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The Windswept Saga #1
Windswept
A British nurse in WWI Egypt races to deliver explosive intelligence that could change the course of the war in this novel of suspense, adventure, and love.
May, 1917. Ginger Whitman left a life of wealth and privilege in England to train as a battlefield nurse and serve in the Great War. Working on the brutal frontlines in Palestine, she finds a wounded soldier hiding in her camp. The soldier claims to carry intelligence unmasking a secret plot against the British—and that traitors within British intelligence are searching for him. Desperate and dying, the soldier entrusts a coded message to her care.
Ginger is hurled into an unfamiliar world of intrigue and murder amidst the war-ravaged Arabian desert. She's determined to help her country but trusting the wrong person could cost her life. Then the arrival of mysterious and handsome British intelligence officer Major Noah Benson offers a chance of help. But Noah may be as dangerous as he is charming. As she’s swept away by stolen moments on the desert sands, Ginger realizes her heart may also be at risk.
Hunted by a shadowy enemy spy, Ginger must decide if she can trust Noah. But as she grapples with her decision, Ginger makes a shocking discovery: a sinister secret that threatens to shatter the world she thought she knew.
May, 1917. Ginger Whitman left a life of wealth and privilege in England to train as a battlefield nurse and serve in the Great War. Working on the brutal frontlines in Palestine, she finds a wounded soldier hiding in her camp. The soldier claims to carry intelligence unmasking a secret plot against the British—and that traitors within British intelligence are searching for him. Desperate and dying, the soldier entrusts a coded message to her care.
Ginger is hurled into an unfamiliar world of intrigue and murder amidst the war-ravaged Arabian desert. She's determined to help her country but trusting the wrong person could cost her life. Then the arrival of mysterious and handsome British intelligence officer Major Noah Benson offers a chance of help. But Noah may be as dangerous as he is charming. As she’s swept away by stolen moments on the desert sands, Ginger realizes her heart may also be at risk.
Hunted by a shadowy enemy spy, Ginger must decide if she can trust Noah. But as she grapples with her decision, Ginger makes a shocking discovery: a sinister secret that threatens to shatter the world she thought she knew.
15 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 21, 2021
776 people are currently reading
2218 people want to read
About the author
Annabelle McCormack
16 books223 followersAnnabelle McCormack writes historical romantic fiction, fantasy romance, and contemporary romance packed with sprawling adventures, epic love, and soulmates who just can’t stay away from each other (even when the world is falling apart). If there’s a sweeping love story with high stakes and deep emotions, she’s probably writing it—or at least dreaming about it while chasing down her next cup of coffee.
When she’s not wrangling words, she’s wrangling five home-schooled kids, a couple of dogs, and an unreasonable amount of books in Maryland. If life had more hours (and less laundry), she’d be traveling, painting, or becoming a professional pastry chef. For now, she’s content with baking, reading, lifting heavy things at the gym, and plotting her next great escape—er, novel.
Follow her adventures (both literary and domestic) on Instagram, or sign up for her newsletter at her website!
When she’s not wrangling words, she’s wrangling five home-schooled kids, a couple of dogs, and an unreasonable amount of books in Maryland. If life had more hours (and less laundry), she’d be traveling, painting, or becoming a professional pastry chef. For now, she’s content with baking, reading, lifting heavy things at the gym, and plotting her next great escape—er, novel.
Follow her adventures (both literary and domestic) on Instagram, or sign up for her newsletter at her website!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
August 11, 2023
"Windswept" by Annabelle McCormack is an audiobook that's a step above!
Lady Virginia "Ginger" Whitman leaves her life of wealth and privilege in England to serve as a battlefield nurse on the frontlines in Palestine during the WWI British Gaza Campaign.
It's May 1917 and she's dedicated to her work caring for the wounded and doing what's right - even if it means going against the many rules she is expected to follow without question.
Ginger discovers a gravely wounded Turkish soldier named Ahmed, hiding in her camp and knows she shouldn't help him. He speaks perfect English and informs Ginger he's carrying intelligence revealing a secret plot against the British.
He speaks about traitors within the British intelligence who are searching for him. Not knowing his fate, Ahmed entrusts Ginger with a coded message that needs to be delivered to his contact.
Ginger is thrust into unforeseen dangers in her endeavor to ensure the coded message gets delivered to the right person. Who should Ginger trust?
- Major Noah Benson, a handsome British Intelligence Officer?
- Lord Steven Fisher, who Ginger refused to marry?
- Her brother, Henry, who is Steven's best friend?
- Or, her father, who wants Ginger to marry Steven?
This is a fast paced Historical Fiction story that held my attention from the first chapter. It has a mix of mystery, suspense and romance thrown in that brought it up a notch, too!
Ginger is my favorite character! She's intelligent, determined and passionate about her unrelenting point-of-view. Her courage, integrity and decisiveness to carry on during challenging circumstances is remarkable. Her contributions as a wartime nurse are more important to her than her elevated station in life.
I listened to the audiobook and it is a step above anything I have listened to thus far. The narrator, Elizabeth Grace is phenomenal! Her voicing skills are believable and the extra efforts she tosses in gives this audiobook a true theatrical feel.
However, I was looking for a stronger backstory. It felt like the reader may have entered the story midstream, without vital knowledge of the characters. I'm hoping this will be resolved with Book #2 to provide a needed boost to this series.
3.5 for the story, 4.5 for the audiobook averaging to 4 solid stars! I recommend this book and I highly recommend the audiobook!
Thank you to NetGalley, IBPA-Members Audiobooks and Annabelle McCormack for an ALC of this book. It is my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review.
Lady Virginia "Ginger" Whitman leaves her life of wealth and privilege in England to serve as a battlefield nurse on the frontlines in Palestine during the WWI British Gaza Campaign.
It's May 1917 and she's dedicated to her work caring for the wounded and doing what's right - even if it means going against the many rules she is expected to follow without question.
Ginger discovers a gravely wounded Turkish soldier named Ahmed, hiding in her camp and knows she shouldn't help him. He speaks perfect English and informs Ginger he's carrying intelligence revealing a secret plot against the British.
He speaks about traitors within the British intelligence who are searching for him. Not knowing his fate, Ahmed entrusts Ginger with a coded message that needs to be delivered to his contact.
Ginger is thrust into unforeseen dangers in her endeavor to ensure the coded message gets delivered to the right person. Who should Ginger trust?
- Major Noah Benson, a handsome British Intelligence Officer?
- Lord Steven Fisher, who Ginger refused to marry?
- Her brother, Henry, who is Steven's best friend?
- Or, her father, who wants Ginger to marry Steven?
This is a fast paced Historical Fiction story that held my attention from the first chapter. It has a mix of mystery, suspense and romance thrown in that brought it up a notch, too!
Ginger is my favorite character! She's intelligent, determined and passionate about her unrelenting point-of-view. Her courage, integrity and decisiveness to carry on during challenging circumstances is remarkable. Her contributions as a wartime nurse are more important to her than her elevated station in life.
I listened to the audiobook and it is a step above anything I have listened to thus far. The narrator, Elizabeth Grace is phenomenal! Her voicing skills are believable and the extra efforts she tosses in gives this audiobook a true theatrical feel.
However, I was looking for a stronger backstory. It felt like the reader may have entered the story midstream, without vital knowledge of the characters. I'm hoping this will be resolved with Book #2 to provide a needed boost to this series.
3.5 for the story, 4.5 for the audiobook averaging to 4 solid stars! I recommend this book and I highly recommend the audiobook!
Thank you to NetGalley, IBPA-Members Audiobooks and Annabelle McCormack for an ALC of this book. It is my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review.
October 14, 2021
In a Nutshell: Great research, good plot, average characters, outlier opinion. Please read other, more positive reviews before making up your mind.
Story:
What I loved about the book:
✔ The historical timeline: The story being based in World War I makes for a refreshing reading. (Somehow, WWI seems to be pretty ignored among historical fiction writers, while WWII is the popular favourite!) Furthermore, rather than focussing on the usual European battlefields, the story unfolds in the Egypt-Palestine area, which sheds light on a hitherto unseen aspect of the war.
✔ The research: The efforts taken by the author seem meticulous, and they show in the book. The factual historical elements seem to be pretty accurate. Even if she hadn’t detailed out the events in the author’s note at the end, the book would have still proven her firm grasp over the events of 1917.
✔ The pace: It seems to be pretty fast-paced despite the number of pages. (Mind you, I heard the audiobook. So don’t take my word for this.)
What went so-so:
⚠ The first 30% or so of the book is fabulous. I was hooked on to the story as it seemed to be so unusual – a nurse finding herself with secret intelligence makes for such a fabulous storyline. However, soon, the romance begins and the story goes swinging between romance and spy thriller, thereby diluting both experiences.
⚠ Ginger was a pretty impressive and unusual lead character for a historical heroine. She is intelligent, brave and courageous. She doesn’t mope over past losses but deals with the war a day at a time. Her role as a nurse also gives us an interesting perspective into a WWI caregiver. At the same time, she is quite opinionated and irritating at times. She seems to follow one standard for her own behaviour and a different code of conduct for others’ behaviour. There are many scenes where she goes “Why didn’t you tell me?” and the men in question explain that they couldn’t and/or they apologise. But the point is, if they are with the intelligence agency and Ginger is just a nurse, wasn’t it against their professional code of conduct to reveal intricacies to her? Still, she is a memorable character to a great extent.
What could have been better:
❌ The rest of the characters: Hardly any of the main characters except Ginger made a mark on me. Most are clichéd. The closest to being a decently-written character was Major Noah Benson, but he irked me with his patronising attitude towards Ginger.
❌ All the secret-keeping: This might be a hangover of the last audiobook I heard (a mystery-thriller) where every single chapter contained a secret. I was fed up by all that secrecy and was hoping for a different experience with a historical fiction. The last thing I expected was for this audiobook to proceed in a similar vein. Almost every interaction between Ginger and another person (whether her father or Major Benson or the wounded soldier or any other significant character) included at least one exchange of “Tell me!” and “I can’t!”, or ‘Why didn’t you tell me?” and “I wanted to but couldn’t.” It became really irritating after a while.
☠ The detailed sex scenes were absolutely unnecessary. *eye roll*
The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at almost 15 hours duration, is narrated by Elizabeth Grace. She performs the characters pretty well and I’ve no complaints about her narration. If you wish to try out this book the audiobook would be a wonderful choice.
Overall, I know my opinion is in the minority. Most readers have loved this book, and to a great extent, I can see why. But I’m in a phase where the minute extended sex scenes come into a story repetitively and without justifiable reason, I lose my patience with them. Plus, as I said, I found Ginger’s behaviour irritating sometimes and couldn’t see why all the men behaved only in two ways around her: either patronising or demeaning. So the book might just work better for you if these two points aren’t a deal-breaker.
My thanks to author Annabelle McCormack, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and NetGalley for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
1917, Gaza Strip. Ginger Whitman, a wealthy and privileged young British lady, is serving in the Great War as a nurse. While on the walk through the battle lines, she comes across a wounded soldier in a Turkish uniform. However, the soldier claims to be undercover, and carrying some secret intelligence with him that could turn the tide of the war for the British. He also warns her of a traitor within British intelligence. Left with no choice because of the severity of his injuries, he entrusts Ginger with the coded message. Now she is left with a great responsibility of making sure that the intelligence is passed over to the right hands. But whom can she trust? The most reliable person seems to be the suave and mysterious Major Noah Benson. Is he the person she’s looking for, not just to deliver the secret message but also to hand over her heart? (Yeesh! What a cheesy line! Sorry!)
What I loved about the book:
✔ The historical timeline: The story being based in World War I makes for a refreshing reading. (Somehow, WWI seems to be pretty ignored among historical fiction writers, while WWII is the popular favourite!) Furthermore, rather than focussing on the usual European battlefields, the story unfolds in the Egypt-Palestine area, which sheds light on a hitherto unseen aspect of the war.
✔ The research: The efforts taken by the author seem meticulous, and they show in the book. The factual historical elements seem to be pretty accurate. Even if she hadn’t detailed out the events in the author’s note at the end, the book would have still proven her firm grasp over the events of 1917.
✔ The pace: It seems to be pretty fast-paced despite the number of pages. (Mind you, I heard the audiobook. So don’t take my word for this.)
What went so-so:
⚠ The first 30% or so of the book is fabulous. I was hooked on to the story as it seemed to be so unusual – a nurse finding herself with secret intelligence makes for such a fabulous storyline. However, soon, the romance begins and the story goes swinging between romance and spy thriller, thereby diluting both experiences.
⚠ Ginger was a pretty impressive and unusual lead character for a historical heroine. She is intelligent, brave and courageous. She doesn’t mope over past losses but deals with the war a day at a time. Her role as a nurse also gives us an interesting perspective into a WWI caregiver. At the same time, she is quite opinionated and irritating at times. She seems to follow one standard for her own behaviour and a different code of conduct for others’ behaviour. There are many scenes where she goes “Why didn’t you tell me?” and the men in question explain that they couldn’t and/or they apologise. But the point is, if they are with the intelligence agency and Ginger is just a nurse, wasn’t it against their professional code of conduct to reveal intricacies to her? Still, she is a memorable character to a great extent.
What could have been better:
❌ The rest of the characters: Hardly any of the main characters except Ginger made a mark on me. Most are clichéd. The closest to being a decently-written character was Major Noah Benson, but he irked me with his patronising attitude towards Ginger.
❌ All the secret-keeping: This might be a hangover of the last audiobook I heard (a mystery-thriller) where every single chapter contained a secret. I was fed up by all that secrecy and was hoping for a different experience with a historical fiction. The last thing I expected was for this audiobook to proceed in a similar vein. Almost every interaction between Ginger and another person (whether her father or Major Benson or the wounded soldier or any other significant character) included at least one exchange of “Tell me!” and “I can’t!”, or ‘Why didn’t you tell me?” and “I wanted to but couldn’t.” It became really irritating after a while.
☠ The detailed sex scenes were absolutely unnecessary. *eye roll*
The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at almost 15 hours duration, is narrated by Elizabeth Grace. She performs the characters pretty well and I’ve no complaints about her narration. If you wish to try out this book the audiobook would be a wonderful choice.
Overall, I know my opinion is in the minority. Most readers have loved this book, and to a great extent, I can see why. But I’m in a phase where the minute extended sex scenes come into a story repetitively and without justifiable reason, I lose my patience with them. Plus, as I said, I found Ginger’s behaviour irritating sometimes and couldn’t see why all the men behaved only in two ways around her: either patronising or demeaning. So the book might just work better for you if these two points aren’t a deal-breaker.
My thanks to author Annabelle McCormack, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and NetGalley for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
September 19, 2021
4.5 very strong stars for this historical fiction saga! Windswept by Annabelle McCormack was a fast paced and riveting historical fiction saga with a strong female protagonist. The audiobook was brilliantly narrated by Elizabeth Grace. It explored the British presence in Palestine and Egypt during the British Gaza Campaign of World War I. Author Annabelle McCormack’s research for this book was impeccable and pretty accurate. I didn’t know a lot about this aspect of World War I but I gained a lot of knowledge about it after listening to the audiobook of Windswept. The characters were well developed and complex and it had an enthralling plot. I was hooked right from the start and did not want this audiobook to end.
Ginger Whitman (Lady Virginia Whitman) grew up in London in a respected and affluent family. She abandoned her sheltered life in exchange for the life as a battlefield nurse. She was caring and intellectual and possessed a compassion for those soldiers she cared for. Ginger had the conviction of always doing what she deemed as the right thing to do in a situation despite the consequences. In May of 1917, Ginger found herself in a hospital camp in Palestine. She found it hard to comply with all the rules nurses were forced to follow. On the way to a disciplinary hearing for a rule she ignored, Ginger discovered a young wounded soldier in a Turkish uniform hiding in her camp. She knew she should ignore him but she couldn’t. Regardless of his uniform, he was a man that needed medical assistance. Ginger did not hesitate to examine the soldier’s wounds. She soon discovered that the soldier was badly injured and was probably dying. Much to Ginger’s surprise, she discovered that the soldier spoke with a perfect British accent. Who was this soldier? Ginger learned that the soldier’s name was Ahmed. The soldier informed Ginger that he had intelligence that revealed a secret plot against the British. His information also revealed that there were traitors that were working in British intelligence. The soldier feared that the traitors were searching for him. He confided in Ginger that he had to get a coded message to his contact. Ahmed entrusted Ginger with the coded message that he had carefully placed within a glass container. Ginger trusted her instincts and pledged to help Ahmed. Somehow she would get the coded message to Ahmed’s contact but how was Ginger to know who she could trust with this crucial information? There was handsome and alluring Major Noah Benson who had just arrived at the camp hospital, Steven, the man her father had wanted her to marry and she had known for years that had also recently arrived at the hospital camp, her father and her brother. As Ginger pledged to put the coded message in the right hands she unknowingly entered a world of intrigue, danger and murder. Would Ginger be able to figure out who she could trust with this sensitive information before it fell into the wrong hands?
I loved Ginger’s character. She was strong, brave, intelligent, curious and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in even if it meant opposing others. I loved the romance that developed between Ginger and Noah. Windswept was full of action, mystery, romance and twists. I was kept guessing throughout the novel. This was the first installment in this saga. I look forward to reading more about these characters and time period in future books. At the conclusion of the audiobook, Annabelle McCormack detailed some of the real people she based her fictionalized characters on, some of the real battles and occurrences that took place that she referenced in her book and even some of the organizations she used for her inspiration in writing this novel. I really enjoyed listening to Windswept on audiobook and would recommend it very highly. Publication date is set for September 21, 2021.
Thank you to Annabelle McCormack, publisher of Windswept, for allowing me to listen the audiobook of this novel through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Ginger Whitman (Lady Virginia Whitman) grew up in London in a respected and affluent family. She abandoned her sheltered life in exchange for the life as a battlefield nurse. She was caring and intellectual and possessed a compassion for those soldiers she cared for. Ginger had the conviction of always doing what she deemed as the right thing to do in a situation despite the consequences. In May of 1917, Ginger found herself in a hospital camp in Palestine. She found it hard to comply with all the rules nurses were forced to follow. On the way to a disciplinary hearing for a rule she ignored, Ginger discovered a young wounded soldier in a Turkish uniform hiding in her camp. She knew she should ignore him but she couldn’t. Regardless of his uniform, he was a man that needed medical assistance. Ginger did not hesitate to examine the soldier’s wounds. She soon discovered that the soldier was badly injured and was probably dying. Much to Ginger’s surprise, she discovered that the soldier spoke with a perfect British accent. Who was this soldier? Ginger learned that the soldier’s name was Ahmed. The soldier informed Ginger that he had intelligence that revealed a secret plot against the British. His information also revealed that there were traitors that were working in British intelligence. The soldier feared that the traitors were searching for him. He confided in Ginger that he had to get a coded message to his contact. Ahmed entrusted Ginger with the coded message that he had carefully placed within a glass container. Ginger trusted her instincts and pledged to help Ahmed. Somehow she would get the coded message to Ahmed’s contact but how was Ginger to know who she could trust with this crucial information? There was handsome and alluring Major Noah Benson who had just arrived at the camp hospital, Steven, the man her father had wanted her to marry and she had known for years that had also recently arrived at the hospital camp, her father and her brother. As Ginger pledged to put the coded message in the right hands she unknowingly entered a world of intrigue, danger and murder. Would Ginger be able to figure out who she could trust with this sensitive information before it fell into the wrong hands?
I loved Ginger’s character. She was strong, brave, intelligent, curious and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in even if it meant opposing others. I loved the romance that developed between Ginger and Noah. Windswept was full of action, mystery, romance and twists. I was kept guessing throughout the novel. This was the first installment in this saga. I look forward to reading more about these characters and time period in future books. At the conclusion of the audiobook, Annabelle McCormack detailed some of the real people she based her fictionalized characters on, some of the real battles and occurrences that took place that she referenced in her book and even some of the organizations she used for her inspiration in writing this novel. I really enjoyed listening to Windswept on audiobook and would recommend it very highly. Publication date is set for September 21, 2021.
Thank you to Annabelle McCormack, publisher of Windswept, for allowing me to listen the audiobook of this novel through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 26, 2023
I absolutely love this book! I usually reserve 5 star ratings for classics like To Kill A Mockingbird but occasionally a recently published novel will check all the boxes for me. Windswept has done this and therefore has IMO earned 5 stars. From many of the reviews I’ve read I’m not alone.
The novel takes place in Egypt during WWI. Ginger is a young nurse attached to the British nurses corps. She is stationed at a forward hospital close to the front lines. The work is hard and the hours long but Ginger is strong, dedicated and loves her job. The storyline begins with her discovery of a severely wounded Turkish soldier. Policy dictates she report him immediately. The man begs her not to do so because he is in fact a spy for British intelligence and in possession of crucial information that if not gotten to the right person can devastate the British efforts and lead to many deaths. Furthermore his life is in danger from a traitor in British Intelligence and she must only trust the one person he wishes her to contact. Ginger puts everything on the line to help him. Ginger sends a telegram as instructed but two men show up. Steven a lifelong family friend who Ginger has turned down a marriage proposal from and a Major Noah Benson who treats Ginger with suspicions of his own. Who should she trust the information to and can the plot he alludes to be stopped?
For me accurate historical details supply plausibility to a story. Ms.McCormack has obviously done her research well. She uses the details to add depth to the settings within the book. They are not just window dressing they become integral parts of the storyline. I learned a lot about this area during. WWI that I had never known. When I can learn as I read for pleasure it’s an added bonus for me.
Windswept is not only enjoyable to read it is very well written. Characters,even secondary ones, are fully described lending an authenticity to the work. They act as one would expect for their times. Ginger, Though strong and opinionated will on occasion demure to the wishes of the men around her. She is a woman of 1917, not 2021. Dialogue is witty and believable keeping the prose entertaining. Pacing is even keeping the storyline moving forward. The plot has many twists and turns and some will come as complete surprises.
In addition to being historical fiction this book is also a great romance. Often the romance will take over a novel with everything else coming secondary. I could really enjoy this romance because it doesn’t do this. There is a perfect balance here. You will fall for the hero with this book. One caution for those who do not like love scenes that DON’T fade to black. There are several here. Personally I felt they were beautifully written and appropriate to the storyline, but you may find them too explicit.
The fact that this is a first novel is just unbelievable! This is the first book in what is described as a saga. I hope the author writes fast.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and net galley. This fact in no way influenced my review.
Update 11/24/23
Reread via audiobook. I will be keeping the 5 stars this second time. The only difference I noted was the tension. The decrease of it is easily explained by my remembering all the twists and turns once I got to approximately 30% . I thought I had forgotten Abit but I was wrong. I continued to listen despite this because I enjoy the story so much. I look forward to the second ook which I hope to start shortly.
The novel takes place in Egypt during WWI. Ginger is a young nurse attached to the British nurses corps. She is stationed at a forward hospital close to the front lines. The work is hard and the hours long but Ginger is strong, dedicated and loves her job. The storyline begins with her discovery of a severely wounded Turkish soldier. Policy dictates she report him immediately. The man begs her not to do so because he is in fact a spy for British intelligence and in possession of crucial information that if not gotten to the right person can devastate the British efforts and lead to many deaths. Furthermore his life is in danger from a traitor in British Intelligence and she must only trust the one person he wishes her to contact. Ginger puts everything on the line to help him. Ginger sends a telegram as instructed but two men show up. Steven a lifelong family friend who Ginger has turned down a marriage proposal from and a Major Noah Benson who treats Ginger with suspicions of his own. Who should she trust the information to and can the plot he alludes to be stopped?
For me accurate historical details supply plausibility to a story. Ms.McCormack has obviously done her research well. She uses the details to add depth to the settings within the book. They are not just window dressing they become integral parts of the storyline. I learned a lot about this area during. WWI that I had never known. When I can learn as I read for pleasure it’s an added bonus for me.
Windswept is not only enjoyable to read it is very well written. Characters,even secondary ones, are fully described lending an authenticity to the work. They act as one would expect for their times. Ginger, Though strong and opinionated will on occasion demure to the wishes of the men around her. She is a woman of 1917, not 2021. Dialogue is witty and believable keeping the prose entertaining. Pacing is even keeping the storyline moving forward. The plot has many twists and turns and some will come as complete surprises.
In addition to being historical fiction this book is also a great romance. Often the romance will take over a novel with everything else coming secondary. I could really enjoy this romance because it doesn’t do this. There is a perfect balance here. You will fall for the hero with this book. One caution for those who do not like love scenes that DON’T fade to black. There are several here. Personally I felt they were beautifully written and appropriate to the storyline, but you may find them too explicit.
The fact that this is a first novel is just unbelievable! This is the first book in what is described as a saga. I hope the author writes fast.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and net galley. This fact in no way influenced my review.
Update 11/24/23
Reread via audiobook. I will be keeping the 5 stars this second time. The only difference I noted was the tension. The decrease of it is easily explained by my remembering all the twists and turns once I got to approximately 30% . I thought I had forgotten Abit but I was wrong. I continued to listen despite this because I enjoy the story so much. I look forward to the second ook which I hope to start shortly.
October 20, 2021
4 Stars of, Yeah Okay It is Pretty Great
This is the sort of book that is brilliant because it left me unsettled. I think on the surface that may seem a sort of Red Flag signaling, “stay away!!! but oddly, in this instance, it’s not. It isn’t something I can adequately describe, simply that Annabelle McCormack’s rather ambitious debut was a whirlwind. So much so that I had to listen to this book twice over and then sit down with my husband and talk about it. And look, while I love Historical Romance for its Guarenteed-HEA-or-Your-Money-Back sort of motto, I love Historical Fiction for its capacity to mess me around a little. And Windswept was a cocktail of divided loyalties, desperation, longing, and intrigue that messed me around soooooo gooooodd.
This is an adventure/epic historical fiction format with a romance b-plot and is a rather big book, so there is a lot to unpack.. Ergo, I shall do my analysis in chunks—what? Morgan is writing a structured review again? Yes. I know, I am shocked too.
Anyways.
First and foremost, I think this book is grounded by a very well researched foundation. I don’t mean it in the HR way (titles etc. blah blah) but that she clearly heavily researched this region during this period not in search of convenient anecdotes to sprinkle throughout but until she knew it well enough to build a plausible plot, save a scene here and there. Several times I turned to my husband and said, “Is it just me or is this super solidly researched?” My husband, the WWI junky so obsessed it spawned my own obsession with this period said, “Uhhhhhhh, yeah. Yeah it is.” My husband is, and I say this with love, a Scourge. So that is PEAK praise. If this sort of thing matters to you, that is. But I guess if you read HF you probably care.
But I digress.
She plops readers practically mid-action into Egypt in 1917—a very intriguing period in WW1, geopolitics, and selfish me… Archaeology (the relevance of which to the former two were conveyed in lovely little details). The state of Ottoman/Ally relations was well described to establish a tense, fraught backdrop for what would be a tense and fraught adventure for our heroine Ginny/Ginger Whitman.
But where the magic truly lies is, in my opinion, the prose itself. While MacCormack might be ‘debuting,’ when you investigate her some more and she has spent her adulthood studying/teaching writing. With her WW1 universe well established here, my-oh-my did she demonstrate her skill and experience.
I genuinely don’t think I’ve read something with such direct and solid writing that was so delicately constructed since Bridget Collins’ The Binding. This book has nuance, and I am a sucker for that. The mystery and suspicion is this ever-present shadow hovering over and seeping into every inner thought and every conversation Ginger has from that first moment she comes to the aid of an enemy soldier. And because this is a single POV structure, everything is tainted by that suspicion, and no character is safe from that, not even Ginger. The fear of what was actually going on was wonderfully juxtaposed by moments of passion and brightness, as against all odds Ginger finds herself defying good sense, family expectation, and a fiancée… and falling in love with Noah Benson, our suspect/hero. There were even moments of welcome humor which came from the American operative Jack Darby (raised by an archaeologist, and will be getting his own books it’s seems and I’m 100% down) but these never felt free of the main mystery. I loved all of this intensely.
The place that I got stuck on was Ginger herself. She had Claire Beauchamp qualities that, inherently, grated. She was self-righteous, pigheaded, and at times atrociously entitled. But this was in contrast to what my husband aptly described as, “Ginger’s adherence to Truth, Honor, and Duty.” She was incredibly dedicated, and while she makes some questionable decisions I think she is inherently good and earnest which saved her for me. Also, she was self-aware. She knew when she was dead-weight on the investigation but didn’t know how to extricate herself, she knew when she was being selfish and recriminated herself. She was complicated, and real… so I think I liked her quite a lot in the end. But it was definitely a love-hate relationship.
Noah was superbly done, with his swoon-worthiness and infuriating goodness, which I thought worked really well considering the entire book we teeter on the edge of trusting him and totally NOT trusting him. I loved how I genuinely was suspicious of him almost until the end and that I HATED being suspicious of him. When guns were going off after a sandstorm—that was about when I accepted the truth. It was right when I felt like my heart was being slapped around (see updates) and oh my masochistic side loved that too.
Secondary and tertiary charters were great too, and I especially enjoyed that none of them were surplus to requirement. Everyone was deliberately placed, had a role. No one did anything or was present for convenience, and if that isn’t the sign of a stellar author I don’t know what is.
This is a book I’d recommend to someone on the scale of “I enjoy spy adventure historicals” to “Spy books are literally crack-cocaine to me.” It’s not a historical romance, so my HR loving GR friends, be warned: the is historical fiction. But yeah, basically…This was great. There were two or three critiques I had for Ginger that irked me enough to keep this out of perfection. However, I am aware that this isn’t the end of a Ginger’s arc so I am forgiving. But I loved the setting, the rigorous attention to detail, the writing, and I fully intend to read the next installment in Ginger’s (mis)adventures in espionage and love. Either way Annabelle McCormack is a writer to watch.
Thanks are extended to Annabelle McCormack, as a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), as well as NetGalley for this Audiobook ARC. While I did recived a copy of the audio, free, I ended but buying it on Audible anyways! Review is volutnarily given, and all opinions are my own.
Oh, PS: The narration by Elizabeth Grace was utterly sublime. I am picky with narrators, and she did it for me. I hope McCormack doesn't change narrators for the next book or Jack Darby's saga. Grace joins the ranks of favourites, and I am so pleased by this.
This is the sort of book that is brilliant because it left me unsettled. I think on the surface that may seem a sort of Red Flag signaling, “stay away!!! but oddly, in this instance, it’s not. It isn’t something I can adequately describe, simply that Annabelle McCormack’s rather ambitious debut was a whirlwind. So much so that I had to listen to this book twice over and then sit down with my husband and talk about it. And look, while I love Historical Romance for its Guarenteed-HEA-or-Your-Money-Back sort of motto, I love Historical Fiction for its capacity to mess me around a little. And Windswept was a cocktail of divided loyalties, desperation, longing, and intrigue that messed me around soooooo gooooodd.
This is an adventure/epic historical fiction format with a romance b-plot and is a rather big book, so there is a lot to unpack.. Ergo, I shall do my analysis in chunks—what? Morgan is writing a structured review again? Yes. I know, I am shocked too.
Anyways.
First and foremost, I think this book is grounded by a very well researched foundation. I don’t mean it in the HR way (titles etc. blah blah) but that she clearly heavily researched this region during this period not in search of convenient anecdotes to sprinkle throughout but until she knew it well enough to build a plausible plot, save a scene here and there. Several times I turned to my husband and said, “Is it just me or is this super solidly researched?” My husband, the WWI junky so obsessed it spawned my own obsession with this period said, “Uhhhhhhh, yeah. Yeah it is.” My husband is, and I say this with love, a Scourge. So that is PEAK praise. If this sort of thing matters to you, that is. But I guess if you read HF you probably care.
But I digress.
She plops readers practically mid-action into Egypt in 1917—a very intriguing period in WW1, geopolitics, and selfish me… Archaeology (the relevance of which to the former two were conveyed in lovely little details). The state of Ottoman/Ally relations was well described to establish a tense, fraught backdrop for what would be a tense and fraught adventure for our heroine Ginny/Ginger Whitman.
But where the magic truly lies is, in my opinion, the prose itself. While MacCormack might be ‘debuting,’ when you investigate her some more and she has spent her adulthood studying/teaching writing. With her WW1 universe well established here, my-oh-my did she demonstrate her skill and experience.
I genuinely don’t think I’ve read something with such direct and solid writing that was so delicately constructed since Bridget Collins’ The Binding. This book has nuance, and I am a sucker for that. The mystery and suspicion is this ever-present shadow hovering over and seeping into every inner thought and every conversation Ginger has from that first moment she comes to the aid of an enemy soldier. And because this is a single POV structure, everything is tainted by that suspicion, and no character is safe from that, not even Ginger. The fear of what was actually going on was wonderfully juxtaposed by moments of passion and brightness, as against all odds Ginger finds herself defying good sense, family expectation, and a fiancée… and falling in love with Noah Benson, our suspect/hero. There were even moments of welcome humor which came from the American operative Jack Darby (raised by an archaeologist, and will be getting his own books it’s seems and I’m 100% down) but these never felt free of the main mystery. I loved all of this intensely.
The place that I got stuck on was Ginger herself. She had Claire Beauchamp qualities that, inherently, grated. She was self-righteous, pigheaded, and at times atrociously entitled. But this was in contrast to what my husband aptly described as, “Ginger’s adherence to Truth, Honor, and Duty.” She was incredibly dedicated, and while she makes some questionable decisions I think she is inherently good and earnest which saved her for me. Also, she was self-aware. She knew when she was dead-weight on the investigation but didn’t know how to extricate herself, she knew when she was being selfish and recriminated herself. She was complicated, and real… so I think I liked her quite a lot in the end. But it was definitely a love-hate relationship.
Noah was superbly done, with his swoon-worthiness and infuriating goodness, which I thought worked really well considering the entire book we teeter on the edge of trusting him and totally NOT trusting him. I loved how I genuinely was suspicious of him almost until the end and that I HATED being suspicious of him. When guns were going off after a sandstorm—that was about when I accepted the truth. It was right when I felt like my heart was being slapped around (see updates) and oh my masochistic side loved that too.
Secondary and tertiary charters were great too, and I especially enjoyed that none of them were surplus to requirement. Everyone was deliberately placed, had a role. No one did anything or was present for convenience, and if that isn’t the sign of a stellar author I don’t know what is.
This is a book I’d recommend to someone on the scale of “I enjoy spy adventure historicals” to “Spy books are literally crack-cocaine to me.” It’s not a historical romance, so my HR loving GR friends, be warned: the is historical fiction. But yeah, basically…This was great. There were two or three critiques I had for Ginger that irked me enough to keep this out of perfection. However, I am aware that this isn’t the end of a Ginger’s arc so I am forgiving. But I loved the setting, the rigorous attention to detail, the writing, and I fully intend to read the next installment in Ginger’s (mis)adventures in espionage and love. Either way Annabelle McCormack is a writer to watch.
Thanks are extended to Annabelle McCormack, as a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), as well as NetGalley for this Audiobook ARC. While I did recived a copy of the audio, free, I ended but buying it on Audible anyways! Review is volutnarily given, and all opinions are my own.
Oh, PS: The narration by Elizabeth Grace was utterly sublime. I am picky with narrators, and she did it for me. I hope McCormack doesn't change narrators for the next book or Jack Darby's saga. Grace joins the ranks of favourites, and I am so pleased by this.
September 21, 2021
Lady Virginia Whitman is from a well to do English family, her parents own a residence in Cairo and her father works for the foreign office. Ginger and her friend Beatrice Thornton, work as nurses at a busy causality clearing station in Palestine and are close to the action. The Turks hold vital territory, the British campaign in Egypt has been costly and they need to keep control of the Suez Canal. Ginger finds a wounded Turkish soldier hiding in a hut, he claims to be carrying important intelligence and has information about a secret plot against the British army. Gravely wounded, not sure if he will live, Ahmed makes Ginger promise to hide his possessions, and he informs her that someone has infiltrated British intelligence, and is a spy.
Ginger doesn’t know who she can trust with the information, she has no idea how much danger she’s in and she contacts her brother Henry. Instead of coming to her aid, he sends the one person she has never liked, his best friend Lord Stephen Fisher, he’s rather obnoxious and her father wanted her to marry him. Trouble seems to follow Ginger, Major Noah Benson saves her when she's stranded in the Arabian desert, he’s a British intelligence officer, he takes her to a Bedouin camp, she sees how he interacts with the local people and she could easily fall in love with the handsome Major.
Windswept, is an incredible adventure story about a British nurse during WW I, it's full of intrigue, suspense, danger, corruption and murder. Ginger discovers the identity of the enemy spy working for the Germans, she has the ability to change the course of the war and has to question the motives of members of her own family. A engrossing historical fiction saga, I was hooked by the end of the first chapter, thanks to Edelweiss for my copy, and five stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Ginger doesn’t know who she can trust with the information, she has no idea how much danger she’s in and she contacts her brother Henry. Instead of coming to her aid, he sends the one person she has never liked, his best friend Lord Stephen Fisher, he’s rather obnoxious and her father wanted her to marry him. Trouble seems to follow Ginger, Major Noah Benson saves her when she's stranded in the Arabian desert, he’s a British intelligence officer, he takes her to a Bedouin camp, she sees how he interacts with the local people and she could easily fall in love with the handsome Major.
Windswept, is an incredible adventure story about a British nurse during WW I, it's full of intrigue, suspense, danger, corruption and murder. Ginger discovers the identity of the enemy spy working for the Germans, she has the ability to change the course of the war and has to question the motives of members of her own family. A engrossing historical fiction saga, I was hooked by the end of the first chapter, thanks to Edelweiss for my copy, and five stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
July 14, 2022
It seems Goodreads doesn't have the audiobook edition included in its catalogue so I will be sharing my review under the paperback edition.
At almost 15 hours in duration , the audiobook of Windswept was long and I admit it took me a long time to finish it. The story based during WWI and involving intrigue and a secret plot against the British forces dragged a lot in the middle after a good start and it was only during the last two hours of the audiobook that the action finally picked up speed. I also didn't warm up to any of the characters and the one thing I took from this book was how the 'deceit' of the British (and allied) forces eventually played a big role in the geopolitics of the Middle East. I liked Elizabeth Grace's voice as the narrator and I think she did a good job with her narration. This is the first book in the Windswept Saga series.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher IBPA Members' Audiobook and the author for the audio Arc of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
At almost 15 hours in duration , the audiobook of Windswept was long and I admit it took me a long time to finish it. The story based during WWI and involving intrigue and a secret plot against the British forces dragged a lot in the middle after a good start and it was only during the last two hours of the audiobook that the action finally picked up speed. I also didn't warm up to any of the characters and the one thing I took from this book was how the 'deceit' of the British (and allied) forces eventually played a big role in the geopolitics of the Middle East. I liked Elizabeth Grace's voice as the narrator and I think she did a good job with her narration. This is the first book in the Windswept Saga series.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher IBPA Members' Audiobook and the author for the audio Arc of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
October 22, 2021
Five stars for this stellar historical fiction debut!! Windswept was absolutely wonderful. The location had my attention immediately. Egypt will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Ahhhh this storyline... SO GOOD! It was perfectly executed. Just when you think you know what's going on, think again. It's a twisty one!
I adored the main character, Ginny Whitman. A British nurse working on the frontlines of WWI. She is such a strong female lead!! Annnd, the secondary characters were great too.
I can't wait to see where Ginny's story takes us next!!
Huge thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours and the author for my gifted copy!
Ahhhh this storyline... SO GOOD! It was perfectly executed. Just when you think you know what's going on, think again. It's a twisty one!
I adored the main character, Ginny Whitman. A British nurse working on the frontlines of WWI. She is such a strong female lead!! Annnd, the secondary characters were great too.
I can't wait to see where Ginny's story takes us next!!
Huge thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours and the author for my gifted copy!
October 13, 2021
DNF’d halfway through. I thought the writing was strong, the story very intriguing, and the characters (if not likable) at least complex. There was a lot I enjoyed, but I dropped it after the first explicit sex scene. Leading up to that point, I felt like all the kissing was unnecessary but I could get over it for the sake of a good story. But “on-scene” sex is a dealbreaker for me. Maybe someone more used to skimming and ignoring inappropriate scenes would still be able to enjoy the story, but I can’t recommend it in good conscience.
November 2, 2021
Worthy 5 stars!!
✨ Every minute was enthralling and well Spent..umm...what I mean is I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book..it was so beautiful to feel Ginger and Benson's story come alive through all that they were put through...I was quite captured from the very first chapter.. all the war elements, society norms, and their self struggles & discoveries have me author had penned the story with so much of element I was so glad to once again see why I love historical fiction especially world war fiction. It's like walking through what I couldn't see but feel through the characters
🗞Story kept constantly pulling twists & turns which were unexpected
There was never a dull moment
🗞A good historical romance + world war love story == a great time!!
the language was good and the audiobook version was impeccable!!
The narrators did a great job for the audiobook version, I couldn't stop thinking about it
💕AHH!! their love for each other ..so touching. I like how the story focuses on their love for each other along with the story being equally attention capturing side characters & storyline
I like how the characters are not perfect and have their flaws but loved each other and did their best to be loyal & better versions of themselves which
🗞📑This is a great historical romance read
A perfect enemies to lovers version
highly recommended!!
I think you can see how much I enjoyed reading this book
This book shows how evil tries to rule and kill our hope, joy & being..but when we should keep on holding to the hope and strength and defeat it with love
CW: death, betrayal, harming innocent
Romance: It's certainly a bit more than clean romance but nothing is described explicitly just perfect for me ..you know a Lil bit more but not too much
p.s: you can always dm me to know more about the content warnings
* Thanks to NetGalley for a free audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review
✨ Every minute was enthralling and well Spent..umm...what I mean is I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book..it was so beautiful to feel Ginger and Benson's story come alive through all that they were put through...I was quite captured from the very first chapter.. all the war elements, society norms, and their self struggles & discoveries have me author had penned the story with so much of element I was so glad to once again see why I love historical fiction especially world war fiction. It's like walking through what I couldn't see but feel through the characters
🗞Story kept constantly pulling twists & turns which were unexpected
There was never a dull moment
🗞A good historical romance + world war love story == a great time!!
the language was good and the audiobook version was impeccable!!
The narrators did a great job for the audiobook version, I couldn't stop thinking about it
💕AHH!! their love for each other ..so touching. I like how the story focuses on their love for each other along with the story being equally attention capturing side characters & storyline
I like how the characters are not perfect and have their flaws but loved each other and did their best to be loyal & better versions of themselves which
🗞📑This is a great historical romance read
A perfect enemies to lovers version
highly recommended!!
I think you can see how much I enjoyed reading this book
This book shows how evil tries to rule and kill our hope, joy & being..but when we should keep on holding to the hope and strength and defeat it with love
CW: death, betrayal, harming innocent
Romance: It's certainly a bit more than clean romance but nothing is described explicitly just perfect for me ..you know a Lil bit more but not too much
p.s: you can always dm me to know more about the content warnings
* Thanks to NetGalley for a free audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review
September 30, 2021
Either I did not pay much attention in history class in high school (which is hard to believe because I love history), or we did not cover much of World War I - but now I am finding it fascinating to read about. I also did not realize there was such a heavy British involvement in the Gaza area during World War I.
But besides all that, this book gripped me from the very beginning. Virginia Whitman (Ginger, Ginny) was a nurse with the Royal Queen Victoria's. Ginger was there to help anyone, even if they were the enemy. As she found, helping the enemy can lead to danger even she is not sure she can make it out of. With the help of Noah Benson - a sort of undercover soldier seeking the identity of a traiteur within British Intelligence - Ginger is thrust into the middle of what could be a very dangerous mission. Though she was eager to help the cause, what circumstances come out of that could ruin Ginger and her family for good.
I enjoyed this book very much, it was insightful for the fact I did not know of this part of the Great War. Though fictionalized, I could very well see this story happening. I also liked the main character of Ginger - Virginia is a family name in my family - my mom is Ginny, my sister is Ginger. I wait anxiously for #2.
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for this advanced audio.
But besides all that, this book gripped me from the very beginning. Virginia Whitman (Ginger, Ginny) was a nurse with the Royal Queen Victoria's. Ginger was there to help anyone, even if they were the enemy. As she found, helping the enemy can lead to danger even she is not sure she can make it out of. With the help of Noah Benson - a sort of undercover soldier seeking the identity of a traiteur within British Intelligence - Ginger is thrust into the middle of what could be a very dangerous mission. Though she was eager to help the cause, what circumstances come out of that could ruin Ginger and her family for good.
I enjoyed this book very much, it was insightful for the fact I did not know of this part of the Great War. Though fictionalized, I could very well see this story happening. I also liked the main character of Ginger - Virginia is a family name in my family - my mom is Ginny, my sister is Ginger. I wait anxiously for #2.
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for this advanced audio.
October 15, 2021
WOWZA! What a breathtaking ride of a book this was! I couldn't read it fast enough and yet I didn't want it to end!
Ginger is a young woman from a wealthy family who volunteered as a nurse in World War One and stationed in Palestine. Her fiance is a surgeon at the camp, though her family doesn't approve and wants her to marry her brother's friend whom she doesn't care for.
One day Ginger happens upon a wounded soldier. She stops to help him and realizes he is wearing a Turkish uniform. He tells her that he is a spy for the British and has extremely important information that needs to be passed on to his superiors and that there is a spy among the British that is looking for him. She decides to help him but she will have to get help from her friend and Fiance to keep him hidden. She is already in trouble for not listening to orders and harboring a possible enemy id of course frowned upon. He gives Ginger a coded message for Cairo Intelligence - a secret that could change the course of the war - and the name of the man that can help him. What happens next, well you will just have to read it and see! I can tell you that it's a thrilling read with danger, betrayal, romance (Ginger and Noah...more please!), and the writing is impeccable. Even if you are WWI'd out you should definitely pick this one up. It will bring readers a whole new aspect of the war that they may not be aware of.
I am truly impressed with Annabelle's debut historical and absolutely cannot wait for the next book, which will be out next year!
Ginger is a young woman from a wealthy family who volunteered as a nurse in World War One and stationed in Palestine. Her fiance is a surgeon at the camp, though her family doesn't approve and wants her to marry her brother's friend whom she doesn't care for.
One day Ginger happens upon a wounded soldier. She stops to help him and realizes he is wearing a Turkish uniform. He tells her that he is a spy for the British and has extremely important information that needs to be passed on to his superiors and that there is a spy among the British that is looking for him. She decides to help him but she will have to get help from her friend and Fiance to keep him hidden. She is already in trouble for not listening to orders and harboring a possible enemy id of course frowned upon. He gives Ginger a coded message for Cairo Intelligence - a secret that could change the course of the war - and the name of the man that can help him. What happens next, well you will just have to read it and see! I can tell you that it's a thrilling read with danger, betrayal, romance (Ginger and Noah...more please!), and the writing is impeccable. Even if you are WWI'd out you should definitely pick this one up. It will bring readers a whole new aspect of the war that they may not be aware of.
I am truly impressed with Annabelle's debut historical and absolutely cannot wait for the next book, which will be out next year!
June 1, 2023
Windswept was a fantastic read, one that I had a hard time putting down and found myself staying up later and later to read just one more chapter, and yet when I was 91% done, I put the book down to finish the next night because I didn’t want it to end. Thank goodness there is another book in the saga!
This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning, was a well-researched historical fiction, and encompassed drama, suspense, intrigue, and romance. There were characters to love and characters to despise, each one intricately developed. I loved the plot twists and was continually surprised with things I clearly didn’t see happening in this exciting adventure.
Annabelle McCormack has such a wonderfully descriptive and captivating writing style, and I look forward to reading more of her books. I will be starting Sands of Sirocco (The Windswept Saga #2) tonight!
Thank you to Annabelle McCormack and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this book. So enjoyable! ☺️
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning, was a well-researched historical fiction, and encompassed drama, suspense, intrigue, and romance. There were characters to love and characters to despise, each one intricately developed. I loved the plot twists and was continually surprised with things I clearly didn’t see happening in this exciting adventure.
Annabelle McCormack has such a wonderfully descriptive and captivating writing style, and I look forward to reading more of her books. I will be starting Sands of Sirocco (The Windswept Saga #2) tonight!
Thank you to Annabelle McCormack and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this book. So enjoyable! ☺️
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
September 18, 2021
I loved everything about this book. I loved the cover, the characters, the romance, and the pace. At halfway I couldn’t put it down. It had suspense and mystery. The heroine was strong and brave, never afraid to do the right thing but also vulnerable. The hero was everything I love in a man and I just loved how their relationship played out. I highly recommend this well written, very exciting historical fiction. It’s honestly one of the best things I’ve read. I just can’t say enough good things about it.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and Elizabeth Grace was the narrator and she a new favorite of mine. She did a marvelous job and added another layer to it.
Thanks IBPA via Netgalley.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and Elizabeth Grace was the narrator and she a new favorite of mine. She did a marvelous job and added another layer to it.
Thanks IBPA via Netgalley.
July 18, 2025
Windswept
Ginger is a WW1 nurse from Britain serving in the Middle east who saves a soldier she is not supposed to save as he may be the enemy. She is from a well to do family, her brother and father also serve in the military. She is bold and brave which causes her to find trouble but her heart is in the right place. She finds adventure, danger, betrayal and some passionate romance.
This story is set during WW1 in the Middle East (a war I find confusing), I enjoyed this book it is a series and the ending left lots of room for more adventure.
Ginger is a WW1 nurse from Britain serving in the Middle east who saves a soldier she is not supposed to save as he may be the enemy. She is from a well to do family, her brother and father also serve in the military. She is bold and brave which causes her to find trouble but her heart is in the right place. She finds adventure, danger, betrayal and some passionate romance.
This story is set during WW1 in the Middle East (a war I find confusing), I enjoyed this book it is a series and the ending left lots of room for more adventure.
June 13, 2021
I received an ARC of this book for free from BookSirens.
A big thank you to them and the author.
If you love historical fiction with a strong female lead, romance, adventure and intrigue, this book should definitely be on your radar. My love for historical fiction is what made me request an ARC of Windswept, even though WWI isn't the time period I read about the most (not to say it isn't interesting, I'm just in love with the Victorian Era). I've still read a few novels set during WWI, some of them really good, but I think Windswept is my favorite.
The heroine, Ginger, is extremely likeable. She's not perfect by any means, thank God. She feels so real, you could think she's a real person. She's a strong female lead with her strengths and flaws, she can be right as well as she can be wrong, and I really loved her. The romance is delightful. As I was reading, I kept being intrigued as intrigued as Ginger and kept turning the pages to know what would happen, what she would discover. There isn't any chapter filler in this novel, and time seemed to goes by very fast. It's very well-written and the author has a talent to draw us in her story and make us feel invested in the characters and the plot she created.
There are so many things I want to know or to happen in the sequel, and I can't wait to see what the author will deliver. Judging by this debut, I can expect great things!
Windswept will be released on September 21, 2021.
A big thank you to them and the author.
If you love historical fiction with a strong female lead, romance, adventure and intrigue, this book should definitely be on your radar. My love for historical fiction is what made me request an ARC of Windswept, even though WWI isn't the time period I read about the most (not to say it isn't interesting, I'm just in love with the Victorian Era). I've still read a few novels set during WWI, some of them really good, but I think Windswept is my favorite.
The heroine, Ginger, is extremely likeable. She's not perfect by any means, thank God. She feels so real, you could think she's a real person. She's a strong female lead with her strengths and flaws, she can be right as well as she can be wrong, and I really loved her. The romance is delightful. As I was reading, I kept being intrigued as intrigued as Ginger and kept turning the pages to know what would happen, what she would discover. There isn't any chapter filler in this novel, and time seemed to goes by very fast. It's very well-written and the author has a talent to draw us in her story and make us feel invested in the characters and the plot she created.
There are so many things I want to know or to happen in the sequel, and I can't wait to see what the author will deliver. Judging by this debut, I can expect great things!
Windswept will be released on September 21, 2021.
November 17, 2021
I think I found my favorite historical fiction book of the year!
This book had so many things going for it: new to me historical elements, intrigue, and romance. I have read and enjoyed many WWII and some WWI historical fiction books. However, I did not know about the fighting taking place in Egypt in WWI.
There is non-stop action trying to untangle the secret plot against the British—and the traitors within British intelligence who are part of that plot. The twists and turns add to the fast pace of this engaging novel.
I prefer my historical fiction novels have a strong romance element, and Windswept did not disappoint. The romance storyline was so well done I extended my walks just so I could find out what happened next.
Narration: Elizabeth Grace does a splendid job voicing the characters of this book. She voiced both male and female characters in a convincing and engaging way. She also pleasantly voiced both British and American accents. This is tricky – some narrators seem to give all Americans Southern accents, even if they are from Iowa. I found another narrator to add to my list of favorites. Well done!
If you enjoy historical fiction books, you must read this book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book had so many things going for it: new to me historical elements, intrigue, and romance. I have read and enjoyed many WWII and some WWI historical fiction books. However, I did not know about the fighting taking place in Egypt in WWI.
There is non-stop action trying to untangle the secret plot against the British—and the traitors within British intelligence who are part of that plot. The twists and turns add to the fast pace of this engaging novel.
I prefer my historical fiction novels have a strong romance element, and Windswept did not disappoint. The romance storyline was so well done I extended my walks just so I could find out what happened next.
Narration: Elizabeth Grace does a splendid job voicing the characters of this book. She voiced both male and female characters in a convincing and engaging way. She also pleasantly voiced both British and American accents. This is tricky – some narrators seem to give all Americans Southern accents, even if they are from Iowa. I found another narrator to add to my list of favorites. Well done!
If you enjoy historical fiction books, you must read this book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 5, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.
A WW1 drama with everything; intrigue, romance, villain and hero. Some parts were a little unbelievable (finding someone in a sandstorm!!) but overall enjoyable.
A WW1 drama with everything; intrigue, romance, villain and hero. Some parts were a little unbelievable (finding someone in a sandstorm!!) but overall enjoyable.
August 23, 2021
Wow! This book is incredible! It is gripping, intriguing, interesting, romantic, full of twists and turns, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Windswept", I was whisked back in time to the WWI era, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.
This is the first book I have read by Annabelle McCormack, and it certainly will not be my last. Her writing style is visceral, vivid, enthralling, engaging, and she truly knows how to hook the reader from the very first page. I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. McCormack must have done for this book, as each element jumps right off of the page. I could truly see the various locations throughout, and often forgot that I was sitting in my house reading. She truly brought the past to life before my eyes, I could envision every moment, and I often felt like I was right there in the story with the characters.
Ginger is a nurse during WWI. She is such as strong, brave, intelligent heroine who follows her heart to do what she believes to be right. Throughout, she feels like such an incredibly real person. She is not perfect and makes mistakes, yet she does all she can to better a situation. When Ginger sees a wounded man named Ahmed hiding in a tent, she immediately follows her instinct to help him. She soon is told top-secret information by him that must be carried to the correct person. Ginger believes him, and takes it upon herself to find the man she must tell it to. When Ginger later returns to the place where she first saw Ahmed, she is soon confronted by Major Noah Benson, and he begins to ask questions. Never could she have imagined what this will lead to, and how it will change her life in more ways than one. With differing stories, and people all around her claiming they can be trusted, what is really going on? Who is telling the truth, and who is lying? I do not want to spoil anything in this review, so, I will simply say, this book is a must read. Full of moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, spying, secrets, shocking events, and much more, this book is one I could not put down. Who can Ginger actually trust? Will she find love when she was not expecting it? You will just have to read to find out!
If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next and how everything would work out. I so hope to see some of these character's stories continue as well.
Thank you so much to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the author, Annabelle McCormack for the review copy of this book, it is incredible. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is the first book I have read by Annabelle McCormack, and it certainly will not be my last. Her writing style is visceral, vivid, enthralling, engaging, and she truly knows how to hook the reader from the very first page. I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. McCormack must have done for this book, as each element jumps right off of the page. I could truly see the various locations throughout, and often forgot that I was sitting in my house reading. She truly brought the past to life before my eyes, I could envision every moment, and I often felt like I was right there in the story with the characters.
Ginger is a nurse during WWI. She is such as strong, brave, intelligent heroine who follows her heart to do what she believes to be right. Throughout, she feels like such an incredibly real person. She is not perfect and makes mistakes, yet she does all she can to better a situation. When Ginger sees a wounded man named Ahmed hiding in a tent, she immediately follows her instinct to help him. She soon is told top-secret information by him that must be carried to the correct person. Ginger believes him, and takes it upon herself to find the man she must tell it to. When Ginger later returns to the place where she first saw Ahmed, she is soon confronted by Major Noah Benson, and he begins to ask questions. Never could she have imagined what this will lead to, and how it will change her life in more ways than one. With differing stories, and people all around her claiming they can be trusted, what is really going on? Who is telling the truth, and who is lying? I do not want to spoil anything in this review, so, I will simply say, this book is a must read. Full of moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, spying, secrets, shocking events, and much more, this book is one I could not put down. Who can Ginger actually trust? Will she find love when she was not expecting it? You will just have to read to find out!
If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next and how everything would work out. I so hope to see some of these character's stories continue as well.
Thank you so much to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the author, Annabelle McCormack for the review copy of this book, it is incredible. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 24, 2021
“She couldn’t summon tears. She couldn’t think of the future. ‘How do you go on?’
Jack smiled sadly. ‘You just start walking. Eventually your soul catches up.’”
Every once in a while, a special novel comes along that deserves your full attention; the authentic and interesting characters pull at your heart strings, the twisty and fast-paced plot makes your pulse quicken, and the desert setting brings to mind fabulous Egyptian and Middle Eastern vacations. This is one of those novels.
Windswept is set during the British Gaza Campaign and opens with a nurse, Sister Ginger, facing a disciplinary hearing for attempting to save the “wrong life” in the British casualty clearing station in the frontlines at Belah. Ginger Whitman, the protagonist, has abandoned her aristocratic upbringing and a secure future to join Queen Alexandra’s nurses in the Royal Army Medical Corps. She is stationed at Deir El Belah in Palestine about 16 kilometers east of the Egyptian border, and 20 kilometers south-west of Gaza.
When she rushes to the aid of what appears to be a wounded Turkish soldier, the passion for nursing sets her life on a trajectory she never imagined. The wounded man is not who he appears to be and she finds herself mired in the middle of a case fit for the British Intelligence. Unable to tell who is telling the truth, Ginger hides evidence meant to go to the soldier’s contact until she can discern who she can trust. Unwittingly, she’s forced to deal with corruption and loyalty when all she wants to do is focus on humanity and healing. While contemplating what her next move should involve, Ginger meets Lieutenant Noah Benson and suddenly, her heart is more in control of her actions than her mind.
Absolutely brimming with adventure, secrets, romance, mystery and intrigue, McCormack’s debut will force you to examine family ties and what happens when they fray as well as force you to consider where your loyalties would lie during wartime.
Ginger and Noah became fast friends of mine during the 454-page five-star read and I’m definitely not ready to let them go. Thank goodness there’s a sequel in the works! Sands of Sirocco will be published in 2022.
I’m off to enjoy a cup of mint tea in a beautiful cup I purchased in the Khan al-Khalili market, reminisce about our lunch in Fishawy’s Café in the crowded souk and imagine Dr. Owen Hunt (Grey’s Anatomy) as Noah….while I attempt to continue his story in my mind!
Publishes September 21, 2021.
I was gifted this superb advance copy by Annabelle McCormack, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Jack smiled sadly. ‘You just start walking. Eventually your soul catches up.’”
Every once in a while, a special novel comes along that deserves your full attention; the authentic and interesting characters pull at your heart strings, the twisty and fast-paced plot makes your pulse quicken, and the desert setting brings to mind fabulous Egyptian and Middle Eastern vacations. This is one of those novels.
Windswept is set during the British Gaza Campaign and opens with a nurse, Sister Ginger, facing a disciplinary hearing for attempting to save the “wrong life” in the British casualty clearing station in the frontlines at Belah. Ginger Whitman, the protagonist, has abandoned her aristocratic upbringing and a secure future to join Queen Alexandra’s nurses in the Royal Army Medical Corps. She is stationed at Deir El Belah in Palestine about 16 kilometers east of the Egyptian border, and 20 kilometers south-west of Gaza.
When she rushes to the aid of what appears to be a wounded Turkish soldier, the passion for nursing sets her life on a trajectory she never imagined. The wounded man is not who he appears to be and she finds herself mired in the middle of a case fit for the British Intelligence. Unable to tell who is telling the truth, Ginger hides evidence meant to go to the soldier’s contact until she can discern who she can trust. Unwittingly, she’s forced to deal with corruption and loyalty when all she wants to do is focus on humanity and healing. While contemplating what her next move should involve, Ginger meets Lieutenant Noah Benson and suddenly, her heart is more in control of her actions than her mind.
Absolutely brimming with adventure, secrets, romance, mystery and intrigue, McCormack’s debut will force you to examine family ties and what happens when they fray as well as force you to consider where your loyalties would lie during wartime.
Ginger and Noah became fast friends of mine during the 454-page five-star read and I’m definitely not ready to let them go. Thank goodness there’s a sequel in the works! Sands of Sirocco will be published in 2022.
I’m off to enjoy a cup of mint tea in a beautiful cup I purchased in the Khan al-Khalili market, reminisce about our lunch in Fishawy’s Café in the crowded souk and imagine Dr. Owen Hunt (Grey’s Anatomy) as Noah….while I attempt to continue his story in my mind!
Publishes September 21, 2021.
I was gifted this superb advance copy by Annabelle McCormack, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
April 11, 2022
I really should have given up on this halfway through. I was stubborn and hoped it would get better. It only got worse. I'm clearly in the minority, as most people seem to love this book.
And it actually started out pretty good. The setting was interesting, as was the start of the story. A British nurse finding a spy and trying to help him, super cool, right? Yeah...
Virginia, Ginger, the nurse in question is the main character we follow throughout this book. She is an incredibly frustrating character. I've seen other reviews describe her as intelligent, and I can't see why, because this book wouldn't even have happened if she had taken logical actions. Instead she chose over and over to trust the wrong people. How can she tell us she has always disliked/mistrusted someone and at the same time tell him all the dangerous secrets? I have absolutely no idea. Where any of the reveals supposed to be surprising? Because they definitely weren't. Ginger was both extremely trusting (of everyone she shouldn't) and extremely mistrusting. It was a weird combination. She is stubborn and continuously makes weird choices that make little sense.
The interactions between the characters didn't quite feel as if they fit the time period. The author has definitely researched the era, as evidenced by the authors note, but none of it was very important to the actual story.
While this is set up as a spy/mystery story, it's really just a romance. A very weak one too, because the two main characters don't talk much and have little chemistry. I'm tempted to call it insta-love. And as in many YA, they were totally ready to give up everything for each other after a few weeks.
All characters are very cookie cutter and simple, with very few complexities. We have the obvious villain, the obvious good guys, the best friend, etc. Obvious to the reader but not to Ginger of course.
The plot is mostly Ginger making stupid mistakes/choices and everyone having to deal with it, with the added bonus of a lot of plot convenience. Stephen being everywhere Ginger is? Does he have a tracking device on her or something?I wouldn't put it past him, tbh.
This book has potential but instead turned into an absolutely frustrating read and I really wished I'd given up after the first 20% or so.
And it actually started out pretty good. The setting was interesting, as was the start of the story. A British nurse finding a spy and trying to help him, super cool, right? Yeah...
Virginia, Ginger, the nurse in question is the main character we follow throughout this book. She is an incredibly frustrating character. I've seen other reviews describe her as intelligent, and I can't see why, because this book wouldn't even have happened if she had taken logical actions. Instead she chose over and over to trust the wrong people. How can she tell us she has always disliked/mistrusted someone and at the same time tell him all the dangerous secrets? I have absolutely no idea. Where any of the reveals supposed to be surprising? Because they definitely weren't. Ginger was both extremely trusting (of everyone she shouldn't) and extremely mistrusting. It was a weird combination. She is stubborn and continuously makes weird choices that make little sense.
The interactions between the characters didn't quite feel as if they fit the time period. The author has definitely researched the era, as evidenced by the authors note, but none of it was very important to the actual story.
While this is set up as a spy/mystery story, it's really just a romance. A very weak one too, because the two main characters don't talk much and have little chemistry. I'm tempted to call it insta-love. And as in many YA, they were totally ready to give up everything for each other after a few weeks.
All characters are very cookie cutter and simple, with very few complexities. We have the obvious villain, the obvious good guys, the best friend, etc. Obvious to the reader but not to Ginger of course.
The plot is mostly Ginger making stupid mistakes/choices and everyone having to deal with it, with the added bonus of a lot of plot convenience. Stephen being everywhere Ginger is? Does he have a tracking device on her or something?
This book has potential but instead turned into an absolutely frustrating read and I really wished I'd given up after the first 20% or so.
October 2, 2021
Did not finish due to sexual content and d-mn used several time by the point I stopped. If it weren't for the inappropriate content I would have put the author down as a need to read and not stopped reading it.
October 14, 2021
I was instantly drawn into the pages of this book as soon as I started reading it. Back in time I went. It was as if I was Ginger; experiencing everything she did. Author, Annabelle did a wonderful job bringing this story and the characters to life. AS a historical fiction reader, I was very pleased with this book and will recommend it to others.
Ginger is a strong heroine. She may not have started out that way or planned it but along the way she really found her strength. Any situation she found herself in, she tackled it.
This story took me on an reading journey across the Arabian desert. This book has a little bit of everything for everyone...intrigue, romance, adventure, great storyline and engaging characters that will stick with you even after you finish the last page!
Ginger is a strong heroine. She may not have started out that way or planned it but along the way she really found her strength. Any situation she found herself in, she tackled it.
This story took me on an reading journey across the Arabian desert. This book has a little bit of everything for everyone...intrigue, romance, adventure, great storyline and engaging characters that will stick with you even after you finish the last page!
October 30, 2021
Problematic Heroine; Good Narrator
Audiobook Review:
It has been the year of the nurse in more ways than one. Not only have we been dealing with the current global crisis, but I've noticed more and more books starring nurses as either the hero or heroine. As I am an RN, I am apt to pick up any book where a nurse is the star. Indeed, when I read this book description at a book review site, I didn't look beyond the fact it featured a nurse during World War I. First, let me say what I liked. I listened to the audiobook version and had the book as well. I thought the narrator was fantastic, with a very posh English accent; she could do a variety of voice stylings so each character was distinct. All things considered, she even did a pretty decent job for the hero’s American friend. Aside from the narrator, though, I found myself disappointed in this book. The story takes place in the oft-forgotten eastern front of the Great War. The nurse works at a clearing station not far from Gaza. The heroine is the daughter of an Earl, but she has no airs about her as she does the scutwork all the new nurses do at this place. When trying to save a patient who may or may not be the enemy, she becomes embroiled in an insidious plot taking her far out of her depth. I thought the story perhaps went on over-long, adding complications that didn't need to be there. The heroine herself was problematic, as much of the drama stemmed from either her indecision or impetuousness. She and the hero had an oddly rocky romance, where they each seem to turn on the other in ways that didn't seem logical or believable. For a fair amount of the book, neither the reader nor the heroine know precisely who to believe or who is a good guy or a bad guy. One thing I wasn't wild about was that the biggest baddie was not brought to justice by the book's end. He is still on the loose. One thing that almost made me stop reading/listening to the book is that it depicted torture and mutilation of female body parts on more than one occasion. The book’s description did not warn about this, and it certainly should have. If I had known these were elements of the book, I would have chosen not to read it. Because of these issues, I do not feel like I can recommend this book.
WARNINGS: Torture and mutilation (of females), on-screen non-battle-scene violence
I received a free copy of this audiobook from #NetGalley, but that did not affect my review.
Audiobook Review:
It has been the year of the nurse in more ways than one. Not only have we been dealing with the current global crisis, but I've noticed more and more books starring nurses as either the hero or heroine. As I am an RN, I am apt to pick up any book where a nurse is the star. Indeed, when I read this book description at a book review site, I didn't look beyond the fact it featured a nurse during World War I. First, let me say what I liked. I listened to the audiobook version and had the book as well. I thought the narrator was fantastic, with a very posh English accent; she could do a variety of voice stylings so each character was distinct. All things considered, she even did a pretty decent job for the hero’s American friend. Aside from the narrator, though, I found myself disappointed in this book. The story takes place in the oft-forgotten eastern front of the Great War. The nurse works at a clearing station not far from Gaza. The heroine is the daughter of an Earl, but she has no airs about her as she does the scutwork all the new nurses do at this place. When trying to save a patient who may or may not be the enemy, she becomes embroiled in an insidious plot taking her far out of her depth. I thought the story perhaps went on over-long, adding complications that didn't need to be there. The heroine herself was problematic, as much of the drama stemmed from either her indecision or impetuousness. She and the hero had an oddly rocky romance, where they each seem to turn on the other in ways that didn't seem logical or believable. For a fair amount of the book, neither the reader nor the heroine know precisely who to believe or who is a good guy or a bad guy. One thing I wasn't wild about was that the biggest baddie was not brought to justice by the book's end. He is still on the loose. One thing that almost made me stop reading/listening to the book is that it depicted torture and mutilation of female body parts on more than one occasion. The book’s description did not warn about this, and it certainly should have. If I had known these were elements of the book, I would have chosen not to read it. Because of these issues, I do not feel like I can recommend this book.
WARNINGS: Torture and mutilation (of females), on-screen non-battle-scene violence
I received a free copy of this audiobook from #NetGalley, but that did not affect my review.
May 18, 2021
Simply put, I LOVED this story. From the very first page, I was curious and interested and wanted to know more about where the story was going. The plot moved quickly and gave just enough for me to stay interested, but was rich enough and held back enough that I couldn't just figure out the whole plot, which is often an issue for me with books that can't maintain suspense. This time in history is not one that I know a whole lot about, and I was intrigued by the historical background, the context, and the seemless way in which the author embedded her story into real events of the time period.
The lead character, Ginger, is a very genuine, very true character who grapples with some tough situations and really evolves over the course of the novel. I loved that she was a strong lead, and that she was capable of taking charge of the story, whether she was right or wrong. I was so invested in her story, and couldn't wait to see what happened next. She feels like an old friend now.... I love when a book ends and all I want is to know what comes next for the characters!
I can't recommend Windswept enough. I received a free advance review copy to read, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, which is something I normally never do, but I really think people need to read this book! It surprised me, interested me and I fell in love with the vivid and lively characters. It's so worth the time, and can't wait for Ms. McCormack to write a sequel!
The lead character, Ginger, is a very genuine, very true character who grapples with some tough situations and really evolves over the course of the novel. I loved that she was a strong lead, and that she was capable of taking charge of the story, whether she was right or wrong. I was so invested in her story, and couldn't wait to see what happened next. She feels like an old friend now.... I love when a book ends and all I want is to know what comes next for the characters!
I can't recommend Windswept enough. I received a free advance review copy to read, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, which is something I normally never do, but I really think people need to read this book! It surprised me, interested me and I fell in love with the vivid and lively characters. It's so worth the time, and can't wait for Ms. McCormack to write a sequel!
August 21, 2021
This book blew me away….it was wonderful! WWI’s Middle Eastern front and its pivotal role in the eventual success of the Allies is rarely written about. “Windswept” captures the era and location beautifully while weaving the star crossed love story of British nurse Lady Virginia (Ginger) and British Intelligence Major Noah Benson. I couldn’t put the book down.
Thanks to #Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Thanks to #Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
October 18, 2021
Ginger Whitman has been nursing in Palestine during the Great War. Taking care of wounded soldiers in the desert is a far cry from her usual life in London as Lady Virginia Whitman. However, nursing has become a passion for Ginger and her compassion leads her to trouble as Ginger hastily helps a wounded Turkish soldier hiding in camp. The soldier claims that he is a British ally with important information to pass on and entrusts Ginger with it. Ginger believes that calling her father, who works in the Foreign Office in Cairo will help, but her ex-fiancé Stephen shows up instead. Not long after, British intelligence officer, Major Noah Benson also comes in search of Ginger's patient. Not knowing who to trust, Ginger guards her secret as she is swept into the world of espionage and danger.
Windswept is a suspenseful historical romance mixed with thrilling spy espionage. From the moment Ginger entered the scene, I knew things would be exciting. Ginger's character is determined, intelligent and brave. Ginger's consciousness is constantly pulling her in the right direction. I was very focused on Ginger's decision making as everyone around her was being deceitful. secretive, manipulative and purposefully withholding information. Told from Ginger's point of view, I was also in the dark about which characters to trust and their motives with the information Ginger's soldier relayed to her. I absolutely have to mention the romance in the story. Noah is not an easy character to love and Ginger's actions with Noah are constantly back and forth depending on the knowledge she has. Everything about their relationship was steeped in suspense and I just wanted someone to tell the poor woman the truth earlier. However, Ginger can hold her own and despite a series of difficult decisions, she makes it out on the right side. The writing transported me to the desert environment where I could feel the sand surrounding me. I did not know a lot about the fighting on this front during World War I and the objectives of the operatives in the area. While Ginger was wrapped up in fictional assignments, the reality of the war surrounding her was very true. Windswept is a sweeping historical romance with plenty of action and adventure in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Windswept is a suspenseful historical romance mixed with thrilling spy espionage. From the moment Ginger entered the scene, I knew things would be exciting. Ginger's character is determined, intelligent and brave. Ginger's consciousness is constantly pulling her in the right direction. I was very focused on Ginger's decision making as everyone around her was being deceitful. secretive, manipulative and purposefully withholding information. Told from Ginger's point of view, I was also in the dark about which characters to trust and their motives with the information Ginger's soldier relayed to her. I absolutely have to mention the romance in the story. Noah is not an easy character to love and Ginger's actions with Noah are constantly back and forth depending on the knowledge she has. Everything about their relationship was steeped in suspense and I just wanted someone to tell the poor woman the truth earlier. However, Ginger can hold her own and despite a series of difficult decisions, she makes it out on the right side. The writing transported me to the desert environment where I could feel the sand surrounding me. I did not know a lot about the fighting on this front during World War I and the objectives of the operatives in the area. While Ginger was wrapped up in fictional assignments, the reality of the war surrounding her was very true. Windswept is a sweeping historical romance with plenty of action and adventure in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
November 28, 2021
Windswept by Annabelle McCormack is an impressive debut, and it’s fantastic on audio thanks to the talented narrator, Elizabeth Grace! I was so swept up in this fast-paced story that I would sit in my car even after I got home to keep listening. The heroine, Ginger, is a strong and intelligent battlefield nurse who stands her ground. I admired her bravery and tenacity! I wasn’t very familiar with the British Gaza Campaign during WWI, and although this is a work of fiction, the author clearly did extensive research. I enjoyed listening to the Author’s Note and learning about her inspiration for certain characters and events. Windswept has everything I love in a historical fiction novel and more - strong female protagonist, mystery, suspense, danger, action, and romance! I cannot wait for the next book in The Windswept Saga!
Windswept is a must read for historical fiction fans, and I highly recommend it on audio!
*I received a gifted audiobook from the author and Kate Rock Book Tours. All opinions are my own.
Windswept is a must read for historical fiction fans, and I highly recommend it on audio!
*I received a gifted audiobook from the author and Kate Rock Book Tours. All opinions are my own.
December 8, 2021
Wait, this is a debut novel? I'm impressed!
This is a story I really enjoying listening to each night (I had the audiobook). There's so much action in this book it definitely keeps you intrigued the entire time!! Ginger is such a great main character! She's strong, caring and brave. Full of romance, mystery and lots of action, fans of fast paced historical fiction will surely love this one.
Thank you to the author and Kate Rock Book Tours for my audiobook copy of this new novel!
This is a story I really enjoying listening to each night (I had the audiobook). There's so much action in this book it definitely keeps you intrigued the entire time!! Ginger is such a great main character! She's strong, caring and brave. Full of romance, mystery and lots of action, fans of fast paced historical fiction will surely love this one.
Thank you to the author and Kate Rock Book Tours for my audiobook copy of this new novel!
October 13, 2021
War and Romance in the Desert
A mesmerizing story of intrigue, Romance and danger in the hot desert of Palestine. A story so captivating you cannot stop until the end..
WWI is declared and Ginger Whitman , a privileged young lady in England, trains to be a battlefield nurse. She is sent to a clearing station for wounded soldiers in Palestine. Upon discovering a wounded soldier in an abandoned hut wearing the uniform of the enemy she decides to help him when he tells her he is an ally working with her government.
Ginger never dreams that helping this soldier can lead to a complete change in her life, affect her whole family and her closest friends. She puts herself in danger the moment she helps the soldier and danger stalks her every moment after that.
The story is action packed, romantic, and captivating. Once you start you will not want to stop until the end. The Narrator on the audio book is fantastic making the story come alive. The Characters are wonderfully portrayed, even the evil ones. The sights and sounds of the desert are amazingly brought to life.
This is one of the best stories this year and I truly would recommend it.
Thanks to Annabelle McCormack, IBPA Audio books, and NetGalley for allowing me a complimentary copy for my honest review.
A mesmerizing story of intrigue, Romance and danger in the hot desert of Palestine. A story so captivating you cannot stop until the end..
WWI is declared and Ginger Whitman , a privileged young lady in England, trains to be a battlefield nurse. She is sent to a clearing station for wounded soldiers in Palestine. Upon discovering a wounded soldier in an abandoned hut wearing the uniform of the enemy she decides to help him when he tells her he is an ally working with her government.
Ginger never dreams that helping this soldier can lead to a complete change in her life, affect her whole family and her closest friends. She puts herself in danger the moment she helps the soldier and danger stalks her every moment after that.
The story is action packed, romantic, and captivating. Once you start you will not want to stop until the end. The Narrator on the audio book is fantastic making the story come alive. The Characters are wonderfully portrayed, even the evil ones. The sights and sounds of the desert are amazingly brought to life.
This is one of the best stories this year and I truly would recommend it.
Thanks to Annabelle McCormack, IBPA Audio books, and NetGalley for allowing me a complimentary copy for my honest review.
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