Review of Echoes of the Wild Wood

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Echoes of the Wild Wood" by Jo Spencer.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

On the verge of turning 30, Ila Mae Tipton has already been twice widowed and is afraid of becoming an old spinster. At the same time, she finds it hard to open her heart to the possibility of love or the heartache of losing another husband. So instead, she finds purpose in caring for her elderly father and helping her brother Matt with his Thoroughbred racehorse business.

It's 1889 in Kentucky, and a successful breeding and training program promises to bring the Tipton family out of extreme poverty. But, as the family starts experiencing the early days of wealth and finer things, Ila's father notices how the love of money is changing his family—and not for the better. Ila is torn between the lavish life of luxury items and maintaining the role of the humble farm girl. She enjoys the attention of high-class gentlemen and attending the operas in Lexington. Yet, Ila's heart remains loyal to the farm and family she loves. How can Ila choose between the two lives? And will she ever find a man who can accept her for the woman she has become?

Echoes of the Wild Wood is a heart-warming historical romance by Jo Spencer. I loved the complexity of the plot and the simplicity of the writing style. It was easy to step into 1889 and walk in Ila's shoes through the farm days of hard work and learning essential values, as the Tipton family discovers the pros and cons of having wealth. I loved how this book had a bit of mystery mixed in with the romance, and I was immensely pleased with the moving conclusion to the story.

This book was an excellent standalone read as part of Spencer's Novels of Old Kentucky. I was excited to learn there are at least ten other titles because I loved Echoes of the Wild Wood and want to read more by this author. Her writing style reminded me of Janette Oke's Women of the West series featuring various strong female characters and their roles in the early Canadian West. Spencer's series also features strong female characters, but they live out their days in historic Kentucky. I liked how the book depicted the struggles, tragedies, and triumphs that families went through when there was no instant communication and the primary means of travel involved horses.

There wasn't anything that I disliked about the book. I noticed a few minor editing errors, but they did not affect my reading experience negatively. Therefore, I gladly give Echoes of the Wild Wood four out of four stars. I reviewed a paperback version of the book and noticed that there is not an eBook version available. I would recommend that the author or publisher make these books available in multiple formats, if possible, to make this fantastic series accessible to a broader audience.

I'd highly recommend this book to adults looking for a clean read that features family values and Christian faith. Spencer's writing should appeal to those who enjoy historical romance and a standalone story. I would also recommend it to readers who enjoyed the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice: Ila's romantic pursuits and stubborn pride reminded me of Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

******
Echoes of the Wild Wood
View: on Bookshelves

[The frant1c reader]

I am pleased with the theme of the book especially family values and balance. Would like to give it a read . Thanks for such a good review!

[sunny4life]

Lovely review. I like that the book addresses realistic and relevant issues.

[WADonnelly]

Not sure this is a book for me but great review!

[Chukwuebuka Ifedigbo]

Generally, I don't like books without a cover or title page. However, this is different and I love it.

[Devika singh]

I like this book. A realistic and relevant issues. This is just a great book for everybody.