I enjoyed the first story in Amanda Cabot’s “Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing” series, so it was a given that I’d have to give the second installment a try.  “Against the Wind” tells the story of the youngest Vaughn daughter, Louisa, and her return to the town where she grew up.  Picking up where the last novel left off, we jump right into the thick of things in the aftermath of the town doctor’s death. Will Louisa be able to fill his shoes in caring for the health of the community members, or will the fact that she’s a woman deter them from reaching out to her for help…?

As a forever-fan of Christian Historical Fiction, I’m always looking for new releases to savor and enjoy.  This was just such a story that whisked me away to a memorable little town in Texas, where I had already become acquainted with various townspeople and it was nice to ‘see’ them again.  As is often the case with Amanda Cabot’s stories, there was some unexpected dark portions – including deaths and mysterious threats – that had me guessing how everything would end up…. So I feel like a bit of a warning is in order, that death and darkness do take their toll in this story, because that is not something always seen in the typically-gentle novels of this particular genre.  

All in all, I enjoyed this story and the characters it introduced.  I’m certainly looking forward to the final book of the trilogy, set to release next year, as the sneak-peak chapter at the end of “Against the Wind” poked at my curiosity big time!  

Book was provided courtesy of Revell Publishers.  All opinions expressed are my own.