Reconstructing Jackson by Holly Bush
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am so pleased I was able to give this a five star rating. This is the third Holly Bush book I have read, and when I first began reading it, I was afraid I would not like it. It took me a good couple chapters to get into the story, and I guess I was prejudiced. The fact that Holly featured a man as the main character of a romance failed to capture my attention--that is, at first. Once Belle entered the story, I was hooked! And I found myself appreciating Reed for who and what he was.
This book was full of everything that makes an amazing historical novel: romance, humor, social injustice, mystery, and more. This book deals with the horrors of this country following the Civil War. It was something to see a book feature a crippled vet as a main character. I don't think I realized just how bad things were for the free blacks in this country following the War. My heart bled for the blacks in this book. Yes, there are some derogatory terms used for blacks in this book, but when you take into account the time period, I believe these terms must be used. There are racist people in the book, and then there are those who truly care about these free blacks. And then there are those whose views change.
The romance is unbelievable, and I mean it. I love the fact that a marriage of convenience becomes passionate love. There are some bedroom scenes, but it is typical Holly Bush. The people get married first and then they move to the bedroom--not before! There is some profanity, but it is minimal. I also appreciate the fact that God always makes an appearance in the book. The characters always give credit to God for helping them through difficult times and ultimately changing them.
This is a book that may take some time to get into it, but the book is certainly just as good as her other books. So if you like historical fiction and romance, this is the book for you!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
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Morning Ruth! Thank you so much for the glowing and thoughtful review. Have a wonderful day!
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