Review: Review by Closed the Cover
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 27, 2014
I’ve had a love for cross-culture stories involving Native American’ ever since I read the “White Indian” series by David Clayton Porter over 15 years ago.  I learned a lot about the Iroquis nations while reading those books and have sought out books about the Iroquis tribes ever since.  When I was presented with the opportunity to read Winter Fire by Kathy Fischer-Brown I was obviously immediately interested.  It was respectful toward the Native American culture and a unique romance.  While it was a bit predictable and at times a bit cold it was an interesting read and an overall good book.Ethan Caine and Zara Grey were good characters but they never seemed to reach a point where they fully captured my attention.  I loved their story while I was reading yet I often found it forgettable when the book wasn’t in my hands.  It was never completely engaging but I struggle to explain why.  Ethan discovered Zara half-frozen and unconscious in the creek after she had been banished by her tribe and was on the run after being accused of murder.  Her people had turned their backs on her yet she knew in her heart she would always be one of them; she could never join the white settlements, could she?  Ethan Caine was attracted to her but how could he trust her?  Both of the characters had wonderful stories and motivations but something I can’t identify was lacking and that unidentified “thing” is what kept me from feeling 100% in love with this book.The story felt lightly rushed and, as stated earlier, was predictable but it’s hard to fault a romance book for being predictable.  The large majority of romances are predictable and that is one of the major reasons why readers either love or hate the genre.  I wouldn’t say it’s predictable based upon the synopsis but rather it is predictable based upon the story development of the first  of the book.  Is it a happily-ever-after or do Ethan and Zara discover they are just too different to be together?  Read it and find out.A good book especially for those with an interest in early American history and Native American culture.  There is a strong introduction to the Seneca nation although I would encourage readers who are interested in Native American cultures to expand their research and knowledge beyond the pages of Winter Fire as their depiction isn’t fully well-rounded.  If you are unfamiliar with Kathy Fischer-Brown (as I was before reading Winter Fire) I would recommend this as a good place to start.  She has many other books on the market that may be worth a read.Review by Ashley LaMarClosed the Cover