Thank you Net Galley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

It’s not often that a book can bring its reads to have such strong emotions & reactions to the words. This is a book that at points had me in tears the pages became blurry.

Kristen Harris takes her readers on a journey with men, women, and children living in 1930’s Texas; and their struggle to survive to Great Depression.

While the happy moments in this novel were few and far between- Elsa’s journey from was one of growth and strength for what she’s endured.

This is quite a harrowing tale. I actually had to take a pause from reading it at about 50%. Had I been reading this in any moment other than the middle of the dumpster fire that is 2020, I think I could have read it straight through. At this moment, however, it was a lot to live the pandemic and terrible unrest and then pick up a book and read about another time in American history where things were also awful.

Pretty much every moment of Elsa's life is TOUGH. She starts off with a terrible family who doesn't like or support her. They quickly disown her when she seeks affection from Rafe and ends up pregnant. There's a quick blip where she finds a stable, home living with Rafe and his family and has her children, but then the dust bowl starts. If you know anything about this period in history, then you know what follows is a life-or-death struggle. Elsa has a fraught relationship with her daughter who blames her mother for all of her issues. Elsa also has a really poor self-image and often doesn't believe in herself. Elsa's marriage to Rafe is also lonely and one-sided. Rafe eventually abandons the family. The family almost starves on the farm. Elsa's son gets dust asthma an almost dies. Are you sensing a trend? Finally, the family makes the dangerous and difficult journey to California to escape the dust where they experience discrimination, abject poverty, and severe labor abuses by the big farmers and corporations where the migrants are forced to work. It's literally one horrible thing after another.

However, as is typical with Hannah, you can't stop reading. I read late into the night, literally biting my nails, wanting to know what would happen next. My favorite Hannah book is still The Great Alone, but this is a strong addition to her catalog. This is a stark, vivid account of the depression and the Dust Bowl. There was so much excellent historical detail that I loved. The ending was NOT what I wanted at all, but I appreciated it all the same. The last 20% is the weakest part-- it devolves a bit into what feels like propaganda for unionized labor and workers' rights which I support but it felt a bit like a different book. Until that point, it had really been the story of Elsa and her family and their experiences during this really horrible moment in American history. During that last 20%, it was more about how the communist party in California was fighting for workers' rights and Elsa felt like a vehicle to inform about that moment.

"The Four Winds" tells the story of Elsa Martinelli and her family as they live during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl in Texas. Elsa, while born into an upper middle-class family, is unloved due to her looks and health issues. She becomes pregnant and is forced to marry into a poor farming family. There she finds the love and acceptance that families can provide. However, her marriage to a young dreamer fails as he abandons the family. Elsa is left to raise and support her two children along with her supportive in-laws.

Eventually, Elsa has to decide between staying in Texas or journeying alone with her two children to California, the land of promise. Once in California, she discovers the huge number of Texan and Oklahoma migrants have flooded the area driving down the wages and raising housing costs. She joins the many migrant farm workers barely making a living and becomes involved in protests to unionize the workers.

Kristin Hannah developed an interesting group of characters and portrayed the U.S. as it was during this time period. This book reminded me of "The Grapes of Wrath", telling the heartbreaking story of determined Americans desperate for a way to make a living and provide for their family against the harsh realities of life and those in power.

This book is the story of Elsa’s journey to believe in herself and allow her courageous spirit to surface. I recommend this book if you like multi-generation sagas or are interested in this challenging time period in history.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah is a heartbreaking beautiful story. The Four Winds takes us back to the 1930's in a time that seems eerily similar to current time in America. It tells the story of Elsa a young woman that has never known what it is like to be loved. Her family doesn't want anything to do with her and her husband leaves in the middle of the night, all during one of the hardest times in America. The dust is killing Elsa's young son, so she must leave the only place that she knows as home and head west in hopes of a better life for her children. Full of heartbreaks and hope this book will make you feel all the emotions. I can not recommend this book enough, I absolutely loved it.

I received an ARC digital copy of Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds directly from NetGalley and offer my unbiased review. My thanks to NetGalley, and to Kristin Hannah.

I’ve been to Dalhart TX. I know how the wind whips through the land and puts a sting on your face. Dalhart Texas the birthplace of Elsa Martinelli, farmers wife, daughter and mother, friend and rabble rouser for Fair Pay.

This novel brings the story of the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression and the migration of the American workers to life through a story of one girl and how the consequences of her actions shape the “Warrior “ she becomes.

The story of Elsa Martinelli, begins as a young teen , trying to make sense of her adolescent self and relationships between her privileged family as a child and the farming family that envelops her after childbirth. Her journey to California with one child recovering from dust pneumonia and the other, an angry teen.

It is filled with emotion and despair, courage and sacrifice. Elsa, determined to give her children a better life away from the dust bowl in Texas, only to fall into the never ending cycle the growers wanted the migrant farm workers in; living on credit, building it up, and never making enough, even with relief, to break out. They had to pick enough cotton to pay off this year’s debt for food and lodging, so they could start living on credit again in the winter when the work vanished. Competition so fierce for the work and the migrants owed too much to the grower to work for ever reducing pay.


This is the new American classic.

The author, in her Epilogue, offers the following:

For more information about the Dust Bowl years or the migrant experience in California, please go to my website www.KristinHannah.com for a Suggested Reading List.

I received an e-copy of The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah through Net Galley.
This is heartbreaking historical fiction set during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era in Texas.
After Elsa is seduced by a local boy she is discarded by her family.. Fortunately she thrives on her new in-laws farm, finding her strength in caring for the land and her two children. But she witnesses the desperation setting in in the early 1930s'
There is talk that California is a promised land, with jobs available for those willing to work. Families pack up and flee, and finally Elsa sees it as her only option. Deserted by her husband, she and her children find themselves among thousands of other refugees, struggling to find work, shelter and food.
Hannah's writing evokes the desperate lives of the era in heart-breaking, often uncomfortable detail. Highly recommended.

In the past, I've enjoyed Kristin Hannah's books for their family drama. But her last 3 novels have been more historical fiction and I'm LOVING it! Her writing style just paints a mental picture for me, so much that by the end of this book I was crying!
Elsa lives in enforced solitude, an outsider in her own family. Shortly after her 25th birthday, Elsa's had enough. She goes against her parents orders and visits the speakeasy in town to listen to music wearing her new red silk dress. She meets Rafe, an Italian man who actually makes her feel pretty.
Soon after, Elsa is dumped on Rafe's doorstep, shamed, disowned, and pregnant. And there, with Rafe's parents on their Texas farm, she finds her true place...a family who loves her and a place she loves to call home. But then the stock market collapses and the nation falls into a Great Depression. The farm dries to dust as the rain refuses to fall. Starving and choking on dust Elsa refuses to leave for years, until she becomes forced to by her son's failing health.
Fleeing toward the promise of jobs and prosperity in California, Elsa again realizes she'll have to fight for the survival of herself and her children against the unfair practices of the landowners.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

"All my life I've been told to make no noise, don't want too much, be grateful for any scrap that came my way."

After some major health issues as a child, Elsa was deemed by her family to be too fragile and too ugly to be married. At 25, she is lonely, and longs to be seen. While sneaking away to find a little bit of adventure, she meets Rafe, a young Italian man and his attention buoys Elsa, and soon finds herself in the family way. After being forced into marriage, Elsa moves from her parent's wealthy home to the Martinelli farm where she learns the value and necessity of hard work and finally finds a place where she belongs and is loved.

Fast forward a few years, and drought takes hold of the south, forcing the Martinellis into impossible choices. Elsa decides to take her children and head to California, the "land of milk and honey" to try and find work so they can survive.

I loved this story. My eyes hurt so badly after putting it down from crying. I have been poor, with children and alone and sometimes faced with awful choices, but never as awful as the choices or conditions in this book. It also really put in to perspective how privileged we are to be living through the pandemic at this time in history.

However, if the book hadn't made me feel so much, I would give it 4 stars instead of 5, as some of the writing seemed a little forced, and was a little cliché at times, which is unusual for Ms. Hannah's writing, and sometimes the characters felt a little one-dimensional.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

I’m not sure I have to words to do this novel justice. Kristin Hannah is such a force, and this novel will be such a smash hit in 2021.

“Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli―like so many of her neighbors―must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.”

I don’t really like historical fiction- I’m just being honest, but Hannah is one of those authors that I can’t resist because her novels are so rich, and so real, and Four Winds is amazing. This story touches on family, on perseverance, and I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoiling it.

Just read it. It will bring you to tears. Absolutely amazing.

If my gushing hasn’t given it away, this is a five star read. An absolute must. Curl up with this book, your favorite blanket, a mug of your favorite warm drink, and a box of tissues.

*Many thanks to NetGalley, to St. Martin’s Press, and Kristin Hannah for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.*

While not my favorite from Kristin Hannah, this was an engrossing novel with all the typical Hannah feels. It’s a bit slow moving, but the setting (Texas and California during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression) was one I did not know much about and found fascinating and eerily similar to our current climate. Ultimately the novel is one of hope and female empowerment, and it’s worth the read.

This is Kristin Hannah's best novel yet. It was so incredible from start to finish. I immediately cared about Elsa because of how her parents and siblings were treating her, like she didn't deserve to have happiness and good things. There was almost a V.C. Andrews feel to the beginning of the novel.

Then we get to the meat and potatoes of the story (or lack thereof, given the situation). I felt for Elsa and her family with everything they were going through. I couldn't imagine living the way they had to, but Kristin painted a vivid picture throughout. The dust winds sounded horrifying! I felt like I was right there with Elsa, toiling to earn very little money. There were some really great moments full of love and redemption to outweigh the horrible moments that could easily happen even nowadays. I like that Loreda's voice and perspective were included throughout the novel, as well. She was also an amazing character and I was impressed by her bravery.

Kristin Hannah makes a strong statement with this novel and it's one I won't easily forget. It was very powerful and also sad at times. I highly recommend picking it up as soon as it hits shelves in February. You won't be able to put it down at all!

Movie casting ideas:
Elsa: Marin Ireland
Loreda: Soni Bringas
Rafe: Marco Dapper
Rose: Greta Scacchi
Tony: Tony Danza
Jean: Elizabeth Reaser
Jack: Ryan Hurst
Welty: John Slattery

5 captavating stars! Kristin Hanna is the Queen of historical fiction and a master at portraying fiercely strong female characters.

“Be Brave”

I went into this the same way I did with the Nightengale, which was for some reason intimidated but in the best way possible.
The Four Winds is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching story of life and resilience during the 1930’s. The Great Depression, the Dust Bowl and fighting for the American dream. A MUST read for fans of Kristin Hanna, historical fiction, and ugly crying. Easily one of my top reads for 2020.

“A warrior believes in an end she can’t see and fights for it. A warrior never gives up. A warrior fights for those weaker than herself. It Sounds like motherhood to me.”

The Four WInds, guaranteed to be a best seller, will be avaialble 2/9/2021.

I received an e-ARC of The Four Winds for an honest review. Many thanks to Kristin Hanna, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for this opportunity.

The Four Winds
by Kristin Hannah

This is a story about love and bravery - and above all, endurance. Kristin Hannah has done a wonderful job here showing the reader the terrible reality of the dust bowl in a country already plagued by the depression. She also creates a vivid picture of what it was like for millions who lost everything - and for the "lucky" ones who felt so threatened by the sea of migrants trying to find a home.

This is the story of a young woman, unloved by her own family, who finds a place for herself and her children in another family, only to have the ecological disaster in the great plains take it all away. Elsa gathers up her courage and travels with her children to California looking for a better life. But her family- and thousands like them - were treated like pariahs by the native Californians, who saw them as parasites. This vivid picture of the dichotomy between the "haves"" and the ""have nots" in America provides an understanding of why the appeal of communism and labor unions grew in this country during that time period.

I would recommend this book to readers who know little of the history of that time - and to those trying to understand the divisions in America today.

A part of American History that you don't read about often.
A compelling,emotional story about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl and the people who lived through it.
About love ,trust,Family and hope.
Good hard read get ready to cry.
Voluntarily reviewed.

My thanks to St. Martins Press, NetGalley, and to Kristin Hannah for providing an ARC for review.

Having heard a lot about the author in the past few years, I jumped at the opportunity to receive her new work and I am glad I finally took the plunge.

The characters and the time period are very well flushed out and show the research that would have gone in the subject matter. The book and the time period make for a very heavy reading. However, this is ultimately a story about love, family and hope.

I thoroughly enjoyed the work and would be reading all her previous works in short order.

This is a powerful book and I really enjoyed it. In the biggest picture it's about living through the 1930s in the Dust Bowl, and then a very difficult migration to California in search of a better life--Steinbeck fans will definitely think of The Grapes of Wrath. It's well-written, with characters that are well-fleshed out and seem real. I worried about them. I felt like I was there, struggling through horrendous dust storms, and then being looked down upon for no reason other than being a migrant in search of work to feed the family. Struggling to find back-breaking work. Living in terrible conditions, unable to pull my family up and out of it.

But there's a lot more going on in this novel. It's about strong women. It's about a mother and her teenage daughter finally coming around. It's about believing in yourself.

I picked up this book having just finished reading the book The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery, and I was struck by the similarity of themes. Like Elsa in this book, Valancy in The Blue Castle is in her 20s. Her family, too, tore her down with constant, unwarranted disapproval, and left her with no confidence. While the books are about very different eras and have very different plots, both show the protagonist having to learn to believe in herself and be strong.

Great book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.
Excellent and relevant historical fiction. Kristin Hannah is a master of historical fiction and this book is eminently readable. The compelling story of Elsa and her children who live through the Dust Bowl in Texas and become a migrant laborers in California is an easy read, but the ease hides the depth of the story. Hannah explores the plight of migrant laborers in California during the Great Depression through memorable characters and a driving story. Family dynamics and motherhood, as well as the union movement are explored as well. As always her books are well written and engrossing.

The author's afterword lends poignancy and relevance to this story--as she wrote it during the pandemic. Another superb book of historical fiction from a master of the genre.

Another great book by this author. I didn't want it to end! Heartwarming and heartbreaking it's a rollercoaster ride. Highly recommend this book.

An incredible story of the Dustbowl and the Great Depression in the 1930s. It was heartbreaking and compelling account of what the prior generations had to deal with. I think every American should read this book to understand the depths of despair and heartbreak. It was a great and knowledgeable read

Wow! This is a beautiful book. The emotional ride while reading it is still with me 4 days after I finished it. I cried and laughed through most of this book.
It was interesting to read a book set in Depression/Dust Bowl era.