{ With this Pledge by Tamera Alexander - TLC Book Tours }

Hardcover: 448 Pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 8, 2019)

History takes on vivid life in the stunning first full-length novel in bestselling author Tamera Alexander’s new 4-book Southern series… The Carnton Novels

What can a woman–a mere governess–do against the scourge of slavery?

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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 commandeered as a Confederate hospital; and Lizzie must summon fortitude to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death–even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.

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A young soldier’s dying words convey an urgent message that Lizzie promises to deliver, yet she 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. Even if it costs him his life.

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Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers’ respect as she tends the wounded convalescing within Carnton’s walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn’t realize she is already pledged to another. But Captain Jones holds secrets of his own, which prove costly for Lizzie. Because a betrothed woman shouldn’t harbor feelings for a man other than her intended. Especially not when that man is a slave owner.

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When Towny vanishes after a crushing battle in Nashville, Lizzie must confront the costs of war. And torn between love, principles, and promises made, she struggles to be true to her own heart while standing for what she knows is right–no matter the cost.

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From the pages of history and the personal accounts 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.

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“Tamera Alexander takes us to the Civil War battlefield with a vivid yet sensitive portrayal of war and its aftermath. With warmth and grace, she shows us hope and faith at work in the midst of suffering. The beautifully-drawn characters and rich history in With This Pledge work seamlessly to demonstrate that Christ’s love and romantic love can triumph even in our darkest moments.”–Lynn Austin, bestselling author of Legacy of Mercy

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Purchase Links

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About Tamera Alexander

Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling novelist whose works have been awarded and nominated for numerous industry-leading honors, including the Christy Award (two-time winner, seven-time finalist), the RITA Award (two-time winner, four-time finalist), the Carol Award, the Maggie Award, the Booksellers Best Award, and Library Journal’s top distinction, among others. After seventeen years in Colorado, Tamera and her husband now reside in Nashville, Tennessee, where they live a short distance from Belmont Mansion and Belle Meade Plantation, the setting of Tamera’s two USA Today bestselling Southern series.

Connect with Tamera

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My thoughts:

Tamera Alexander is one of my favorite authors, and I have yet to find a book that disappoints me, so when this book came up on the list for review, I knew I would absolutely love it, and that I did.

The setting is the Carnton home where Lizzie is the governess.  Outside the walls of the house the Battle of Franklin ensues and with it the abundance of soldiers, therefore forcing the Carnton Home into a Confederate hospital.

Lizzie has her hands full, not only was the governess of the home but now she is thrown into a world that is fraught with grief, pain and the consequences of war.  She is now forced to get hands on with the caring of hurt soldiers and assisting the military doctor in making some very tough life or death decisions.  In the middle of all this there is the struggle of slavery and we get to know and grow to love Tempy, the female slave who is a close friend of Lizzie and becomes sort of a confidant offering advice through a lifetime of experience.

While Lizzie is dealing with all this, she also has her heart on the line, her fiancee Towny is out there fighting the civil war and there is always the chance that he may not return.

But when handsome Captain Jones arrives on the scene, Lizzie's world is turned upside down.  Her fiancee is missing and the dashing Captain is pursing her.

She's caught between loyalty to her missing fiancee, her growing feelings for Captain Jones and the fact that he is a slave owner, something she just can not stand for.

Tamera Alexander paints a vivid picture of a country torn apart during a civil war, and the repercussions it has on everyone involved. 

I didn't know it at first, but the story is based on real life events, and the relationship between Captain Roland Ward Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston.

This book is an absolute must if you are a history fan.