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Pathway #3

Ancient Winds

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A Contemporary Adventure Romance

Brynn Galloway doesn’t know it, but her academic career in archaeology is about to become a laughingstock. When a rare Sumerian artifact surfaces, her presence is requested in Bolivia, but nothing is as it seems. Soon, she’s entangled in a desperate hunt not only for a valuable antiquity but also for answers to humanity that might stretch across time. And by her side is a sexy mercenary physicist with a maddening belief in space aliens.

Dr. Tristan Magee is in a bad mood. When his latest acquisition—an unusual and as yet untranslated Sumerian cuneiform tablet—is stolen right out from under him and spirited away to the Bolivian jungle, he’ll do whatever it takes to get it back. Unfortunately, that includes partnering with a female archaeologist who proves to be the kind of distraction that brought down civilizations.

A combination of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, with a dash of The X-Files … get swept away in this romantic adventure.

“Ancient Winds grabbed me early and dragged me through the jungle right along with the characters …. As soon as I finished the book, I immediately wanted to read it again.” ~ Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Deadwood Humorous Mystery series

“This book has everything: exotic setting, a strong hero and heroine, side characters who hold their own, humor, adventure, and a hint of the paranormal ….” ~ Patti Sherry-Crews, author of His Unexpected Companion and Den of Thieves

“… a fantastic journey full of suspense, romance and very interesting theories that are actually real theories! Definitely worth a read!” ~ Rebecca Lyndsey, author/illustrator of Into the Ocean

“This is the third book in Kristy McCaffrey's ‘Pathway’ series … my favorite of the three.” ~ Bob, reader

“Ahh this book is so amazing! … I felt like I was with Brynn and Tristan on their journey through the jungle.” ~ Jill F., reader

“Very original, action-packed plot with wonderful twists and turns woven together with a romantic sub-plot. I rarely give 5 stars, but this one definitely deserved it!” ~ Joystar, reader

Each Pathway novel can be read as a stand-alone, but don’t miss the first two books.

Book 1: Deep Blue (Dr. Grace Mann and Alec Galloway)
Book 2: Cold Horizon (Lindsey Coulson and Tyler Galloway)
Book 3: Ancient Winds (Dr. Tristan Magee and Brynn Galloway)

After reading the novels, enjoy these short stories in The Pathway Short Adventure Series:
Short 1: Deep Blue Australia
Short 2: Deep Blue Réunion Island
Short 3: Deep Blue Cocos Island
Short 4: Cold Horizon Telluride

Related novella:
Blue Sage (Dr. Audrey Driggs and Braden Delaney)

350 pages, ebook

Published February 15, 2021

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About the author

Kristy McCaffrey

55 books501 followers
Kristy McCaffrey writes historical western romances brimming with grit and emotion, as well as romantic contemporary adventures. Her work is filled with smoldering romance, compelling heroes, determined heroines, and her trademark mysticism. Life is a wondrous endeavor, and she strives to bring that sense of awe and joy into the tales she weaves, along with in-depth research into settings and time periods. Kristy holds a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering, but writing has been her passion since she was very young.

Her first novel, The Wren, was a CAPA winner for Best New Author Traditional, a Texas Gold finalist, and a HOLT Medallion finalist for Best First Book. The Sparrow was a 2012 Winter Rose Winner. The Blackbird won the 2015 Laramie award for Best in Western Romance. Her contemporary adventure, Cold Horizon, was a 2021 National Excellence in Romance Fiction winner, and Ancient Winds was a 2022 HOLT Medallion finalist.

Kristy believes life should be lived with curiosity, compassion, and gratitude, and one should never be far from the enthusiasm of a dog. She also likes sleeping-in, eating Mexican food, and doing yoga at home in her pajamas. An Arizona native, she resides in the desert north of Phoenix with her husband and their rescue dog, Jeb. Sign up for Kristy's newsletter at http://kmccaffrey.com/subscribe/ to receive her latest book news as well as subscriber-only content.

Kristy is a member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists Inc.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Bex (Beckie Bookworm).
1,916 reviews1,219 followers
April 9, 2021
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My Review

Genre-wise this is a mythological adventure with a slight paranormal slant and a bit of romance.
The romance part of this is actually played down though and this is very slow burn which did disappoint me slightly as Magee and Bryn both seemed such fascinating characters.

This has a lot of archaeology talk concerning origins and theories and even alien civilisations.
It was really well written and very well researched in fact I’m actually staggered at the amount of time this author has spent making this feel authentic she’s definitely done her groundwork that’s for sure.

This one is going to be more about personal taste and what type of fiction your into.
I did enjoy parts of this but a lot did go over my head as there was a lot of detail.
I mostly preferred the times when Bryn was appreciating her surroundings or getting into scrapes rather than all the deep history, mythology and theorising that went on here as that felt quite heavy and managed to lose me in the process.

So why the low rating from me well I struggled to get into this and I think that was mostly because of all the heavy details.
There wasn’t as much romance as I was hoping either and this affected my enjoyment too, though I did believe in the eventual connection that formed between Tristan and Bryn.

But even though I struggled slightly with this I can’t fault this on its uniqueness and research and the fact it was very well written it just wasn’t unfortunately quite for me.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Ancient Winds (Pathways #3).

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Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
Profile Image for MelodiousBookNotes.
386 reviews2 followers
February 17, 2021
Ancient Winds is a Jewel of the Nile-type adventure set in the jungles of Bolivia. Brynn Galloway is an archaeologist and Dr. Tristan Magee is a physicist in pursuit of the same ancient artifact, but for very different reasons. Their adventure takes them and a group of locals into the very depths of the Amazon jungle where danger awaits in the form of both human and animal predators. Throw in a few supernatural occurrences and the adventure becomes quite the tangled web. The underlying theme throughout the book is "who can you trust?" as everyone seems to be out for something. In the middle of all of this chaos is a budding romance between Brynn and Tristan. I would like to have seen the relationship between them develop a little quicker or maybe have been a bit more of a focal point of the story. It was a very slow burn as things between them didn't really fire up until the last third of the book.
This book just didn't grab my interest with its subject matter. I'm not opposed to books whose plot centers around archaeology and the supernatural, but this story lost me a bit with all of its in depth details. This is not a dig at the author at all. It is admirable how much research Kristy must have done for this book. That really shows with the description of ancient cultures. Plus, she is a fantastic writer with the continuity of this somewhat complicated story and manages to transport the reader into the jungle and we are easily caught up in its mysterious and dangerous aura.
Profile Image for Becka.
11 reviews
February 18, 2021
This book is the third in this authors Pathway series and it does not disappoint! We meet Brynn in Cold Horizon and I was excited to hear she was getting her own story. In this adventure, Brynn has found herself caught searching for an ancient artifact deep in the jungles of Boliva along with some interesting and intriguing characters. This book offers a fantastic journey full of suspense, romance and very interesting theories that are actually real theories! Definitely worth a read! All the books in this series are a fantastic read.
Profile Image for Shelley G.
392 reviews4 followers
July 13, 2021
while the story was a little long for me it was extremely interesting with an extremely well done story line well described and fascinating believable characters and fabulous settings. this story really was different and held your interest all the way thru because u never knew what to expect next. the plot twists and turns were wonderful and innovative. the continued drama thru out the entire story was exceptional and the time jumping between years of the characters was done very well and easy to follow while being thoroughly intriguing. a very well done book that I would highly recommend adding to your library.

I received an arc copy from book sirens and this is my honest voluntary review.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
356 reviews6 followers
June 23, 2021
This is the first of Kristy McCaffrey’s books I have read and found it thoroughly entertaining. Her style of writing really sucks you into the storytelling and takes you on the journey with her characters, I could very easily imagine trekking through the Bolivian jungle with Tristan & Brynn.
A great adventure, that captures your imagination right from the start and has you flicking the pages to see where it goes; if you are a fan of the Indiana Jones movies then the archaeological nature this book will be right up your alley. The Sharman mystics and the alleged hoaxes keep things interesting and bring a back story for the characters into the present. I really liked the main characters – Tristan and Brynn – and the slow burn romance that develops between them, but the strong supporting cast give the story depth & character and allow for the humor and anxious and suspenseful moments to shine though.
I feel like Tristan and Brynn have more adventures in their future and I would readily jump onboard to go adventuring with them.
Profile Image for Dixie Brown.
Author 16 books348 followers
April 22, 2021
Ms. McCaffrey has delivered another great adventure in ANCIENT WINDS. Intricately researched, this story takes the reader on a journey to the jungles of the Amazon where mystery and mysticism combine, making us believe anything is possible – even the impossible. Tag along with Tristen and Brynn as they battle pythons, take a wild ride down a river on a log, and dispel the ghosts of their own pasts as they learn to trust each other in the past, present and future. I highly recommend this intriguing and thought-provoking novel. I can’t wait to read the next in this series.
Profile Image for Pamela Woodson.
90 reviews5 followers
April 17, 2021
Wonderful and sexy I loved it and will continue to read more from this author. This boo kept me turning pages until the end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
203 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2021
This is the first time I've read this author. At first, I felt like I was reading "The Mummy", or "Romancing the Stone", so I thought it would be a fun story. The details became too overwhelming and too many times I wanted to skim through. It was as if the author wanted the reader to really know that they were almost an expert in all things archaeological. It was overkill, in my opinion, the first time explaining everything was enough. The romance was cute, but if you're looking for steamy, keep looking. I took away one star and almost another due to the fact the book could've been better by eliminating the minutia and then tying a strange bow around your plot points. A little too neatly done, with some odd plot twists. Overall an interesting read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Scarlett Walters.
Author 2 books11 followers
March 31, 2021
I loved this book. I've been forever fascinated by Archeology and all things ancient and old. The author's knowledge of the subject makes for an amazing read. The description of the setting is so vivid, I wanted to visit the Bolivian forest and stay away from it all at the same time!
I'm reluctantly giving this story a 4 star because I wasn't a big fan of the paranormal bits in the plot. But that's totally personal. The paranormal phenomena have been very well integrated into the plot.
All in all, I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure in exotic locations with a bit of romance thrown in!
Profile Image for Cat.
360 reviews
June 4, 2021
While the science was over my head, I did learn several things at the same time. I really appreciated the fact that the main characters spent some time together and developed a relationship before jumping into bed. There is plenty of action and plot twists to keep you entertained. Great story.
131 reviews5 followers
March 6, 2021
Wow what a story! I really loved this book learnt a lot along the way too

I enjoyed getting to know the characters bouncing off each other mystery intrigue otherworldly suggestions black magic time travel romance love danger humour this story had it all read in one day finished at 2am!

Also made me question a lot of what we believe readily has made me think outside the box so challenging

Thank you gonna have to read the first two books now let alone all that follow

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am reviewing it voluntarily
Profile Image for Judy Esposito.
837 reviews7 followers
March 24, 2021
Ancient Winds ( The Pathway Series Book 3

This one started out a bit slow for me, took a while to be pulled in but once there, I enjoyed this book. This book has action, suspense, adventure and a slow building, but sizzling romance. Well written, with well developed characters as I expect from a Kristy McCaffrey novel. JudyE
March 3, 2021
What a great book! For me it started a little slow but more than made up for it! Once all the pieces started coming together it was epic! I love the action, adventure and romance! It reminded me me of the Mummy and Romancing the stone! I can't wait for the next one! I usually read fantasy romance books so this was a welcome change! Great job and I give it ten thumbs up! A must read for anyone!
Profile Image for Juliana Cotrin Sobreiro.
98 reviews6 followers
May 6, 2021
It's an amazing story about a physic and an archeologist, who meet in Bolivia, in search, by different reasons, for a person both know, and embark on an adventure full of danger, fun and time travel. There's romance as well. I could barely wait to know what would happen in the next chapters!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
1,638 reviews8 followers
February 24, 2021
A compelling page turner...
Wow, a fabulous suspenseful drama set in the Bolivian jungle. Can the inevitable attraction between the main characters build to something more? I received an arc & this is my honest & voluntary review.
7,813 reviews57 followers
April 16, 2021
The characters are engaging and well written with enough of a connection and plenty of chemistry throughout the pages. The storyline is well written and developed with a smooth flow.

I received a copy and am voluntary leaving my honest review.
Profile Image for Kristy McCaffrey.
Author 55 books501 followers
Read
January 29, 2021
description
Archaeologist Brynn Galloway partners with sexy mercenary physicist Dr. Tristan Magee to track down a rare Sumerian artifact, but in the Bolivian jungle there are no barriers … least of all between them.

Excerpt from Ancient Winds
Brynn and Tristan's first meeting

A woman was bent over peering into the water. She kneeled and tried to reach for something.

“Can I help?” Tristan asked.

She glanced up at him. “Well, I seem to have lost my hat. A gust of wind took it right off. I was thinking of climbing on the ruins to get it, but I don’t think the locals would appreciate it.”

“You’d be right about that. Lemme see if I can help.”

He was taller than her and his reach was just enough that on all fours he was able to grab the tan ball cap bearing the slogan GALLOWAY FILMS stitched in block lettering.

“Thank you,” she replied as she took it from him, gifting him with a polite smile. She adjusted a pair of sunglasses perched atop her head, shifting the messy knot of brown hair gathered at the base of her neck.

He dusted off his hands and asked, “Are you a filmmaker?”

“No. My brother is. Marine films, mostly.”

“Military?”

She laughed. “No, sorry. Underwater. He films sharks and other things.”

“Like Jaws?”

She shook water from the hat. “Yeah, like Jaws.”

“You sound American.”

“California. You?”

“Originally from Mississippi. Are you enjoying your tour?”

“I am, but I’m not on a tour. I came on my own.”

“First time here?”

She nodded.

Tristan indicated the structure beside them. “This is the Fountain of the Inca. The Incas referred to the three separate spouts of water as Ama Sua, Ama Kella and Ama Llulla, which mean, ‘Don’t be lazy, don’t be a liar, don’t be a thief.’”

“How prophetic. I was considering being lazy, a liar, and a thief.”

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Profile Image for Nicole Geddie.
Author 3 books3 followers
March 6, 2021
I really enjoyed the other books in this series, but this didn’t do it for me. I was bored...the archeological details were immense and I sort of felt like I was reading a text book (even though there were many paranormal aspects). The romance didn’t show itself until 85% in and even then it was so underwhelming.
This didn’t feel like romantic suspense to me at all.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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