The Winds of Sonoma

My husband bought this book for me for Christmas and once I started reading it, I couldnt set it down! This book is powerfully written - a true love story. I am looking forward to this gifted new authors next book!

This is a beautifully written love story based on the real life romance of the author. Angelica Amante discovers happiness and peace by being faithful to God. Raised in the Sonoma Mountains of Northern California, Angelica was the only daughter of a successful surgeon. When her parents were away from home, she was cared for by her beloved Poppy. From his care, Angelica grew-up to know God. After graduating valedictorian of her Law School, Angelica easily landed a coveted position in a prestigious New York Law Firm. She was well on her way to being one of the youngest junior partners in the law firms history, when one of her court cases collides with her moral judgment. Suddenly, her life is turned upside down. She is fired and has no hope of finding another position in New York, so she moves back home to regroup. The choices she makes in her career and later in love are neither easy nor popular. Her employer, friends and parents are all against her decisions, but in her heart she knows she is making the right moral decisions. Through the prayers of Poppy, Angelica finds the path God is leading her to. She finds improbable love from Antonio, the hardworking and handsome illegal immigrant who is working on her familys ranch. This book was captivating from the first few pages; I actually stopped reading another book to finish this one. (Look for the symbolism in the wind blowing to see when God is working on the characters lives.) I cant wait to read the next book in the Regalo Grande series coming Spring 2006 In the Shade of Jacaranda!!!

I borrowed this ebook from someone and I loved it so much. The story gripped me from the beginning and the characters were so believable. I fell in love with the older gentleman named Poppy. He was my favorite. I laughed and cried. Such a wonderful story. Im so glad I had the opportunity to read this. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

This was an excellent novel. Good story line with good characters. Kept my attention the entire book. I look forward to more works by this author. nH

Heartfelt reminder that there is a greater purpose to our life even when we cannot see it! You do not want to miss it.

The writing style of this book was very appealing. It also had some positive Christian influences and ideas in it. Unfortunately, it also had some very negative ones: 1. The romance seemed to be largely physically based. It was initially all about how he/she made him/her FEEEL. There were some other factors that were more positive, but this raw, emotional, practically teenager-type drive, makes this belong more in a high school romance. It would have been a much more Christian message, in my opinion, if the author didnt keep describing (the way she felt when she was around him) so much. Too many butterflies in the tummy, obscuring some otherwise positive factors. 2. Similar to above, there was way too much of a (human)love conquers all aspect of this. it would be interesting if it worked out this way in real life for the author, but this is the exception, not the rule. A good Christian book should focus more on setting positive and practical examples. In contrast, this book mostly sets bad examples in that area. So I cannot give it more than 3 stars.

The Winds of Sonoma, swept me off my feet and kept me captivated the whole time I was reading it. As most know, I have reviewed alot of books on Amazon; however, this one is truly the gem in the haystack. I would easily put it in my Top Ten Books that Teresa Have Ever Read. The plot was excellent as well as the rich characters and vivid scenes. The heroine has landed a very successful job with a prominent law firm. All is looking on the upside for her until a case regarding migrant workers is tossed in front of her eyes. Being a strong Christian, she must chose to openly take the case or stand her ground. She stands... then she is fired. Standing at a crossroad, she realizes that the only way to leap is back... to Sonoma- her home, where things beat at a different pace. It is through this different pace that she encounters her hero who, much to her surprise, is an migrant worker on her fathers farm. Her faith and honesty has led her back to the farm for a reason- only God knows why. Buy the book and find out why! Sicily Yoder aka Teresa Phillips Author of, Leaving Lancaster County, Amish Cooking with Sicily Yoder and The Amish Garden.

I began reading the book The Winds of Sonoma over the Holidays to offer a review. As I began reading the Epic tale of The Winds of Sonoma, I began to fall under its hypnotic spell. Nikki Arana tells a powerful story that is disguised with its easy readability and flowing rivers of words. Words that wash over you carrying with their tide waves of hope inspiration and love. As you follow the struggles of the young woman, Angelica, you are faced with a mirror that confronts you with the reflections and flaws of humanity that we all share. In The Winds of Sonoma, we also find an invitation to remember and become what on the outset of adulthood we envisioned our future to be. To stop and look at where we lost hold of our true selves that got lost in the shuffle of life becoming what we swore in youthful innocents to stand up against. This simple tale in inspiring and compelling in its comparisons of religious participation as opposed to true faith. In reading The Winds of Sonoma you find a cause to stop and examine your faith, your way of life and everything about you as you begin to understand how wonderful your life is and how much better you can make your life and the life of those around you. The tale speaks of love between and man and a woman in a way that takes you back to sweeter times. It lulls you with the way true relationships play out instead of following the overplayed version that is sold to us under the billing of reality. Supported by a stellar group of impeccably developed characters in the background, The Winds of Sonoma adds in simple layers the complex web which once woven by the master hands of Nikki Arana become complex and convicting to anyone who believes in love and God. I have seldom had a book that I have had to defend from other readers, but this book has such a sweet way of pulling you in with just a glance that I have a list of people lined up to read it. This is a book to share with your mother, your sister and your very best friends. I highly recommend The Winds of Sonoma written by Nikki Arana. The Winds of Sonoma has been a source of inspiration to me and a gift that I will be giving to my daughter, my mother, mother in law, my best friend and especially my daughter this Valentines Day. Including a box of Chocolates with this tale of true love on many levels and you will have given a gift that transcends the paper on which it is delivered. Nikki Arana, Bravo!

Such a love.y story of hope, kindness and faith. I love that its a story of a illegal immigrant who came to help his family and has such faith.

After reading the authors latest novel, The Next Target (which I loved!) I began reading more of Nikki Aranas books although I am not usually a reader of romance. I began with Winds of Sonoma since the story looked intriguing and was based on the authors own courtship and marriage. The contemporary setting and career choices of an upper class young woman was a great backdrop for the budding relationship between the main character and Antonio, an immigrant who works at her fathers stables. The tug and pull of family expectations, socio-economic class, values and a busy life are all part of the story. I found the language realistic, including most of the Spanish words and backstory of Antonios experiences. I would have liked to see more action with one of the subplots, but thats just because Nikki Arana did such a fantastic job on her thriller, The Next Target, and that is one of my favorite genres. I recently download the sequel, In the Shade of the Jacaranda, because I enjoyed this novel so much.