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" Today&amp;#039;s book review is from Woman&amp;#039;s Day reader Jennifer Slattery. She read Wounded Spirits by April Gardner. April Gardner&amp;#039;s debut novel is a well-crafted, emotionally engaging romance that immersed me in two very different, yet painfully intertwined cultures\u2014that of the burgeoning settler and the dwindling Native American warrior. Intrigue, and perhaps even a hint of scandal, sprinkled across the first page, plunged me instantly into the story. In chapter one, we meet the young, studious Adela, a woman bound by a deep sense of honor and loyalty, yet smitten by a forbidden love\u2014in a hesitant, uncertain sort of way. She tells herself that it is loyalty to her sister that keeps her from falling into Philip&amp;#039;s arms, but deep in her heart, doubts arise. Does she really love this man, or is she merely attracted to his good looks? And are his strong, at times overly assertive, advances, signs of love or domination? This romance is further complicated by intense feelings of guilt. Her older sister, Elizabeth loves Philip and is determined to become his wife. Obviously, Philip doesn&amp;#039;t return her sentiments. And he&amp;#039;s really not concerned about how Elizabeth will feel when she finds out he&amp;#039;s been secretly pining for her younger sister. Adela, however, is very concerned. Elizabeth is a strong-willed woman, accustomed to getting her way. Adela has always been more than willing to let her sister have it, until now. But is Philip worth hurting her sister and perhaps even breaking their ailing mother&amp;#039;s heart? Adela is terrified by the proposition and would prefer to let things lie until a final decision has been made, but things unravel, exposing her and Philip&amp;#039;s romance. For the first time in her young life, Adela is forced to speak her mind. Will her family understand, or will they grow to hate her? And what of her ailing mom, who appears to be growing sicker day by day? How will Adela&amp;#039;s news, and the possibility of sibling rivalry, affect her mother? April Gardner did a wonderful job of creating numerous very unique and believable characters. Initially I was concerned that I would have trouble relating to the Native American viewpoints as I had minimal experience to draw from, but April did such a great job of developing each character presented and their environment, I experienced each scene effortlessly without pause of distraction. What impressed me most was April&amp;#039;s creative, yet appropriate use of language. The euphemisms and similes used fit both time period and culture with which they were used, not just once, but again and again. Details were used sparingly and effectively, with just enough to plunge us into the scene without taking us on a long, story-deflecting stroll. Emotions were real and I easily related to all characters. Somehow April brought out the humanity in even the most irrational or hated characters, pulling me to them with almost as much force as the plot propelled me from them. Overall, a very pleasant read with a great storyline and brilliant presentation. I look forward to reading Ms. Gardner&amp;#039;s future work.  We&amp;#039;d love to hear about what you&amp;#039;re reading, too. Send your reviews to  LitFix@womansday.com  and we&amp;#039;ll post them right here on the blog. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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