Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden

As owner of the 57th Illinois Watch Company, Mollie Knox's future looks bright until the night the legendary Great Chicago Fire destroys her beloved city. With her world crumbling around her, Mollie will do whatever it takes to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating fire.

Zack Kazmarek, an influential attorney for one of Chicago's finest department stores, is a force to be reckoned with among the city's most powerful citizens. Bold and shrewd, he's accustomed to getting exactly what he wants--until he meets Mollie Knox, the beguiling businesswoman just beyond his reach.

In the tumult as the people of Chicago race to rebuild a bigger and better city, Mollie comes face-to-face with the full force of Zack's character and influence. Zack believes this may finally be his chance to win her, but can Mollie ever accept this man and his whirlwind effect on her life, especially with her treasured company on the line?

Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden was an interesting historical romance about a time period and an event that I knew little about. Set during the Great Chicago Fire, this novel was written beautifully so that it both interested the reader in the event and brought the event to life in the reader's imagination with descriptions and the emotions of the characters. The plot line was also filled with moments of humor, tragedy, suspense, romance, and deep emotion. I liked that while there some predictability in romances, this novel developed events in an unique way that made the novel stand out. The themes of Into the Whirlwind included the importance of trust, loving others without trying to change their personality, and forgiveness. The narration of this novel alternated between the perspectives of Zack and Mollie, which allowed the reader to have an idea about what both characters were feeling as well as understand their thoughts.

The characters were fairly well developed and very interesting. The main characters, Zack and Molly, were realistic and had their unique flaws and strengths. They each changed and grew in their personalities throughout the novel and the events that turned their lives upside down. The other supporting characters had different characteristics, and they added to the depth of the story and helped guide and mold the main characters as they grew. One of the things that I was not as fond of was the little mention of God and His work in changing people's lives and decisions. There were a couple of mentions of God, but there were instances and situations where God's Truth and Gospel could have been displayed in a powerful and smooth way. However, overall, I enjoyed Into the Whirlwind with its interesting romance twists, historical background, and the tension filled interactions between Zack and Molly. I would definitely recommend reading this novel as well as other Elizabeth Camden novels.

I received this novel from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.