With This Pledge

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, TAMERA
WITH THIS PLEDGE

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 field 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 fiance 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 that his moral ground in at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and promises made, she struggles to be true to her heart while standing for what she knows is right -- no matter the cost.

From the pages of history and the personal account of those who endured the Battle of Franklin, Tamera Alexander weaves the real-life love letters between Captain Roland Ward Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston into a story of unlikely romance first kindled amid the shadows of war.

My Review:

There aren't many authors who can drag me into the Civil War era with only a minimum of kicking and screaming and Tamera Alexander is one of them. I'm Irish Canadian so the War Between the States really doesn't mean a whole lot to my personal history. Plus...Gone With the Wind likely scarred me for life. :-) And I find it really hard to relate to southern politics -- especially slavery -- so, it's just an era I tend to shy away from in my fiction. But then...what can I say? It's Tamera Alexander!

Richly layered, exquisite storytelling beguiled this semi-reluctant reader from the very first page. I became transfixed, completely absorbed in this based-on-true-life historical romance. I've noticed a Carnton Plantation buzz on social media for awhile now but never quite understood the fascination...until reading this book. Every little detail captivated me and this author is renowned for her exacting research skills.

A complex plot delivers action and angst with relatable characters that sent this reader into an emotional tailspin. Alexander does such a great job of depicting not just the war raging around them, but the war raging within as well. So...while I'm still not a Civil War aficionado I've been converted enough to declare With This Pledge belongs on every reader's wishlist.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of With This Pledge, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 11 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

To Wager Her Heart

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, TAMERA
TO WAGER HER HEART

With fates bound by a shared tragedy, a reformed gambler from the Colorado Territory and a Southern Belle bent on breaking free from society's expectations must work together to achieve their dream -- provided the truth doesn't tear them apart.

Silas Rutledge, new orner of the Northeast Line Railroad, invests everything he has into this new venture, partly for the sake of the challenge. But mostly to clear his father's name. One man holds the key to Sy's success -- General William Giles Harding of Nashville's Belle Meade Plantation. But Harding is champagne and thoroughbreds, and Sy Rutledge is beer and bullocks.

Sy needs someone to help him maneuver through Nashville's society, and when he meets Alexandra Jamison he quickly decides he's found his tutor. But he soon discovers that the very train accident his father is blamed for causing is what killed Alexandra's fiancé and shattered her world.

Spurning an arranged marriage by her father, Alexandra instead pursues her passion for teaching at Fisk University, the first freedman's university in the United States. But family -- and Nashville society -- do not approve, and she soon finds herself cast out from both.

Through connections with the Harding family, Alexandra and Sy become unlikely allies. And despite first impressions, Alexandra gradually finds herself coming to respect and even care for this man. But how can she, when her heart is still spoken for?

Sy is willing to risk everything to win over the woman he loves. What he doesn't count on is having to wager he heart to do it.

Set against the real history of Nashville's Belle Meade Plantation and the original Fisk University Jubliee Singers ensemble. To Wager Her Heart is a stirring love story about seeking justice and restoring honor at a time in American history when both were tenuous and hard-won.

My Review:

From time to time a book finds its way into your TBR pile that oozes special literary vibes that are hard to ignore. It looks good, it feels good -- it even smells good! And it clamors for attention until you pick it up and open the cover. And once you do -- there's nothing for it but to surrender to the beguiling story within. To Wager Her Heart is just that kind of novel. It's a story that feeds a reader's heart, mind and soul.

The romance is deliciously sublime. Sy is the kind of all-encompassing hero that causes heart flutters and spine chills. He's purposeful in every thing he does. He's kind and sees deep into another's needs
and then quietly goes about providing them. He's gallant with Alexandra even when she snubs him but relentless in his pursuit anyway. She's buried her heart with her fiance and panics when Sy starts to bring it to life again. Definitely an exquisite love story!

I love the way Alexander incorporates real people and events from history into her stories. Her research is meticulous and I always come away having learned something new. This Canadian had never heard of Fisk University or the Jubilee Singers and I am woefully uneducated when it comes to the Reconstruction Era. Some startling facts merge with fiction leaving me breathless and aching.  Harsh reality comes into sharp focus because history isn't always kind and taking a hard look at injustices from the past is difficult to do. But so necessary!

So I finished this read a little battered and bruised. But hopeful too. Because Alexandra's and Sy's story celebrates the joy that comes in the midst of sorrow when you have the courage to place your faith wholly in the Lord.  "You see, I believe that if the Lord tells me to jump through a wall, it is my part to jump -- and the Lord's to put me through it." (p 250) Facing fears, finding courage, being true to yourself and standing strong for justice -- these are just some of themes that make To Wager Her Heart such a memorable...and mesmerizing...novel. An incredible addition to Tamera Alexander's Belle Mead Plantation series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of To Wager Her Heart, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January 14 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Note Yet Unsung

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, TAMERA
A NOTE YET UNSUNG

A master violinist trained in Vienna, Rebekah Carrington manages to wheedle her way into an audition with the maestro at the newly formed Nashville Philharmonic. But women are 'far too fragile and frail' for the rigors of an orchestra, and Rebekah's hopes are swiftly dashed because the conductor -- determined to leave his mark on the world of classical music -- bows to public opinion. To make matters worse, Adelicia Acklen Cheatham, mistress of Belmont Mansion and Rebekah's new employer, agrees with him.

Nationally acclaimed conductor Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb is Nashville's new orchestra leader. And despite a reluctant muse -- and a strange buzzing and recurring pain in his head -- he must finish composing his symphony before the grand opening of the city's new opera hall. But far more pressing, he must finish it for the one who first inspired his love of music -- his father, who is dying. As Tate's ailment worsens, he believes Rebekah can help him finish his symphony. But how do you win back a woman's trust when you've robbed her of her dream?

As music moves us to tears yet makes our hearts soar, A Note Yet Unsung captures the splendor of classical music at a time when women's hard-won strides in cultural issues changed not only world history -- but the hearts of men.

My Review:

Stunningly beautiful. Alexander's words washed over me and soaked into the very fiber of my being. This story is illusive and magical and all-consuming. I couldn't stop reading but I wanted to put on the brakes because I dreaded it being over too soon.

Rich in character and setting and delicious details that make the plot zing. I loved it all -- Tate's family, Rebekah's connection with her grandmother, her villainous step-father and ineffectual mother. Sweet Opal and repugnant Darrow Fulton. The solid threads of faith and family that jar with the cutthroat life in the orchestra world.

This story left me breathless. I'm still enthralled, replaying favourite scenes, rewriting other ones and allowing my imagination free reign on a happily-ever-after expansion.

Tate is a hero I needed to warm up to. I love the way the author slowly reveals intriguing tidbits from his past. Suddenly I was seeing Tate in a whole new light. There's unexpected depth in the taciturn, ambitious, often autocratic maestro! And though it took some time, when I fell for him, I fell hard!

Much like Rebekah. A brilliant, passionate musician who can't follow her destiny because of the ridiculous rules of 'proper' society. Women too delicate and fragile for the rigors of playing in an orchestra! Pshaw! Loved the historical details -- even when they infuriated me.

And I also love the unabashed way Tamera Alexander weaves faith and God into the heart of her story. Uplifting and unforgettable. Definitely one for the keeper shelf!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Note Yet Unsung leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you leave your email address in your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter via email please add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday June 4 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Among the Magnolias

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, TAMERA
GRAY, SHELLEY
LOVE, DOROTHY
MUSSER, ELIZABETH
AMONG THE MAGNOLIAS

In the most turbulent decade of our nation's history, four Southern women---destinies forged by birth, hearts steeled by war---face near impossible choices on their journeys in life . . . and in love.

To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander
Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when new owner, Aidan Bedford, a Boston attorney and former Union soldier, seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking. Can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time, one of the heart.

An Outlaw's Heart by Shelley Gray
When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he's determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother's homestead, he discovers she's very ill, and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and sweet as he remembered. With time running out, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.

A Heart So True by Dorothy Love
Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.

Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser
Emily has a secret: She's in love with one of the freedmen on her family's plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not as they seem and secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.

My Review:

Four well-known authors join forces to create one exceptional novella collection.

A Heart So True by Dorothy Love -- A woman caught between love and duty. Righteous indignation was front and center as I read this novella. Abigail's father is...well, I don't have words. A stark look at how women were treated as commodities.

To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander -- Sqqqueallll!!!!! So thrilled to discover Savannah Darby's story in this collection. She captured my attention in To Win Her Favor and I was so hoping that the author would share more about this intriguing character. And voila -- here it is -- Savannah's very own story. A rags to riches tale that captured my heart.

Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser -- A difficult look at post civil war plantation life in Georgia. A mini history lesson packed with emotional depth and fragile hope. Totally captivating.

An Outlaw's Heart by Shelley Gray -- This novella has ties to A Texan's Honor and I was thrilled when I put the pieces together -- especially since I read the book three years ago! Talk about writing talent when plots and characters stick with an avid reader years later! A very special second chance love story that breathes hope for a future despite all odds.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Litfuse Publicity Group for supplying me with a review copy of this book.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/fairmagnolias

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Among the Magnolias please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday August 9 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

 

Join the authors in celebrating the release of Among the Fair Magnolias by entering to win their Southern Hearts Kindle Fire Giveaway and RSVPing to their August 13th author chat party!

To Win Her Favor

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, TAMARA
TO WIN HER FAVOR

A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who could help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing forever.

An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He's come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he'd wagered, especially when Maggie Linden's father makes him an offer he shouldn't accept yet cannot possibly refuse.

Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance---and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder---Maggie's father, aging, yet wily as ever, makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail---Maggie must marry a man she's never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.

My Review:

Such a riveting story with so many interesting elements you don't often see in historical fiction. First up -- the treatment of the Irish in the 1800s. Alexander describes the narrow-minded prejudice with appalling clarity. Even the heroine isn't exempt from it. Quite an eye opener. As is the description of the plight of the freed slaves in the post war South. Both elements of our history that are hard to read but important to remember.

And I loved the thoroughbred racing elements in the story. Especially since it's Maggie who has the passion for horses and the God-given talent to train them. So maverick for a woman of that time which ups the conflict and makes for a page-turning read.

Alexander pairs the two most unsuitable people together and creates a sweeping love story with plenty of angst and a whole lot of passion. In fact, this marriage of convenience novel definitely pushes the envelope when it comes to portraying the intimacies of marriage in a Christian fiction book. It is tastefully done, but sensitive readers should beware.

Love the contrasts between Maggie and Cullen. She's defensive, judgemental and a little bit of a snob at the beginning of the story. Cullen is apologetically brazen and surprisingly compassionate. And oh so very patient -- and he needs to be as far as Maggie's concerned! But he's determined to win her favor. You'll have to read the book to see if he's successful.

Cautionary note: there is a bit of questionable language. Not a lot, but blatant enough to mention. As well as the use of the derogatory (though historically accurate) word for Blacks.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and the publisher through Net Galley for a review copy of this book.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/talexander

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of To Win Her Favor please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday May 3 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Tamera Alexander’s To Win Her Favor Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway

Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 10th. Winner will be announced May 11th on Tamera's blog. Plus stay tuned for more opportunities to win after May 11 with a special Pinterest contest—more details coming soon!



{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

To Whisper Her Name

GIVEAWAY

ALEXANDER, TAMERA
TO WHISPER HER NAME

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.

My Review:

A sweeping saga that packs an emotional punch and makes you think. What a winning combination! Loved the rich history that Alexander so carefully details -- and not just with facts but with feeling as well. I felt each character's struggle, my emotions ranging from horror to euphoria time and time again.

Both hero and heroine are sympathetic characters with complicated lives in a complicated time. The author brings a richness and depth to the story with intricate layers that buried me beneath the pages. A substantial 473 pages, To Whisper Her Name still wasn't long enough for me!


Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of To Whisper Her Name, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 30 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

A Lasting Impression

Giveaway!

ALEXANDER, TAMERA
A LASTING IMPRESSION

Claire Laurent’s greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she’s forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville only a year after the War Between the States has ended, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe. She considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But after he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she’s sorely misjudged the man. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville's society, Claire believes her dream to create a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach––but only if her fraudulent past remains hidden.

The Federal Army has destroyed Sutton’s home and confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family’s honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him and to right a grievous wrong reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined––as well as the woman he loves.

Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves––and each other––for who they truly are.

My Review:
 
Richly layered and impeccably crafted, this is definitely a book that will make a lasting impression on its readers! Rich in history, Alexander manages to bring the post-civil war era to life. I could feel the conflicting spirits of hope and despair; the division of a people and the lingering taste of bitterness in a defeated state. My emotions ran amok as I read! In fact I was left half-dreading each page the deeper I got into the book because I knew that Claire's secret couldn't stay buried forever but Alexander spun the reveal out with the expertise of a skilled storyteller and I was on tenterhooks the entire time. Brilliantly done.
 
The historical detail is brilliant as well. It stirred me to do my own research on Belmont Mansion and Mrs. Acklen. I love when fiction and non-fiction meet in a delicious way like this! It makes my reading experience all the more fulfilling.
 
And the romance -- oh-la-la! Sutton makes a fainting couch a must have for this read! LOL. Loved the way Alexander develops the attraction between Claire and Sutton and she put enough stumbling blocks in the way to keep this reader's heart dipping and diving for the duration of the read. 
 
A Lasting Impression has the classic feel of an epic novel. It's the kind of book that carries you away to a different time and place -- immerses you in the story and leaves you richer for the read.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Lasting Impression leave a message below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca.  Please remember to place the title in the subject line of your email. Draw will be held and winner announced on Friday December 23. Offer open internationally. Good luck!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group". 

From a Distance

Alexander, Tamera

From a Distance

Determined to become one of the country's premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career and her life.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he'll do anything to protect his land, and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger. Daniel is called upon to repay the debt. He's a man of his word, but repaying that debt could bring secrets from his past to light.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth's lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met from a distance.

ALEXANDER IS AN INCREDIBLE AUTHOR. HER MASTERY OF WORDS, THE WAY SHE WEAVES A STORY IS PHENOMONEL. HER CHARACTERS BECOME REAL PEOPLE. HISTORICAL ACCURACY. ROMANTIC DEVELOPMENT SO SATISFYING.

Remembered

Alexander, Tamera

Remembered

The threat of war -- and a final request -- send Veronique Girard from France to a distant and uninviting country. In the Colorado Territory, she searches for the man who has held her heart since childhood -- her father, Pierre Girard left Paris for the Americas to seek his fortune in fur trading, vowing to send for his wife and daughter. But twenty-five years have passed and his vow remains unfulfilled. Sifting through shards of broken promises, Veronique embarks on a dangerous search for a man she scarcely remembers.

His grief finally healed, Jack Brennan is moving on with life. After years of guiding families west, he is now working as a freighter to the mining towns surrounding Willow Springs. What he doesn't count on is an unexpected traveling companion on his trips up into the mountains, and how one woman's search will cause havoc with his plans...and his life.

INCREDIBLE, LYRICAL WRITING. SHE PAINTS PICTURES WITH HER WORDS AND THE READER IS TRANSPORTED BACK IN TIME. JACK AND VERONIQUE'S ROMANCE IS EXPERTLY CRAFTED, GROWN OUT OF FRIENDSHIP BUT RELUCTANTLY BY BOTH. WONDERFUL HISTORICAL DETAIL, PAGE TURNING PLOT, GREAT SECONDARY CHARACTERS.