Burning Sky by Lori Benton - Review

Disclosure: I received this book in exchange for review. The following post contains some advertisement.

"I remember the borders of our land, though I have been gone from them nearly half the moons of my life. But who there will remember me? What I have seen, what I have done, it has changed me."

Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.

When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.

Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?

This book is available through WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing and various other retailers.

About the Author: 

Lori Benton was born and raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American and family history going back to the 1600s. Her novels transport readers to the 18th century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history, creating a melting pot of characters drawn from both sides of a turbulent and shifting frontier, brought together in the bonds of God's transforming grace. She spent her late teens and early twenties pursuing a career as a wildlife artist, attending the Maryland College of Art & Design before she began painting professionally. When not writing or researching, Lori can be found exploring the mountains of southern Oregon with her husband, Brian. Burning Sky was her first novel. You can learn more about Lori and her book on her websitehttp://loribenton.blogspot.com/

Please return on Friday for an interview with Lori and the chance to win her newest novel The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. N other compensation given. 

My Thoughts:

This is a captivating tale of courage. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Willa returns to her childhood home, only to discover things are no longer the same. She struggles with her life between two worlds, and in some ways I was able to relate to that; as I myself have lived in two different cultures. Which world was she really from? Would she ever fit in? What to do about Neil the Scotsman and Joseph Tames-His-Horse, her Mohawk brother who not only came to find her but loves her.  There is also, Richard Warring to deal with.  In her past as a teen, he was a close friend, maybe more, but now he has turned into a hard man. One determined to have her land, which is up for auction due to her family's supposed loyalties. So many twists and turns to the story, you will keep reading! Although, Willa has lived among the Mohawks for years her faith is in God, and Joseph also is a Christian. 

I was hooked from the start.  A tale of history, romance, and strength woven through the characters. A tale that depicts the happenings of the era and what those in our country suffered and endured to make our nation what it is today.  Definitely recommended!

To read my friend Starr's thoughts on the book also you can go HERE