Civil war fiction ( )

"Where Dandelions Bloom" is a well-written story of love and loss, bitterness and forgiveness; a reminder of the price of slavery. However, it is also a great reminder that God is with us in all circumstances which He uses for our good although it may not seem like it at the time. It is a reminder of God's love and that "hope springs eternal." I shall make Tara Johnson another one of the many authors that I will read again. ( )

Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson piqued my interest from the first chapter and carried it through the novel. The story was easy to read and entertaining. At first it had a Mulan-like vibe with Cassie disguising herself as a man to join the army, but the story really moved into its own as it progressed. As expected, there is a substantial amount of violence and blood. The author does not gloss over these aspects of war as experiencing the war and fighting is part of Cassie’s character development.

I appreciated the deep character development in both Cassie and Gabe. Forgiveness, gender roles, and deception are a few of the themes that both characters wrestle with as they find themselves drawn to each other and, ultimately, toward their God. Though their romance is off and on throughout the story, somehow the author wove in a pleasant level of romantic tension that I enjoyed.

A favorite quote: “We learn who we were to decide who we want to be.” (Page 47)

I recommend Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson to fans of historical romance, especially readers who like Civil War fiction. 4 Stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book through the publisher’s My Reader Rewards Program. I was not required to write a review and all opinions in this review are my own. ( )

“We learn who we were to decide who we want to be.’”

Such a heart-gripping novel! This is the first novel by Tara Johnson that I have read and I am totally hooked on her writing! The author uses a well-loved trope of a woman disguising herself as a man to enter the army during the Civil War but puts a twist to the plot by making the hero of the story a wartime photographer and not a soldier. The story is well-written and easy-to-read, with a well-paced plot and beautifully broken characters.
Cassie is a woman with gumption and grit, yet lives in fear and hatred of her father which leads to her fleeing her home and enlisting in the Union army. Gabe is an immigrant, a self-made photographer, and a loyal, compassionate, ambitious man who believes in the Old World idealism of women being frail and needing protection. He’s given an opportunity to photograph the war while traveling with a Union regiment. When their worlds collide on the battlefields during the Civil War, they form a friendship but all is threatened when her true identity is revealed to Gabe and secrets infiltrate their tentative bond. Their friendship and blossoming love are so real and tender, as is their struggle for forgiveness - both extending and receiving that sacred of all gifts.

Truly this book will touch your heart, especially if you’re a fan of historical romance/fiction. The well-researched details and events that make up the backbone of the story are shown in realistic albeit gruesome light, and they will bring you right into the heart of the war that tore up our nation. Yet even in the midst of the atrocities of war, dandelions bloom and “where dandelions bloom, hope remains.”

I received a copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own. ( )

This a fictional story, but it is based on an actual person, and you will fall in love with Cassie/Thomas, what a tough lady she is.
We feel the shells that hit the land around us, and the soldiers that are hurt or killed, and we are in the heat of battles in a war that tore our country apart.
The author does a wonderful job with her words in making this seem so real! The title plays a big significance in this book, and I enjoyed how that played out, and you can really see it in your mind’s eye!

I received this book through the Net Galley and Tyndale House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )