The Winds of Sonoma

This book is a page turner! I did not want to put it down. It is a tale of sacrificing your career for what is noble and finding the love that God has hand picked. It is truly heart warming and thought provoking. Angelica was an up and coming attorney. She worked for a prestigious law firm in New York. She realizes that her firm is taking advantage of the less fortunate. As they are about to offer her a promotion she is left with a life altering decision. Should she do what is right or further her career? Soon she meets Antonio who works on her parents ranch in California. Antonio is handsome, hardworking and self sacrificing. He is the oldest child in his family. He left their poverty stricken home in Mexico to provide for his family. When these two lives collide it is a magical story.

After reading the authors latest novel, The Next Target (which I loved!) I began reading more of Nikki Aranas books although I am not usually a reader of romance. I began with Winds of Sonoma since the story looked intriguing and was based on the authors own courtship and marriage. The contemporary setting and career choices of an upper class young woman was a great backdrop for the budding relationship between the main character and Antonio, an immigrant who works at her fathers stables. The tug and pull of family expectations, socio-economic class, values and a busy life are all part of the story. I found the language realistic, including most of the Spanish words and backstory of Antonios experiences. I would have liked to see more action with one of the subplots, but thats just because Nikki Arana did such a fantastic job on her thriller, The Next Target, and that is one of my favorite genres. I recently download the sequel, In the Shade of the Jacaranda, because I enjoyed this novel so much.

Excellent. A good book advocating for for poor as well as a good story. Recommended for all ages. Interesting to read.

The Winds of Sonoma, swept me off my feet and kept me captivated the whole time I was reading it. As most know, I have reviewed alot of books on Amazon; however, this one is truly the gem in the haystack. I would easily put it in my Top Ten Books that Teresa Have Ever Read. The plot was excellent as well as the rich characters and vivid scenes. The heroine has landed a very successful job with a prominent law firm. All is looking on the upside for her until a case regarding migrant workers is tossed in front of her eyes. Being a strong Christian, she must chose to openly take the case or stand her ground. She stands... then she is fired. Standing at a crossroad, she realizes that the only way to leap is back... to Sonoma- her home, where things beat at a different pace. It is through this different pace that she encounters her hero who, much to her surprise, is an migrant worker on her fathers farm. Her faith and honesty has led her back to the farm for a reason- only God knows why. Buy the book and find out why! Sicily Yoder aka Teresa Phillips Author of, Leaving Lancaster County, Amish Cooking with Sicily Yoder and The Amish Garden.

I borrowed this ebook from someone and I loved it so much. The story gripped me from the beginning and the characters were so believable. I fell in love with the older gentleman named Poppy. He was my favorite. I laughed and cried. Such a wonderful story. Im so glad I had the opportunity to read this. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Angelica is a up and coming attorney working for a big firm in New York City. When she is fired and cannot find a new job due to her refusal to compromise her beliefs she heads home to California. While at home she faces the situation of illegal Mexican immigrants in the area. Her family ranch has hired a new immigrant worker, Antonio. Angelica decides to take him under her wing and try to help him out in every way she can. She also wants to try to get a job as a public defender because she wants give help to those who really are in need of it. As Angelica works with Antonio, she discovers that there may be more than just a charitable feeling shared between the two of them. The two have an uphill climb as they try to figure out their relationship. I liked this book. It was easy to read and one could relate to the timeliness of the story. Illegal immigration is a hot topic in our country. Many politicians are debating constantly about how the nation should treat the situation. There are lots of people who are prejudiced against Mexican immigrants such as the foreman of the ranch or the people in the church who thought they were helping but really werent. Angelica is a compassionate character who wants to help out Antonio. She also makes the difficult choice of choosing a harder life instead of one that would be easily handed to her. I admire people who can do that. I could also relate to Angelicas issue with not wanting to tell her parents what really happened to her in New York. Its hard to have to tell your parents that youve let them down after they think youve done so well. My parents were immigrants so the story is familiar about being alone and uncertain in a new country. They too were grateful for the people who took the time out to help them get settled in their new life. Im looking forward to picking up the next two books in the series.

Awesome book from beginning to end. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Hope you enjoy this book!

This heartwarming and inspiring story is romance at its finest because it shows how two people who seem an unlikely match are destined by God to be life partners and will struggle against all obstacles to be together. I noted that other reviewers have suggested this story is unlikely. However, it clearly states in the Authors Note at the end of the novel that this IS a true story, based on her own love for her husband Antonio Perez and her faith that God has a plan and purpose for every life.

The Winds of Sonoma is an encouraging story of Gods faithfulness and love. This is an inspired story by the author, Nikki Aranas life. This book has challenged me to stop judging people based on the clothes they wear or how much worldly goods they have or dont have. I want to allow the Lord to show me the beauty He sees inside people. Winds of Sonoma is the 1st book in the Regalo Grande series and I look forward to reading the other books. ~Shelly of Chadron MOPS

This is one of the best books Ive ever read. It is truly an eye opening story that left me constantly wondering what was going to happen next. It is a great book for people who love romantic, true stories. It has opened my eyes to needs that exist in our community and has stirred in my heart a desire to reach out to those in need. I cannot wait for the next book in this series to be published.