I feel like I have just boarded a wagon and am leaving Belle Meade Plantation. I must tell you, I am sad to leave. I have enjoyed my stay there. It's a place you will want to visit and one I hope to return to again. To Whisper Her Name is one of the loveliest books I have read. The writing flowed so well I lost track of time as I was reading.
The characters were off the chart encompassing. Tamera Alexander gives us such spectacular detail that you can close your eyes and envision the family dining before you. She provides us with a vivid picture of what we can only imagine. We not only see Belle Meade, but we see the characters come to life before us. Their emotions are portrayed so clearly, it's like your having a conversation with them yourself. Really, this is superb writing. I was totally captivated by Olivia Aberdeen and Ridley Cooper. Characters so different, but yet they have so much in common.
There are many characters for us to meet and fall in love with. 1863 in Tennessee is a time of unrest. The Civil War has impacted all. Ridley and Olivia find themselves caught in the middle of this war. You can't help but cheer them onward. They have been through so much. Their paths cross at Belle Meade as they are reaching for new beginnings. They are trying to leave their past behind and start new, but all is uncertain. These two characters want so much much just to move on. As we see, everything is possible when they let go of yesterday and grasp hold of the blessings that today hold.
Tamera Alexander is one of the authors that led me to fall in love with historical fiction. She writes with such passion. Passion that allows you escape to another time and place. This is one of those novels you are going to love.
I found the cover of this novel to be gorgeous. Olivia in her gown and a beautiful horse right outside the window. Capturing beauty, fear and freedom all at once. I love when I pick up such a lovely book and get lost for hours upon hours. When you close the last page of this novel you feel as if it were an honor to read it. It's a story that will allow your heart to soar and Belle Meade and the Harding family will feel like home.
This book was a gift from Zondervan for my review.
Tamera Alexander is the bestselling author of numerous books, including A Lasting Impression and The Inheritance. Her richly drawn characters and thought-provoking plots have earned her devoted readers worldwide. Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award. Tamera and her husband recently returned to her Southern roots and now make their home in Nashville. www.tameraalexander.com
