This was my first time reading Kelli Estes’ work, and it was a beautiful story. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and most of the time I stick to storylines based around World War II, so this book was a slight change from my regular reading, but I really enjoyed learning more about the Scottish Highlands. The only slight problem I had was the narrator’s Scottish accent. There were several times I had to go back and re-listen to grasp what she said, but that wouldn’t sway me from recommending this book. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, especially those told in dual timelines, then I believe you will fall in love with Smoke in the Wind.

Smoke on the Wind by Kelli Estes takes you on the journey of two mothers - centuries apart as they travel across the highlands. Keaka Denney is with her son Colin in Scotland - her late husband past 10 month prior and he had another woman and all was kept from Colin. Colin will be attending college in Scotland and this time with her son, will be spent hiking across the highlands and hopefully, she'll have the strength to say good bye to him in a couple weeks.

Along this journey, Keaka begins to have visions of a woman she saw in a painting, Sorcha Chisholm who lived centuries before. Sorcha Chisholm and her son were forcibly kicked off her land and all of their belongings burned to the ground. In this horrific event, a man died and she and Angus (pronounced Anoose) are running for their lives.

At the same time Keaka begins seeing Sorcha Chisholm, Sorcha begins seeing Keaka. Somehow their stories are connected and both mothers have to leave their sons.

This was a very interesting read filled with the rich history of Scotland/the Highlands.

This was a beautifully written book of historical fiction set in the Scottish Highlands. The book is as heartbreaking as well as an inspiring story of two mothers and sons told in a dual timeline.
The narrators did an excellent job making the story and characters feel more real. I really loved the book and learning that it is based on what happened in Scottish Highlands ages ago is really fascinating.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Brilliance Publishing for the ARC -audio.

Smoke in the Wind is a powerful dual timeline story that blends historical fiction with themes of justice, identity, and the strength of women’s voices. I really enjoyed how Kelli Estes wove the past and present together—it felt seamless and kept me turning the pages.

Both storylines were compelling in their own ways, and I appreciated how they tackled difficult topics with care. It’s one of those books that leaves you thinking long after you finish. Emotional, engaging, and timely. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy stories about uncovering the past and reclaiming truth.

Smoke on the Wind follows two devoted mothers on a journey across centuries in the Scottish Highlands. In the present day, Keaka Denney and her son embark on a weeklong hike along the West Highland Way. As they traverse mist-shrouded mountains and heather-dotted valleys, mysterious visions of Sorcha Chisholm and her son Aonghas—fleeing eviction and wrongful accusation in 1801—begin to unfurl. The dual timelines merge through atmospheric narration, weaving themes of resilience, maternal devotion, and the unbreakable ties between past and present.

Emotional Resonance Marshall’s nuanced inflections bring tears to Sorcha’s plight and a gentle warmth to Keaka’s healing journey.

Vivid Worldbuilding The Highlands landscape becomes a living character, enhanced by Marshall’s evocative descriptions and immersive sound design.

Seamless Timeline Transitions Strategic use of brief musical cues and tone shifts signals timeline jumps, preventing listener confusion.

Who Should Listen
Fans of dual-timeline historical fiction seeking rich atmosphere and strong mother-child bonds.

Listeners who appreciate meticulously researched settings and a touch of supernatural connection.

Anyone planning a trek along the West Highland Way who wants a literary “trail companion.”

I listened to the audiobook version of Smoke on the Wind written by Kelli Estes and narrated by Linda MacLeod. I enjoyed this unique story immensely! It is a dual narrative story that features a modern day American woman who is grieving her soon to be “empty nest” after the unexpected loss of her cheating husband and that of a mother who is fleeing her burning home during the Highland Clearances that occurred over 200 years ago. The mother in the present day begins hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland with her son before he starts college in Glasgow. It is during this hike that she experiences “visions” from the other mother who traveled the same Highland Way with her own teenaged son after losing everything they owned and cherished.

In short, Smoke on the Wind is an emotional and powerful story that explores the everlasting bond between mother and son that is timeless through the ages. It is beautifully written and narrated. Highly recommend!

Set in the Scottish Highlands, this novel follows two mothers traveling with their sons—each on a journey shaped by grief, devotion, and the struggle to regain control when life veers off course.

Keaka Denney is begrudgingly traveling the West Highland Highway with her son, Colin. He’s just graduated from high school in the States and is preparing to start college across the pond. This trip wasn’t supposed to be hers—her husband was meant to take it with Colin—but his unexpected death has forced Keaka into a future she never imagined. At first, she’s miserable, weighed down by grief and resentment. But slowly, she comes to realize this might be her last chance to connect with her son before he embarks on adulthood. As the miles unfold, Keaka begins having strange visions—glimpses into another woman’s life in another time—which cause her to reflect deeply on her own path and the choices she’s made.

That woman is Sorcha Chisholm, who, after losing her husband and eldest son to war, finds herself and her younger son, Aonghas, evicted from their tenant lands. Displaced and desperate, they walk for miles in search of a new home—only to discover they are being hunted as criminals. Sorcha is thrust into unimaginable hardship and forced to make unthinkable decisions to protect her son.

Though separated by time and circumstance, both women are navigating the emotional wreckage of loss and the fierce, unrelenting love of motherhood. Their stories mirror each other in striking ways, each revealing the resilience it takes to rebuild a life—and the lengths a mother will go to for her child.

While each woman's arc of grief and growth was compelling, I found my attention drifting at times. Still, as someone with strong Scottish ancestry, I deeply appreciated the vivid homage to the Highlands—the landscapes, the history, and the sense of legacy that permeated every step of their journeys.

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and of course the author Kelli Estes for the advanced copy of the audiobook. Smoke on the Wind is out now. All opinions are my own.

I'm very glad to have read and listened to Smoke on the Wind, but I didn't love every moment of it. The descriptions of the Scottish highlands, the immersion into a part of Scottish history (the Highland Clearances of the early 1800s) not many are familiar with, and the truly heart-wrenching story of a mother trying desperately to protect herself and her last living child, were all beautifully rendered. The contemporary part of this dual-time strand novel--the story of a recently widowed mother taking a trip with her son before he starts university--was less appealing. The setting was still engrossing as mother Keaka and son Colin set out on a hike of the "West Highland Way" before Colin begins his first semester in Glasgow. But the emotional baggage Keaka carries is far heavier than her backpack, and as a contemporary mother myself, I found it difficult to relate to her thinking/decisions. She and her husband had agreed to divorce, but they decided to wait until Colin was in school. Her husband died suddenly before either took place, and Colin believes his mother to be grieving for the husband she loved and the idyllic family life now gone. I found the protracted handwringing on Keaka's part tiring and a few scenes along the trip unrealistic. I was also disappointed to learn that a piece of artwork featured prominently in the story is not, in fact, real (at least as far as my research could tell). And although the book version comes with a glossary, I'm ashamed to admit that I found the frequent use of Gaelic exhausting. Without time for study that I doubt many readers have (I DO NOT!), the spelling and pronunciations are essentially incomprehensible.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me. I made it about a third of the way through before deciding to stop. The story felt dull and slow-moving, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters—they simply didn’t feel developed or engaging enough to keep my interest. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration added to the difficulty. One narrator read with almost no inflection, making it hard to stay engaged, while the other had such a thick accent that I found it difficult to follow. Between the pacing, the narration, and the lack of character connection, I just couldn’t bring myself to continue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for my advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

SMOKE ON THE WIND gives Outlander vibes (without the spice!) in this dual timeline/POV novel with sweeping strokes of magical realism and historical fiction. Thank you @amazonpublishing & @kayepublicity for my early reading copy of @kelli.estes upcoming new release, out June 24th!

I enjoyed the audio narration of this novel, listening to the gaelic pronunciations and the characters shifting between English and their beautiful Scottish accents- definitely worth the listen if you like immersive reading while listening!

Sorcha + her son are on the run in her 1800s timeline during the novel. She begins appearing in Keaka’s mind during her modern day hiking of the West Highland Way with her son, Colin as they both deal with the loss of Adam (their husband/father).

Both women grow as characters while they walk through seemingly unimaginable pain through the novel. The historical fiction of the novel is a period (the Highland Clearances) is one I am not as familiar with, so I appreciated the Author’s Note at the end as this novel dives into the time period and is great for learning more.

I also loved learning that the novel blends Elli Estes’ love of Scotland, her hikes through the long trails and I could feel her through the writing! You can tell it is a passion!

If you enjoy Outlander, Scotland, Dual Timelines/Perspectives, strong FMCs, and hiking, you will enjoy this one!

Smile on the Wind by Kelli Estes, narrated by Linda Macleod and Finley Stevenson. Wonderfully narrated. This is a duel time slip novels which parallels the lives of 2 Mother’s and their sons following each others paths. Sorcha and her son Aonghas in 1801 running for their lives after the burning of their home ands accused of murder. To present day,Keaka (in place of her husband who died) and her son Colin walking the trail before he starts college in Scotland. The collection of the two mother’s as they parallel through time connect by their love for their sons. Both mother’s want to protect them and keep them close but the journey also gives them time for self reflection and the ability to let go. This was my first book by this author and I will definitely read more of her books. Thank you to #NetGalley and #Brilliance Audio for this Arc. Releases June 24, 3025. This is my honest review.

I genuinely could not make it through this audiobook. I’ve listened to plenty of audiobooks utilizing narrators with accents, but I found this one extremely difficult to understand. Between the narrators and the slow beginning, I had a hard time getting into this book.

This beautifully written story weaves together two timelines which are both centered around a journey through the Scottish Highlands. In the historical thread set in 1801, Sorcha and her teenage son, Aonghas, are forced to leave their home after their cottage is burned down. Wealthy landowners, aiming to increase profits from sheep grazing, displaced local residents by setting fire to their villages—destroying entire communities in the Scottish Highlands. With almost nothing and no food, Sorcha and Aonghas faced an uncertain future. In the present day, Keaka and her son Colin from Portland, Oregon, are embarking on a week-long hike through the same region of Scotland. Colin had originally planned this trip with his father, who shared stories about the Highland Clearances. Sadly, his father passed away ten months earlier, and now Keaka is stepping in, carrying her own grief as she prepares her son to leave for the University of Glasgow. The novel beautifully explores the strong bond between mother and son, offering a heartfelt look at their journeys—both physical and emotional. This a truly memorable read.

I decided not to continue with this title at around 33% I wasn’t enjoying the narration at all unfortunately. I have left no rating on goodreads as I believe it’s unfair to rate a book I didn’t finish.

This was my first Kelli Estes book and it did not disappoint. A very memorable woven dual timeline Scottish novel. She did a great job digging into the brutality of Scottish history.

Struggling with the tragic end of her marriage, Keaka Denney is on a bittersweet adventure in Scotland with her son, Colin. She’s joining him on a weeklong hike along the West Highland Way before he enters university in Glasgow. Soon into the journey, Keaka’s disquieting visions begin—a woman from ages past reaching for Colin, a burning cottage, violence.

Scotland, 1801. After Sorcha Chisholm and her son are wrenched from their home in a brutal eviction, they face an arduous trek toward a new beginning. When Sorcha learns she’s wanted for a murder she didn’t commit, she and her son run for their lives. Then help arrives from the strangest woman in the most unexpected ways.

Centuries apart, Keaka and Sorcha walk the same path—devoted mothers in circumstances beyond their control who will do anything to keep their sons safe. Defying logic, they find strength in each other. But what does their connection mean? And how far will it go?