The Sheepish Scribe

Wedded to War by Jocelyn Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I backed into this series by reading the second book first. It blew me away so I had to read Wedded to War. To be honest, the second book, Widow of Gettysburg, is better. How often is it that the sequel better than the first?! But this one is. That said, this book is well worth reading and I enjoyed it.

Charlotte Waverly's heroic struggle to fit in with Miss Dix's newly formed female nursing league is full of insightful historic details. I love history and enjoyed "meeting" Dorothea Dix and Frederick Olmstead in this book. Their work and dedication set the groundwork for our American Red Cross of today.

The fate of Ruby O'Flannery, an Irish immigrant left on her own when her husband marches off to war, will touch your heart. Any woman alone, much less a looked-down-upon Irish immigrant, had very little chance of surviving on the streets of New York.

There is a touching love story tucked amid the sometimes graphic details of the hard life these nurses endured. What I appreciate so much about this series is the behind-the-scenes look at the Civil War that one doesn't often get in a fiction story. We know so much about the battles and the generals and the geography of the war, it's good to get another perspective, a fresh look at history we know so well.

I can't wait for the third book in this series!

The Marriage Barter by Christine Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A classic frontier story of; woman needs a husband and the nearest available guy will have to do…with a serious twist when the lives of a group of orphans are at stake. The story is built around the true history of the Orphan Train that ferried children from the cities back east to the frontier. Some of these children were adopted into loving families while others became little more than slaves.

In The Marriage Barter, Wyatt Reed and Charlotte Miller combine forces to ensure that Charlotte can keep the orphan girl who has captured her heart. It seems a straight forward arrangement until Wyatt uncovers the darker side of the Orphan Train legacy. Fighting against court deadlines and their own battered emotional backgrounds, the two discover what the meaning of family really is.

The history is nicely integrated into this charming tale. I can highly recommend this book!

Courting Hope by Jenna Mindel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Nothing ruins your day like learning your old flame is your new boss – and your new pastor. Especially when your old flame never returned the feelings – and was involved in your sister’s accidental death.

Hope Petersen would like nothing more than to quit and walk away, but if she does, she loses her chance of opening a Christian preschool. Sinclair Marsh would rather use the money to build a youth center for the teens.

Working side-by-side as pastor and secretary, they are thrown together far too often for comfort. Sinclair hardly recognizes his “buddy” from their teen years. Hope can’t trust Pastor Marsh isn’t the same reckless young man she knew as Sin.

Sparks fly from the first page in this rollicking and spirited romance. Plenty of twists to keep the reader turning the pages. I can highly recommend this book!

Widow of Gettysburg by Jocelyn Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gut-punching novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through.  You'll re-live the battle of Gettysburg at a whole new level.  From the viewpoint of the civilians caught between armies, you'll hear the cannon, smell the gun powder, and hide your eyes from the carnage around you.

Powerful.  Sobering.  Inspiring. 

This isn't a light afternoon read.  This book will challenge how you view one of the most important battles ever fought in the history of our country.  It will also inspire you to look again at the ordinary citizens who do extraordinary things.  Many of the citizens of Gettysburg lost everything in the battle.  Fields were destroyed.  Homes were damaged or destroyed.  Possessions were stolen or wrecked.  Food and animals were taken.  Then the soldiers - those who could - left.  The dead remained.  And so did the wounded... for months and months.

Follow the Widow of Gettysburg as she survives the battle, the aftermath, and the revolution of who she really is.