Lake in the Clouds

Publisher's Summary

In her extraordinary novels Into the Wilderness and Dawn on a Distant Shore, award-winning writer Sara Donati deftly captured the vast, untamed wilderness of late-18th-century New York and the trials and triumphs of the Bonner family. Now Donati takes on a new and often overlooked chapter in our nation's past - and in the life of the spirited Bonners - as their oldest daughter, the brave and beautiful Hannah, comes of age with a challenge that will change her forever. Masterfully told, this passionate story is a moving tribute to a resilient, adventurous family and a people poised at the brink of a new century.

It is the spring of 1802, and the village of Paradise is still reeling from the typhoid epidemic of the previous summer. Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner have lost their two-year-old son, Hannah's half brother Robbie, but they struggle on as always: the men in the forests, the twins Lily and Daniel in Elizabeth's school, and Hannah as a doctor in training, apprenticed to Richard Todd. Hannah is descended from healers on both sides - one Scots grandmother and one Mohawk - and her reputation as a skilled healer in her own right is growing.

After a long night spent attending to a birth, Elizabeth and Hannah encounter an escaped slave hiding on the mountain. She calls herself Selah Voyager, and she is looking for Curiosity Freeman - a former slave herself, one of the village's wisest women and Elizabeth's closest friend. The Bonners take Selah, desperately ill, to Lake in the Clouds to care for her, and with that simple act they are drawn into the secret life that Curiosity and Galileo Freeman and their grown children have been leading for almost 10 years. The Bonners will do what they must to protect the Freemans, just as Hannah will protect her patient, who presents more than one kind of challenge. For a bounty hunter is afoot - Hannah's childhood friend and first love, Liam Kirby.

©2003 Sara Donati (P)2009 Random House

Another great installment

In this series I would say I enjoyed the first two more, but honestly I think its because I went into it just after (and I mean just, like minutes after) reading The Winter Rose (from The Tea Rose series which is also fantastic!). This book was very good and I did enjoy it. There was a lot about slavery, medical issues, specifically smallpox, and New York. This author does a great job of taking history and putting it to fiction so we can get a good image of the times. I never realized how the smallpox vaccine came about and its crazy to me how they harvested and gave it!
It was nice to see Hannah growing into a woman, but I relate to her as a mother so I was glad, really glad, that the author kept her intimate scenes to a bare minimum. Lol. I always enjoy continuing to know characters from the previous books and there were plenty. I do wish that Hannah and Liam could have been a couole though! Maybe in the next book? Oops.. Is that a spolier? If so, sorry.

Overall it was a wonderful contribution to the series and after I get through a couple other books in line before it, I look back to getting on to the next book.

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Not as good

This book was not as good as the others in the series. Even so it's better than most other books plus the narrator keeps me coming back.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Brings story together

This is the 3rd book of the series and Im so glad that I listened to it. It fully brings all the family back together as all the characters of the previous books are blended in. I almost felt like
a member of the community. I've learned to appreciate that time period in history and what life was really like for all involved from these
books.
I'm not sure I'll purchase the next 2 books for
taking my 2 credits for so many months has limited
my variety of choices. I felt this book had a good enough ending for me to imagine their futures
and feel satisfied without running the series in the ground.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Love the book but Audible's prices are too high.

I am listening to this series and I love it. I'm very frustrated that Audible's "member price" is still on average $10 higher than Barnes and Noble. I have emailed them about the huge difference in cost to it's members but have gotten no reply. I am looking forward to Fire Across the Sky but again - will I pay $10 more or use TWO credits - probably not.

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

with every series it just gets better

I don't know why people compare this series to Outlander because there is nothing to compare. This story builds even better as it goes along with strong women and some weak one to contrast but progresses past Elizabeth and Nathaniel with their children. u gave up on Outlander at the fourth installment. Couldn't endure one more story with their bratty kids. I actually look forward to the next installment instead of dreading it. Glad that there is less of the mushy love scenes. pardon me as I must download and start the next book. Surprisingly enjoyable series with all the wonderful historical tidbits.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Nice romance

Where does Lake in the Clouds rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

If you enjoy old fashioned romance this book is for you.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The relationship with the two main characters.

Would you be willing to try another one of Kate Reading’s performances?

Not really.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Sweeping romance

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fantastic Character Development!

This series keeps impressing me. The character development from book to book is complex and fascinating. The historical basis is accurate and compelling. Keep up the great work! I’m ready for the next book, Fire Along The Sky!

Outlander like

I love listening to these books - they remind me of Outlander. Written at the same time period.

Great Story Line but Not Very Steamy

I loved the book and couldn’t stop listening but I do wish it were just a bit steamier.

Months of fun

I have spent the last few months listening to the entire book series. Started with the story of Elizabeth’s arrival to New York and followed by the stories of her family members. These well written characters will become family and will stay with you for years to come. If you’re looking for a long term commitment these are the books for you! #tagsgiving #sweepstakes #bookseries #generationalstories #holidaylistening #audible