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Sioux Splendor
Learning that an innocent Native American boy is to hang at the hands of vengeful miners, preacher's daughter Cynthia Wells sets out on the rescue and is amazed when the imprisoned Red Wolf turns out to be a handsome, full-grown man. Reissue.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
2 people are currently reading
303 people want to read
About the author
Rosanne Bittner
84 books622 followersI am a USA-TODAY best-selling author with 41 years, 76 books, and numerous writing awards behind me. My major genre is historical romance. I have always written for standard publishers but am now writing strictly for Amazon so I have more freedom to write real history. My most recent publication is SHADOW TRAIL, the 6th book in my Outlaw Hearts series. I also wrote and published my first full-length contemporary story, DANCING BENEATH YOU, in September 2022, a romance involving mystery and a depiction of reservation life in the Badlands of South Dakota. My best sellers are my SAVAGE DESTINY series (7 books) and my OUTLAW HEARTS series. See my website (www.rosannebittner.com) for details on all my books - most available for Kindle and in print. I am known for great love stories filled with real history and high emotion. I have also written many Native American stories, all based on real history.
I love American history. For those of you who have not yet read my books, my stories are generally set in the American West of the 1800s and feature vividly described, historically accurate settings that span the US from Missouri to California, from Canada to Mexico. Many of my books portray the poignant history of our Native Americans, and though the characters are my own, I use real historical locations and events in all my novels. I have also written about the French & Indian wars, American Revolution, the War of 1812, the war with Mexico (the Alamo), and the Civil War.
National magazine ROMANTIC TIMES has called me the "Queen of Western Romance" and an "emotional powerhouse." My husband and I have traveled the west for nearly 40 years and I have visited just about every location mentioned in my books.
Visit my website at www.rosannebittner.com and my Facebook Author page. And be sure to join Rosanne Bittner's Heart of the West Street Team! Happy reading!
I love American history. For those of you who have not yet read my books, my stories are generally set in the American West of the 1800s and feature vividly described, historically accurate settings that span the US from Missouri to California, from Canada to Mexico. Many of my books portray the poignant history of our Native Americans, and though the characters are my own, I use real historical locations and events in all my novels. I have also written about the French & Indian wars, American Revolution, the War of 1812, the war with Mexico (the Alamo), and the Civil War.
National magazine ROMANTIC TIMES has called me the "Queen of Western Romance" and an "emotional powerhouse." My husband and I have traveled the west for nearly 40 years and I have visited just about every location mentioned in my books.
Visit my website at www.rosannebittner.com and my Facebook Author page. And be sure to join Rosanne Bittner's Heart of the West Street Team! Happy reading!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 5, 2019
It's interesting how a almost 30yr old story read 6 years after the first initial reading resonates so differently. Interesting how life experiences draw you to certain stories again and feed your readers heart with a whole new understanding.
I intimately experienced Cynthia and Red Wolf's soul deep attraction and connection and felt their pain at being ripped apart and trying to just keep surviving each day. And then the joyous REUNION where they discovered just how much they desperately needed the other.... Swept me away.
Loved this book now more than I did before.
It may be an older story, but it still captures attention yet today.
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2013 review
Cynthia and Red Wolf had much to overcome before they could get their hea. Loved how they finally connected - my heart broke when they were torn apart, and I loved watching them finally make it back to each other's arms. Another Native American story that I just loved!
I intimately experienced Cynthia and Red Wolf's soul deep attraction and connection and felt their pain at being ripped apart and trying to just keep surviving each day. And then the joyous REUNION where they discovered just how much they desperately needed the other.... Swept me away.
Loved this book now more than I did before.
It may be an older story, but it still captures attention yet today.
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2013 review
Cynthia and Red Wolf had much to overcome before they could get their hea. Loved how they finally connected - my heart broke when they were torn apart, and I loved watching them finally make it back to each other's arms. Another Native American story that I just loved!
May 2, 2025
The story of Sioux Splendor by F. Rosanne Bittner (1990) is even better than the Pino cover! It’s about forbidden love set against the prejudices of the time and how both main characters endure cruelty, wars, a forced separation, a second marriage for the heroine and 17 years of being apart from each other, to finally be together as soul mates of the heart. Wonderful writing captures the blazing passion and romance of this unusual tear jerker …. soooo good!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2020
Rating: 3.7 / 5
As usual with Ms. Bittner's characters, she prefers to make them suffer a bit until they get their happily ever after; but, fortunately, I skipped most of the second part and just read the last chapter when they get together again so I wouldn't have to go through the cringey material of Cynthia having to go through so-and-so. I read this purely for the cheese, and that's what the first half is full of. Cue in Ms. Bittner's excellent writing and extensive historical details and you've got yet another of my weakness: a Native American romance read. Enjoyable and definitely a page-turner.
As usual with Ms. Bittner's characters, she prefers to make them suffer a bit until they get their happily ever after; but, fortunately, I skipped most of the second part and just read the last chapter when they get together again so I wouldn't have to go through the cringey material of Cynthia having to go through so-and-so. I read this purely for the cheese, and that's what the first half is full of. Cue in Ms. Bittner's excellent writing and extensive historical details and you've got yet another of my weakness: a Native American romance read. Enjoyable and definitely a page-turner.
May 2, 2025
This book was so lovely. It started in a way I thought may have been a bit expected, yet it ended so much deeper and more beautifully than I had imagined. No only does it cover some sad yet important history in addition to the story of the two MC's, but takes a deep dive into the difficult choices of women at the time in navigating coming of age, children, marriage, and their own happiness. I saved this book for when I felt I really needed a solid read because I love this author. It did not disappoint.
April 8, 2020
As I finish this amazing book, I’m reminded of why Rosanne Bittner is one of my most treasured authors. Her ability to weave a story into my heart is priceless.
I love the history she incorporates in her books. I’ve said it years ago and will say it again, I have learned more about our American history in the 1800’s from her extraordinary books, than I ever have In all my schooling.
Red Wolf and Cynthia truly wrapped themselves around my heart and soul.
If you love historical romance and learning true history of the Oglala Sioux, then Sioux Splendor is a book you need to read.
I love the history she incorporates in her books. I’ve said it years ago and will say it again, I have learned more about our American history in the 1800’s from her extraordinary books, than I ever have In all my schooling.
Red Wolf and Cynthia truly wrapped themselves around my heart and soul.
If you love historical romance and learning true history of the Oglala Sioux, then Sioux Splendor is a book you need to read.
July 2, 2017
I loved this story, you have a preacher move his family to Indian country, because he feels called to help them. His daughter is captured by the Sioux, she is traded to an Indian that she had helped escape from capture. Follow as she learns the indians ways and becomes a part of that world. But wait she is found and returned to her parents. Because they are worried she will run away, they return to the east coast. She grows up and gets married, but isn't really happy.
What would you do if the love of your life suddenly came back into your life? Do you dump your current life? What would you do? Once again I am taken into the story, I feel the emotions that are there. I feel the anger, and terror. Will everything turn out the way you want it to. Want the answers to those questions, you have to read this awesome book.
What would you do if the love of your life suddenly came back into your life? Do you dump your current life? What would you do? Once again I am taken into the story, I feel the emotions that are there. I feel the anger, and terror. Will everything turn out the way you want it to. Want the answers to those questions, you have to read this awesome book.
June 9, 2025
This book was stunning in every way. From the bold, courageous characters to the realistic retelling of the Native Americans’ plight to keep their sacred Black Hills and their way of life. It was done so well that it was easy to visualize everything that happened with startling acuity and not just with Cynthia’s time with the Sioux, but with everything else that transpired in her life.
Cynthia is a 16-year-old daughter of a preacher and living with her parents and younger brother in Deadwood, South Dakota. She’s a devout Christian, as is the entire family, and is kind and innocent. She’s also beautiful and for that reason, she doesn’t go to town often. She’s close to her father, who is loving and supportive at most times and she never wants to disappoint him or her mother.
During an excursion to town, she witnessed a mob hauling a young Indian man to a tree to torture him while they suspended him by his wrists with the intention of hanging him the next morning. It was a tumultuous time in Deadwood which at the time was nothing more than a growing mining camp, complete with drunks, ruffians, and prostitutes. Cynthia couldn’t abide the injustice of it and with her father being an epic pacifist, she took matters into her own hands and sneaked back into town after dark and freed him.
That opened up a whole new can of worms and Cynthia found herself in a situation she wasn’t prepared for and set her on a path with the Indians, especially Red Wolf, the guy she had released.
This was a whirlwind of a story that spans seventeen years and focuses primarily on Cynthia, but is still beautifully balanced. Her life didn’t go as planned and she earned her happily ever after.
Cynthia is a 16-year-old daughter of a preacher and living with her parents and younger brother in Deadwood, South Dakota. She’s a devout Christian, as is the entire family, and is kind and innocent. She’s also beautiful and for that reason, she doesn’t go to town often. She’s close to her father, who is loving and supportive at most times and she never wants to disappoint him or her mother.
During an excursion to town, she witnessed a mob hauling a young Indian man to a tree to torture him while they suspended him by his wrists with the intention of hanging him the next morning. It was a tumultuous time in Deadwood which at the time was nothing more than a growing mining camp, complete with drunks, ruffians, and prostitutes. Cynthia couldn’t abide the injustice of it and with her father being an epic pacifist, she took matters into her own hands and sneaked back into town after dark and freed him.
That opened up a whole new can of worms and Cynthia found herself in a situation she wasn’t prepared for and set her on a path with the Indians, especially Red Wolf, the guy she had released.
This was a whirlwind of a story that spans seventeen years and focuses primarily on Cynthia, but is still beautifully balanced. Her life didn’t go as planned and she earned her happily ever after.
August 4, 2012
As always, I fell in love with Ms. Bittner's characters, they seemed to jump right off the pages. The historical details were accurate and the love story emotional and passionate. This book has won a space on my keeper shelf, along with the rest of Ms. Bittner's books!
December 8, 2024
Sixteen year old Cynthia sneaks out during the night and cuts down Red Wolf, a Sioux man who has been tortured by the residents of a mining town and who they plan to hang the next morning. She leaves him a knife for protection and he uses it to kill one of the miners who was supposed to be guarding him. When she finally comes clean, she and her family become outcasts.
She wanders too far from her house several weeks later and is kidnapped by Sioux. A man named Many Bears initially "claims" her, but upon learning that she is a virgin and that she is the white girl who saved Red Wolf, he doesn't hurt her besides some mild tormenting to save face and "protect" her from the other men until they get back to their village. He considers her making her one of his wives, but his second wife, Flowing Waters, is too jealous and gives him too much grief about it, so he takes Cynthia to the "captive women's hut" and ties her down. Red Wolf eventually comes in and cuts her clothes off while she screams, then informs her that he has bought her from Many Bears and needed to make it sound like he had raped her to convince everyone standing outside that he "claimed" her; he then tells her to fight him while he takes her to his tipi to keep up the charade but promises not to hurt her.
Cynthia briefly helps care for Old Grandmother until she dies. She earns the respect of the tribe when she stays behind with Red Wolf while he grieves. She learns all of the proper life skills for a woman in Sioux society. When Red Wolf drunkenly tries to force himself on her and scares her, he promises to take her back home - but they are attacked by white men who try to rape Cynthia. Red Wolf and Cynthia both have to fight them off, after which they make love and return to the village to marry.
Cynthia remains with the Sioux for a while. She becomes pregnant. The village is attacked by white soldiers. Flowing Waters is raped and mutilated alive in front of Cynthia, and the baby Cynthia tries to save is shot in her arms. The soldiers see her blond hair and "rescue" her. Her family decides to move back East. She gives birth to a son named Freedom.
Seven years later, she marries an attorney named Richard who's running for congress. Over the next 10+ years she learns that he is gay. The Sioux are eventually forced onto reservations, and Red Wolf is informed that Cynthia is alive but is not given any information as to where she might be. He goes to a white school to get an education to help advocate for his people.
Through a twist of fate, Red Wolf shows up to one of Richard's speeches and runs into Freedom, who proceeds to tell him that his mother was a Sioux captive and his father is a man named Red Wolf. He and Cynthia have a secret conversation and agree to meet at his hotel room. She briefly has second thoughts until Richard tells her his lover is back in town. Red Wolf goes back West while Cynthia asks Richard for a divorce; to protect Richard's political reputation, she agrees to take the blame and agrees to be accused of adultery. Freedom goes West with her to try to find Red Wolf.
A sweet ending with a nearly-40yo Red Wolf dressing up in buckskins to pick Cynthia up from the stagecoach because he thought she'd like it, and an 18yo Freedom walking up to his dad and softly saying "father" for the first time.
I absolutely LOVED this.
She wanders too far from her house several weeks later and is kidnapped by Sioux. A man named Many Bears initially "claims" her, but upon learning that she is a virgin and that she is the white girl who saved Red Wolf, he doesn't hurt her besides some mild tormenting to save face and "protect" her from the other men until they get back to their village. He considers her making her one of his wives, but his second wife, Flowing Waters, is too jealous and gives him too much grief about it, so he takes Cynthia to the "captive women's hut" and ties her down. Red Wolf eventually comes in and cuts her clothes off while she screams, then informs her that he has bought her from Many Bears and needed to make it sound like he had raped her to convince everyone standing outside that he "claimed" her; he then tells her to fight him while he takes her to his tipi to keep up the charade but promises not to hurt her.
Cynthia briefly helps care for Old Grandmother until she dies. She earns the respect of the tribe when she stays behind with Red Wolf while he grieves. She learns all of the proper life skills for a woman in Sioux society. When Red Wolf drunkenly tries to force himself on her and scares her, he promises to take her back home - but they are attacked by white men who try to rape Cynthia. Red Wolf and Cynthia both have to fight them off, after which they make love and return to the village to marry.
Cynthia remains with the Sioux for a while. She becomes pregnant. The village is attacked by white soldiers. Flowing Waters is raped and mutilated alive in front of Cynthia, and the baby Cynthia tries to save is shot in her arms. The soldiers see her blond hair and "rescue" her. Her family decides to move back East. She gives birth to a son named Freedom.
Seven years later, she marries an attorney named Richard who's running for congress. Over the next 10+ years she learns that he is gay. The Sioux are eventually forced onto reservations, and Red Wolf is informed that Cynthia is alive but is not given any information as to where she might be. He goes to a white school to get an education to help advocate for his people.
Through a twist of fate, Red Wolf shows up to one of Richard's speeches and runs into Freedom, who proceeds to tell him that his mother was a Sioux captive and his father is a man named Red Wolf. He and Cynthia have a secret conversation and agree to meet at his hotel room. She briefly has second thoughts until Richard tells her his lover is back in town. Red Wolf goes back West while Cynthia asks Richard for a divorce; to protect Richard's political reputation, she agrees to take the blame and agrees to be accused of adultery. Freedom goes West with her to try to find Red Wolf.
A sweet ending with a nearly-40yo Red Wolf dressing up in buckskins to pick Cynthia up from the stagecoach because he thought she'd like it, and an 18yo Freedom walking up to his dad and softly saying "father" for the first time.
I absolutely LOVED this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2021
When I picked up this book, looked at the cover and read the first chapter I’d assumed I was getting a campy romance novel about a Native American and a preachers daughter. However I couldn’t of been more wrong. Instead what I read was the harrowing journey of the Sioux tribe and the brutal treatment they endured. I haven’t cried while reading a book in a long time, but it was hard not to get emotional while reading the horrific mutilations and massacres of innocent people. After Cynthia saved Red Wolf I assumed that the story would take on a white savior narrative but it didn’t. Red wolf took in Cynthia and showed her how wrong her prejudiced beliefs were. Cynthia adapted to the Sioux tribe with an open mind never judging their customs and traditions. She fell in love with Red wolf and could not understand why white people would ever harm someone who simply lived differently. She faced horrible backlash after having Red Wolf’s child, she stayed in a second loveless marriage just to appease the people around her, and they never even tried to understand her love for Red Wolf. The sioux tribe and all other native Americans were destroyed, and for what. Gold? Land? The entire extinction of the Native American people was purely based on white peoples’s greed over a material that has no extrinsic value, only because we said it was worth something did it give it any merit. Cynthia and Red wolf had a happy ending, and I am grateful because I am not sure I could’ve spared any more tears. However in all honesty the sad truth is many native Americans did not get that happy ending. A really wonderful book that told the tales of a forbidden love in the midst of an unforgiving, cruel world. I guess I should never judge a book by its cover because I was happily surprised with this novel.
January 3, 2024
Ok read I guess. Not one of R. Bittner's best books but never the less any that involve Native Americans I love. The book spans over many years and is in split into parts. HEA ending.
May 7, 2015
Sioux Splendor was one of the better Native American romances that I have read. I think it helped that the hero spoke English and he explained his actions to the heroine. There was a lot of background given about the Sioux, which I enjoyed, but others may not. There is a separation of many years but it was understandable. For me, just the right amount of angst but the ending was a little abrupt. 4/5 stars
November 20, 2014
I read the first half of this book and found it very boring. Then I put it down and didn't pick it up again for months.
I finally read the second half and found it much more interesting but very depressing.
I just want to point out that the squaw getup the heroine has on the cover of this book looks like a sexy (slutty) Indian Halloween costume.
I finally read the second half and found it much more interesting but very depressing.
I just want to point out that the squaw getup the heroine has on the cover of this book looks like a sexy (slutty) Indian Halloween costume.
July 14, 2020
It was it great book to read. I enjoyed every last minute of it but the reason I give it four stars is because I wish the ending could have given me more of an insight to the characters future together after many years apart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2011
I have started collecting her series because I have loved everyone that I have now and I hope to have roseanne bittners collection of them GREAT!!!!
March 2, 2016
Enjoyable easy read- good characters
October 5, 2016
This book was truly amazing, I didn't think it would this good but it was. It's definitely different from other Native American romance novels I've read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews