Smoke on the Wind

Half a dozen romances and other wild adventures enliven Weatherford’s historical sequel.

This follow-up to Blessings from the Four Winds (2021) takes up where that novel left off in 1887, as guests depart and servants clean up after Will Lawton and Niabi’s wedding at Applegate Ranch in Covington, Tennessee; a brief introduction helpfully provides snapshots of the main characters and locations from the previous novel. This sequel follows the newlyweds as they plan to start a family and build a homestead on land near Niabi’s tribal village, where the U.S. government is expected to open parts of what should be Native American territory to settlement by others. It also intertwines the romantic adventures of several other passionate couples: Lorraine Applegate is with Capt. Horton, despite their 10-year age difference; Sam Egglesby Jr. nearly derails his courtship of nursing student Rita Walker; Louisa Ortega is engaged to a handsome, wealthy bachelor, despite her yearning for Nashoba, and Nashoba despairs when he believes he’s lost her. In the meantime, while Mr. Hastings returns to his Texas ranch, Mrs. Hastings decides to travel to New York City; there, her beloved former chef, Oscar, and his grandfather Phillipe have promised to find a new cook for her, and she unexpectedly gains her heart’s desire. In Weatherford’s previous series entry, was Will’s adventurous travels that brought the various characters together—and to his wedding—but in the sequel, their stories diverge, and they feel more like related short stories than a cohesive novel. Although violence does occur, the difficulties that characters face are more often romantic misunderstandings; there are many interludes of passionate kissing, caressing, and lovemaking. Some of the writing is awkward, with abrupt transitions and odd choices, such as the inclusion of nearly two pages on Will’s memory of tasting his first banana, which he connects to his wife: “Every night I can look forward to peeling off the outer coverings of my most precious sweetness.” Nevertheless, readers who enjoyed the first installment of Will and Niabi’s story will undoubtedly enjoy this one.

The continuing adventures of the Lawtons and their circle, hampered by uneven execution.