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I've heard that reading Lori Wick's books could be compared to watching Hallmark movies and this series definitely meets that mark. Set in the Victorian era, the Kensington Chronicles are a must read for any lovers of the BBC hit TV series "Downton Abbey". Lori Wick is also unashamedly Christian fiction as her stories center around God and His work in the character's lives. I probably owe some of my deep faith to reading her books during my growing up years! She is my favourite author because I can go back to her books again and again. Many of them I read at least once a year. And I usually still can't put them down until I get to the end! ( )

Victoria "Smokey" Simmons, the lone daughter of a legendary skipper, becomes the captain of her late father's ship. As much as her role at sea suits her, Smokey dreams of pursing a future on land. Perhaps Dallas Knight, captain of another ship, might be a part of that future—but Smokey's run-in with a cunning pirate might destroy any hopes of her dream in Wings of the Morning, a novel by author Lori Wick.

Even though I decided not to finish the first book in the Kensington Chronicles series, I'm glad I still went on to read this second one. I was intrigued by the thought of a woman captaining a ship in the nineteenth century, but I wondered if the author would abandon that uncommon feature of the plot early and let the rest of the book settle into a storyline more identical to her other novels. I've seen it happen before.

So I was pleased to find that this entire book is indeed about Smokey as a captain and the related adventure and adversity that comes with being who she is. I liked the mixture of confidence and vulnerability, awkwardness and sharp skill in this heroine. While the story's romantic and spiritual aspects become schmaltzy in various places, the reading loses some of its historical feel at times, and the author does essentially "gush" over the characters now and then, this tale also has some grit and wit to it.

I quite enjoyed this novel by one of my personally most-read authors, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series. ( )

I found myself laughing at a lot of things in this book. Smokey and Dallas together made an intriguing pair. It was like a breath of fresh air to lighten the mood. The story was action-packed and enchanting all at the same time. Read more: http://christianfictionaddiction.com/book_reviews/wings_of_the_morning.htm ( )