On the night of November 30, 1864, a brutal battle in Franklin, Tennessee, all but decimates the Confederacy and nearly kills Captain Roland Ward Jones. A decorated Mississippi sharpshooter, Jones has a vision on the battlefield and, despite the severity of his wounds, believes his life will be spared. But a life without his leg, he can't abide. He compels Elizabeth "Lizzie" Clouston—governess to the McGavock family at the Carnton mansion—to intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate. True to her word, Lizzie speaks on his behalf and saves not only the captain's leg but also his life.
When a fourteen-year-old soldier dies in Lizzie's arms that night, the boy's final words, whispered with urgency, demand that Lizzie deliver them to their intended recipient. But all she has is the boy's first name. And, as she soon discovers, there's no record of him ever having enlisted. How can she set out alone across a land so divided by war and hatred to honor her pledge? Even more, does she dare accept Captain Jones's offer to accompany her? As he coalesces at Carnton, romance has blossomed between him and Lizzie—a woman already betrothed to a man she does not love.
With This Pledge by Tamera Alexander is the first book in her new series The Carnton Novels. Lizzie's story is one of intense faith and love during the Civil War. I loved how Lizzie and Roland's relationship formed and grew throughout the story through their conversations and letters. As always Tamera Alexander amazes me with her attention to historical details. She does a wonderful job blending her research of the time and the people into her fictional world to create an amazing novel filled with romance and faith. If you have loved any of her past books you will not be disappointed with With This Pledge.
5 out of 5.
I received a copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for my honest review.
