What the Wind Knows

Anne Gallagher travels to Ireland with her grandfather's ashes in 2001, seeking to connect with her family's past. During her journey, she finds herself transported to 1921 Ireland, where she becomes entangled in the Irish War of Independence. In this time-crossed setting, Anne must navigate a precarious existence as she assumes the identity of her own great-grandmother and forms bonds with figures from her family's history. Her presence in the past creates ripples that could affect both her own future and Ireland's destiny during a pivotal historical moment. The narrative moves between Anne's modern perspective and her immersion in early 20th century Ireland, blending historical events with personal discovery. The story incorporates real historical figures and events while maintaining focus on Anne's journey through time, love, and identity. Through themes of belonging and destiny, What the Wind Knows explores how personal histories intertwine with national ones, and questions whether some connections transcend time itself. The novel examines the cost of revolution alongside the price of love, set against the backdrop of Ireland's fight for independence.

Readers highlight the detailed historical research about 1920s Ireland and the seamless blend of romance with time travel elements. Many note the emotional depth and authentic portrayal of the Irish independence movement. Liked: - Strong character development, especially Anne and Thomas - Education about Irish history without feeling didactic - Poetic writing style that captures Irish voices - Audio narration by Siobhan Waring and Liam Gerrard Disliked: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Some found the time travel logistics confusing - Several readers mentioned difficulty keeping track of historical figures - Romance develops too quickly according to some reviews Ratings: Goodreads: 4.31/5 (111,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (22,000+ ratings) BookBub: 4.6/5 (3,800+ ratings) Common reader comment: "Made me research more about Irish history after finishing" Frequent criticism: "Takes too long to get into the story"

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🍀 Author Amy Harmon spent time living in Ireland and extensively researched the Irish War of Independence to create an authentic historical backdrop for the novel. 📚 The book's time-travel element was inspired by Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, but Harmon chose to send her protagonist back to 1921 Ireland instead of 18th-century Scotland. ⚔️ Several real historical figures appear in the novel, including Michael Collins and Éamon de Valera, who were key leaders in Ireland's fight for independence. 🎭 The protagonist Anne Gallagher is named after the author's real-life grandmother, though the character's story is fictional. 📝 Much of the novel's poetry and written correspondence was inspired by actual letters and poems from the Irish Revolution era, particularly those written by Michael Collins.