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The Aviator's Lady (Ladies of the Wilderness #3) by Gabrielle Meyer

 

Summary (from the publisher): In 1863, Matthew Merrick is desperate to prove to the world that he isn’t a mistake. Sent to the untamed Minnesota wilderness to oversee a pivotal land treaty, he finds his resolve tested—and his heart captured—by the daughter of an Ojibwe chief. But when his ambitions clash with those of Jacob Bailey, a fierce rival determined to shape his own fate, both men are drawn into a web of choices that will echo for decades...

Half a century later in 1917, the world is at war, but for stunt pilot Cade Bailey, the true battle is at home. Haunted by the mistakes of his past, he returns to northern Minnesota—not just to save his family’s struggling farm, but to find redemption in the wilderness he loves. Heiress Emma Merrick has wealth and privilege—but the freedom she longs for remains out of reach. Bound by family secrets and unyielding expectations, she jeopardizes everything to be a Red Cross nurse on the home front, and dreams of learning to fly to bring aid to her patients.

When Cade’s reckless courage collides with Emma’s fierce determination, neither will be the same. But as their families’ secrets unravel, and the choices of their ancestors return to haunt them, they will be swept into a whirlwind of consequences that neither can escape, risking everything to chart their own course.

Review: What a lovely and intricately plotted story! In 1917, we meet Cade Bailey, a famous stunt pilot who is haunted by mistakes in his past and is returning home to Minnesota to try to save his family farm. We also meet heiress Emma Merrick, who, despite her privileged background, has had a childhood restricted by expectations and parents who are clearly trapped in a loveless marriage. In alternate chapters, we go back in time to 1863 to learn Emma's father Matthew's story, as he is sent to the Minnesota wilderness to oversee a land treaty and finds himself falling for the daughter of an Ojibwe chief. 

This novel instantly reeled me in with dramatic, high stakes scenes! I loved that we got to meet both Emma and Cade as children in the opening chapters, because the insight into the childhoods they lived through really helps shape my understanding of their character. There are also a lot of high adrenaline scenes with Cade flying his plane, which felt exciting and built the tension in different points in the novel. I loved the way Emma and Cade meet, which involves Emma's nursing career and her desperately reaching out to Cade for his help flying a patient to safety. This book just had so many moments of high tension in the best way! 

While most books with multiple perspectives and timelines leave me far more interested in one plotline over another, I was genuinely interested in all of them in this book. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the way the author intricately weaved the different plotlines together was so beautifully done and felt so wholly redemptive. Matthew's story in particular is hard to read. He makes many mistakes and mistreats others both intentionally and not throughout his life. But this book, with the characteristic Christian faith Gabrielle Meyer weaves into all her novels, shows that redemption is possible for all of us and it's never too late to change the course of your life.

This book differed a lot from the first two books in the series. It occurs much later in time, and it features multiple timelines. But all three books feature the American wilderness, a tender love story that overcomes great odds, Christian faith, and well-researched historical details. This was probably my favorite of the three! I was particularly blown away by how well plotted out the story was and how beautifully the author ties everything together in the conclusion. 

A huge thank you to author Gabrielle Meyer for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Stars: 4.5

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