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Wind Dancer #2
Storm Winds
Eighteenth-century France, where cunning intellects and glittering ballgowns concealed treacherous hearts...where madness swept a nation, and the last sound many noblemen heard was the terrible song of the guillotine's blade.
Brilliant and reputedly ruthless in business, Jean Marc Andreas is haunted by the exquisite statue of the Wind Dancer, the heritage of his family. He will defy any force of man or nature to get it back. Juliette de Clement IS a force of nature - a beautiful woman who will discover the firestorms of passion denied her by a cruel world.
Both want the Wind Dancer...both are determined to wrest it from the hands of unyielding royalty.
Together they will risk everything to get it, their quest taking them from stormy Paris to the tranquil gardens of southern France to the perilous mountains of Spain...And their passion for each other will grow to consume them as they are now consumed by their obsession for...THE WIND DANCER
Brilliant and reputedly ruthless in business, Jean Marc Andreas is haunted by the exquisite statue of the Wind Dancer, the heritage of his family. He will defy any force of man or nature to get it back. Juliette de Clement IS a force of nature - a beautiful woman who will discover the firestorms of passion denied her by a cruel world.
Both want the Wind Dancer...both are determined to wrest it from the hands of unyielding royalty.
Together they will risk everything to get it, their quest taking them from stormy Paris to the tranquil gardens of southern France to the perilous mountains of Spain...And their passion for each other will grow to consume them as they are now consumed by their obsession for...THE WIND DANCER
560 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1991
183 people are currently reading
1800 people want to read
About the author
Iris Johansen
226 books7,329 followersIris Johansen is a New York Times bestselling author. She began her writing after her children left home for college. She first achieved success in the early 1980s writing category romances. In 1991, Johansen began writing suspense historical romance novels, starting with the publication of The Wind Dancer. In 1996 Johansen switched genres, turning to crime fiction, with which she has had great success.
She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.
IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.
http://www.irisjohansen.com
She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.
IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.
http://www.irisjohansen.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 11, 2017
4.5 stars
Edit 11/07: In my warning, I should have added that there may be a few scenes that would not necessarily be considered as politically correct these days anymore, but nothing that I couldn't put in its historical context. Therefore, I had no qualms. Besides, it's a pre-2k book.
****
Two days ago, I decided to re-read this book - after a long, long, very long time. Another keeper of my teenage years and my favourite of the Wind Dancer series. Although, up until now I had no idea a 4th book had been written. That's definitely going to be the next one on my list.
Is it me or are the old romances generally richer in historical atmosphere and the writing more eloquent? That said, I guess it's me, though. I choose to review only a select few of the old books and they're usually the ones that have stayed with me. And this book gave me many, many moments that stayed with me.
I'll never forget the claustrophobic terror and panic the author had created with Storm Winds. Taking place shortly before and during the French Revolution, the bloodthirsty frenzy of the long-oppressed common people is seeping through the pages, seeking justice, but eventually exacting nothing but revenge, and incarcerating and killing anyone who may show royalist sympathies.
In the midst of this murderous mob are Juliette de Clement and Jean Marc Andreas, trying to stay alive, trying to get the Wind Dancer back, trying to flee a country falling into chaos and fanaticism.
The plot is highly complex as it's not only about the romance or the statuette of the Wind Dancer. There's a secondary romance which is poignant and, ultimately, so very emotionally satisfying. I found myself still aching for Catherine and François. Storm Winds goes further into the intrigues of the French Revolution, with Marie Antoinette, Robespierre, Danton and Marat all making appearances. This is still the best book that covers this time period, in my opinion. Also because it doesn't shy away from providing these real characters enough space to breathe life into the French Revolution. History is not used as a wallpaper; it's part of the story and its characters.
With 560 pages, spanning a time of over 4-5 years, it also gives the readers a chance to properly get to know the main protagonists. Juliette, in particular, bears all the marks of a TSTL heroine - rash behaviour and all. But as the reader sees Juliette grow up in her mother's shadow, one of Marie Antoinette's favourites, I got a better grip of her character and those 'Don't do it, Juliette!'-moments don't stem from the author's plot devices, but from a character that has a remarkably practical approach to life. Facing the horrors of mass rape and murder makes her only more determined to survive and she isn't afraid to take risks that would land her - under normal romancelandia circumstances - firmly in the TSTL category. Not so here. She's tenacious, headstrong - a true survivor.
Reading Storm Winds again, I honestly thought that I'd find Juliette too annoying. But no, she may not be the most likable heroine I've come across but definitely one of the strongest.
Her relationship with Jean Marc is - like the whole book - complicated and multi-faceted. Oh, and it's a deliciously slow burning, sensual relationship. Jean Marc fits more the old-school type of heroes, with an unhappy childhood, thanks to a manipulative stepmother. He's fascinated by Juliette right from the start, and his fascination grows believably, the more he sees of her personality. Now, he may be a proper little, broody hero to start with but he has some great moments. Anyone who has read this book may remember the 's'il vous plaît' scene.
At the beginning of my review, I mentioned that there were many moments in this book that have stayed with me over the years. The most poignant one is 'Tutto a te mi guida'. According to this author, the coat of arms of Axel von Fersen and Marie Antoinette's supposed lover. I did a quick research (aka Google check) and there are variations to this particular saying and its background.
"Tutto a te mi guida" means "Everything leads me to you" or "All things lead me to thee". Now, as a teenager with a hidden (sorry, I blame the atrocious covers) obsession for romance novels, I found this saying deeply romantic and wondrous and it has been with me ever since, sappy ol' me. And even now, when I sometimes look at my husband, it crosses my mind. Tutto a te mi guida.
A final word of warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. I did mention mass rape and murder, and though not gratuitous by any means, it's hard to stomach.
But what a hell of a ride this book is.
Edit 11/07: In my warning, I should have added that there may be a few scenes that would not necessarily be considered as politically correct these days anymore, but nothing that I couldn't put in its historical context. Therefore, I had no qualms. Besides, it's a pre-2k book.
****
Two days ago, I decided to re-read this book - after a long, long, very long time. Another keeper of my teenage years and my favourite of the Wind Dancer series. Although, up until now I had no idea a 4th book had been written. That's definitely going to be the next one on my list.
Is it me or are the old romances generally richer in historical atmosphere and the writing more eloquent? That said, I guess it's me, though. I choose to review only a select few of the old books and they're usually the ones that have stayed with me. And this book gave me many, many moments that stayed with me.
I'll never forget the claustrophobic terror and panic the author had created with Storm Winds. Taking place shortly before and during the French Revolution, the bloodthirsty frenzy of the long-oppressed common people is seeping through the pages, seeking justice, but eventually exacting nothing but revenge, and incarcerating and killing anyone who may show royalist sympathies.
In the midst of this murderous mob are Juliette de Clement and Jean Marc Andreas, trying to stay alive, trying to get the Wind Dancer back, trying to flee a country falling into chaos and fanaticism.
The plot is highly complex as it's not only about the romance or the statuette of the Wind Dancer. There's a secondary romance which is poignant and, ultimately, so very emotionally satisfying. I found myself still aching for Catherine and François. Storm Winds goes further into the intrigues of the French Revolution, with Marie Antoinette, Robespierre, Danton and Marat all making appearances. This is still the best book that covers this time period, in my opinion. Also because it doesn't shy away from providing these real characters enough space to breathe life into the French Revolution. History is not used as a wallpaper; it's part of the story and its characters.
With 560 pages, spanning a time of over 4-5 years, it also gives the readers a chance to properly get to know the main protagonists. Juliette, in particular, bears all the marks of a TSTL heroine - rash behaviour and all. But as the reader sees Juliette grow up in her mother's shadow, one of Marie Antoinette's favourites, I got a better grip of her character and those 'Don't do it, Juliette!'-moments don't stem from the author's plot devices, but from a character that has a remarkably practical approach to life. Facing the horrors of mass rape and murder makes her only more determined to survive and she isn't afraid to take risks that would land her - under normal romancelandia circumstances - firmly in the TSTL category. Not so here. She's tenacious, headstrong - a true survivor.
Reading Storm Winds again, I honestly thought that I'd find Juliette too annoying. But no, she may not be the most likable heroine I've come across but definitely one of the strongest.
Her relationship with Jean Marc is - like the whole book - complicated and multi-faceted. Oh, and it's a deliciously slow burning, sensual relationship. Jean Marc fits more the old-school type of heroes, with an unhappy childhood, thanks to a manipulative stepmother. He's fascinated by Juliette right from the start, and his fascination grows believably, the more he sees of her personality. Now, he may be a proper little, broody hero to start with but he has some great moments. Anyone who has read this book may remember the 's'il vous plaît' scene.
At the beginning of my review, I mentioned that there were many moments in this book that have stayed with me over the years. The most poignant one is 'Tutto a te mi guida'. According to this author, the coat of arms of Axel von Fersen and Marie Antoinette's supposed lover. I did a quick research (aka Google check) and there are variations to this particular saying and its background.
"Tutto a te mi guida" means "Everything leads me to you" or "All things lead me to thee". Now, as a teenager with a hidden (sorry, I blame the atrocious covers) obsession for romance novels, I found this saying deeply romantic and wondrous and it has been with me ever since, sappy ol' me. And even now, when I sometimes look at my husband, it crosses my mind. Tutto a te mi guida.
A final word of warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. I did mention mass rape and murder, and though not gratuitous by any means, it's hard to stomach.
But what a hell of a ride this book is.
July 18, 2017
Re-read for review purposes. (Oh, who am I kiddin, I frakkin love this series, and re-read it all the time.)
Second in Johansen’s 90’s romance series titled, "Wind Dancer", Storm Winds brings the Wind Dancer statue to revolutionary France. The Andreas family are the original owners of the statue that some say, the possesser of which, is granted a great power. Power which leads every army to victory. Now in the hands of French royalty, Jean Marc Andreas will stop at nothing to get it back for his ailing father.
Juliette de Clement, raised in the shadow of Marie Antoinette as well as the Wind Dancer, knows the reputed statue's where-abouts, and knows how to get it. Jean Marc will use her to do so but not before stormy passion rises between them.
But war and a deed witnessed so horrific, it haunts her still, impede the way of true love...as well as their path to The Wind Dancer.
Sigh. Le amor. Again too young heroine… but whatevs. The angst and Andreas's obsessive lust for her consumed me as much as their consuming passion for each other. The setting once again makes this hist-rom the very best.
They just don’t write ‘em like this anymore.
Second in Johansen’s 90’s romance series titled, "Wind Dancer", Storm Winds brings the Wind Dancer statue to revolutionary France. The Andreas family are the original owners of the statue that some say, the possesser of which, is granted a great power. Power which leads every army to victory. Now in the hands of French royalty, Jean Marc Andreas will stop at nothing to get it back for his ailing father.
Juliette de Clement, raised in the shadow of Marie Antoinette as well as the Wind Dancer, knows the reputed statue's where-abouts, and knows how to get it. Jean Marc will use her to do so but not before stormy passion rises between them.
But war and a deed witnessed so horrific, it haunts her still, impede the way of true love...as well as their path to The Wind Dancer.
Sigh. Le amor. Again too young heroine… but whatevs. The angst and Andreas's obsessive lust for her consumed me as much as their consuming passion for each other. The setting once again makes this hist-rom the very best.
They just don’t write ‘em like this anymore.
July 21, 2017
Very good historical romance set during French Revolution - the time period that fascinates me for many reasons. Thank you, Bubu, for your fantastic review Bubu that prompted me to try this story.
August 8, 2022
Read:2021
Fantastic!! Dives into the French Terror. Details are fascinating. Lots of history and romances.
The beginning is very disturbing but worth continuing...
Fantastic!! Dives into the French Terror. Details are fascinating. Lots of history and romances.
The beginning is very disturbing but worth continuing...
November 17, 2017
Masterful Sequel to Wind Dancer!
This is the second in the Wind Dancer trilogy (WIND DANCER, STORM WINDS, REAP THE WIND). WIND DANCER took place in the 16th century and told us the story of the founding of the Andreas and Vasaro families. It was wonderful and I gave it 5 stars. This sequel is also masterfully done. Johansen weaves a complex tale with many threads and many interesting characters. She does it so well you will be captivated. I don't think there is another romance author who does love scenes as well as she does. And one thing I really respect is that from novel to novel, her heroes and heroines are different with unique personalities and attributes. She is so good!
Storm Winds is set 200 years after Wind Dancer, in the late 18th century in France. It begins a few years before the dawn of the French Revolution as Jean Marc Andreas, heir to the Andreas shipping and banking business based in Marseilles, meets Juliette de Clement, a courageous but lonely young 14-year-old woman whose mother is a courtesan at the court of Marie Antoinette. Juliette takes care of Jean Marc (who is 10 years her senior) when he is injured and their time together at the inn is not forgotten by either of them. When Jean Marc has the chance to send his ward, Catherine Vasaro, to an abbey for an aristocrat's education, he asks the Queen to send Juliette with her. Juliette thinks it is so she can watch over the sensitive and fragile Catherine, but Jean Marc has other plans in mind. At the abbey, the girls come to be great friends and Juliette pursues her love of painting. Years later, as France's Reign of Terror begins, the revolutionaries attack the abbey, massacring and raping nuns and students. The two young women escape with their lives as one of the revolutionary leaders, Francois Etchelet, comes to their rescue and delivers them to Jean Marc's Paris home. Juliette, wanted for murder, asks for Jean Marc's protection in exchange for which she will use her connections with the Queen, who is now imprisoned in the Temple, to recover his family's once-prized possession, the golden statue of Pegasus--the Wind Dancer--last owned by the royal family and now missing. As Jean Marc and Juliette search for the Wind Dancer, they face treachery, danger and a city in the grip of the Revolution.
You will love this well told tale of a tumultuous time in the history of France. You will love Jean Marc, Francois, Juliette and Catherine. Amazing details, careful attention to detail and history. Highly recommended.
This is the second in the Wind Dancer trilogy (WIND DANCER, STORM WINDS, REAP THE WIND). WIND DANCER took place in the 16th century and told us the story of the founding of the Andreas and Vasaro families. It was wonderful and I gave it 5 stars. This sequel is also masterfully done. Johansen weaves a complex tale with many threads and many interesting characters. She does it so well you will be captivated. I don't think there is another romance author who does love scenes as well as she does. And one thing I really respect is that from novel to novel, her heroes and heroines are different with unique personalities and attributes. She is so good!
Storm Winds is set 200 years after Wind Dancer, in the late 18th century in France. It begins a few years before the dawn of the French Revolution as Jean Marc Andreas, heir to the Andreas shipping and banking business based in Marseilles, meets Juliette de Clement, a courageous but lonely young 14-year-old woman whose mother is a courtesan at the court of Marie Antoinette. Juliette takes care of Jean Marc (who is 10 years her senior) when he is injured and their time together at the inn is not forgotten by either of them. When Jean Marc has the chance to send his ward, Catherine Vasaro, to an abbey for an aristocrat's education, he asks the Queen to send Juliette with her. Juliette thinks it is so she can watch over the sensitive and fragile Catherine, but Jean Marc has other plans in mind. At the abbey, the girls come to be great friends and Juliette pursues her love of painting. Years later, as France's Reign of Terror begins, the revolutionaries attack the abbey, massacring and raping nuns and students. The two young women escape with their lives as one of the revolutionary leaders, Francois Etchelet, comes to their rescue and delivers them to Jean Marc's Paris home. Juliette, wanted for murder, asks for Jean Marc's protection in exchange for which she will use her connections with the Queen, who is now imprisoned in the Temple, to recover his family's once-prized possession, the golden statue of Pegasus--the Wind Dancer--last owned by the royal family and now missing. As Jean Marc and Juliette search for the Wind Dancer, they face treachery, danger and a city in the grip of the Revolution.
You will love this well told tale of a tumultuous time in the history of France. You will love Jean Marc, Francois, Juliette and Catherine. Amazing details, careful attention to detail and history. Highly recommended.
December 5, 2016
4.25 stars.
Read with caution, the story is too close to the history, there are mass raped, slaughtered, killing spree against women in this book.
Less romantic than previous book, but it's feel real with the situation in those French Revolution times, a scary time:(
I hated when I read them but I couldn't stop continue till it finished.
Ms. Johansen certainly not shy away to write a historical fact for her book.
If you loves Julie Garwood books, you probably won't like this book much, no sweet loving heroine or devoted hero for Ms. Johansen, however somehow they are perfect for each other.
If you can stomach few horribly scenes, you won't able to stop reading once you started..
Note, our heroine is not a rape victim, the secondary character does but she had been abused terribly.
Read with caution, the story is too close to the history, there are mass raped, slaughtered, killing spree against women in this book.
Less romantic than previous book, but it's feel real with the situation in those French Revolution times, a scary time:(
I hated when I read them but I couldn't stop continue till it finished.
Ms. Johansen certainly not shy away to write a historical fact for her book.
If you loves Julie Garwood books, you probably won't like this book much, no sweet loving heroine or devoted hero for Ms. Johansen, however somehow they are perfect for each other.
If you can stomach few horribly scenes, you won't able to stop reading once you started..
Note, our heroine is not a rape victim, the secondary character does but she had been abused terribly.
October 19, 2012
Why doesn't anyone write historical romance like this anymore?
August 14, 2015
I haven't read many books by Iris Johansen. And I can't remember I have ever read her historical romance. I generally enjoyed this book but I was definitely looking for something different.
I definitely didn't like the beginning. The tension between Juliette and Jean Marc... for God sake! She was fourteen! Of course I enjoyed Lolita but Storm Winds is a historical romance book, I expect my characters to be mature. And she was acting like she was much older but I think it was too much, it didn't seem believable.
And some parts of this book were very dark. This is not what I like in my romances. For most of the time, I like them light and fun. When I'm in mood for something darker, I'm reading some bloody thriller or suspense. And what happened to Catherine and the fear connected with the revolution and conspiration, it was a bit too much for my taste.
I haven't read other books in this series but one day I will. This was a really good book, I was just in mood for something else, not so dark probably. So it was not an easy read for me, still, I liked it.
I definitely didn't like the beginning. The tension between Juliette and Jean Marc... for God sake! She was fourteen! Of course I enjoyed Lolita but Storm Winds is a historical romance book, I expect my characters to be mature. And she was acting like she was much older but I think it was too much, it didn't seem believable.
And some parts of this book were very dark. This is not what I like in my romances. For most of the time, I like them light and fun. When I'm in mood for something darker, I'm reading some bloody thriller or suspense. And what happened to Catherine and the fear connected with the revolution and conspiration, it was a bit too much for my taste.
I haven't read other books in this series but one day I will. This was a really good book, I was just in mood for something else, not so dark probably. So it was not an easy read for me, still, I liked it.
February 26, 2008
I'm not saying that psychopaths didn't exist in the 19th century - no, indeed - but I find it hard to believe the word was commonly used, and that is just one of many anachronisms in this novel. But when the French revolutionaries began drinking the nuns' blood, I had to say NO to Iris Johansen.
August 29, 2018
Pe urmele Dansatorului de Iris Johansen este o carte foarte captivantă, deosebit de intensă emoțional, încărcată de metafore, oferindu-ne o lectură bogată și complexă.
Pe fundalul Revoluției franceze - o perioadă extrem de zbuciumată din punct de vedere istoric, se împletesc destinele mai multor personaje și avem de-a face cu două povești de iubire, ambele foarte frumoase și convingătoare.
Recenzia mea:
https://www.delicateseliterare.ro/pe-...
Pe fundalul Revoluției franceze - o perioadă extrem de zbuciumată din punct de vedere istoric, se împletesc destinele mai multor personaje și avem de-a face cu două povești de iubire, ambele foarte frumoase și convingătoare.
Recenzia mea:
https://www.delicateseliterare.ro/pe-...
July 27, 2017
As with any Iris Johansen book I can remember reading, this book is awesome! While I thoroughly enjoy her Eve Duncan Series and all of her current books, it saddens me that she doesn't write more historical romance. She's just so darn good at it! This book, the second in the Wind Dancer saga is set during the French Revolution and at times terrified me. Ms. Johansen's ability to take you places with her writing is astonishing. This is the second or third time I've read the series, but it's been years, so it was all sort of fresh and new for me. What I do know every time I start one of her books is that I need to have a clear schedule for a day or two. Once I start reading, I don't (can't) stop! Anything that gets in my way of my reading seriously annoys me (sorry honey!). At times, Storm Winds is difficult to read because it stays true to the times. The French Revolution was brutal and ugly; the characters who Ms. Johansen masterfully develops aren't spared the ugliness or the brutality. But, it is necessary for the story, and helps them to grow and triumph. Two beautiful love stories in one book. The Wind Dancer and both the Vasaro and Andreas family are the ties that bring us from the first story to the second. I'm currently reading Reap the Wind, the 3rd book in the Wind Dancer Series. It's also incredible and I highly recommend it! The only reason I'm not reading it at the moment is because my Kindle had to do an automatic update. That's finished now, and so is my review. Happy reading. 😊
October 3, 2010
This is my fav book for all of 2010, so far!!! Oh, it has everything.......suspense, sensual romance, murders, 2 love stories in one book............that's what I love about Iris......
Taken in France right before Marie A was beheaded......wow, what a book......must read it.
Taken in France right before Marie A was beheaded......wow, what a book......must read it.
March 2, 2010
I don't know why this author shifted to writing suspense rather than romance and sexy theme. He's really good in it. Try this book... A thumbs up
January 30, 2013
Great series.
January 20, 2019
Once I start re-reading the series, I can't stop!
Again, not apologizing for this one, or my rating of it.
What appeals in this story?
1. Setting in the French Revolution (what can I say -- The Scarlet Pimpernel series is some of my all time favorite schmaltz!).
2. The strength of the women.
3. S'il-vous-plait!
4. Sensuality.
5. The secondary love story is sooo sweet.
The atrocities of the French Revolution really come to life in this story, so not for the faint of heart, or easily triggered. Johansen, like Stuart, does an excellent job of creating depraved, psychotic villains that the reader desperately wants to see get their comeuppance. And generally, she delivers.
For all the darkness and chaos that is the backdrop of the book, the author manages to impress me with the indomitable thread of hope that runs through the story -- hope for redemption, forgiveness, love, freedom, and even just the hope of survival. The main characters make the personal journey from fear to courage, although with great difficulty and burdened by their flaws and scars.
This book stays on my personal list of re-readable books!
Again, not apologizing for this one, or my rating of it.
What appeals in this story?
1. Setting in the French Revolution (what can I say -- The Scarlet Pimpernel series is some of my all time favorite schmaltz!).
2. The strength of the women.
3. S'il-vous-plait!
4. Sensuality.
5. The secondary love story is sooo sweet.
The atrocities of the French Revolution really come to life in this story, so not for the faint of heart, or easily triggered. Johansen, like Stuart, does an excellent job of creating depraved, psychotic villains that the reader desperately wants to see get their comeuppance. And generally, she delivers.
For all the darkness and chaos that is the backdrop of the book, the author manages to impress me with the indomitable thread of hope that runs through the story -- hope for redemption, forgiveness, love, freedom, and even just the hope of survival. The main characters make the personal journey from fear to courage, although with great difficulty and burdened by their flaws and scars.
This book stays on my personal list of re-readable books!
April 22, 2018
I was so close to rating this book a two and if I wasn't already a fan of Iris Johansen then I probably would have rated this lower. The enjoyable parts of this book is definitely the author's writing, the flow and pace of the story, and the side characters Catherine and Francois. I really wish that the author had concentrated more on their stories than on Juliette and Jean Marc. A lot of reviewers argue that because this book was set in the past that means having the male lead fall for and seduce a 16 year old female is fine. I can kind of go along with that but how can I only be the one to find it creepy that he has wanted her since she was 13 and was just waiting for her to get older? After that the story was not really romantic to me but I could get past it except I disliked Juliette intensely. I love strong, independent female characters but I hate the ones that think they are right and refuse to listen to others yet they have no experience AT ALL IN THAT AREA.
September 26, 2021
I really hate reading any book set during the French Revolution, because it was a time of madness and horror and so depressing to know that people can be that way. This book, on the other hand, has moments of beauty to offset the moments of ugliness, and I was able to get through it with no other consequences but dread hanging over me as to what might happen to the main protagonists. I found the book very believable. The author doesn't have something happen to a character who then soon goes on her merry way as if it never happened. You suffer along with Catherine. The two main characters were less likeable to me. I found them brash and unfeeling in many ways. Juliette is suffering in her own way, so there is some excuse and later we learn that there are reasons for Jean-Marc's behavior as well. On the whole, the book is excellently done, but I doubt that I will read it a third time.
February 11, 2018
I enjoyed the thriller aspect of the novel and I was more interested by this treatment of the French revolution than assassin's creed unity but the main romance just grossed me out with his I'm waiting for you to be an acceptable prospect but I've lusted after you since you were 14 and her naivete just and it worse for me. Catherine and François were super cute though.
Actually at the beginning i wanted Juilette to ignore the dude and just straight up romance Catherine, they would have been much happier (I can normally deal with the cisheteronormativity from these book because I know what's up going in but this had a really good friendship in it with nice development beats that felt real that I don't normally see and the main dude just super grossed me out)
Actually at the beginning i wanted Juilette to ignore the dude and just straight up romance Catherine, they would have been much happier (I can normally deal with the cisheteronormativity from these book because I know what's up going in but this had a really good friendship in it with nice development beats that felt real that I don't normally see and the main dude just super grossed me out)
September 20, 2022
This was one of those "Why didn't I read you sooner?" sorts of books. My mom bought this for who-knows-what-reason and never read it. Since I had nothing to do back then, I took this book from her bedside table and just randomly flipped the pages, reading it out of boredom. The words, the descriptions, the way the scene and events unfolded just had me so intrigued that I took the book and never returned it. This book made me fall in love with historical drama. I was young back when I first read this, so all the new information, such as the age gap, the monarchy, the SA, and the use of French terms, had me up all night with a blanket and dictionary on standby. The ending was satisfying as heck and I just felt so lucky that mom bought this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2018
I enjoyed this historical romance, although the genre doesn’t usually appeal to me. I bought this book based on the author’s name, but this novel is quite different from her usual writing. As I expected, the book is skillfully written, and it kept my interest throughout after I adjusted to the book’s being so different from what I expected.
September 2, 2018
Even though this is the second book in the series you cannot tell and it is a great read. Well written and easy to follow. It is a little slow at first in relating to the title and plot summarization provided but hard to put down.
Read
April 29, 2023Juliette & Jean Marc Andreas get caught in the middle of the French Revolution. Royals are being raped and killed and the country is falling to the hands of power-hungry thugs. Their challenge is to do the right thing and escape with their lives.
July 21, 2024
4.5 Stars
Storm Winds is the second engrossing instalment in the Wind Dancer series by Iris Johansen. This is another great historical romance story full of mystery, tension, intrigue, suspense, dramatic developments, emotion, and more.
Well worth the read.
Storm Winds is the second engrossing instalment in the Wind Dancer series by Iris Johansen. This is another great historical romance story full of mystery, tension, intrigue, suspense, dramatic developments, emotion, and more.
Well worth the read.
October 6, 2024
Good
I loved this book so such, my favourite couple was François and Catherine. The very emotional scenes, I cried. It's a four part series through many centuries up to present day.
I loved this book so such, my favourite couple was François and Catherine. The very emotional scenes, I cried. It's a four part series through many centuries up to present day.
April 26, 2018
One of my favorite books of all time!
November 25, 2018
This book is the best is the best in the Wind Dancer Series.
January 24, 2020
A very good Historical Romance that fascinates me for many reasons.
November 28, 2020
Timeless Series
The writing is fluid and the characters intriguing. Great fun for everyone. The history lesson is very easy and enjoyable
The writing is fluid and the characters intriguing. Great fun for everyone. The history lesson is very easy and enjoyable
October 30, 2022
Too long winded, many of the chapters were not needed.
May 29, 2023
Cut out half of the sex and you have a smoother more interesting read.
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