Review of Amongst the Roses

Title: Amongst the Roses

Author: Meghan M. Gorecki

Chapters: 36

Genre: Christian Historical

Rating: 3.5 stars

With Amongst the Roses by Meghan M. Gorecki I didn't know what I was going to think when I finished reading the book. I've never really liked books set during the Civil War. I think it's because of the whole damsel in distress they imply about women during that time period. I don't think that was how women actually were during that time.  Having read Wrapped in Red a Christmas novella by Meghan previously I knew how she writes and was willing to give this book a chance. 

I will say that Amongst the Roses isn't your typical Civil War book, for one thing it takes place in the North Pennsylvania   to be exact. The Northern setting gave a different view of the war.  We get the story from three points of view; Margaret Bryant, Connor Doyle and Adam Doyle two Irish brothers who find themselves enlisted in the Union Army though only one of them wanted to enlist.   I enjoyed Connor’s and Adams view, and reading how the Irish still had it in the United States even after many Irish families had been in the US for close to twenty years by this point.  I will admit that I wasn’t fond of Margaret or Maggie as Connor and his sister like to call her. Mainly because of the way she acted at the beginning of the novel, but by the end of the novel I was rooting for her.  But her growth as a character is what makes the book worth reading.

     I do like that in Meghan’s novel the battlefield scenes aren’t describe in graphic detail which is different from most war novels.  Amongst the Roses is a Christian Historical novel that takes a realistic look at the American Civil War. However as a warning to readers it is bittersweet but then most war novels are.  The cliff hanger at the end has me ready and excited for the next book in the series.   

 I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.