Maggie Blackbird

I did a previous post about the novels–contemporary and historical–I’ve read, was reading, or planned on reading that starred Indigenous heroines.  Today, I’m blogging about more books I’ve discovered.  It doesn’t matter if the continent is North America, South America, Australia, or wherever else.

As a matter of fact, after watching Mighty Cruise Ships by chance, I fell in love with the MS Paul Gauguin as the ship cruised around French Polynesia for fourteen days.  I kept conjuring up a romance between a gorgeous captain falling for a Polynesian beauty.  Anyone willing to write that one for me?

Anyway, not to get sidetracked, here are some books in my TBR list, or that I’ve recently read:

Restoring Hope (Native American Romance #1) by Ruth Ann Nordin

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  In the middle of the night, Woape flees from three male Indians who’ve tormented her. Gary Milton rescues her, and she follows him home. To secure Gary’s protection, she marries him. But the Indians haven’t given up their pursuit of her.

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords

 

 

Bound by Honor, Bound by Love (Native American Romance #3) by Ruth Ann Nordin

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  The day Onawa eagerly anticipated has finally come. She is to be Citlali’s wife. But what she doesn’t realize is that his ambitions to be the next chief could be more powerful than his feelings for her. Will she ever find a prominent place in his life, or will she end up taking second place to the tribe?

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords

 

Grass Dance by Kathryn Imbriani

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  After General George Armstrong Custer’s defeat at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June of 1876, the Sioux flee north to Canada seeking shelter and food with the U. S. Calvary in hot pursuit. Irishman Braden Flynn is assigned the task of escorting the desperate Sioux into Canada where the North West Mounted Police wait to act as mediator between the Sioux seeking exile and the U. S. Government bent on imprisoning them on newly established reservations.

As he rides alongside these tragic people and learns their ways and sorrows, he cannot help but admire the resilience and loyalty of Sitting Bull’s niece, Dancing Bird. Fearful for the future of her people, Dancing Bird trusts no white man, not even the kindly, scarlet-clad North West Mounted Policeman sent as their protector. Now, amidst the clash of two governments and murderous upheavals, Braden comes to know that Dancing Bird is meant to be his wife. But to win her trust – and her love – he will have to overcome years of broken promises and mistrust between their people.

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords

Cloud Dancer by Peggy Bechko

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  Woman Warrior — As the Spanish put their mark on the “New World,” young Cloud Dancer’s peaceful life at Acoma Pueblo crumbled before her eyes. Alone and bitter, the beautiful maiden learned the fierce Apache ways of her lost love White Hawk and vowed never to kneel before the enemy again. Spirit Warrior White Hawk was still very much alive. And his heart knew boundless joy when he found Cloud Dancer had not perished in the massacre of her people. But the lovers faced a new struggle as tribal conflict and the ever-encroaching Spaniards threatened their sweet reunion.

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords

Captive Spirit by Liz Fichera

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  Aiyana isn’t like the other girls of the White Ant Clan. Instead of keeping house, she longs to compete on the Ball Court with her best friend Honovi and the other boys. Instead of marriage, she daydreams of traveling beyond the mountains that surround her small village. Only Honovi knows and shares her forbidden wish, though Aiyana doesn’t realize her friend has a secret wish of his own…

When Aiyana’s father arranges her marriage to a man she hardly knows, she takes the advice of a tribal elder: run! In fleeing, she falls into the hands of Spanish raiders and finds herself being taken over the mountains against her will. Now Aiyana’s on a quest to return to the very place she once dreamed of escaping. And she’ll do whatever it takes to survive and find her way back to the people she loves.

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Nook

Buffalo Calf Road Woman by Rosemary Agonito

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  As the Cheyenne fought that June day in 1876, warrior Comes in Sight faced grave danger. His horse had been shot out from under him, and he was left stranded on the battlefield. Suddenly, a rider galloped through enemy fire, pulled Comes in Sight onto the back of her horse, and spirited him to safety. It was Buffalo Calf Road Woman—the warrior’s own sister.

While white men refer to this clash as the Battle of the Rosebud, the Cheyenne know it as the battle, “Where the Girl Saved Her Brother.” Days later, Buffalo Calf fought at the Battle of Little Bighorn—the only woman to do so. And now a controversy is brewing over her role in that battle: Did Buffalo Calf strike the fatal blow that killed Custer?

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Nook

Beneath the Shining Mountains by Linda Acaster

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  It is the good times between the coming of the horse and the encroachment of land-hungry settlers. On the northern plains, among the Apsaroke people, Moonhawk yearns for Winter Man to notice her, but why would a man with so many lovers want to take a wife? Her wry challenge to his virility captures Winter Man’s attention but starts an escalating game of spar and tease that threatens to lead Moonhawk and her family to ridicule and shame. A story of honour among rival warrior societies, and one woman’s determination to wed the man of her dreams.

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Nook

Straight Flies the Arrow by Sydney Tooman Betts

Blurb courtesy of Kobo:  During the winter of 1841, Pacing Wolf, the esteemed leader of the Many Lodges, follows the trail of a brutal murderer, leaving behind his beloved woman, Small Doe. When his tracking party returns without him, the Sparrow Hawks’ Real Chief pronounces him dead, insisting Small Doe grieve, but she cannot bring herself to give up hope her husband will return. The coming spring offers her few choices. She can accept the courageous new warrior chosen for her or risk falling prey to his war-society rivals.

Vengeance and loyalty, hatred and faithfulness, all vie within two enemy villages, one belonging to the Sparrow Hawks and the other the Allies, threatening to crush every hope of happiness for Small Doe and everyone she loves.

Buy Links:  Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Nook

The last three books are no longer in print, but you can get used paperback copies at Amazon.

Picture Maker by Penina Keen Spinka

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  Across the ocean, the Crusades had ended. Three plagues devastated Europe, killing Europeans by the hundreds of thousands. But in North America, born into a powerful clan of women, Picture Maker is gifted with the ability to etch drawings that foreshadow the future. Her prophecy of war saves her beloved Ganeogaono people, but leads to her own brutal capture by the Algonquins. Through her courage and resilient spirit, and aided by a remarkable storyteller, she escapes her captors and finds refuge with the Naskapi, a peace-loving tribe. Her journey does not end there, however; Picture Maker’s travels take her across North America and into the distant corners of the western hemisphere where she ultimately meets Halvard, a Norse hunter who holds the key to the riddle of her birth. Together, they sail to Greenland, where Halvard’s way of life comes under attack and Picture Maker is shunned as an outcast for her special gifts. Her fate comes full circle as she struggles to save her young daughter from being taken from her, as she was long ago torn from her own clan.

Velvet Savage by Kathleen Drymon

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  Trained as a Crow warrior woman, Kalina fought with knife and teeth against the hated Blackfoot enemy – until the fierce brave, Two Shadows, vanquished her in battle. When she tried to resist him, the arrogant, vengeful savage dumped her in the river, flung her up behind him on his horse, then forced her to lie beside him on his sleeping mat, as if she were his slave. But though she’d die before admitting it, the heat of his strong body, the very beating of his heart, sparked something deep within her. She longed to turn into his muscled arms, to feel the full length of his lean body pressing against her burning flesh.

Legend of Desire by Kathleen Drymon

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads:  Determined to win the love of Desire, the beautiful and independent medicine woman, Cetan, the legendary Chief of the Lakota Sioux, shows her the promise of newfound passion, and together they must fend off a jealous rival who also wants to possess her.

I also did a previous blog post about Sue Harrison’s Ivory Carver Trilogy and Storyteller Trilogy if you want to read more about Indigenous heroines.  Another post I did is Water Lily by Ella Cara Deloria.

Watch for a third post in the later future as I continue to accumulate more romance novels starring Indigenous heroines.

If you have any recs that aren’t listed, please comment and point me in the right direction of the book(s).