Customer Reviews

Windswept

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It was Davis Jamison's dying uncle's wish that the journals and papers of Windswept Plantation be catalogued by historian Barrett Browning. Davis sees no reason to deny this request but other members of his family are convinced that there are secrets among the pages that should never be revealed. Just how far is his family willing to go to ensure that Barrett doesn't reveal the truths that she might find?

For a reader who cut her eyeteeth on Gone With The Wind, WINDSWEPT by Ann Macela was a real find. Ms. Macela has done a superb job of blending a contemporary romance with a historical suspense with the different times flowing so smoothly that readers will find themselves wondering at times where one ended and the other begins. This is a story that has it all; love, infamy, family, politics and intrigue in both the past and the present!

And let's not forget the wonderful people that readers will get the opportunity to meet. And this reviewer does say people rather then characters as they seem to just jump right off the pages. Davis, our hero, has been put in charge of protecting his family and that is just what he will do even at the risk of his own happiness. Barrett, our heroine, is on a timetable so that she might get tenure in her chosen field and who has no time for romance until she has achieved her goals. Cousin Lloyd is convinced that the secrets buried in those papers will destroy his business and cause him to lose his wife. And our players from the past, Mary Maude Davis Jamison and her husband Edgar. There are also numerous other secondary characters who add richness and at times humor to WINDSWEPT.

Whether writing a paranormal or a contemporary romance, Ann Macela is one author to keep your eye out for. This reviewer highly recommends WINDSWEPT to any reader who enjoys their contemporary romances with that extra punch from the past.

Compliments of Love Romances & More

The legacy of Windswept plantation is not so much in the beautiful 1800's edifice and vast grounds as it is in the myriad boxes, crates, and lockers of written history. The journals and diaries of the masters and mistresses of the house are a veritable treasure with their detailed, practical recording of everyday life on a large, thriving Louisiana plantation. A treasure Dr. Barrett Browning wants badly to get her hands on.

In the publish or perish world of academia, she needs the access promised her by the Jamison family patriarch for her professional survival. But kindly Edgar Jamison has passed away and custody of the entire collection has been left to his grandson, Davis.

Houston venture capitalist E. Davis Jamison has few enough hours in his days without the added annoyance of a college professor who wants to root through the family history. Especially when his dotty relatives in Louisiana are crying foul and hinting at a crippling scandal should an outsider be given license to delve into the old records. This is the twenty-first century, what could possibly shock anyone in this day and time?

The ruthless tycoon and the intellectual book worm. Opposites. But then we know how opposites attract, don't we? The mystery at the vortex of this romance is unexpected and a little heartbreaking, and altogether worth the read. Don't miss it.

Ann has such an amazing talent for building romantic suspense and a true gift for writing realistic dialog. I've read this book repeatedly and I'll read it again. I highly recommend it.

Dr. Barrett Browning had an opportunity to look over and catalog a wonderful collection of papers from a plantation owner's wife, the ancestor of Davis Jamison, the papers' current owner. Papers that could make Barrett's career.

Davis Jamison is not sure what he is going to do with regard to the papers from his great, great grandmother. He does however know he is attracted to Barrett and he has promised his late grandfather that he would take care of the papers.

Windswept is wonderful. Ann Macela goes from diary format to present time writing styles seamlessly. The details are just the right combination of research and fiction. Windswept has some suspense but mostly is just an unexpectedly smooth, delightful read.

Emma
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

The book's synopsis plays up the terrible family secret, but the book is more about the glowing love by 2 very likable characters. Davis Jamison, a successful businessman and recently Patriarch of a southern clan and Barrett, a strong modern Dr. of History.

Despite the length of the novel, this is actually a pretty fast read. The best bits are the insights into Davis' and Barrett's lives and the hodgepodge of relatives that pop up. Well told even though the ending isn't terribly original or unexpected for today's audience.

I'd actually give this book 3.5 stars. I enjoyed myself while reading it and it didn't have any major issues, except maybe predictability. While I don't mind being able to predict certain plot lines, I pretty much figured out the entire ending about half way through the book, which irked me.

This is a minor and a very nit picky and personal thing but I couldn't stand the fact that Davis had a mustache. I have never found them appealing on any man and tried to erase that from my memory. Unfortunately, Macela kept reminding me of it so pretending it wasn't there was hard to do.

The characters were well developed and I appreciated how strong, smart and compassionate Barrett was. I liked the dual story line from the past. This, however, brings me to my next complaint. I thought the story from the past was not used as effectively as it could have and wished there were more of the past story then we were given.

The ending of the story felt very rushed compared to the pace of the rest of the book. Suddenly, everything got resolved very quickly and all was tied up in a neat package with a pretty bow on top. Sure that's part of the experience one expects from reading a romance book but I generally prefer having the package wrapped lovingly but messily by a child who forgot the bow instead of by an experienced gift wrapper at an expensive department store.

Overall, while the story was fun to read, it just lacked that special spark.

Ms Macela has created a wonderful love story between two engaging characters. Her historical detail is excellent and woven seamlessly into the story. I loved the Mary-Maude journal excerpts and the peek into the past through two women's eyes. The mystery surrounding the Windswept papers intrigued me, but the story always remained firmly focused on the growing relationship between Barrett and Davis. With her firm grasp on history I'd love to see Ms Macela delve into a historical romance. But whether she's writing a paranormal, a contemporary or any other genre, her work is sure to delight the reader.

His beloved late granddaddy Edgar Jamison before he died told Davis to "Protect the records". Granddaddy also selected history professor Dr. Barrett Browning to classify the documents that go back to the early nineteenth century and write from them the definitive papers on Windswept Plantation in St. Gregoryville, Louisiana.

Davis hesitates handing over documents that potentially expose their antecedents to scandal, but he heeds his late granddaddy's words that "She's the One" while his cousin Lloyd vocally objects feeling skeletons should remain buried. However, Davis, a successful venture capitalist, owns the boxes of papers as his grandfather trusted him to do the right thing; he decides to go with the professor who admits she hopes her work on Windswept leads to tenure. However, attracted to one another from the first meeting in Houston, Barrett and Davis fall in love even while she uncovers a dark truth in 1830 journal amidst the papers that apparently Lloyd wants buried at all cost.

WINDSWEPT is an engaging romantic suspense thriller that highlights 1830 plantation life in the Bayou through several journal entries weaved throughout the narrative. The key to the well written story line is the romance is for the most part kept on the back burner to slowly simmer into love; that enables the deep look by the professor into the Jamison family tree to serve as the prime plot. Although a late suspense seems a bit over the top; fans will enjoy this fine comparative look at the past and present residents of WINDSWEPT.

Harriet Klausner