's too complicated to explain), but Ashton is now indentured to Bethany's father for seven years.
Not the best start for a marriage, and of course the two don't talk to each other ever (lots of hot sex at night, big misunderstandings during the day), and it isn't helped because horse-riding Bethany didn't have a hymen to break on the 'wedding night'. This up-and-down scenario goes on and on and on and on and on and on for the entire war, with a bit of spying and whatnot to *cough* spice up the action *cough*.
I have enjoyed most of Wiggs' historical novels, but this one just didn't work for me. Not the most likeable hero and heroine, no real sexual chemistry and way too much info dumping on historical events and battles away from the main characters.
A tad bit spoilerish below:
Events happen that put Ashton in the crosshairs of the British soldiers (mistaken identity), and to stop his hanging Bethany claims he's compromised her and got her pregnant and the judge lets Ashton off as long as he does right by Bethany and marries her. Well, poor Ashton knows he didn't sully Bethany's virtue and assumes she really was sullied by this nasty British officer and Bethany's carrying his child. Worse yet, Bethany's parents aren't exactly thrilled since she was supposed to be engaged to said British officer and her father pulls some old indentured contract with Ashton's father (it's too complicated to explain), but Ashton is now indentured to Bethany's father for seven years.
Not the best start for a marriage, and of course the two don't talk to each other ever (lots of hot sex at night, big misunderstandings during the day), and it isn't helped because horse-riding Bethany didn't have a hymen to break on the 'wedding night'. This up-and-down scenario goes on and on and on and on and on and on for the entire war, with a bit of spying and whatnot to *cough* spice up the action *cough*.
I have enjoyed most of Wiggs' historical novels, but this one just didn't work for me. Not the most likeable hero and heroine, no real sexual chemistry and way too much info dumping on historical events and battles away from the main characters.
April 20, 2022
Scribd
Okay so there are a lot of parts I like about this book. It's an American revolution story and gets a lot of good insight from a British and Loyalist and Patriots in Rhode Island. But I felt like I was reading gone with the wind it was just that long! At chapter 17 I had to fast forward it was too much too much too much. But it was Ashford McNabb so it was awesome yet not awesome enough for one more lie and one more misunderstanding and one more I don't believe you I just couldn't take it anymore. When the author has to tell me it wouldn't do any good to tell the people the truth or the story of what actually happened I'm always like why don't you just freaking try. But that is not this book.
Okay so there are a lot of parts I like about this book. It's an American revolution story and gets a lot of good insight from a British and Loyalist and Patriots in Rhode Island. But I felt like I was reading gone with the wind it was just that long! At chapter 17 I had to fast forward it was too much too much too much. But it was Ashford McNabb so it was awesome yet not awesome enough for one more lie and one more misunderstanding and one more I don't believe you I just couldn't take it anymore. When the author has to tell me it wouldn't do any good to tell the people the truth or the story of what actually happened I'm always like why don't you just freaking try. But that is not this book.
May 26, 2025
I love books set in Revolutionary War days, and the conflict of being on opposite sides (the H a Patriot, the h a Loyalist) should make for a good story (not to mention the unusual circumstances surrounding their marriage). So, it should have been worth at least another star.
What prevented that was the major trust issues the couple had, and not just because of the war. When the h needed his faith and belief in her, he had none to give. Later, it was his turn to be in that situation. Eventually, each saw the error of their ways, but it took WAY TOO LONG, and in my opinion, each forgave the other too easily (especially since neither was willing to listen to the other's explanation and ignored each other's pleas for trust).
When both the H and h needed the things that are crucial to a marriage (besides love and passion), faith and trust, they were sadly lacking, in both of them.
In the real world, they'd be headed for divorce court.
What prevented that was the major trust issues the couple had, and not just because of the war. When the h needed his faith and belief in her, he had none to give. Later, it was his turn to be in that situation. Eventually, each saw the error of their ways, but it took WAY TOO LONG, and in my opinion, each forgave the other too easily (especially since neither was willing to listen to the other's explanation and ignored each other's pleas for trust).
When both the H and h needed the things that are crucial to a marriage (besides love and passion), faith and trust, they were sadly lacking, in both of them.
In the real world, they'd be headed for divorce court.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews