What do you think?
Rate this book
Santa Fe Trilogy #1
Night Wind's Woman
Proud and untamable as a lioness, Orlena vows she will never submit to her renegade Indian captor, who nightly teases her body into a frenzy of longing. For though his touch promises ecstacy, his long-ago betrayal has made him Orlena's enemy. But a bond even stronger than love will make her Night Wind's woman. Reissue.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
34 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Shirl Henke
63 books77 followersaka Alexa Hunt.
Working my way through college provided great life experiences for a novelist. One problem. I didn’t know I was destined to write books. Instead, I floundered around during and after receiving my B.A. and M.A. in history from the University of Missouri. None of my wide variety of jobs satisfied me: cashier for a loan company, public welfare caseworker, assistant circulation manager for a small daily, editor for several “house organ” newspapers, administrator of a federal information program for the elderly.
Finally I was offered the opportunity to use my history degrees, teaching in a large urban university in the Northeast. I truly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, when the history requirement was dropped for incoming students, so was my instructorship. After that I taught gerontology, sociology, proposal writing for social service agencies and freshman composition at the same university. Further life experiences. My last two years of teaching were in remedial English—just the nudge I needed to take this writing thing seriously.
Since childhood I’ve been an avid reader, everything from Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi adventures to Frank Yerby’s historical romantic sagas. More recently I became hooked on thrillers. Since childhood I had story ideas in my head, but never the epiphany to write them. Okay, maybe I just didn’t have the courage. But there were just so many times I could explain what a verb was to a college senior before I realized that maybe writing a book might be easier. I sold my first novel, a big historical romance titled GOLDEN LADY, to Warner Books in 1985. Within two years, I quit remedial comp. Now I can't imagine doing anything but writing for a living. In 2005 I switched over to the “dark side.” Tor published two political thrillers, CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY and HOMELAND SECURITY under the pseudonym Alexa Hunt. I’ve also written romantic suspense for Penguin Onyx and Silhouette Bombshell as Shirl Henke. Since I began my career, I’ve appeared on the USA TODAY bestseller list, been a RITA Finalist twice, received a BookraK Bestseller Award, and won three Career Achievement Awards, an Industry Award and three Reviewers Choice Awards from Romantic Times.
My husband Jim Henke is a former cabdriver, bartender, sailor, judo instructor and English professor. He's a scholarly authority on obscene slang and a master at its use, but an astonishingly understanding man who puts up with my all-night writing sprees and sudden dashes to my desk to jot down bits of dialogue as dinner burns on the stove. Since he took early retirement from academe, he has helped me brainstorm plots and research my novels.
After four years in the U.S. Air Force, our son Matt works in telecommunications and lives in an adjacent county with his brute of a cat, Max. Jim and I now share our cedar house in the woods with a pair of utterly adorable tomcats, Inky and Pewter, whose destructive capacity rivals that of a medium sized thermonuclear weapon. But just as life without writing would be unimaginable, so would life without cats.
For therapy when I'm not at the computer or off researching a new book, I cook large dinners for our extended family, putter in my garden and greenhouse, and still read voraciously. When deadlines permit, I love to travel. I'm a member of the Author's Guild, Romance Writers of America, Missouri Romance Writers, Sisters in Crime, Novelists Inc. and International Thriller Writers
I wrote my first twenty-two novels in longhand with a ball-point pen--it's hard to get good quills these days. Dragged into the 21st century, I now use one of those "devil machines. Another troglodyte bites the dust
Working my way through college provided great life experiences for a novelist. One problem. I didn’t know I was destined to write books. Instead, I floundered around during and after receiving my B.A. and M.A. in history from the University of Missouri. None of my wide variety of jobs satisfied me: cashier for a loan company, public welfare caseworker, assistant circulation manager for a small daily, editor for several “house organ” newspapers, administrator of a federal information program for the elderly.
Finally I was offered the opportunity to use my history degrees, teaching in a large urban university in the Northeast. I truly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, when the history requirement was dropped for incoming students, so was my instructorship. After that I taught gerontology, sociology, proposal writing for social service agencies and freshman composition at the same university. Further life experiences. My last two years of teaching were in remedial English—just the nudge I needed to take this writing thing seriously.
Since childhood I’ve been an avid reader, everything from Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi adventures to Frank Yerby’s historical romantic sagas. More recently I became hooked on thrillers. Since childhood I had story ideas in my head, but never the epiphany to write them. Okay, maybe I just didn’t have the courage. But there were just so many times I could explain what a verb was to a college senior before I realized that maybe writing a book might be easier. I sold my first novel, a big historical romance titled GOLDEN LADY, to Warner Books in 1985. Within two years, I quit remedial comp. Now I can't imagine doing anything but writing for a living. In 2005 I switched over to the “dark side.” Tor published two political thrillers, CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY and HOMELAND SECURITY under the pseudonym Alexa Hunt. I’ve also written romantic suspense for Penguin Onyx and Silhouette Bombshell as Shirl Henke. Since I began my career, I’ve appeared on the USA TODAY bestseller list, been a RITA Finalist twice, received a BookraK Bestseller Award, and won three Career Achievement Awards, an Industry Award and three Reviewers Choice Awards from Romantic Times.
My husband Jim Henke is a former cabdriver, bartender, sailor, judo instructor and English professor. He's a scholarly authority on obscene slang and a master at its use, but an astonishingly understanding man who puts up with my all-night writing sprees and sudden dashes to my desk to jot down bits of dialogue as dinner burns on the stove. Since he took early retirement from academe, he has helped me brainstorm plots and research my novels.
After four years in the U.S. Air Force, our son Matt works in telecommunications and lives in an adjacent county with his brute of a cat, Max. Jim and I now share our cedar house in the woods with a pair of utterly adorable tomcats, Inky and Pewter, whose destructive capacity rivals that of a medium sized thermonuclear weapon. But just as life without writing would be unimaginable, so would life without cats.
For therapy when I'm not at the computer or off researching a new book, I cook large dinners for our extended family, putter in my garden and greenhouse, and still read voraciously. When deadlines permit, I love to travel. I'm a member of the Author's Guild, Romance Writers of America, Missouri Romance Writers, Sisters in Crime, Novelists Inc. and International Thriller Writers
I wrote my first twenty-two novels in longhand with a ball-point pen--it's hard to get good quills these days. Dragged into the 21st century, I now use one of those "devil machines. Another troglodyte bites the dust
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 31, 2015
I'm really torn about this book because certain aspects of it were 5 star quality while others were 2 star quality. But in the end, there were more things about this book that frustrated me so I landed on a 3 overall.
What I loved:
- Excellent character development. The author did a really great job of developing all of the characters and there is quite a large cast in this book with several key secondary characters. Night Wind is a truly honorable hero at heart that you can't help but love despite the fact that he rides that line between good and bad in his drive to seek revenge. By the end of the book, I really liked Orlena, but I have to admit I almost tossed this book in the DNF pile because I hated her so much in the beginning. Her character really grows and develops over the course of the book and by the end I was completely won over by her.
- Rich in history and great story telling. The author's writing is really fluid and easy to read. Her descriptions are wonderful and I could picture everything vividly in my head while reading the book.
- My heart literally ached for Night Wind and Orlena in the first half of the book. I was very emotionally invested in these two and I loved reading every minute of them while they were together.
Which brings me to....
What I didn't like:
- The second half of this book frustrated the hell out of me. Night Wind and Orlena are separated for way too much time in the second half and when they are together, they're constantly at odds / fighting. YUCK! I hate that.
- While a complex story line can be very enjoyable, I think it is possible to overdo it. This story felt overly complex and in my opinion detracted from the romance. If I'm thinking in my head "Oh, please just let them get together already", then that isn't a good thing.
- Also, it took at least 5 chapters to set this story line up, so it was a really SLOW start. And because I hated the heroine so much in the beginning, the slow start combined with the horrible heroine almost caused me to stop reading. I'm glad I kept going.
- Finally, I despise it when an author allows infidelity into a romance book. I don't care what the circumstances are, I don't care how angry the characters are with each other, I don't care...don't go there. Period. But that is probably just me.
I'm sure there are a lot of readers that will adore this book - especially those who love highly complex story lines where there is a lot more than just the H/h romance going on and if you don't mind large sections where the H/h are separated. I would definitely read another book by this author. It was obvious that she put a lot of time into learning the history of this time period.
What I loved:
- Excellent character development. The author did a really great job of developing all of the characters and there is quite a large cast in this book with several key secondary characters. Night Wind is a truly honorable hero at heart that you can't help but love despite the fact that he rides that line between good and bad in his drive to seek revenge. By the end of the book, I really liked Orlena, but I have to admit I almost tossed this book in the DNF pile because I hated her so much in the beginning. Her character really grows and develops over the course of the book and by the end I was completely won over by her.
- Rich in history and great story telling. The author's writing is really fluid and easy to read. Her descriptions are wonderful and I could picture everything vividly in my head while reading the book.
- My heart literally ached for Night Wind and Orlena in the first half of the book. I was very emotionally invested in these two and I loved reading every minute of them while they were together.
Which brings me to....
What I didn't like:
- The second half of this book frustrated the hell out of me. Night Wind and Orlena are separated for way too much time in the second half and when they are together, they're constantly at odds / fighting. YUCK! I hate that.
- While a complex story line can be very enjoyable, I think it is possible to overdo it. This story felt overly complex and in my opinion detracted from the romance. If I'm thinking in my head "Oh, please just let them get together already", then that isn't a good thing.
- Also, it took at least 5 chapters to set this story line up, so it was a really SLOW start. And because I hated the heroine so much in the beginning, the slow start combined with the horrible heroine almost caused me to stop reading. I'm glad I kept going.
- Finally, I despise it when an author allows infidelity into a romance book. I don't care what the circumstances are, I don't care how angry the characters are with each other, I don't care...don't go there. Period. But that is probably just me.
I'm sure there are a lot of readers that will adore this book - especially those who love highly complex story lines where there is a lot more than just the H/h romance going on and if you don't mind large sections where the H/h are separated. I would definitely read another book by this author. It was obvious that she put a lot of time into learning the history of this time period.
October 21, 2011
First off I want to say that I did love this book but I gave it 4 1/2 * because there is a character in the book ,She Who Dreams, that has the gift of sigh and I can't stand that. Though I do have to say that it didn't play a huge part in the book. I also want to point out that I did mark this one down on my "forced seduction" shelf, this happens towards the end of the book after the two protagonists are married. When they first make love she comes to him willingly.
Night Wind/Joaquin (H) is a half-caste, part Lipan Apache and part Irish. His father is the Irish part and has nothing to do with him, believing that the Apache are less than human. Though it is never said in the book but I believe he is the product of a rape. As a child Night Winds band of Lipan Apache are slaughtered and he is sold into slavery for the Spanish to work in the silver mines. He escapes while still a child but barley and when a kindly Fray Bartolome finds him near death, he takes him in and nurses him back to health. He gives him the name Joaquin and teaches him everything he needs to know to live amoung the Spanish. When he is healed and old enough he decides to leave Fray Bartolome, though he really loves the man like a father, and go back to being Night Wind and find another band of Lipan Apache to live with. Though he as vowed to get revenge on his hated enemy Conal Quinn and he'll stop at nothing until he gets it.
Orlena (h) the daughter of a rich faimly in Madrid Spain. She was very young when her father died but mostly she just remembered his as being very unloving and cold to her, he was the same to her older brother Ignacio. When she was 5 years old her mother remarried a man named Conal Quinn and everything changed for her. He gave he tons of attention and always made her feel special. When her little brother Santiago was born everything was just perfect for her, he was a loving little brother unlike her older brother who was more like her father. Life was perfect until she was 18 and Conal had been reasigned to go to New Spain, he was taking Santiago with him but Ignacio had arrainged a marriage for Orlena so she had to stay. The night before they were to leave Orlena's intended tries to rape her, convinced that she could never handle being married to such a horrible man she convinces Conal to take her with him and Santiago, so dressed as a boy her adventure begins.
When Night Wind finds out that his hated enemy is in New Spain he hatches a plan to kidnapp his son, Santiago. When he finds out that his co-horts had actually grabbed the stepdaughter instead he could never imagine how this mistake would change his life.
Night Wind/Joaquin (H) is a half-caste, part Lipan Apache and part Irish. His father is the Irish part and has nothing to do with him, believing that the Apache are less than human. Though it is never said in the book but I believe he is the product of a rape. As a child Night Winds band of Lipan Apache are slaughtered and he is sold into slavery for the Spanish to work in the silver mines. He escapes while still a child but barley and when a kindly Fray Bartolome finds him near death, he takes him in and nurses him back to health. He gives him the name Joaquin and teaches him everything he needs to know to live amoung the Spanish. When he is healed and old enough he decides to leave Fray Bartolome, though he really loves the man like a father, and go back to being Night Wind and find another band of Lipan Apache to live with. Though he as vowed to get revenge on his hated enemy Conal Quinn and he'll stop at nothing until he gets it.
Orlena (h) the daughter of a rich faimly in Madrid Spain. She was very young when her father died but mostly she just remembered his as being very unloving and cold to her, he was the same to her older brother Ignacio. When she was 5 years old her mother remarried a man named Conal Quinn and everything changed for her. He gave he tons of attention and always made her feel special. When her little brother Santiago was born everything was just perfect for her, he was a loving little brother unlike her older brother who was more like her father. Life was perfect until she was 18 and Conal had been reasigned to go to New Spain, he was taking Santiago with him but Ignacio had arrainged a marriage for Orlena so she had to stay. The night before they were to leave Orlena's intended tries to rape her, convinced that she could never handle being married to such a horrible man she convinces Conal to take her with him and Santiago, so dressed as a boy her adventure begins.
When Night Wind finds out that his hated enemy is in New Spain he hatches a plan to kidnapp his son, Santiago. When he finds out that his co-horts had actually grabbed the stepdaughter instead he could never imagine how this mistake would change his life.
November 24, 2015
Superb Storytelling in this Love Story from the Old West!
Let me just say at the outset that I am a HUGE fan of Shirl Henke. CAPTURE THE SUN is a particular favorite of mine, but all of her Western historical romances that I’ve read are excellent. This is no exception. It’s the first in her Santa Fe Trilogy (NIGHT WIND'S WOMAN, WHITE APACHE'S WOMAN and DEEP AS THE RIVERS).
Set in 1787 in the north of Mexico and New Mexico, it tells the story of a half Apache-half white renegade, Night Wind (his Apache name), who as a child was taken captive by the Spaniards and forced to work in the mines, virtually a death sentence. Keenly intelligent, he escaped and was raised and educated by the Catholic fathers. As an adult, he regained his Apache roots and works to free Indian prisoners and take vengeance on the Spanish conquerors. His hated enemy is an Irish mercenary who is now the Governor. Night Wind decides to take captive the son of the Governor and raise him as an Apache. Instead, by mistake, he captures the Governor’s stepdaughter, Orlena Valdez, a beautiful golden-haired Spanish Castilian. Orlena is no shrinking noblewoman. She is educated, outspoken and willing to fight for fair treatment for the Indian prisoners. It never occurred to her that sneaking out in boys clothes to view a festival would land her in the arms of Night Wind.
In her well-researched, intricately detailed novel, Henke captures the feel of the Old West as she weaves a wonderful story of cruelty, injustice and revenge—revenge that is conquered by both goodness and love. She brings us into the time when Spain dominated not only Mexico, but what would one day become the Southwestern United States, a time when both the Apache and the Comanche were preyed upon and sought their revenge on the white man. As Henke recognizes in her Author’s Note, there were good and bad men among both camps.
I highly recommend this one!
Let me just say at the outset that I am a HUGE fan of Shirl Henke. CAPTURE THE SUN is a particular favorite of mine, but all of her Western historical romances that I’ve read are excellent. This is no exception. It’s the first in her Santa Fe Trilogy (NIGHT WIND'S WOMAN, WHITE APACHE'S WOMAN and DEEP AS THE RIVERS).
Set in 1787 in the north of Mexico and New Mexico, it tells the story of a half Apache-half white renegade, Night Wind (his Apache name), who as a child was taken captive by the Spaniards and forced to work in the mines, virtually a death sentence. Keenly intelligent, he escaped and was raised and educated by the Catholic fathers. As an adult, he regained his Apache roots and works to free Indian prisoners and take vengeance on the Spanish conquerors. His hated enemy is an Irish mercenary who is now the Governor. Night Wind decides to take captive the son of the Governor and raise him as an Apache. Instead, by mistake, he captures the Governor’s stepdaughter, Orlena Valdez, a beautiful golden-haired Spanish Castilian. Orlena is no shrinking noblewoman. She is educated, outspoken and willing to fight for fair treatment for the Indian prisoners. It never occurred to her that sneaking out in boys clothes to view a festival would land her in the arms of Night Wind.
In her well-researched, intricately detailed novel, Henke captures the feel of the Old West as she weaves a wonderful story of cruelty, injustice and revenge—revenge that is conquered by both goodness and love. She brings us into the time when Spain dominated not only Mexico, but what would one day become the Southwestern United States, a time when both the Apache and the Comanche were preyed upon and sought their revenge on the white man. As Henke recognizes in her Author’s Note, there were good and bad men among both camps.
I highly recommend this one!
April 2, 2025
Всичкото хубаво, само тоя miscommunication кога най-сетне ще го зарежат писателките като мотив? Тук се търпи и има що-годе логика…
April 19, 2023
This was pretty much just
Night Wind: I must kill my father, your stepfather!
Conal: I must kill my son, your husband!
Ignacio: I must kill you all!
Orlena: [puts her foot in her mouth]
Night Wind: [puts his foot in his mouth]
Bartolome: Please just make up already.
Night Wind: No!
Orlena: No!
[rinse and repeat until the end]
There was so much unnecessary conflict between Night Wind and Orlena because neither one of them would communicate with the other. Night Wind annoyed the crap out of me because he wrote a letter literally saying that he was just going to use Orlena and give her back to Conal a soiled dove, she finds the letter and reads it, she gets rightfully upset about it and doesn’t trust him anymore, and then suddenly he doesn’t trust her and he’s accusing her of being the actress who was faking everything.
He is so mean to her throughout the book, it’s unreal. He calls her a whore, and then he brings her to his mistress’s house - who was sleeping with while they were still married! He accuses Orlena of sleeping with everyone while they were separated when he was literally the one cheating. He abandons during her pregnancy to go raiding and then gives her and the baby the cold shoulder. He just constantly provokes her until she snaps back, and then he’s all, “See, I knew it!”
Very frustrating read.
Night Wind: I must kill my father, your stepfather!
Conal: I must kill my son, your husband!
Ignacio: I must kill you all!
Orlena: [puts her foot in her mouth]
Night Wind: [puts his foot in his mouth]
Bartolome: Please just make up already.
Night Wind: No!
Orlena: No!
[rinse and repeat until the end]
There was so much unnecessary conflict between Night Wind and Orlena because neither one of them would communicate with the other. Night Wind annoyed the crap out of me because he wrote a letter literally saying that he was just going to use Orlena and give her back to Conal a soiled dove, she finds the letter and reads it, she gets rightfully upset about it and doesn’t trust him anymore, and then suddenly he doesn’t trust her and he’s accusing her of being the actress who was faking everything.
He is so mean to her throughout the book, it’s unreal. He calls her a whore, and then he brings her to his mistress’s house - who was sleeping with while they were still married! He accuses Orlena of sleeping with everyone while they were separated when he was literally the one cheating. He abandons during her pregnancy to go raiding and then gives her and the baby the cold shoulder. He just constantly provokes her until she snaps back, and then he’s all, “See, I knew it!”
Very frustrating read.
March 16, 2012
The usual old western. Awful title, same old plot (Innocent rich European virgin comes to the States, gets kidnapped by a vengeful mixed-race native American (with Hidden past!), they fall in love, she gets adopted into the tribe, miscommunication, she loses a baby, they get separated, mad but still in love with one another, they overcome his past, settle on a ranch) The cover is surprisingly better than the rest, pretty accurately detailing one of the scenes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2022
promising blurb
but couldnt care about the main couple unfortunately
and it took so long for things to get started
the heroine is supposed to be special, different from other girls
yada yada yada
she is just annoying
but couldnt care about the main couple unfortunately
and it took so long for things to get started
the heroine is supposed to be special, different from other girls
yada yada yada
she is just annoying
October 16, 2022
Good read with plenty of action and romance. He is a Half breed and she is of Spanish aristocracy. She has no idea that his white father is actually her stepfather. Lots of twists and turns to keep you interested.
August 27, 2018
Amazing
Amazing book, so full of adventure, suspense, mystery, intrigue, twist and turns it will have you from the beginning, keeps you wanting more.
Amazing book, so full of adventure, suspense, mystery, intrigue, twist and turns it will have you from the beginning, keeps you wanting more.
May 1, 2016
Orlena is freshly arrived from Spain when she is mistakenly kidnapped in place of her little brother. Once the mistake has been realized Night Wind decides to use her as part of his revenge plot on her stepfather Conal Quinn. Orlena is immersed into Lipan Indian life and soon hearts are involved. But the couple has many twists and turns and betrayal ahead of them before they can get a happily ever after. Plenty of wonderful characters with rich personality and the evil characters were rotten to the core. Even though I did guess at Night Wind's parentage early in the story it still didn't detract from that part of the story line for me. I will definitely read Santiago's story White Apache's Woman in the future.
December 10, 2025
4.5 stars! Excellent book. It’s very angsty, there’s pride, fear of rejection, and big misunderstandings that could be resolved if they would just talk and believe the other one. Ah, but sometimes trust is very tough to give. If these things frustrate you this book is not for you. Night Hawk is a great hero, but he definitely has flaws and is consumed with revenge. Orlena, I liked her and her character grew as did the H’s. Ending seemed a little last minute and short on the resolution of all. Unfortunately there’s no epilogue. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of the two of them together and happy. Definitely recommend this one. I really enjoy Shirl Henke’s books.
March 21, 2023
Night Wind’s Woman by Shirl Henke (1991) … a highly developed plot and a long simmering love hate saga between the MCs. The hero, of Apache and white heritage, captures the Spanish heroine and takes her to his remote Apache stronghold as the dramatic story plays out over two years against the backdrop of the wars between the conquering Spanish and Native Americans. Excellent, plenty of passionate sex scenes.., highly recommend.
May 22, 2014
What a story. I love it. That historical story has everything, revenge, passion and love. Two people from different cultures must learn have to trust, to understand and to love each other. I will definitely read more from the same author and this series.
Read
September 16, 2014Just not into it. It had potential. A relatively interesting setting, spanning 2 continents and a plot that interested me, but the protags had zero chemistry and I just lost interest. Maybe I'll finish it later.
June 16, 2015
Night Wine's Woman
I chose a five rating due the balance of beautiful writing and the love of Night Wind and his woman. The dark since of love and hate played out by the characters of the book. Another d the deep role the Lipan women played in the histor
I chose a five rating due the balance of beautiful writing and the love of Night Wind and his woman. The dark since of love and hate played out by the characters of the book. Another d the deep role the Lipan women played in the histor
July 12, 2016
I have strong mixed feelings about this book. There were times I disliked it immensely and others times I loved it! I hold the opinion that if a book can create such extreme emotions from the reader then the author has succeeded in writing a good story.
Read
July 2, 2009really bad!
August 5, 2014
I really couldn`t finish this boring book :(
May 6, 2015
Won of your best
Very good. well written. lots of history. would definitely like the way you put the lovers problems and made it a real story
Very good. well written. lots of history. would definitely like the way you put the lovers problems and made it a real story
June 4, 2015
Very authentic historical romance!!!
April 6, 2022
Love this book although some was sad. You have the evil men too but I did really enjoy this.
October 12, 2017
Bleh. Don't read this. It was horrid.
November 20, 2014
Very entertaining book! Loved it. Lots of plot and drama.
April 13, 2017
The hero has a mistress. I was completely blindsided. I absolutely hate cheating books and it is conveniently swept under the rug. Everything forgiven just because the hero had just "üsed"her(the mistress). Wish someone would have warned me. This book left me with a small ache in my heart and not in good way. The two stars just because the writing was good.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews