"Catlin Glyndwr is a tenth generation Mistress of Elements -- a hereditary witch who can call upon her elemental spirits for assistance in casting spells. Accused of witchcraft in seventeenth century England, she faces the hangman. Even though she took a vow never to hurt anyone with her magic, if her true powers are revealed, she’ll be executed."
Published: Moon Valley Publishing on March 2012
Pages: 226 Pages
Form: E-book ( from a tour for an honest review )
Genre: Historical Romance ( with paranormal element )
Amazon: Buy / $6.89 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $3.99 (Nook)
"Escaping from the persecution of the European witch hunts, a beautiful witch with the power to control the wind joins forces with a handsome Cavalier on a mission to save the King of England and the colony of Virginia.
Catlin Glyndwr is a tenth generation Mistress of Elements -- a hereditary witch who can call upon her elemental spirits for assistance in casting spells.
Accused of witchcraft in seventeenth century England, she faces the hangman. Even though she took a vow never to hurt anyone with her magic, if her true powers are revealed, she’ll be executed.
Sir Griffin Reynolds is on his way to the colony of Virginia, on a secret mission to locate Puritan rebels intent upon seizing the throne of King Charles II. When his best friend becomes deathly ill while interrogating a beautiful Welsh maiden accused of using magic to attack a local official – Griffin is forced to strike a bargain with her in order to save his friend’s life.
When Catlin and Griffin travel together on a voyage to the American colonies, they try to resist the pull of erotic sensuality that flares between them. It is a temptation they both soon crave. But danger lurks aboard ship and evil haunts Catlin. She must learn how her destiny is linked with that of the man who has vowed to protect her.
In a dangerous and unexplored world, where superstition exists along side the new discoveries of science, powerful elemental spirits are capable of assisting the magical adepts. But there is always danger in harnessing magic and a price to pay when one calls to the spirit world for help.
While Griffin tries to deny his attraction to Catlin, she works her own special magic on his heart and he discovers he cannot resist falling under her sensual spell.
Together, Catlin and Griffin learn that a journey of the heart requires courage, trust and the ability to believe in the astonishing gift of love." ~From Barnes&Noble
Whistle Down The Wind is passionate and magical, event with such a light element of paranormal it was an interesting read as I very much love historical romance. You could tell Stone had done her fair share of research and I loved reading a historical romance that gets details right. But has that passion to carry the story. I do have to say I would have loved a bit more action, but there was plenty of suspense.
The characters were intriguing, passionate and strong. For some odd reason I really disliked the name Catlin, don't know why, oddity on my part. Griffin was quite dashing and made a great hero.
The romance, well, this book was all about the romance! I liked it a lot, and it was very well written, but it left me wanting just a little bit more.
I love paranormal stories, werewolves and vampires and shifters, and I like those stories hot - so Whistle Down The Wind was my try at Witches, and it didn't yet convince me to the subgenre. I think it's because I'm personally familiar with Wiccan lifestyle and witches in books never come close. It's hard for me to read a witch book where they can manipulate elements or people - it’s ingrained in me that witchcraft is an inner journey, so it's hard to see it on paper/kindle all powerful and physical. ;) That's just me though.
In all a very entertaining historical romance! Passionate!
Rating :
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Sibelle Stone
When King Charles I was disposed, and then executed in 1649, his son, Charles Stuart II was forced into exile. He traveled to France, and the court of his cousin, Louis XIV. to Germany and the Spanish Netherlands. He lived an impoverished life of wandering as the King without a country.
After Oliver Cromwell’s death, the Protectorate, the government controlling England, was weak and dissolving. The restoration of the monarchy was achieved without war in May 1660, as Charles II returned to London to march triumphantly back into the streets as crowds cheered him.
Charles II was a popular king, as he reopened the theatres, hosted an opulent (and many said lurid and hedonistic court), enjoyed good food, fine wine, gambling and beautiful women. He was tall, dark-haired and was said to possess charisma Also, he was the King of England.
Although he married Catherine of Braganza of Portugal in 1662, despite several miscarriages, they never had any children together. Charles II did sire fourteen illegitimate children, but at his death, his brother James was his designated heir.
Among the many loves of Charles II,one of his longest relationships was with Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine and later Duchess of Cleveland. The ferocious and demanding Duchess had a fiery temper, and she was never faithful to her lover. She conceived three children while at court at Whitehall, but there is some question as to the paternity. She was exiled to Paris in 1677.
Perhaps one of the most beloved of King Charles II’s many loves was the actress Nell Gwynne. She grew up in an impoverished state, was an orange girl, ( selling oranges at the Duke’s House theatre ) when they met in 1668. Nell was loyal to her lover, gave birth to two illegitimate sons and created a salon for him in the homes he gave her. She often used her influence in the cause of others, and petitioned him to fund the Royal Hospital for injured soldiers.
On his deathbed in 1685,King Charles II begged his brother and successor, James “Do not let poor Nelly starve.” James generously paid Nell's debts and gave her an allowance, but it was not for long. Nell at the age of 37 in 1687, just two years after her beloved King.
Like a fairy tale maiden rising from the ashes to the castle, Nell Gwynne became something of a legend, as a good-natured charmer, and an ordinary girl from the slums who ended up not with the Prince, but with the King.
In my recent release, Whistle Down the Wind the setting is 1664 England, but not the court of King Charles II, although references are made to it. The heroine’s oldersister, Aelwyd has visited court, and the hero, Sir Griffin Reynolds is a member of the King’s Coldstream Guards. While he’s been at court, he’s on a secret mission to scout out a Puritan plot in the colony of Jamestown to once again dispose the King of England.
