John O. (buzzby) -
Not sure from picture and description whether he is pro-Brexit or anti-Brexit.
Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book. Matthew is a Union officer out on patrol when they are attacked by Confederates. Racing to find a defensible position, they take shelter in a cabin on a small farm, occupied by a couple and their daughter. Abigail has been working to care for the farm since the last attack when her brother was taken, her father beaten, and her mother assaulted. She quickly realizes that these soldiers are her best defense, and joins them in defending the cabin.
The opening scene was a real attention grabber. The danger was obvious and intense, with a real possibility of injury or death. There is also a quick introduction to Abigail's background and the circumstances behind her situation. I loved the way that Abbie joined in the defense of the cabin, and Matthew's reaction. I ached for Abbie when the fight was over, and she had to face the loss of her home and her parents. I liked Matthew's protectiveness, as he insisted on taking her back to the town they were based in, to stay with other women in similar circumstances.
I liked both Abbie and Matthew. Abbie is strong and independent, and also kind and loving. I enjoyed watching her settle in at Beaton House and make friends with the other women. She also wasn't the kind to sit back and moan about her circumstances or ignore things that she thinks are wrong. I especially enjoyed the way that she took the children under her wing - Noah was adorable. I also liked how she quickly became the one that the other women looked to during a crisis.
Matthew was a great guy. He joined the army when two of his brothers were injured by Rebel marauders. He's done his duty, but he's tired of the war and the killing and ready for his time to be up. He's protective of his men and watches out for their interests.
I enjoyed the development of Matthew and Abbie's relationship. There were sparks between them from the beginning. Once they arrived in the town, they began meeting in a fairly traditional way, with Matthew calling on her at the house and taking her walking. I liked how they talked and got to know each other. The attraction between them was strong, and Matthew was pretty quick about making his move on her. I was a bit surprised by how quickly they became intimate, especially for that time. Abbie falls for Matthew, but isn't about to be the first one to say anything about her feelings. Matthew waffles back and forth. He definitely likes being with her, but he isn't sure what he feels. When he and another man are injured close to the end of their enlistments, the commander send them, along with Abbie, to Matthew's home. The journey has its challenges, and also gives Matthew more time to think about what he wants. I loved their arrival at his home, and how quickly Abbie was accepted. I was a bit frustrated with Matthew, as he made it clear that Abbie was with him, but he still couldn't make up his mind about their future. I liked seeing his brothers call him out on his attitude. I liked that Abbie was fully prepared to leave him behind and make her own way. I liked their big moment at the end, especially how Abbie made sure that she got what she needed to be happy. The epilogue was good, with a great look at their married life. There was an interesting twist at the end.
I enjoyed the secondary characters, too. My favorite was Noah, the four-year-old boy who immediately took a shine to Abbie. Some of the things he said were highly amusing and often made me ache for what he had been through. Mrs. Beaton was a woman who was very rigid at the beginning, but as time went on, she loosened up quite a bit. Julia, who was the one that Abbie became closest to. She was an interesting character, and I ached for everything she went through. I liked Matthew's friend and fellow soldier, James. There were some good scenes of him trying to give Matthew advice.
I really liked the setting of the Civil War, which doesn't happen often. It was good to see that the effects of war were not glossed over or romanticized. The frustration of the soldiers over the frequent skirmishes that didn't have any definitive result was clear and realistic.
The opening scene was a real attention grabber. The danger was obvious and intense, with a real possibility of injury or death. There is also a quick introduction to Abigail's background and the circumstances behind her situation. I loved the way that Abbie joined in the defense of the cabin, and Matthew's reaction. I ached for Abbie when the fight was over, and she had to face the loss of her home and her parents. I liked Matthew's protectiveness, as he insisted on taking her back to the town they were based in, to stay with other women in similar circumstances.
I liked both Abbie and Matthew. Abbie is strong and independent, and also kind and loving. I enjoyed watching her settle in at Beaton House and make friends with the other women. She also wasn't the kind to sit back and moan about her circumstances or ignore things that she thinks are wrong. I especially enjoyed the way that she took the children under her wing - Noah was adorable. I also liked how she quickly became the one that the other women looked to during a crisis.
Matthew was a great guy. He joined the army when two of his brothers were injured by Rebel marauders. He's done his duty, but he's tired of the war and the killing and ready for his time to be up. He's protective of his men and watches out for their interests.
I enjoyed the development of Matthew and Abbie's relationship. There were sparks between them from the beginning. Once they arrived in the town, they began meeting in a fairly traditional way, with Matthew calling on her at the house and taking her walking. I liked how they talked and got to know each other. The attraction between them was strong, and Matthew was pretty quick about making his move on her. I was a bit surprised by how quickly they became intimate, especially for that time. Abbie falls for Matthew, but isn't about to be the first one to say anything about her feelings. Matthew waffles back and forth. He definitely likes being with her, but he isn't sure what he feels. When he and another man are injured close to the end of their enlistments, the commander send them, along with Abbie, to Matthew's home. The journey has its challenges, and also gives Matthew more time to think about what he wants. I loved their arrival at his home, and how quickly Abbie was accepted. I was a bit frustrated with Matthew, as he made it clear that Abbie was with him, but he still couldn't make up his mind about their future. I liked seeing his brothers call him out on his attitude. I liked that Abbie was fully prepared to leave him behind and make her own way. I liked their big moment at the end, especially how Abbie made sure that she got what she needed to be happy. The epilogue was good, with a great look at their married life. There was an interesting twist at the end.
I enjoyed the secondary characters, too. My favorite was Noah, the four-year-old boy who immediately took a shine to Abbie. Some of the things he said were highly amusing and often made me ache for what he had been through. Mrs. Beaton was a woman who was very rigid at the beginning, but as time went on, she loosened up quite a bit. Julia, who was the one that Abbie became closest to. She was an interesting character, and I ached for everything she went through. I liked Matthew's friend and fellow soldier, James. There were some good scenes of him trying to give Matthew advice.
I really liked the setting of the Civil War, which doesn't happen often. It was good to see that the effects of war were not glossed over or romanticized. The frustration of the soldiers over the frequent skirmishes that didn't have any definitive result was clear and realistic.
