Wie Staub im Wind

“Wie Staub im Wind” (originally Ashes in the Wind, published in 1979) is a celebrated historical romance novel by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, one of the pioneers of the modern genre of historical romance. The plot is set during the turbulent period of the American Civil War and follows the fate of Alaina MacGaren, a young Southern girl whose carefree life in New Orleans is completely destroyed by the suffering of war and family tragedy.

After losing her home and being left to her own devices, Alaina is forced to disguise herself as a boy in order to survive on the streets of the occupied city and escape the enemy. In this edition, she meets Dr. Cole Latimer, a noble and just Union surgeon from the North. Cole takes the “boy” under his protection, not suspecting that behind the rustic clothes is a beautiful and proud woman. When her true nature is finally revealed, a powerful attraction develops between them, but the circumstances of war, deep-rooted loyalties to opposing sides, and secrets from the past put their love to the test.

Kathleen E. Woodiwiss skillfully blends a rich historical backdrop with a dramatic and passionate plot. The novel captures the atmosphere of a divided nation in detail, while exploring themes of survival, forgiveness, trust, and love that transcends ideological boundaries through the characters of Alaina and Cole.