Tamera Alexander: With This Pledge

By Kelly Bridgewater

What can a woman - a mere governess - do against the scourge of slavery?

  

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Clouston's quietly held principles oppose those of the Southern Cause--but when forty thousand soldiers converge on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee, the war demands an answer. The Carnton home, where she is governess, is converted into a Confederate hospital, and Lizzie is called upon to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death. Faced with the unimaginable, she must summon fortitude, even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.

  

As a young soldier lies dying in Lizzie's arms, she vows to relay his final words to his mother, but knows little more than the boy's first name. That same night, decorated Mississippi sharpshooter Captain Roland Ward Jones extracts a different promise from Lizzie: that she intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate his leg.

  

Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers' respect as she tends to the wounded within Carnton's walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn't realize she is pledged to another. But as Lizzie's heart softens toward the Confederate captain, she discovers his moral ground is at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and pledges made, she struggles to be true to her own heart while standing for what she knows is right--no matter the cost. 

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Tamera Alexander WithThis Pledge rushes readers into the world of Civil War in Carnton outside of Nashville, Tennessee. With robust characters and a horrific setting told in a familiar yet unique way, Alexander creates a sense of urgency for the characters and the readers as they deal with the horrific situations surrounding their daily lives. The research to write this astounding story astounds even the truest reader, allowing them to forget they are reading a story based on true facts with a good amount of fiction thrown in to top off the story. The romance grew naturally even through all the blood pouring and injured soldiers everywhere. Even though the story was masterfully written, for me, there were moments that didn't capture my attention. Nothing was happening, so I lost interest and read faster to find another scene to spark my interest back in the story. Overall, Alexander's With This Pledge is a wonderful attention to historical romance and a delight for fans of the Civil War genre.

I received a complimentary copy of Tamera Alexander's With This Pledge, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

About the Author:

From Amazon

One of today's most popular writers of inspirational historical romance, Tamera Alexander writes novels that USA Today calls "a full on HIT!" (about A Lasting Impression) and Publisher's Weekly describes her writing as "so vivid, one can almost hear the music resonating off of the page" (about A Note Yet Unsung). Tamera is an author and inspirational speaker whose novels have garnered or been short-listed for numerous awards, including the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award, the Carol Award, Bookseller's Best Award, National Reader's Choice Award, Library Journal's Top Christian Fiction, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the Golden Quill Award, and the HOLT Medallion, among others. Her books have been translated into Dutch, German, Polish, Romanian, Slovakian, and Portuguese.

Tamera enjoys living in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, not far from the Southern mansions that serve as the backdrop for many of her critically-acclaimed novels.

For more about Tamera's books, visit www.TameraAlexander.com (Taken from Amazon.)