Empire in Pine, Book Two
c. October, 2011 Desert Breeze
ISBN 97812162520919
Price $6.99 ebook
Nearly a generation after The Green Veil, set in the great
north woods of Wisconsin in the lumber era, Naomi’s second story in the series,
The
Red Fury, ramps up the tension and tosses decorum to the wind in the
hustling 1870s Midwest.
Lainey Kade found true love once, but after her fiancé’s
death, can’t seem to hold onto another engagement. After a second humiliating
breakup she’s ready to leave town and reinvent herself. Adventure comes in the
form of a lengthy business/pleasure trip with her brother and cousins when her
father sends them to Chicago with sight-seeing around the state and cities
expected.
In this time when nightmares still haunt those affected by
the recent Civil War, a pair of young veterans roam the area, looking for
adventure and a means to quell the grief at the loss of their parents. Kelly
and Zane Beaumont live fast and furiously; Zane always on the edge as a card
playing, pleasure-seeking high-roller and his younger brother Kelly his
sidekick. The six young people meet briefly in Chicago, then again on the train
north. They decide to travel together when they realize how well they get
along. Lainey, definitely not looking for romance, pretends to be married to
her cousin. She doesn’t fool the sharp-eyed Zane for long, however. Her
adventuresome unconventional spirit attracts him, but he buries any feelings
deep, especially when it’s obvious Kelly has fallen for her hard.
While staying in Green Bay, Lainey sketches. Her drawings
present an opportunity for livelihood, which she seizes, much to the horror of
her family. Lainey is insistent, however, and they reluctantly let her stay, deciding
to reveal that she has inherited a piece of property in nearby Peshtigo. When
she invites the brothers to check out the area, they decide to stop traveling
and find work and stay in the growing lumber town. Zane and Kelly act as
benevolent watchdogs and even accompany Lainey on a visit home for a wedding.
Lainey, Zane, and Kelly work hard at their respective jobs, tiptoeing
around their feelings and in Zane’s case, his demons. Kelly dreams of a future
with Lainey, while she holds only platonic feelings for him and fights her
admiration for the haunted Zane. A terrible accident, a horrific fire that
gives rise to the title of the book, and the aftermath of devastation show them
how precious life and faith are.
Naomi’s attention to detail, scene and setting are
pitch-perfect true to era. I felt the flames and terror of the great fire of
1871, the same night as the Great Chicago fire. I loved Lainey’s spirit,
mourned and rejoiced with them all as they realized dreams, loved, fought for
life and independence, and breathed the smoke of history. Another winner for
those who revel in the drama of the past.
