An Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post bestseller.In an unforgettable love story, a woman’s impossible journey through the ages could change everything… memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.
The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.
As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?
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Beautiful and heart-wrenching!
I knew I would love this story, but god if I was surprise! It is completely different at anything that Amy Harmon has written but at the same time you could read and feel her in the book. I absolutely loved how magical and full of love it was, also the patriotism and the feel of the country created an environment around the story that for me it made it even better, it was so strong that you could almost touch it! From beginning to end this story had me at the border of my seat and is been days since I finished and I still can’t move on. I absolutely recommend this book is a must read for me!
This magnificent story is history, romance and time travel all rolled into one.
I am still reeling after finishing this magnificent book; it is so well written and researched.
I love a great time-travel novel and this one was as realistic as possible in delivering both a great historical accounting of the Irish-British struggles and a love story with the added flavor of time-travel. At times, the author’s description of Ireland made me want to travel there. I would definitely recommend this book.
THAT WAS A GOOD BOOK!!! This is historical fiction set in Ireland in the nineteen-teens and twenties. It’s reminiscent of Susanna Kearsley and a bit of Diana Gabaldon (without as much nookie). I really enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it. The timing is spot on and the book flows like the wind. Excellent character development and the plot keeps the pages turning.
One of the best books I’ve read in a long time!
Be enchanted by this tale of time, Ireland and a love that transcends the impossible. Get to know the complexity and depth of the hearts and souls of one woman, one man and a country whose fates are so richly described. Allow your imagintion to take this magnificent journey mixed with the volatile history of Ireland, grief, loss, romance, pure joy and love. The story touched me deeply. Amy Harmon is a brilliant storyteller. I absoultely loved this book. When I finished it, I felt like I was saying goodbye to to a dear friend.
Extraordinary!
A love that spans the ages. A special love and relationship with a grandfather. Tales and stories to remember and pass on. Gorgeous descriptions of a time and place both real and fictional. What the Wind Knows is a sweeping journey between past and present told from the perspectives of Thomas Smith and Anne Gallagher – two characters I fell in love with as much as I fell in love with Ireland. It’s a beautiful story and one that should be read. I highly recommend it.
Didn’t love this one. An okay time travel romance.
I’m not sure if I will read all the way through. I find myself thinking so why do I care about all of the verbiage. I will try once more whenever.
OMG. Fantastic book with wonderful characters. First read by this author and I can tell you I am going to read anything she writes. Couldn’t put it down.
Don’t stop writing. You are truly a gifted author
I loved Amy Harmon’s other book, Sand and Ash, so assumed I would like this one. I was blown away again! One of my favorites of this year. I’ve visited Nortern Island so I knew some of the history, which I love. But this book had me totally entranced for days on end. I never wanted it to end. I will read it again, someday. It was a fabulous trip, Amy, and I thank you for it, immensely.
There aren’t enough stars for this one. Highly recommended!
This is a lovely book. It is well written, the characters stay in your heart long after you read the last page.
This book was so wonderful! I enjoyed the magic of it. I loved the poetry in the midst of the story. I thought this was an exceptional love story with so much sentiment. The author writes where she describes everything in such a special way. I loved the history behind this story too. I am so glad that I read this book. I would love to read more from this amazing author!
5++ STARS!!
It’s not often that a novel makes my all-time favorite list the moment after I turn the last page. It usually takes a few months to a year or more for me to realize that a story might have a lasting impact. I knew fairly early on that What the Wind Knows would be a story that stays with me.
I have enjoyed everything I’ve read by this author, but I really feel Harmon has found her niche in historical fiction/romance. Her research and attention to detail was impeccable. Similar to From Sand and Ash, she has written a beautifully moving love story wrapped around historical truths, mystery/suspense, and a bit of fantasy. Absolutely, every facet of What the Wind Knows was breathtaking. With its blend of history, romance, and family devotion, the fantasy element delicately weaved itself in without disruption. The love story was convincing from the first moment Anne sees Thomas’s photo until their fateful conclusion. I was lost within the words and captivated by the deeply affecting prose. Absolutely, some of the best writing by this author. Maybe, THE best. By the end, I had felt it all – anxious with the suspense, breathless by the romance, and melancholic over Ireland’s history, I’m positive that What the Wind Knows will stand the test of time and remain a favorite reading experience of mine.
Audiobook: While I listened to the audio intermittently along with reading the ebook, I found that I wanted to really experience this author’s written prose and ultimately switched to reading only. Although, the audio presentation is amazing with fabulous narrators who complement Harmon’s written word.
I loved everything about this book! For quite a long read it kept me engrossed throughout the entirety. Amy Harmon’s storytelling is beauty in itself. I was invested in the characters and what happened to them. I loved the historical aspect, as well as the time travel and how Harmon really pulled it all together. This is one that will stick with me for a long while!
Amy Harmon What the Wind Knows This book gutted me, mind, body, and soul. It took me some time to read this one. More than I normally give a book. Because ONE needs to be in the RIGHT frame of mind to read this book. Lately I have not, but this weekend I devoured these pages.
The author builds up the book perfectly and the content is so intriguing. I loved the research and details that went into this book. She had me wanting to know more about Irish History!
This story is a love story but so much more! You are invested and cheering these two on. I think I went through a box of tissues that last 30% shew… talk about a page turner. This love story will gut you. But finish this book. I beg you! I was literally shocked when I read the last page.
Talk about a story rich with history, love and passion. This book will be with me for the rest of my days, just like Anne’s legacy!
First, I would like to thank NetGalley, Amazon First Reads, and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free copy of a Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A tale of time travel in Ireland, “What the Wind Knows” had me rushing through my last read in order to start reading this book. The premise is intriguing; Anne, a wildly successful author, is transported in time from pre-9/11 2001 back to 1921 Ireland. Caught in a challenging situation in which she is believed to be her doppelganger great-great-grandmother, Anne assumes motherhood of her 6-year-old grandfather while receiving medical care under the humble and caring Dr. Thomas Smith.
However.
I was immediately bored upon starting this book. I pushed through, hoping that once the time travel event occurred that the storyline would pick up. Unfortunately, the book just got increasingly more tiresome. I can usually finish a book in one to two sittings, but this book took me three weeks to complete. It did not hold my attention. Marketed as historical fiction, it turns out that this novel is actually literary fiction, so the plot is minimal and the discussion of the political situation in Ireland in 1921 is prominent. This book reads more like a history book than a work of fiction at times. And when we do read from Anne’s point of view, it is accompanying her on shopping trips (I don’t even like clothes shopping for myself so I was miserable reading about Anne trying on various 1920s fashion at the department store).
If the author had held back the exhausting historical discussion, this could have been an AMAZING story. The uneasy chemistry that Dr. Smith and Anne have with each other, as well as the looping time element (Anne does not disrupt the time continuum but finds that her presence in 1921 is actually crucial to the life she knows in 2001), were well-constructed and beautiful ideas. The end of the book was lovely. As I felt after reading “Game of Thrones”, I just wish I could remove 75% of the filler content and re-read the tale with just the juicy bits included.
I believe this book could easily make a great movie because visualizing the situation would be a much better medium than reading an author’s meticulous description of each and every historical detail. I understand that the author incorporated much of her own family history into this tale and that she spent a great deal of time researching for it, but her inclusion of so much of that research detracts from the brilliance of the story.
#netgalley #whatthewindknows
What the Wind Knows ESPECTACULAR!!!
I love everything about this book, the cover, the writing, the story, the characters.. everything was amazing.. this is the type of story that will leave you speechless and wanting more, with your feelings all over the place because is just beautiful and emotional..
Amy has a way to take you into beautiful journeys, with intriguing characters that will unfold and come alive with each chapter of the story.. What the wind knows was not the exception, it had so much depth and love.. I felt like it was about trusting blindingly in the people you care and love.. but also how love is so powerful that can transcend walls, people, wars and even time.
“It is as if we always were and always will be, as though our love and our lives sprang from the same source and will return to that source in the end, intertwined and indistinguishable. We are ancient. Prehistoric and predestined.”
Anne was a strong heroine, trying to find her place in life after her grandfather passed, she was desperate to find a connection to his grandfathers’ memories and her roots. she travels to Ireland not knowing what she will find, not knowing if she will get those answer she has been seeking, but life has something ready for her, or someone who will bring back all those moments but also something more..
“Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the disheveled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame.”
Anne and Thomas, the love, the understanding the intensity of what they felt were always very present in the pages of the book a very beautiful relationship that transcended in every way possible.. one of those loves that is not repeated and so rare to find.
“He would be the character that grew on the reader, making them love him simply because he was good. Decent. Dependable.”
I fell in love with Amy’s word since the very first time I read one of her books and What the wind knows just made me love her writing, even more. I highly recommend this book, especially to all of us who feel and love so strongly.. Everything about it is so magical and deep. is a very romantic novel with the right amount of angst and situations that will make you want to know more.
“we keep the people we love in our hearts. We never lose them as long as we can remember how it felt to be loved by them.”