Reviewer's Bookshelf: Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White

 

Book Summary (Amazon): Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him. Matters of black and white don't seem so simple anymore to Phin, and despite her best efforts, Delia's smiles can't erase all the complications in his life. And when Fort Pulaski falls and the future wavers, they both must decide where the dreams of a new America will take them, and if they will go together.

My thoughts...I chose to read/review this book because I'm a native Georgian and absolutely love the city of Savannah. The novel felt kind of Gone with the Wind-esque, with Cordelia being a bit dramatic like Scarlet O'hara. Just like Scarlet, Delia has to grow up as the horrors of the Civil War become a reality. While I appreciated Delia's character growth and was moved by some moments she had with other characters, I struggled with connecting with her. She seemed so out of touch with reality and lost in her fictional world, that I had trouble rooting for her. With the hero, Phin, I liked that he was grounded and strong. He faced a life-threatening injury and experienced a physical and spiritual transformation through it. This book also addresses the evils of slavery in several ways. It could just be the climate of our nation right now, but these aspects were particularly hard to read. I know this was the reality in Georgia in the 1800s, but there is part of this prejudice and evil that rings true today. I didn't particularly enjoy it in a pleasure/escape read. Overall, this wasn't the book I was expecting to read, but that was my fault. I should've read the summary better. I would still characterize Roseanna M. White's writing as stellar, as she knows how to evoke emotion in the reader. There was a build up of tension, which I appreciated. Readers of Civil War historical fiction would probably enjoy this book, but it has a different tone than her previous Code Breakers series. 

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to share my honest opinion, which I did.*

Reviewer's Bookshelf: "At Love's Command" by Karen Witemeyer

Book Summary (Amazon): Haunted by the horrors of war, ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries known as Hanger's Horsemen who have become legends in 1890s Texas. They defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. But when a rustler's bullet leaves one of them at death's door, they're the ones in need of saving.

Dr. Josephine Burkett is used to men taking one look at her skirts and discounting her medical skills. What she's not used to is having a man change his mind in a heartbeat and offer to assist her in surgery. Matthew Hanger's dedication to his friend during recovery earns Josephine's respect, and when she hears of her brother's abduction, he becomes her only hope for rescue.

Matt has stared down ruthless outlaws, betrayal, and injury, but when a bossy lady doctor crawls under his skin, his heart is tempted to surrender. And when she is caught in the crossfire, he may have to sacrifice everything--even his team--to save her.

My thoughts... Karen Witemeyer is one of my go-to authors as I've been reading her books for several years. I'm proud to say I've read all of them! If you're new to Karen's books, some things you can expect are a western setting, strong character development and dialogue, romantic tension (sweet, clean romance), and a balance of external and internal conflict. I am loving this new band of brothers that are introduced in "At Love's Command"! Matthew Hanger is the hero in this novel, the leader of the famous Hangar's Horsemen, and former Civil War officer who struggles with the aftermath of his part in the bloody massacre at Wounded Knee. I love the additional battle that rages in him as his tough, soldier side is met head on with smart and beautiful Dr. Jo. I also liked that the male and female lead characters were a little older and more mature. Dr. Jo is a fun character as well. Strong physically and mentally, "Josie"...as she is nicknamed...can be ready to perform medical procedures or jump on the back of of horse at a moment's notice. I love that her character is strong but also makes wise choices. A few plot twists were included but the reader is not denied the aspects of the genre that we know and love. As a Christian fiction novel, the main characters experience spiritual encounters and growth throughout the story. The hard part is going to be waiting for the next book in the series to come out! 

**I was given a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in order to give my honest opinions, which I did.**

Reviewer's Bookshelf: "The Rebel Bride" by Shannon McNear

Book Summary...Can Love Form Amidst Tensions of War?During the clash between Union and Confederacy, quiet Tennessean Pearl MacFarlane is compelled to nurse both Rebel and Yankee wounded who seek refuge at her family’s farm. She is determined to remain unmoved by the Yankee cause—until she faces the silent struggle of Union soldier Joshua Wheeler, a recent amputee. The MacFarlane family fits no stereotype Joshua believed in; still he is desperate to regain his footing—as a soldier, as a man, as a Christian—in the aftermath of his debilitating injury. He will use his time behind enemy lines to gather useful intelligence for the Union—if the courageous Rebel woman will stay out of the line of danger.

My thoughts....The Civil War was such a complex time in our nation's history. Each book I've read in this time period presents a different perspective and always interesting food for thought. In this tenth book of  The Daughters of the Mayflower series, both the North and the South are well represented through Pearl and Joshua as well as other supporting characters. I really appreciated that there was no definitive right or wrong side in this story...the reader had to decide for him/herself which position they wanted to take. Even this, however, was not easy to come by. History shows that there really wasn't a "right" or "wrong"...both sides paid dearly with many lives lost and much blood spilled. Pearl and Joshua both had to take a moment to see the war from the "enemy" perspective and both had to serve each other in ways they did not anticipate. The tomantic tension between them was also influenced by their political tension...almost a Romeo and Juliet effect. Thankfully, while the death toll in the Civil War was tragic, this story does not end in the same way that Romeo and Juliet did. I would definitely recommend this novel along with others in this series! Check out my reviews of a few other books I've reviewed in the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Liberty Bride
The Cumberland Bride (also by Shannon McNear)
The Captured Bride

**I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in order to give an honest review, which I did.**