This was a pleasant surprise, like when you get a gift on a non-gift giving holiday. It is so well-researched, the couple is believable, and the payoff at the end is so redemptive after all the struggling the characters endured. It wasn't your run-of-the-mill lust at first sight in the ballroom where everything is light and fluffy. It is gritty. It gets a little intense sometimes, but that just makes the ending all the sweeter. Again, I can't stress enough how detailed this book is. As short as it is, Kernan still found a way to slip in a lot of research that really grounded me. Granted, I still couldn't erect a teepee after reading her book, but I have a much better understanding about family dynamics and clothing than I did before reading this book.

The Running Wolf is about two Native Americans from warring tribes: Sioux and Crow, a sort of Romeo and Juliet forbidden love. There was an added dimension to this dynamic with both characters being very concerned about their duties to their respective tribes. It upped the stakes and propelled the narrative, especially at the end. Just when you think everything's solved, you still have 12% of the book left. The amazing thing for me was that it never seemed to drag. There wasn't a lull in the middle or fabricated drama at the end. Every scene was meaningful, and the pace was just right.

I don't have too many negative things to say about this book. It got a little predictable at times, but that's not the end of the world. If violence or physical abuse trigger you in any way, I would be wary of this book. Like I said, it's not about lawn bowling and parties. It gets very real, but that's why I like it so much. There are broken families and hurting people in the world, and I want to see them represented in the books I read. If you can get past that, then I think you'll appreciate this book. At the very least, you'll learn something, and that's always a plus in my book. :) ( )