Review
Smoke on the Wind by Kelli Estes resonated with me more than I had anticipated. She delivers astounding imagery within her story, taking readers along the West Highland Way in the past and present, for survival and for leisure. But the true strength of this novel is the undeniable bond between mothers and sons across time and space, and how far a mother is willing to go to ensure the safety and protection of her child.
Both women are put through the test of motherhood. Keaka is reflecting on her failed marriage with her late husband, preparing to say goodbye to her son as he prepares for college, and connecting with nature in a new way. A few hundred years in the past, Sorcha and her son are on the run from an accidental murder, escaping captors along the way, while searching for a safe place to work and rebuild their lives. We see the ultimate sacrifices and unthinkable decisions they make.
Without giving too much away, I found myself getting emotional towards the end of the book, picturing myself in their shoes as a fellow mother of sons. Even though the pacing was quite slow and some plot points underwhelming, I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this book. I recommend it for lovers of historical fiction that pack an emotional punch.
Kelli Estes joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about her obsession with Scotland and experiences as a hiker around the world. Pick up a copy of Smoke on the Wind and keep an eye out for the episode later this year!
Book
Struggling with the tragic end of her marriage, Keaka Denney is on a bittersweet adventure in Scotland with her son, Colin. She’s joining him on a weeklong hike along the West Highland Way before he enters university in Glasgow. Soon into the journey, Keaka’s disquieting visions begin―a woman from ages past reaching for Colin, a burning cottage, violence.
Scotland, 1801. After Sorcha Chisholm and her son are wrenched from their home in a brutal eviction, they face an arduous trek toward a new beginning. When Sorcha learns she’s wanted for a murder she didn’t commit, she and her son run for their lives. Then help arrives from the strangest woman in the most unexpected ways.
Centuries apart, Keaka and Sorcha walk the same path―devoted mothers in circumstances beyond their control who’ll do anything to keep their sons safe. Defying logic, they find strength in each other. But what does their connection mean? And how far will it go?
