Review: The Gentle Wind's Caress by Anne Braer

Title: The Gentle Wind's Caress
Author: Anne Braer
Source: Self Purchased
Genre: Historical Romance - Tragic
Length: Novel
Release Date: June 12, 2012
Reviewer: Jasmyn

Halifax, 1876.  On the death of her mother and sister, Isabelle Gibson is left to fend for herself and her brother in a privately-run workhouse.  After the matron's son attempts to rape her, Isabelle decides to escape him and a life of drudgery by agreeing to marry a moorland farmer she has never met.  But this man, Farrell, is a drunkard and a bully in constant feud with his landlord, Ethan Harrington.  When Farrell bungles a robbery and deserts her, Isabelle and Ethan are thrown together as she struggles so save the farm.  Both are married and must hide their growing love.  But despite the secrecy, Isabelle draws strength from Ethan as faces from the past return to haunt her and a tragedy is set to strike that will change all of their lives forever.

If I had knows this was going to be a tragedy ahead of time, I would have judged this book very differently.  There is not a HEA in this book, I say that as a warning, not trying to give anything away.  The writing itself was very beautiful.  The character were very alive.  Isabelle was a little too determined to stay in a horrible situation instead of finding a way at times, but otherwise she was a true woman of her times - trying to make the best of what life had given her.

Ethan was a gallant gentleman, wanting to protect a woman from having a harder life than necessary.  He just happened to fall in love with her at the same time and it only made things harder for awhile.  Where there is a sad part of the ending, there is also hope and hint at a new life ahead.