"Chock-full of secrets and spies, love and betrayal, danger and adventure, all of which is set against the devastating backdrop of WWI, Windswept by Annabelle McCormack is a sumptuous, fast-paced, and riveting read that'll have you cheering for the heroine until the very end." -Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Sister Dear and You Will Remember Me.
"Windswept is a delightful, ripsnorting adventure with a feisty heroine, a breathless pace, and endless adventure, intrigue, and romance. You will smile from cover to cover. This will remind you how enjoyable a good book can be." -William Bernhardt, bestselling author of the Ben Kincaid and Daniel Pike series
"Suspenseful, sexy, and moving, Windswept is a great choice for those looking for strong female leads in their historical fiction. Ginger will inspire you; the story will enthrall you; and the passionate romance will win you over." -Samantha Hui, Independent Book Review
"A neophyte nurse becomes an accidental but effective spy in this gripping adventure." -Kirkus Reviews
"Windswept is a whirlwind of an adventure. From the edge-of-your seat suspense, to the passionate romance...you won't be able to put this book down!" -Lisa Boyle, author of Signed, A Paddy
"...akin to an Arabian version of Gone With the Wind, juxtaposing history with romance with a depth that few World War I novels achieve." -D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
"This work of historical fiction is so incredibly enthralling, there are the undertones of class that made Downton Abbey such a favorite, along with the pathos of honor, war, servitude, manners, and stature intertwine the way you see in 1917 or in the works of Patrick O'Brian...A book packed with engrossing visuals and vibrant drama. This is a novel that is complex, powerful, and moving. Windswept has the great ability to be both a great romance novel and a great work of historical fiction. It never once compromises one mission for the other. An exceptional achievement for any author and for any genre." -Robert Buccellato, San Francisco Book Review
2021-07-07
A world at war isn’t kind to a well-meaning aristocrat in this debut historical romance.
Lady Virginia Whitman, aka Ginger, is a red-haired combat nurse treating the wounded during the British Gaza campaign in May 1917, her contribution to the war effort. Ginger’s life changes when she discovers a badly injured Turkish soldier. Ahmed Bayrak claims to be a Jewish spy for the British who has been uncovered. He tells her there is a traitor in British intelligence and gives her information that she should only hand over to his contact, Lt. Thevshi. Ginger recruits her best friend, nurse Beatrice, and her fiance, surgeon James Clark, to help treat Ahmed while she tracks down Thevshi and tries to identify the mole. The traitor candidates include Ginger’s brother, Henry, who attacks Ahmed; fellow aristocrat Stephen Fisher, whom she rejected in favor of James; and Noah Benson, a mystery man whom she falls hard for. So Ginger must decide whom she can trust, with her head and her heart often battling. Throughout her investigation, the abilities of Ginger, who comprehends World War I’s geopolitics, are denigrated by all the men in her circle. The naïve but tenacious nurse frequently ends up in peril as she seeks to determine which figure crucial to the Entente Powers’ war effort is being targeted by a terrorist called “the Maslukha.” McCormack builds her engaging tale around a clever protagonist who tends to do the right thing even when having to choose among her family, lover, and friends. Still, Ginger understandably ends up conflicted about the Byzantine world of espionage. That said, this being a romance novel, Ginger spends too much time dithering about finding Mr. Right, unnecessarily adding length to a hefty volume. In addition, the most loathsome character is obviously the villain, leaving only the identities of his co-conspirators in doubt. Nevertheless, this is a well-researched book, and McCormack deftly captures the exhausting feel of emergency medicine at the front. Throughout the narrative, the author makes the right choices while leaving loose ends for a potential sequel.
A neophyte nurse becomes an accidental but effective spy in this gripping adventure.
