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Wilderness #3
Lake in the Clouds
In her extraordinary novels Into the Wilderness and Dawn on a Distant Shore, award-winning writer Sara Donati deftly captured the vast, untamed wilderness of late-eighteenth-century New York and the trials and triumphs of the Bonner family. Now Donati takes on a new and often overlooked chapter in our nation’s past--and in the life of the spirited Bonners--as their oldest daughter, the brave and beautiful Hannah, comes of age with a challenge that will change her forever. Masterfully told, this passionate story is a moving tribute to a resilient, adventurous family and a people poised at the brink of a new century.
It is the spring of 1802, and the village of Paradise is still reeling from the typhoid epidemic of the previous summer. Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner have lost their two-year-old son, Hannah’s half brother Robbie, but they struggle on as the men in the forests, the twins Lily and Daniel in Elizabeth’s school, and Hannah as a doctor in training, apprenticed to Richard Todd. Hannah is descended from healers on both sides--one Scots grandmother and one Mohawk--and her reputation as a skilled healer in her own right is growing.
After a long night spent attending to a birth, Elizabeth and Hannah encounter an escaped slave hiding on the mountain. She calls herself Selah Voyager, and she is looking for Curiosity Freeman--a former slave herself, one of the village’s wisest women and Elizabeth’s closest friend. The Bonners take Selah, desperately ill, to Lake in the Clouds to care for her, and with that simple act they are drawn into the secret life that Curiosity and Galileo Freeman and their grown children have been leading for almost ten years. The Bonners will do what they must to protect the Freemans, just as Hannah will protect her patient, who presents more than one kind of challenge. For a bounty hunter is afoot--Hannah’s childhood friend and first love, Liam Kirby.
While Elizabeth and Nathaniel undertake a treacherous journey through the endless forests to bring Selah to safety in the north, Hannah embarks on a very different journey to New-York City, with two to learn the secrets of vaccination against smallpox, a disease that threatens Paradise, and to find out what she can about Liam’s immediate past and what caused him to change so drastically from the boy she once loved. The obstacles she faces as a woman and a Mohawk make her confront questions long avoided about her place in the world.
Those questions follow her back to Paradise, where she finds that the medical miracle she brings with her will not cure prejudice or superstition, nor can it solve the problem of slavery. No sooner have the Bonners begun to rebound from their losses--old and new--than they find themselves confronted by more than one old enemy in a battle that will test the strength of their love for one another. Hannah faces the decision she has always will she make a life for herself in a white world, or among her mother’s people?
It is the spring of 1802, and the village of Paradise is still reeling from the typhoid epidemic of the previous summer. Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner have lost their two-year-old son, Hannah’s half brother Robbie, but they struggle on as the men in the forests, the twins Lily and Daniel in Elizabeth’s school, and Hannah as a doctor in training, apprenticed to Richard Todd. Hannah is descended from healers on both sides--one Scots grandmother and one Mohawk--and her reputation as a skilled healer in her own right is growing.
After a long night spent attending to a birth, Elizabeth and Hannah encounter an escaped slave hiding on the mountain. She calls herself Selah Voyager, and she is looking for Curiosity Freeman--a former slave herself, one of the village’s wisest women and Elizabeth’s closest friend. The Bonners take Selah, desperately ill, to Lake in the Clouds to care for her, and with that simple act they are drawn into the secret life that Curiosity and Galileo Freeman and their grown children have been leading for almost ten years. The Bonners will do what they must to protect the Freemans, just as Hannah will protect her patient, who presents more than one kind of challenge. For a bounty hunter is afoot--Hannah’s childhood friend and first love, Liam Kirby.
While Elizabeth and Nathaniel undertake a treacherous journey through the endless forests to bring Selah to safety in the north, Hannah embarks on a very different journey to New-York City, with two to learn the secrets of vaccination against smallpox, a disease that threatens Paradise, and to find out what she can about Liam’s immediate past and what caused him to change so drastically from the boy she once loved. The obstacles she faces as a woman and a Mohawk make her confront questions long avoided about her place in the world.
Those questions follow her back to Paradise, where she finds that the medical miracle she brings with her will not cure prejudice or superstition, nor can it solve the problem of slavery. No sooner have the Bonners begun to rebound from their losses--old and new--than they find themselves confronted by more than one old enemy in a battle that will test the strength of their love for one another. Hannah faces the decision she has always will she make a life for herself in a white world, or among her mother’s people?
680 pages, Hardcover
First published May 17, 2002
About the author
Sara Donati
36 books3,434 followersWorking on the next novel in the Waverly Place series. Looking for more information? Visit the wilderness universe wiki. Register to comment and participate in giveaways.
Sara Donati is the pen name of Rosina Lippi, also here on Goodreads because she writes too. All book reviews you'll find under Rosina's name.
Sara Donati is the pen name of Rosina Lippi, also here on Goodreads because she writes too. All book reviews you'll find under Rosina's name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 566 reviews
January 11, 2014
I just finished the third book in Sara Donati's series (first two: Into the Wilderness, Dawn on a Distant Shore). Perhaps it's because I'm older man now (I'm a little embarassed to admit this) but I was getting a little choked up at certain points in Lake in the Clouds. Then I realized that this is what I love about literature. It makes us feel! We live in an age when science has seemingly eliminated all mysteries. Everything can be explained. The rational approach can be applied to all problems. I don't buy it, though, and books like this re-convince me that mysteries still exist, that emotion, the human heart is at the core of our lives. How does Sara Donati make these characters so real? As I encounter them, I am moved. I begin to fear for the escaped slave Selagh. When Hannah has a dream about harm coming to her little sister Lily, I worry just like she does. I am disgusted by the Widow Kuick's selfishness and tyrannical treatment of her servants and slaves, and no less disgusted by Jemima Southern's scheming and treachery, but... I am fascinated. I am in awe of Hawkeye's strength and wisdom, and I am sad for the tragedy in Liam Kirby's life. I haven't told you any of the story (other reviewers can do that), so maybe this review will be a little unsatisfying, but when I finished the book this morning, this was what came to me, what I wanted to tell you. I love Donati's characters and get totally caught up in their stories. And I feel, feel strongly, when I read these books, and I think about my own life and my own family later. That is good. Perhaps you will too.
September 12, 2011
I admit that, at first, I wasn't sure about this 3rd book in the series... I didn't like making such a time jump from book #2. I felt as though I'd missed important things in the Bonner's lives.
But as I put those thoughts away and allowed myself to become part of the story, I realized that the author is intent on giving us glimpses of the most important parts of their lives. We still have most of the main characters, but this time, the younger generation is growing up and, in some cases (such as Hannah & Jemimia Southern) already grown.
This book gives us the chance to watch Hannah struggle with womanhood and come to terms with being neither red nor white. We get to know Lily and Daniel, who were only babies when we saw them last. We see how time and life have affected Elizabeth and Nathaniel, Curiosity and Galileo, Richard and Kitty, and Hawkeye.
Book #1 made my heart sing with Elizabeth and Nathaniel's romance and marriage.
Book #2 took my breath away with the adventure of piracy, journeys, and reckonings.
Book #3 caused my tears to flow with the realities of life, staying true to one's convictions, romances old and new, and loss.
But as I put those thoughts away and allowed myself to become part of the story, I realized that the author is intent on giving us glimpses of the most important parts of their lives. We still have most of the main characters, but this time, the younger generation is growing up and, in some cases (such as Hannah & Jemimia Southern) already grown.
This book gives us the chance to watch Hannah struggle with womanhood and come to terms with being neither red nor white. We get to know Lily and Daniel, who were only babies when we saw them last. We see how time and life have affected Elizabeth and Nathaniel, Curiosity and Galileo, Richard and Kitty, and Hawkeye.
Book #1 made my heart sing with Elizabeth and Nathaniel's romance and marriage.
Book #2 took my breath away with the adventure of piracy, journeys, and reckonings.
Book #3 caused my tears to flow with the realities of life, staying true to one's convictions, romances old and new, and loss.
July 30, 2016
This took a little longer to get through then I usually like. I've been in the waiting room at our children's hospital waiting for my son to come out of a 6 hour surgery. While it helped the waiting to go by rather quickly, the rest of the day I picked my book up in small increments of time between trying to help keep him comfortable (and I managed to crochet two slouch beanies.)
This was still 4 stars because I'm completely enjoying this series, but it wasn't my favorite so far. I'm not sure if that is because of the stress of the day or if it was the actual story. But I will say, that every time I got back to the book, I knew exactly where I left off and there was no need to reacquaint myself with the story. Plus, it helped to alleviate my own stress. So....a good book is truly a gift.
I like that Hannah and her half siblings are growing up. I liked the spotlight on them and their character development. I also like the addition of the woes of the era, especially with sweeping epidemics. They truly lived in fear of sickness. It also dealt with some of the social issues of the time period. This all helped to set the historical stage with a great back drop.
This was still 4 stars because I'm completely enjoying this series, but it wasn't my favorite so far. I'm not sure if that is because of the stress of the day or if it was the actual story. But I will say, that every time I got back to the book, I knew exactly where I left off and there was no need to reacquaint myself with the story. Plus, it helped to alleviate my own stress. So....a good book is truly a gift.
I like that Hannah and her half siblings are growing up. I liked the spotlight on them and their character development. I also like the addition of the woes of the era, especially with sweeping epidemics. They truly lived in fear of sickness. It also dealt with some of the social issues of the time period. This all helped to set the historical stage with a great back drop.
November 16, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
Another book that I’m not sure how to rate 😭 send help
Seriously though, I did enjoy it but at the same time there were some things that frustrated me. I feel the same way about this third installment as I did about the second one. I’m disappointed that again it didn’t live up to the first book. I think she just tried to do too much and the characters felt a bit flat and like parodies of themselves. I was aware of the 8 year time jump so that didn’t come as a surprise but I thought this would have even more focus on Hannah since she’s now an adult. Hannah and her love interest when he appears just felt like a more bland version of Elizabeth and Nathaniel in terms of character and dynamic. I felt zero sparks for them. I was looking forward to seeing more of Liam and was sad with what the author decided to do with his character, but not altogether surprised. Hawkeye was also kind of nonexistent and he was one of my favorite characters in the first book. There were some other little things too but I think I’m done complaining now 🥲 I’m just unsatisfied but I can’t bring myself to give up on the series. Maybe I’m a masochist. We’ll just leave it at that.
P.S
I know that this review makes it seem like the book is just absolute trash but really, it’s not. I’m just annoyed 😂 and it’s much easier for me to write the things that bother me than the things I liked lmao
Another book that I’m not sure how to rate 😭 send help
Seriously though, I did enjoy it but at the same time there were some things that frustrated me. I feel the same way about this third installment as I did about the second one. I’m disappointed that again it didn’t live up to the first book. I think she just tried to do too much and the characters felt a bit flat and like parodies of themselves. I was aware of the 8 year time jump so that didn’t come as a surprise but I thought this would have even more focus on Hannah since she’s now an adult. Hannah and her love interest when he appears just felt like a more bland version of Elizabeth and Nathaniel in terms of character and dynamic. I felt zero sparks for them. I was looking forward to seeing more of Liam and was sad with what the author decided to do with his character, but not altogether surprised. Hawkeye was also kind of nonexistent and he was one of my favorite characters in the first book. There were some other little things too but I think I’m done complaining now 🥲 I’m just unsatisfied but I can’t bring myself to give up on the series. Maybe I’m a masochist. We’ll just leave it at that.
P.S
I know that this review makes it seem like the book is just absolute trash but really, it’s not. I’m just annoyed 😂 and it’s much easier for me to write the things that bother me than the things I liked lmao
July 19, 2022
Book No. 3 - My love continues for this special family that lives in the untamed wilds of Upstate New York in the early 1800’s.
A few quotes I loved “A third child will come sliding into this world like the heart of a boiled onion from its shell”
“Little girl, you hush,” said Curiosity “Cain’t tell nothing about a man from the look of him. I hope you ain’t gonna be one of those people who cain’t see the roses for the thorns Missy.”
As always I enjoy the section of author‘s notes at the rear of any book. my favourite words by the author “The first job of any novelist is to tell a whopping good story and I hope I have done that here.” I could not agree more.
A few quotes I loved “A third child will come sliding into this world like the heart of a boiled onion from its shell”
“Little girl, you hush,” said Curiosity “Cain’t tell nothing about a man from the look of him. I hope you ain’t gonna be one of those people who cain’t see the roses for the thorns Missy.”
As always I enjoy the section of author‘s notes at the rear of any book. my favourite words by the author “The first job of any novelist is to tell a whopping good story and I hope I have done that here.” I could not agree more.
February 14, 2018
Another excellent novel. I loved that there was a much bigger focus on Hannah. But in some ways I wanted more intimate details. I feel unsatisfied about how things left off with Liam. I wanted more for him and Hannah in general. I also wanted to understand more about her relationship with Strikes the Sky. But alas that may come in novels ahead. The focus on slavery also made it very interesting. This has been a great series so far. Looking forward to the next.
August 20, 2011
This whole series has captured me this summer! I swear there were days on end when I did only the minimum of work so that I could read, read, read. I was disconcerted by the amount of time that had passed between the second and third book. I spent a good bit of time trying to fill in the blanks. This book seemed a bit more pedagogic - more pedantic than the first two. Although I agree with her points, I'm not sure I like the influence on the story. As always, I had a hard time seeing characters change for the worse like Liam Kirby. I wasn't enthralled with Strikes the Sky. Sorry Hannah, I just liked Liam better!
November 2, 2019
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Sara Donati's Into the Wilderness series is one of my all-time favourite Historical Fiction series. Period. The end. I have read all six books in the past but recently have been buying the digital audiobooks through Audible and slowing listening to them.
In this third book of the series, and it's a biggie at 24 hours long, Kate Reading (one of my favourite narrators) gives the multiple characters their own tone and voices which only enhance the story. Readers, who have hopefully read the first two books in the series already, quickly become embroiled in the lives, loves and losses of the Bonner family and the residents of the small town of Paradise. I enjoyed how Hannah/Walks Ahead is more of the focus of this book and how the residents, like Jemima Southern, are incorporated into the bigger story lines.
While this book isn't my favourite in the series, it was still a great read/listen. I continue to enjoy seeing the challenges and adventures of the Bonner clan. It has wonderful characters, adventure and drama and I eagerly look forward to listening to the next book in the series, Fire Along the Sky, soon.
In this third book of the series, and it's a biggie at 24 hours long, Kate Reading (one of my favourite narrators) gives the multiple characters their own tone and voices which only enhance the story. Readers, who have hopefully read the first two books in the series already, quickly become embroiled in the lives, loves and losses of the Bonner family and the residents of the small town of Paradise. I enjoyed how Hannah/Walks Ahead is more of the focus of this book and how the residents, like Jemima Southern, are incorporated into the bigger story lines.
While this book isn't my favourite in the series, it was still a great read/listen. I continue to enjoy seeing the challenges and adventures of the Bonner clan. It has wonderful characters, adventure and drama and I eagerly look forward to listening to the next book in the series, Fire Along the Sky, soon.
July 4, 2017
4.5 stars - My favorite of the series, so far.
March 15, 2025
This is the best book in the series yet! I adored this one!
September 22, 2021
I finished this book over a month ago, and I still don’t know how to feel about it. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the biggest part of it and, of course, the characters were as endearing as ever. On the other, there were chapters, such as those of Hanna’s internship, which I found overly long and pretty nonessential to the story. Plus, we had a last-minute love interest and something of insta-love going on that I didn’t appreciate at all.
Liam Kirby still remains a mystery to me, and I don’t get the point of bringing him into the story and not using him in any way that matters. Maybe in the next installment, we’ll get the chance to figure him out.
The historical aspect of the book was once again on point, and the family and characters’ dynamics were interesting and complex enough to drive the plot forward.
I guess I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite.
Liam Kirby still remains a mystery to me, and I don’t get the point of bringing him into the story and not using him in any way that matters. Maybe in the next installment, we’ll get the chance to figure him out.
The historical aspect of the book was once again on point, and the family and characters’ dynamics were interesting and complex enough to drive the plot forward.
I guess I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite.
March 12, 2018
💞5 AMAZING STARS💞
Such an amazing book again!!! The stories and characters keep getting better and more impressive every time. I'm loving this series soooo much. On to the next one now, "Fire Along the Sky"😋
QUICK REVIEW:
Enjoyment: 5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Storyline: 5/5
Hero: 5/5
Heroine: 5/5
Secondary characters: 5/5
Chemistry/attraction: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Hotness/Sex scenes: 0.5/5
Angst: 5/5
Drama level: 3/5
Humor level: 3/5
Depth of the book: 3/5
POV: It's "multi", mostly Nathaniel and Elizabeth and Hanna and Lilly, but also some bits of the thoughts of other characters.
Such an amazing book again!!! The stories and characters keep getting better and more impressive every time. I'm loving this series soooo much. On to the next one now, "Fire Along the Sky"😋
QUICK REVIEW:
Enjoyment: 5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Storyline: 5/5
Hero: 5/5
Heroine: 5/5
Secondary characters: 5/5
Chemistry/attraction: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Hotness/Sex scenes: 0.5/5
Angst: 5/5
Drama level: 3/5
Humor level: 3/5
Depth of the book: 3/5
POV: It's "multi", mostly Nathaniel and Elizabeth and Hanna and Lilly, but also some bits of the thoughts of other characters.
April 28, 2020
Another winner in the Wilderness series. I think it’s the characters that keep me reading!
August 7, 2026
My favorite in the series so far
July 18, 2010
This book ran the gambit in terms of likability for me.
Let me start by saying that I couldn't put Into the Wilderness down when I read it. Dawn on a Distant Shore was possibly one of the greatest books that I've ever read and I'd say it rivalled those of Gabaldon. This book however...
When I started reading Lake in the Clouds, I was excited because Shell had just finished it and crazily loved it. Throughout the entire beginning I was beside myself with worry over the way the plot was developing; I just knew that no good could come of any of the story lines. I read it with a lump of fear in my throat and a ball of dread in my tummy.
I was absolutely heartbroken over Elizabeth's loss of Robbie and couldn't understand why the story started out recapping so much death.
I was sure that Nathaniel and Elizabeth would meet certain doom while escorting Selah to Red Rock, and I wasn't entirely wrong, although thank-goodness Donati chose to be fairly gentle with them.
I had myself convinced that Hannah would never come back from New York and have to admit that by the time I got to reading about her journey there and back, I had lost most of my interest in the book at all. I'm not sure why, but I didn't really like Hannah at that point and was beating my head against the wall trying to figure out how she could reconcile with Liam. When she learned the story of his wife, I felt for sure that their relationship wouldn't come to fruition and kind of became depressed about the whole thing.
Then when Hannah finally made it home from New York, the story really took off. All the action regarding the Kuicks and Otter and Strikes-the-Sky brought life back to the book and I found over the last third that I couldn't really put it down.
I was so happy that Hannah found love and I was content with the fact that although she could never be with Liam, she could at least move forward in life knowing that he stood by her when it really mattered.
I became quite emotional during two parts of the story, both relating to Hannah's decision to head west with Strikes-the-Sky. I found the scene between Hannah and Curiosity very endearing in the fact that although Hannah couldn't seem to discuss her new relationship with her father or step-mother, she had the shoulder of Curiosity to lean on and take comfort from. It was nice that Curiosity is appreciated for all that she does for their family, because really they're her family too.
The second part that had me crying was the end and I'd like to quote the paragraph that had so much meaning for me...
"If he listened hard enough he could hear his children sleeping, the sound of their breathing and the very beats of their hearts. Two where last night there had been three. His daughter was gone from him now and still he could call her to him by closing his eyes. Hannah as a newborn, as a laughing three-year-old, as a solemn child of nine, as a young woman standing next to a man she now called her husband."
Hmmm, chokes me up even re-reading it here.
So as I said, this book ran the gambit in terms of likability for me; I liked it, I hated it and then I loved it. Will I read it again? Not in the near future. Do I think it was an integral segment to the series? For sure.
Let me start by saying that I couldn't put Into the Wilderness down when I read it. Dawn on a Distant Shore was possibly one of the greatest books that I've ever read and I'd say it rivalled those of Gabaldon. This book however...
When I started reading Lake in the Clouds, I was excited because Shell had just finished it and crazily loved it. Throughout the entire beginning I was beside myself with worry over the way the plot was developing; I just knew that no good could come of any of the story lines. I read it with a lump of fear in my throat and a ball of dread in my tummy.
I was absolutely heartbroken over Elizabeth's loss of Robbie and couldn't understand why the story started out recapping so much death.
I was sure that Nathaniel and Elizabeth would meet certain doom while escorting Selah to Red Rock, and I wasn't entirely wrong, although thank-goodness Donati chose to be fairly gentle with them.
I had myself convinced that Hannah would never come back from New York and have to admit that by the time I got to reading about her journey there and back, I had lost most of my interest in the book at all. I'm not sure why, but I didn't really like Hannah at that point and was beating my head against the wall trying to figure out how she could reconcile with Liam. When she learned the story of his wife, I felt for sure that their relationship wouldn't come to fruition and kind of became depressed about the whole thing.
Then when Hannah finally made it home from New York, the story really took off. All the action regarding the Kuicks and Otter and Strikes-the-Sky brought life back to the book and I found over the last third that I couldn't really put it down.
I was so happy that Hannah found love and I was content with the fact that although she could never be with Liam, she could at least move forward in life knowing that he stood by her when it really mattered.
I became quite emotional during two parts of the story, both relating to Hannah's decision to head west with Strikes-the-Sky. I found the scene between Hannah and Curiosity very endearing in the fact that although Hannah couldn't seem to discuss her new relationship with her father or step-mother, she had the shoulder of Curiosity to lean on and take comfort from. It was nice that Curiosity is appreciated for all that she does for their family, because really they're her family too.
The second part that had me crying was the end and I'd like to quote the paragraph that had so much meaning for me...
"If he listened hard enough he could hear his children sleeping, the sound of their breathing and the very beats of their hearts. Two where last night there had been three. His daughter was gone from him now and still he could call her to him by closing his eyes. Hannah as a newborn, as a laughing three-year-old, as a solemn child of nine, as a young woman standing next to a man she now called her husband."
Hmmm, chokes me up even re-reading it here.
So as I said, this book ran the gambit in terms of likability for me; I liked it, I hated it and then I loved it. Will I read it again? Not in the near future. Do I think it was an integral segment to the series? For sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2021
I did a re read of this book and wow did I realize how much I missed from reading the first time. This book focuses on Nathaniel's mixed race daughter (half Indian and half white) Hannah and her growing pains as she comes into her own as a doctor and healer. Sara did a great job recounting the prejudices of the day and as a Black woman I felt I had so much in common with Hannah. Her life isn't without drama as she has to deal with her childhood nemesis Jemima Southern who is constantly plotting selfishly to have a life that she feels she is entitled to because she lost her family to an earlier epidemic and becomes a bitter, scheming woman. The early epidemic mentioned in the story has also had its effects on Nathaniel and Elizabeth as they cope with an unbelievable loss and Elizabeth starts to become a shell of the strong woman she was before.
There is also the underlying issue of slavery because this is 1802 and the Northern states haven't abolished slavery yet. The Bonners with their family friend Curiosity Freeman become involved with smuggling runaways into Canada and there is a tragic tale to be told in this part of the story as well. A five star read for anyone who loved Outlander and is a fan of historical fiction.
There is also the underlying issue of slavery because this is 1802 and the Northern states haven't abolished slavery yet. The Bonners with their family friend Curiosity Freeman become involved with smuggling runaways into Canada and there is a tragic tale to be told in this part of the story as well. A five star read for anyone who loved Outlander and is a fan of historical fiction.
February 10, 2009
Continued with the Wilderness series even though I was a little hesitant with reviews saying that the novels detract from Nathaniel and Elizabeth. This one definitely shows signs of the future novels being focused mainly on the Bonner children with a large part of Lake in the Clouds dedicated to Hannah (Walks Ahead).
I found myself skimming Hannah's medical schooling but was riveted by her relationship with Strikes the Sky- whom I approved of greatly, he does indeed seem strong enough to be husband to Nathaniel's headstrong first born daughter.
The side plot with Jemima Southern Kuick was very interesting and I thought Liam couldn't disappoint me any further- I was wrong. His undeveloped feelings for Hannah showed potential but he couldn't accept her Kanyen'kehaka heritage, of which is only part of her, the other half is very much white as is proven by her being more accustomed to being known as Hannah rather than her woman name, Walks Ahead which she describes she answers to in a way she would answer to being called 'girl'.
I found myself skimming Hannah's medical schooling but was riveted by her relationship with Strikes the Sky- whom I approved of greatly, he does indeed seem strong enough to be husband to Nathaniel's headstrong first born daughter.
The side plot with Jemima Southern Kuick was very interesting and I thought Liam couldn't disappoint me any further- I was wrong. His undeveloped feelings for Hannah showed potential but he couldn't accept her Kanyen'kehaka heritage, of which is only part of her, the other half is very much white as is proven by her being more accustomed to being known as Hannah rather than her woman name, Walks Ahead which she describes she answers to in a way she would answer to being called 'girl'.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2024
“You might as well give in, Boots. One way or another I’ll have a full confession out of you by morning.” “Will you now?” she said. “Go on then, sir. Do your worst.”
5🌟
First read this series around 6 months ago, now doing a reread on audiobook. Love seeing Nathaniel and Elizabeth mature in their marriage still in love as ever and helping an escaped slave who comes to paradise but mostly this book was about Hannah. SD has such a way with words and I love the character development of this whole big family. She comes into her own as a doctor and healer first in New York City and then later, in paradise where her uncle comes home with a friend that could change her life, Strikes the Sky.
“All the discomfort and strange, unwanted longing that had followed Hannah throughout the last two days was simply gone, and between them now was a calm, a knowing that she had no name for. She did not understand it, but she was glad of the relief it brought her. Like a patient who doesn’t realize how bad a pain is until it is gone, she thought. But what strange medicine is this?” 🌌
5🌟
First read this series around 6 months ago, now doing a reread on audiobook. Love seeing Nathaniel and Elizabeth mature in their marriage still in love as ever and helping an escaped slave who comes to paradise but mostly this book was about Hannah. SD has such a way with words and I love the character development of this whole big family. She comes into her own as a doctor and healer first in New York City and then later, in paradise where her uncle comes home with a friend that could change her life, Strikes the Sky.
“All the discomfort and strange, unwanted longing that had followed Hannah throughout the last two days was simply gone, and between them now was a calm, a knowing that she had no name for. She did not understand it, but she was glad of the relief it brought her. Like a patient who doesn’t realize how bad a pain is until it is gone, she thought. But what strange medicine is this?” 🌌
April 25, 2025
Sigh. I love finishing a good book. This series is such a comfort to me, I don’t know why. The characters, mainly Elizabeth, Nathaniel, their family.. I just love them all. This series is unlike anything I’ve read before and I can’t get enough of it. There was a lot of drama in this book, but I was happy to be with the characters again. I love Nathaniel and Elizabeth’s relationship. Nathaniel is a dream husband! Their children are all so wonderful and I love them too, especially little Lily! I can’t wait to see what awaits her as the series continues. Hannah grew up and her journey in this book was fascinating. I am so eager to read the next book to see what happens with her out West. Her romance with Strikes-the-Sky was unexpected but so sweet. I adored it all! 🌲❤️
September 13, 2011
4.5 STARS
"The Bonner family easily straddle both worlds. But Hannah, the oldest daughter, a gifted healer, training in medical studies in New York, finds herself in real difficulties when she nurses and saves a runaway slave. Her actions lead her and the family into new danger as the bounty hunters are led by her childhood friend and first love, and the runaway slave's escape is facilitated by one of her foster brothers. " (From Amazon)
Hannah is a young woman this third book and we see her grow into a character worth following. Elizabeth and Nathaniel are just as in love as the first two novels and that is a reassuring feeling. Another great novel in this heartwarming series.
"The Bonner family easily straddle both worlds. But Hannah, the oldest daughter, a gifted healer, training in medical studies in New York, finds herself in real difficulties when she nurses and saves a runaway slave. Her actions lead her and the family into new danger as the bounty hunters are led by her childhood friend and first love, and the runaway slave's escape is facilitated by one of her foster brothers. " (From Amazon)
Hannah is a young woman this third book and we see her grow into a character worth following. Elizabeth and Nathaniel are just as in love as the first two novels and that is a reassuring feeling. Another great novel in this heartwarming series.
December 27, 2009
This installment of the amazing Bonner's, tore my heart out.
Hannah as a young woman, blossoming into her own was amazing, and very touching.
The insight into the twins as they grow was a neat side story, and of course Elizabeth and Nathaniel. This couple do not require words for the awe they inspire.
However, as I mentioned, it was a tear jerker of the first order, burstung with OMG moments, and not always easy to read, but epic in its own right.
Another well earned Kudos to Donati.
October 25, 2009
This is the third in the series by Sara Donati. I enjoyed book #1, tolerated #2 and could've done without #3. Among other things, she butchered a budding relationship from #2 and introduced a new character near the end (Chp. 34) that I barefly got to know before she marries him off to one of my favorite people. Has anyone else read Donati's books?
September 18, 2020
What happened to the letter Isiac Kuick gave to Hannah? Did I miss something?
September 18, 2019
3.75 ⭐️
Sara Donati captures the vast and untamed wilds of 1790s New York and the trails and triumphs of the spirited Bonner family again in this third installment to her “Wilderness” series.
It’s impossible not to compare these books with Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” series and though Donati’s series in my opinion is slightly underwhelmed than Gabaldon’s I still enjoy diving back into this world. I think what I love most about “Lake in the Clouds” was the setting. “Lake in the Clouds” is a small piece of paradise in the world; log cabins in the woods with mountains and waterfalls in your backyard. It’s this rich and rugged lifestyle that breathes life into these characters; so many whom I love!
Overall, I did enjoy this even with the slow pacing. Definitely gives me “Gone with the Wind” vibes. Which is one of my favorite classics!
Sara Donati captures the vast and untamed wilds of 1790s New York and the trails and triumphs of the spirited Bonner family again in this third installment to her “Wilderness” series.
It’s impossible not to compare these books with Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” series and though Donati’s series in my opinion is slightly underwhelmed than Gabaldon’s I still enjoy diving back into this world. I think what I love most about “Lake in the Clouds” was the setting. “Lake in the Clouds” is a small piece of paradise in the world; log cabins in the woods with mountains and waterfalls in your backyard. It’s this rich and rugged lifestyle that breathes life into these characters; so many whom I love!
Overall, I did enjoy this even with the slow pacing. Definitely gives me “Gone with the Wind” vibes. Which is one of my favorite classics!
August 21, 2024
This is my favorite of the series so far. At first I didn't care for the story splitting into three different directions at the same time, but once I got into it, it was nice read each individual storyline without it being broken up and to have them all come together in the end. This book, and ending had me in tears and I'm not sure I'm ready for one of the main characters to leave but I'll be excited if the next book follows her storyline a bit more.
May 9, 2020
I am really enjoying this series. It even had me tearing up at the end. This one had scarlet fever going through the village. I am excited to see what will happen next.
"Everyone is capable of everything, at any time."
"'A quarantine is nothing unusual, Nathaniel,' she said to him. 'Even a self-imposed quarantine. It is the sensible thing to do.'"
"Everyone is capable of everything, at any time."
"'A quarantine is nothing unusual, Nathaniel,' she said to him. 'Even a self-imposed quarantine. It is the sensible thing to do.'"
December 5, 2019
Lake in the Clouds
I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first two, though the first was by far my favorite. The relationships and struggles are so well written about. It was hard to see Hannah move on though. I’m looking forward to the next book!
I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first two, though the first was by far my favorite. The relationships and struggles are so well written about. It was hard to see Hannah move on though. I’m looking forward to the next book!
December 14, 2022
This third installment was exceptional and I don't give 5 stars lightly. I was gripped throughout, I laughed and I teared up. Donati's character work is amazing. I'll be immediately going to read the rest of the series. I need to know what happens next 😁
June 17, 2017
Great story and interesting historical references. The best so far of the series - 4.5 stars
February 24, 2018
1803 and the story of the Bonner family continues. Wonderful.
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