Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a murdered carpetbagger, gratefully accepts an invitation from “Aunt” Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation and the dearest friend of Olivia’s late mother. Expecting to be the Harding’s housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned once again when she learns the real reason why Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Caring for an ill Aunt Elizabeth, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a southern-born son who—unbeknownst to her and everyone else—fought for the Union.
Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him while harboring secrets that threaten his life. As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again…
Set within the remarkable history of Nashville’s historic Belle Meade Plantation, comes a story about enslavement and freedom, arrogance and humility, and the power of love to heal even the deepest of wounds.
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Violence - 1/5
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Language - 1/5
1/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 0/5
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Summary
Tamera Alexander is gifted in bringing alive the time period in which she sets her novels. To Whisper Her Name is the first book in the Belle Meade Plantation series. The time period is post¬Civil War when, in the South, bitterness towards the North is alive and well. While Ms. Alexander includes this element of bitterness in her novel, she doesn't let the storyline get bogged down in it. There is another storyline that rises above and shines forth; it is one of redemption. Olivia Aberdeen is a woman who has been in a privileged, yet abusive marriage; when it's revealed that her husband was also a wretched traitor to the Confederacy, he is violently lynched, his shame overshadowing her existence in \"polite\" society. Then there is the Southern boy, Ridley Cooper, who fought for the Union cause, trying to carry on with life under the shadow of his parents' disdain for his choice¬¬even blaming him for the death of his brothers who loyally fought for the Confederacy. Throw in some choice thoroughbreds at the premiere Belle Meade plantation¬¬still recovering from the effects of the Civil War and trying to adjust to a different way of life forced upon it due to the outcome of the Civil War¬¬and you have an excellent story full of intrigue. As I read, I laughed at some of the \"proper\" manners of the day, but on the other hand, I long for such examples of respect and self¬control which are sorely lacking in our anything¬goesworld today. You will cheer for our protagonists, Olivia and Ridley as they courageously throw off those things which threaten to destroy they people that God meant them to be, cheering as fear no longer consumes them. As in all of her novels, Tamera Alexander writes with a strong biblical worldview. I enjoyed that she included in this novel a tribute to the first novel in her other series a Belmont Mansion novel called A Lasting Impression. To me, it's fun when the author makes those subtle connections! A great read¬¬and you will love Uncle Bob!
Voilence: The violence that occurs is referenced but not described in gory detail.
Language:
Sexual : Well, it is the deep South in post¬Civil War days. The main characters never use the \"n\" word, but there a references to it by some other minor characters. The word itself is not used in full . . . but one gets the idea
Drug & Alchol: