About the Book
Book: In Tempest Winds (West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm #3)
Author: Kendy Pearson
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Release date: May 7, 2025
Not all heroes are born of battle.
Some heroes are born of loss.
War has a way of changing a man, taking more than he has to give. When Zander Dabney joins in the fight, army life is not what he expected, and it seems impossible to escape his hero-brother’s shadow. When Zander finally gets the chance to test his mettle, the horrors of battle shatter his faith and leave him questioning everything—even what he thought he knew about his brother.
Lola Wade has her hands full with the mercantile, rising prices, family, and a cunning thief. Despite her chaotic life, Zander has captured her heart. But the war has taken much from him. And he needs more than her love to confront his inner demons and fractured faith.
In a whirlwind of deception, the enemy attacks the town and garrison, leaving death and destruction in its wake. But this was no ordinary attack, and the evidence Zander has just falls on deaf ears.
He is determined to unearth the truth. She has lost everything and must make a heart-wrenching decision.
Betrayal plunges Zander into a nightmare of injustice and a perilous ordeal of sacrifice and endurance few can survive. He needs a miracle. A lot of them.
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About the Author
Kendy Pearsonis a worship leader, Bluegrass fiddler, and Civil War reenactment enthusiast. As a veteran high school teacher, she loves to discover a pocket of American history missing from the schoolbooks and turn that pocket inside out. Her novels lead fictitious characters through historical events and settings, engaging with period personalities. And she always includes a romantic thread to warm the heart. Every story is a journey through tragedy, secrets, regrets, and God’s undeniable grace.
She has received multiple lit awards and enjoys public speaking and teaching writing workshops. When she’s not clicking away on the computer or scaling mountains of research, she relishes ice cream, snowy days, fireplaces, and maple trees. Kendy is the mother of four grown children and lives with her sweet hubby and two amusing miniature dachshunds.
More from Kendy
As always, writing from the Heart of Historyrequires I choose little-known events in history and weave a fictionalized story through them. In Tempest Winds is Zander’s story, the middle son of the five Dabney siblings of the “West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm” series. I promise, you will still laugh, cry, and maybe even swoon—and you will definitely learn a few things you didn’t know before.
I’d like to share a secret with you. When I wrote In Tempest Winds, I was thinking of two of my sons. Only a year and a half apart in age, they both joined the military around the same time. They each served one-year deployments. The first son deployed to Iraq and the second to Afghanistan a year later. They each left an infant child and wife behind. I held my breath for two years (barely hyperbole!).
As I researched the last desperate year of the Civil War, I somehow knew what events Zander must experience in this book. Like my sons, Zander is witty, athletic, handsome, and sensitive. And as a mother of veterans and the daughter of a two-war veteran, I know this to be a truth: “…War has a way of changing a man, taking more than he has to give.”
Zander’s journey in this story is a little like Peter’s experience on the Sea of Galilee. Peter learned a valuable, frightening lesson when he took his eyes off Jesus and started sinking. (But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid… Matt. 14:30). Peter lost his faith for a time, forgetting who made that sea in the first place.
So, you are wondering about the leading lady by now. Lola is adorable, with her fly-away blond hair and spectacles that won’t stay where she puts them. And boy, is she smart, feisty, and falling hard for Zander! When the fireworks spark, she gives our boy much to think about. Lola’s got faith and pluck. She’s determined to trust God, no matter what the tempest threatens to destroy.
If you’ve read the other books in this series, please shoot me an email (kendy@kendypearson.com) and tell me your ideas for a grown-up Will and Bertie! What will they be like? I am excited to write their stories next.
Blessings from the Heart of History, my friends!
Kendy
My Impressions
“Only a fool decides the sun just up and disappears just because he doesn’t see it. And only a fool chooses to ignore a hand that has the answers.”
Yet, Zander Dabney may be that fool. Surely the God he thought he knew wouldn’t have allowed the unspeakable acts of war Dabney experiences.
In Tempest Winds- What an appropriate title for this third and final book of West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm by Kendy Pearson! I just finished reading this amazing Civil War novel and my emotions have run the gamut, from witnessing excitement, family love, suspicion, despair, faith, bravery, acceptance, sorrow, and romance. Each emotion comes and goes like the swell of ocean waves, some returning like the tides. Thankfully, ultimately, hope and faith rise to the surface, but -fair warning- the ending makes me wonder if a new series is on the horizon.
Reading the other two books in order before this one is an absolute must. I felt by reading this series in order, I got the most from this story that is rich in history and truth nuggets. Zander Dabney is the main focus of In Tempest Winds. A lover of horses more than people, sensitive Zander has mustered up with the Union army. Yet, he frequently is compared to his older brother Fin, who had made a name for himself as a brave and intrepid scout. Resentment ensues. Zander’s army life becomes one of racing his beloved horse and saving money for his future as he waits for action. When it finally comes, Zander is appalled by war’s atrocities. Pearson doesn’t shy from showing the horrible reality of the war. “Had God been here, Zander would’ve prayed for a merciful deliverance. But the God he had called Lord was nowhere on this field of blood.” Zander’s brother and a few faithful friends try to direct Zander back to God, but Zander has his own plans.
Just when Zander finally meets the girl of his dreams and believes their love serious, his sudden sullen moods and aloofness towards God cause disaster.
Will Zander ever be able to return to the peace he possessed before the War?
I loved the many family relationships within the Dabney family that we are privy to. Coming from a large family, I could identify with the need to stand out. It is fun to see the characters that we came to know in previous books. It is interesting to see how family members are weathering the storm of the war, and how they pull together.
I loved how the person Zander holds the most resentment towards, is the one who works the hardest to see him return home. And the emphasis on prayer is so encouraging, even in the face of feeling helpless. “She may feel helpless, but she refused to be hopeless.” This can be us, if we, too, cling to our faith in impossible times.
Most fun character probs goes to Lola’s ten-year-old brother, Felix. He’s excited to learn, gregarious, has a wide-eyed-wonder about him, is full of life, curious, and still innocent in so many ways.
My fave secondary adult character is D.R. Leach. His faith is contagious and unending. He wants everyone to share it, especially Zander. “down here, I may not understand. But I’ll be doggoned if I’m gonna let go of . . . of that unseen hand that does hold the answers.” That’s the kind of faith I want to imitate!
I read as fast as I could, because there is so much action and suspense! If you like Civil War era novels, this series is one that will be memorable!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“He remembered Fin telling him once that a man had cause real often to take his thoughts captive. Until now, he figured his brother was talking about women, but what if he meant to take them captive about other things? Like unpleasant sort of things.”
“There’s nothing more important to God than taking care of His children.”-Leach
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this Series!! Hoping to see more of the Dabney family in the future!
Blog Stops
Texas Book-aholic, May 30
Stories By Gina, May 31 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, May 31
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 1
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 2 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 3
Locks, Hooks and Books, June 4
A Reader’s Brain , June 5 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 6
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 7 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, June 8 (Author Interview)
Books Less Travelled, June 8
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 9
For Him and My Family, June 10
For the Love of Literature, June 11 (Author Interview)
Life on Chickadee Lane, June 12
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kendy is giving away the grand prize of a $40 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 