Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite

"Winds of Redemption" draws the reader back in time to the days shortly after the Civil War, but before many of the western states even had a name, instead they were still called territories. Men sometimes had to be their own law, and justice was often something that was served at the end of a gun. It was these thoughts that kept going through my head as I read "Winds Of Redemption" by Harvey Goodman. Sammy Winds was orphaned at the age of seven, but taken in by a wonderful family by the name of Taylor. Now he owns his own ranch and has worked hard for the last year to make a home so that he can marry his fiance Jenny. When someone comes along and wants to purchase his land he turns them down flat. Little does he know that these men don't take no for an answer, instead they just kill the owner and his heirs and take it anyway, and that's just what they intend to do to Sammy. Can Sammy protect his family and save his ranch?

Mr.Goodman writes a compelling historical western that provides several twists and turns and a fast moving plot that kept me in suspense as to how things would work out. The ending also provided a few unusual twists that really wrapped up the story nicely. The author is a true wordsmith with the ability to paint vivid pictures with his descriptions. He really made me feel as though I was transported back in time within the pages of this story. There is a diverse set of characters in this story that really kept it interesting. One of the most intriguing characters had to be Lucius Hammond, a hired killer who really surprised me in the end. I also found the padre and his group of children quite interesting. Their stories left me wanting more, and I hope Mr. Goodman might give each child his own story.

"Winds Of Redemption" by Harvey Goodman is one of those unique stories that capture the essence of the old west. The author provides suspense and a bit of romance along with a dose of well done inspiration to make this book a must read for historical fiction lovers. Now I will admit that it took me a few chapters to get into the swing of this story, but I quickly realized that this was actually the second book in a series, so I was being introduced to several characters that were already established. The author does provide enough background information so that I quickly knew the cast of characters, becoming invested in their lives and stories. That makes this a book that can easily be read as a stand alone work. I enjoyed this story so much that I will certainly be going back to read the first book in the series!