For all who have suffered great loss of heart, home, health or family; true home and genuine lasting love can be found. When a horrific battle rips through Gettysburg, the farm of Union widow Liberty Holloway is disfigured into a Confederate field hospital, bringing her face to face with unspeakable suffering–and a Confederate scout who awakens her long-dormant heart. But when the scout doesn’t …
But when the scout doesn’t die, she discovers he isn’t who he claims to be.
While Liberty’s future crumbles as her home is destroyed, the past comes rushing back to Bella, a former slave and Liberty’s hired help, when she finds herself surrounded by Southern soldiers, one of whom knows the secret that would place Liberty in danger if revealed.
In the wake of shattered homes and bodies, Liberty and Bella struggle to pick up the pieces the battle has left behind. Will Liberty be defined by the tragedy in her life, or will she find a way to triumph over it?
Inspired by first-person accounts, Widow of Gettysburg is second book in the Heroines Behind the Lines series. These books do not need to be read in succession. For more information about the series, visit www.heroinesbehindthelines.com.
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Jocelyn Green never disappoints, and the Widow of Gettysburg is among her very finest work. The characters are deeply complex, the drama soul-stirring, and the rich historical details will plunge listeners into the very heart of the Civil War. With more than a few surprising twists and turns, the Widow of Gettysburg reminds us that God not only mends broken hearts…He makes them completely new. He sees what men try to hide, loves the unlovable, and births hope in the darkest places. A treasure of a story!
Excellent storytelling with an intricate plot and a cast of layered characters made The Widow of Gettysburg one that kept me enthralled. Liberty is an orphan and a widow when the bloodiest battle of the Civil War comes to her doorstep. Loyal to the Union, she is dismayed when her home is taken over to be a Confederate hospital and she is asked to tend men wearing the same uniforms as those who killed her husband. Jocelyn Green does and amazing job of highlighting the complications of the Civil War with multi-faceted characters who have to examine their faith, their loyalties, and their own pasts and prejudices.
Green weaves an intricate plot with the people affected by the battle of Gettysburg and its aftermath. Not only is the amount of research and details from history clearly evident, Green is a master at making both history and story leap from the page. With complicated characters, vivid scenery, an intricately woven plot, and her ability to stir the reader’s emotions, Green has crafted a phenomenal tale that highlights her exceptional writing and is one historical fiction fans simply can’t miss.
What a beautiful story of sacrificial love of a mother for her daughter and of men and women who love country and fellow man no matter the color of skin or whether loyalty lie with north or south. This is an amazing look at the women who dealt with the aftermath of war and found inner strength they didn’t know they possessed. The historical detail is rich and the characters are admirable. To me it showed that even when we lose everything Christ steps in and makes beauty from ashes in peoples hearts. Ms. Green weaves a tapestry that has many tangled threads on the back that can look a mess but when you turn it over it becomes a beautiful work of art. This book and series needs to Grace everyone’s bookshelves.
I was gifted a copy of this book. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
What a great read! Full of passion, angst, heatache and fear. I absolutely love this book.
Liberty Holloway is a young Union widow caught in the crossfire of one of the Civil War’s most well-known battles. Widowed early in her marriage, she now plans to turn her empty farmhouse into an inn only to have it commandeered as a Confederate hospital. As Libby cares for the enemy under her roof she learns that she is stronger than she ever thought possible. Meanwhile tragedies and lies from the past bring her future into question.
This was such an emotional story and kept me fascinated throughout. I even gasped out loud a time or two. While I found them fascinating and tastefully written, while still being true to the harsh reality of the period, some of the medical procedures might be a bit much for some readers. The supporting cast of characters was diverse, and many different subjects were touched upon though them.
I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
After reading WEDDED TO WAR, Book 1 of Heroines Behind the Lines, I couldn’t wait until Book 2, WIDOW OF GETTYSBURG was published. Even though I knew what happened in Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863, I devoured the story as if I was learning about the tragic event for the first time. I particularly liked that Jocelyn wrote WIDOW OF GETTYSBURG in five acts: The Gathering Storm, The Heavens Collide, In the Fog, The Smoke Clears, and Beauty from Ashes.
The townspeople in WIDOW OF GETTYSBURG are headed for a catastrophe in June 1863, although unaware of the imminent danger. The build up and introduction of characters in WIDOW OF GETTYSBURG increased the stressful anticipation as I read the rumors and misinformation that circulated about General Lee’s army and its exact location. I also felt their hope as ordinary citizens put their trust in Federal troops to protect them. The horrendous drama of a battle, involving thousands of Northern and Southern soldiers, soon erupts within the characters’ hometown, within their front yards, and even within their very homes.
In Act One I met the heroine, Liberty Holloway, a young woman who had a sad childhood but is determined to face the future alone. The handsome hero calls himself Johnny and intends to keep his real identity to himself. Is he a true Rebel or not? The restrictive rules and prejudices, regarding women whether white or freed black are threaded throughout the story realistically. Jocelyn has also written about female slaves and slave owners with straightforward honesty.
WIDOW OF GETTYSBURG is a splendid work of long historical fiction with a touch of romance. Jocelyn’s attention to the complex facts of the battle, combined with the neglect and medical mistreatment of wounded, shortages of medical supplies, food, and clean water is based on historical facts Jocelyn researched thoroughly.
I highly recommend WIDOW OF GETTYSBURG where well-defined characters, dangerous and even quirky, carry you into their turbulent world to a conclusion sure to satisfy anyone who enjoys a story set against the background of an historic calamity that is still discussed today.
Be sure to check out Jocelyn’s “History behind the Story,” in the back of the book. Jocelyn identifies non-fiction characters in WIDOW OF GETTYSBURG who were there in Gettysburg at the time of the battle or afterward to add authenticity to her story. Well done, Jocelyn.
Another page turner.
I was spellbound as I listened to Widow of Gettysburg. The narrator, Laura E. Richcreek, did a fantastic job communicating the unique characters created by the author, Jocelyn Green. Because the narration accurately reflected the pace of the story, it added to my enjoyment of this moving historical fiction. I admire how Green intricately weaves layers of plot while skillfully developing her characters. When faced with horrific circumstances, these characters were reminded of their faith and specific Scriptures to spur them on, which encouraged me as well. I also appreciated the lessons of faith included throughout the book. It is obvious the amount of research behind this incredibly rich story. I was surprised at how much I didn’t know about one of the most famous battles of the Civil War and the aftermath that followed, which is another reason that I highly recommend this audiobook. I was given a copy of this audiobook by the author. All opinions are mine.
This is a good story focusing on the women of Gettysburg during the days surrounding the famous Civil War Battle, following them as they rise to the challenges they face during that time. The author draws directly from actual figures and details of history to craft her story. As I write this, it is International Women’s Day—and this is a fitting tribute to the strength and resilience women possess. It will encourage you to “Rise Up!” in the face of opposition, to lay claim to your God-given talents and use them to serve others.
If there’s a downside to the details, for me it was in the vivid descriptions of medical procedures. War is ugly. The War Between the States was particularly ugly on so many levels. Understandably, this had to be a part of the story. As this was an Audible book, hearing these details made them very real for me. Thankfully, the brewing romance, as well as other aspects of the story, were compelling enough to keep me intrigued. The narrator is a talented reader.
I received a complimentary copy of the Audible book from the author. I was not required to give a review, positive or otherwise. My opinions are not often requested, but they are always my own.
Oh wow! I just finished this audiobook. A Civil War story that will make you want to read/listen to faster but then hate to see it end. I loved the narrator and the different voices she did for the characters. I loved some of the characters and got mad at others. The horrors of war and the way the mothers and wives missed their men were so real. Taking care of the wounded wasn’t for the weak. I loved that Liberty and Belle were strong women. If Liberty was down she encouraged herself in the Lord. The love story was amazing and facts about Liberty, Belle and Silas were shocking.
An inspiring historical fiction you will want to read if you like reading about war times but yet not all strategy and fighting. This book is so much more.
I received a complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Jocelyn Green is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, but it occurred to me that I had yet to finish her Civil War series – I even had this book on my Kindle already, and it had languished there for entirely too long. When a book has multiple perspectives (as in 3 or 4), I’m usually not a keen to read it. For whatever reason, it just makes me impatient, and I’m usually yearning to get back to so-and-so’s character to see what’s going on. However, in Widow of Gettysburg, each character has something rich and compelling to say. Their lives are different, yet entwined in ways that seem very distant at the start of the novel but grows nearer with each chapter. Each character seemed like their own separate strand, with seemingly no way to be pulled together, until Green does so with a deft hand. Though the plot does move steadily, the characters also grow and adapt as things grow dire around them. There was only one character that I felt didn’t really add much to the plot. It’s not a huge part of the story, so it didn’t bother me overall, just could have done without.
The historical detail is both disturbing and riveting. I appreciated the realism of a Civil War hospital without it being too gory or overly detailed. I also appreciate that Green focuses on a lot of the aftermath of the war, not just battles or espionage. How were they to pick up the pieces and move on after so much devastation and some life-changing revelations? A few of the events left me shocked and glued to my Kindle to see what would happen next. Green bases her characters and events on real people and real events in history, using expert research as well as first-person narration as basis for consultation. I love when I feel a bit smarter after I’ve finished a book, a bit more enlightened about a formerly nameless person’s role in such a critical point in United States history.
This reader’s heart was emboldened by the bravery and sacrifice of not only these characters, but also of real men and women, black and white, who fought for their own freedom and the freedom of others. Looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
As the newest member of my book club I felt added pressure to suggest a good title for the group to read and discuss. However, knowing that all the members of our group enjoy historical fiction I had confidence in suggesting a title by Jocelyn Green. Time and again Green has delighted me with well-researched, well-written, and flawlessly delivered Civil War era novels. Widow of Gettysburg was no exception.
In Widow of Gettysburg, Green assembles a diverse group of characters: a seminary school drop-out, news reporter, former slave, and a young Union widow. The manner in which their stories overlap and intertwine makes for a compelling read. I was always looking forward to what would happen next and wondering how their struggles would eventually play out. A major theme was our propensity to judge others based on outward appearances instead of right judgement (John 7:24). This played out in many ways in this story based on gender, the color of a person’s skin, and the color of one’s uniform. These prejudices along with the ample amount of factual history within these pages will provide plenty of fodder for our book club discussion.
I’ve read 3 titles from the Heroines Behind the Lines Series, but not in sequential order (#3, #4, #2). This indicates how strong each title is, and how well they each can stand on their own. I highly recommend this series to both history buffs, and book clubs!