Summary
Four Southern women are at a turning point in history . . . and in their own hearts.
~To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander~
The Civil War cost Savannah Darby everything—her family and her home. When Aidan Bedford, an attorney from Boston, buys the Darby estate, he hires Savannah to redecorate. Can she find a mysterious treasure before her job is finished?
~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 that she is 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 Thoughts
My-oh-my was this collection of four novellas just the best thing since sliced bread! I just adored every single novella that was in this book. From the beautiful cover to the deep and complex story lines, I was seriously impressed.
I am still new to the novella game as a reader because I am always hesitant about not seeing enough resolution in the characters or the plot line. We are talking a whole story from beginning to end in under 100 pages or so, and sometimes that makes me nervous as a reader. I want resolution! I want to be satisfied with my read! All simple things a reader thinks about when picking a book to read. Still, I knew about all of these authors and have read their works prior to this so I was a little bit more open minded to the experience. As I stated above, this collection of stories exceeded my expectations (but now I want more!).
Each story was placed in the south during or around the time of when the civil war was ending or the area that the story was placed had been recovering from it. From there we are introduced to four strong willed women who are firm in their beliefs and have minds of their own. Those two qualities are very interesting because it's during a time where most women (at least to my knowledge) were not as vocal or at least encouraged at all to speak their opinions of any matter. I loved how well developed each woman was and how each author wrote them throughout the story. Plus, each male character that was their opposite complimented each woman so well. I just loved the way we were able to see four different relationships in such beautifully sweet story lines.
I loved how well involved in history Elizabeth Musser's story was. It dealt with the time of when many southerners were helping, now freed slaves, escape the wrath of the Klux Klan. It was such a dramatic time and I felt that Musser really crafted her story well when it came to keeping it short. However, it still packed a punch for me as the reader and it opened my eyes to a time I wasn't aware of in that part of the south. Personally, I think it was the most moving out of the four novellas.
Dorothy Love's story was about Abigail being caught in a situation that has left her helpless when it comes to duty and love. This story did focus on the issue and controversy of Abigail being able to speak her mind and making her own decisions. If she did her family and herself would be the gossip of the town, and if she didn't she would be paired off when a man that would rather her be mute than speak at all. Another quality of this story that I liked was how it focused also on the secondary characters such as Abigail's parents. It showed that her father was more than just a businessman who wanted his daughter to marry. It also showed a backstory of her mother that I would have personally loved to have read as a standalone or even another novella. Just saying...
Tamera Alexander's story about Savannah Darby is a great treat for any readers of To Win Her Favor as she is a character that is in that book and now she gets her own story! Alexander always knows how to write a story that no matter how short or long she never disappoints with making a girl sigh. *sigh* It was a really fun story to read and was a great light read addition to these four novellas. I loved Savannah and her siblings and I loved reading about Aiden's connection with them and how they finally got their happily ever after. Sweet as peach cobbler I say!
Lastly, Shelley Gray's story was really interesting to read. It was about an regret filled outlaw who once returning home starts to live a life with possibilities he thought was never in his cards. Honestly out of all out them I would have wanted this as a stand alone. The story line was great for character development, but if we're still being honest here, as a novella it got straight to the point and gave me everything I could ask for in a story. Nora and Russell are so cute it kills me. (Probably my favorite out of the four if I had to choose.)
Each story was the most delightful thing I have read all summer. Pick up a slice of your own and taste the sweetness that is this collection of novellas!
Rating: 4 out of 5 bookshelves
I received a free copy from Litfuse Publicity in return for an honest review.
About the Author's
Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of numerous books including "A Lasting Impression" and "The Inheritance." Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award. Link to her: Facebook, Website, Twitter and Goodreads
A native of west Tennessee, Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels.
Link to her: Facebook, Website, Twitter and Goodreads
Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), "The Protector," recently made the New York Times best seller list.
Link to her: Facebook, Website, and Goodreads
Elizabeth Musser, a native of Atlanta, Georgia now living in France, is a novelist who writes what she calls 'entertainment with a soul.' For over 25 years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in mission work with International Teams.
Link to her: Facebook, Website, Twitter and Goodreads
Purchase their book on: Amazon and B&N
In His Grace,
Taylor Reid
Four best-selling novelists bring tales of four Southern women who face near impossible choices on their journeys in life and in love during the most turbulent decade of our nation’s history in Among the Fair Magnolias. Don't miss this collection of stories from Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray, Dorothy Love, and Elizabeth Musser.
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!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HD 6
- One copy of Among the Fair Magnolias
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