WINDS OF ALLEGIANCE by Linda Chaikin

This is book two in The Great Northwest series, but I was thrown off a little by the fact that this story takes place in history before book one,  Empire Builders.  In begins in 1834 where there is a battle over what country will take control of the uncharted land called Oregon.  Three nations are vying for the land, Russia, the British and the United States.  It was interesting to learn some of the history at that time while reading this story.  It was a story full of intrigue and danger and finding out where ones loyalty really lies.

Savana Rezanov Mackenzie has a Russian-English heritage, whose loyalties are with the British for power in the American Northwest.  She was abandoned by her Russian mother and didn't really get to know her father so she finds herself traveling with her uncle to the great Northwest to possibly meet her grandmother, the Russian countess.  But she will find herself a pawn in the hand of men she is not sure she can trust.

Trace Wilder is a man of many identities. He finds himself in the middle of danger and espionage as he tries to secure Oregon for the United States and protect Savana from a man she thinks will help her in meeting her grandmother.

This was an interesting story full of intrigue and there was a lot of people and countries to keep track of so it was a story that kept me on my toes as I tried to sort everything all out.  There was definitely a romance going on in the story, but there was much more to this book than just a romance novel.  The author researched the history of the time and did a good job of bringing history to life.