To Whisper Her Name A Belle Meade Plantation Novel Tamera Alexander 9780310291060 Books
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To Whisper Her Name A Belle Meade Plantation Novel Tamera Alexander 9780310291060 Books
I could not get past the first third of the book. I found the main characters weak and uninteresting, the action slow and the supporting characters caricatured. The female protagonist, Olivia was especially annoying. Handwringing southern belles just don't do it for me.Tags : To Whisper Her Name (A Belle Meade Plantation Novel) [Tamera Alexander] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <div><div><b>From the USA Today</i> bestselling author of The Inheritance</i>, A Lasting Impression,Tamera Alexander,To Whisper Her Name (A Belle Meade Plantation Novel),Zondervan,0310291062,Christian - Historical,Christian - Romance,Belle Meade Plantation (Tenn.) - History,Christian fiction,Historical fiction,Love stories,Tennessee - History - 19th century,Tennessee;History;19th century;Fiction.,Veterans,Veterans;Fiction.,Widows,Widows;Fiction.,American Historical Fiction,American Light Romantic Fiction,FICTION Christian Historical,FICTION Christian Romance General,FICTION Romance Clean & Wholesome,FICTION Romance Historical General,Fiction,Fiction & related items,Fiction - Religious,Fiction Christian Romance,FictionChristian - Romance - General,Religious & spiritual fiction,TOPICAL Christian Interest
To Whisper Her Name A Belle Meade Plantation Novel Tamera Alexander 9780310291060 Books Reviews
Olivia Aberdeen was a respected member of Nashville society, until her unscrupulous husband was hanged as a traitor to the Union during the Civil War. Olivia doesn't grieve Charles. He was condescending and abusive, and their marriage was completely arranged. However, she does grieve her new position as an outcast. With nowhere to go, she flees into the open arms of Aunt Elizabeth, her deceased mother's best friend. The problem is, Elizabeth and her Confederate general husband live on Belle Meade, Nashville's premier horse farm--and Olivia is terrified of horses. Even worse, Ridley Cooper, a new staff member at Belle Meade, is doing strange and not entirely unwelcome things to her heart.
Olivia and Ridley caught and kept my attention immediately, because they are well-rounded characters. She's a mix of Southern propriety and independence, trepidation and determination. He's a Southern son who fought for the Union in order to stand against slavery. Still dealing with the trauma of being a prisoner at Andersonville, he can nevertheless be stubborn, high-handed, and anything but a victim. When Olivia and Ridley are constantly thrown together, sparks fly like you wouldn't believe. Eventually though, they settle into a warm relationship full of banter that's fun to watch. You know each one is what the other needs, so you root tirelessly for them to be together, despite conventions of the time period dictating Olivia must marry for convenience and money.
Olivia and Ridley's relationship makes for a multifaceted plot full of the little incidents and scenes that make up the lives of real people. When Olivia's feet get horribly blistered from walking around Belle Meade in unsuitable shoes, Ridley washes them and gets her to a healer. When Ridley finally tells Olivia his secrets, she's understandably frustrated and confused, but eventually sets aside her past prejudices to accept who he is and what he stands for. The two cement their relationship in unique ways, such as through a dance at a servants' party and systematic desensitization of Olivia's equine phobia.
As noted, the secondary characters and plots are great as well. Olivia's position as teacher in a freedmen's school was one of my favorites; I wanted to see more of that. I also would've liked to see a little more about how Ridley came to fight for the Union, how he coped at Andersonville, and how he dealt with post-traumatic stress. Again, I love that he was never a victim, but I feel slight shading in these areas would have given him a softer side.
The book seems too long and drawn out in places, and at times, it feels the characters are doing too much and experiencing too many stakes. For instance, even though I loved Olivia's determination to teach, I wondered if she needed to deal with it on top of overcoming what Charles put her through. However, I can safely recommend this book, especially if you like a sweeping Civil War novel or are partial to horse stories.
Post-Civil War in the South. What a hard time to live in particularly if you have Northern sympathies. Ridley, a man from South Carolina, fought for the North. He is not telling anyone while living in Nashville on one of the most prominent stud farms in the country, Bell Meade, and working for General Harding, a decorated Southern general. But he can't stop his ways of treating everyone equal and fairly, which gets him to trouble with some of the white workers, but earns him respect with nearly everyone else. Olivia is a young widow that is being exiled to Bell Meade due to her late husband's shameful greediness during the war. Her long time family friend and adopted Aunt has invited her to live on the horse farm, despite her fear of horses. Olivia helps smooth family relationships and keeps Aunt Elizabeth company as she is sick. Olivia and Ridley's paths cross and while they are not friends to begin with, they become friends and share a deep bond. A true tale of Southern romance and the rebuilding of a country after destruction and changing relationships and dynamics.
I was not as fond of the horse farm as I was other locations that Tamera Alexander has written about. However, I loved many of the characters. Uncle Bob, Racheal, Savannah, Jimmy, and Ridley were my favorites. I didn't really care for Olivia or the Hardings. I understand that time period had its prejudices and traditions, but some of it didn't seem real (or right through my 2016 eyes). My favorite scenes all involved the former slaves, especially church and the dance. I was actually surprised at the ending. I kind of figured out that Olivia and Ridley would end up together, but the way that they do was a shock!
Whatever the time, I always learn while reading historical fiction. This novel got me thinking about several different issues. I hadn’t realized that the Irish were persecuted in the south along with the freed Negroes so learning this was eye opening. I also found it interesting to read a story from the perspective of an arranged marriage from both the bride and groom’s point of views. My heart went out to little brave Kizzy, a former slave, who must decide if she’ll live her dream or succumb to her fears of a white bully. Maggie has to wrestle with her own fears of losing her dream and overcoming prejudices/sheltered living and shame caused by her circumstances. Cullen, with his secrets, struggles with sharing the truth in the face of losing everything. Weaving in actual Nashville history and people into the novel is another aspect that attracts me to it.
Tensions are high in this novel, especially between the hero and heroine, but also with the Ku Klux Klan spreading terror. The sizzling chemistry was tastefully written. I always enjoy watching characters fall in love and overcome obstacles. In Christian fiction, I savor how God is intertwined in the story and how the characters grow in their faith. I appreciate how Alexander wove this naturally throughout the story.
Another touching part of this love story is the love and respect that Maggie and Cullen each felt for Maggie’s father. Cullen’s determination to live up to his promises is an endearing trait.
I really enjoyed this novel.
I could not get past the first third of the book. I found the main characters weak and uninteresting, the action slow and the supporting characters caricatured. The female protagonist, Olivia was especially annoying. Handwringing southern belles just don't do it for me.
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