Review: A Milder View of Hell on Wheels
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 20, 2014
If you’ve seen Hell on Wheels, you’ll recognize many of the places mentioned in this story.  Although it’s not as gritty and bloodthirsty as that series, Walls of the Wind still evokes the lawlessness and temporary nature of the lives of the people attached to building the railroad as well as the hardships under which they lived.  Kit’s straitlaced nature is balanced by Patrick’s easy-going attitude. He sees nothing wrong with running a saloon, as long as the men patronizing it obey the rules. Kit sees such a place as a den of lawlessness just waiting to explode into violence. Her problems with her “children,” specifically the two teenagers ready to step into adulthood are carefully detailed as are the concerns she has for the little brother and sister she’s determined to keep together.If I have any complaints about this novel, it’s that the unnamed gambler, the villain, doesn’t play a large enough part in the story, and his reason for his hatred of Patrick isn’t immediately explained.  There were also some grammatical and editing errors which should’ve been caught before publication…but that won’t spoil the story for the reader.There’s a great deal of description and historical fact in this story, both in the section taking place in New York, as well as on the trail through Nebraska and Colorado. This is  an enjoyable story, both for its historical significance as well as its sweet romance. If you like historical romances, you should enjoy Walls for the Wind.This novel was supplied by the publisher and no remuneration was involved in the writing of this review.