The Whispering Wind

A gripping, beautifully descriptive, romantic and tragic tale. A fabulous insight into the stunning landscape, historical culture and traditional community life of the Sardinians. The book invites you into another world and takes one on a journey of many emotions. I shall be recommending it to my local book group.

This is a wonderful book which hooked me almost immediately with it's beautiful descriptive writing and well developed characters. It is at once a passionate love story and a tribute to the beautiful island of Sardinia, so will have broad appeal among lovers of both romance novels and travel writing. It is clear that the author has a deep love of Sardinia and has researched the book well. The island is now well and truly on my list of places to visit. But as you can guess from the title of the book, there are no happy endings for this couple.

This story took me on a journey through warm and sunny Sardinia (always a plus for us in the UK). The vivid descriptions of the island, people, food and culture transported me to a more gentle and meaningful way of life. I felt as though I knew the characters well and could see them as they moved through their lives. Sardinia has such a rich history of which little is known outside the region. I enjoyed learning about the culture and life of Sardinia as much as I enjoyed the story itself. I recommend that you curl up with this book and a glass of your favourite wine and enjoy!

Lexa Dudley paints a warm, colourful picture of Sardinia, a perfect setting for a passionate love story. Elise is trying to forget her bullying husband in England and falls for the vibrant life in Sardinia. She asks to be treated like a member of the family, sharing their meals and lifestyle, and so enriching her experience of Sardinia. No surprise that she meets her new man in this wonderful setting She is very happy...maybe too happy...tempting fate. They enjoy the time she has left in Sardinia but suddenly her short lived happiness turns to tragedy. Lexa Dudley manages to include a happy twist to the end of the story. I enjoyed reading the book and look forward to the next book.

Hannah Fielding 5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 2014 When Lexa approached me to enquire whether I may be interested in reviewing her novel, my answer was an easy ‘yes’. Romance set on Sardinia? Right up my street, especially given the fact that my own latest novel, The Echoes of Love, is a romance set in Venice, Tuscany and… Sardinia! I love the setting – Sardinia is quite one of my favourite places for its unspoilt beauty – and so I was very keen to read this novel. I knew from the first paragraph that the book would not disappoint: A gentle breeze fluttered through the peach grove, but gave no respite from the midday sun. The rows of peach and olive trees offered no shade, and the branches of the tall cypress trees surrounding the orchard seemed to trap and intensify the relentless rays, creating an overwhelming heat that pervaded everything. Only the strident call of the cicadas broke the unnerving quiet that descended over the dry land. I adore the author’s writing style; her ability to evocatively convey the setting. There is so much colour and passion and feeling in her writing: she’s a romance writer par excellence. The story drew me in from the beginning, so much so that I read the book in just two sittings – I couldn’t put it down. I love the characterisation, especially of the local Sardinian people. I love the depth to the character of Elise and her journey to find herself, and to heal her heart, after her abusive marriage. I love the hero of the book, Beppe, and find him so real as a person that he seems alive beyond the words on the page. I love the development of Beppe and Elise’s relationship, and the attention the author pays to exploring their feelings. No doubt you’re spotting a theme: I love this book! I’ve no wish to provide a spoiler of the ending here. Suffice it to say that it surprised me, and moved me, and is, I think, a very mature and intelligent close to the book. I’d have loved more depth at the end; more exploration of Elise’s life when she returns to England, and Beppe’s respectively. But I see why the author has written the book as she has. In all, this is a book that stayed with me after I read the final words, and is one I think I will re-read in the future. It’s certainly made me pine for beautiful Sardinia! I very much hope Lexa has more books in the pipeline: I will be first in line to read her next release.