In a town battered and bruised by war, one woman embarks upon an impossible search–and one man must face the past in the very place that almost destroyed him.Tennessee, 1866. According to the last letter Irish immigrant Catriona O’Toole received from her twin brother, Ryan, he was being dispatched to Franklin, Tennessee, where–as a conscripted Confederate soldier–he likely endured the bloody … endured the bloody Battle of Franklin that claimed the lives of thousands. Catriona leaves behind the lush green of their Irish homeland in search of him, with nothing to her name except the sum of cash Ryan sent to their family. Now the sole provider for her seven-year-old spitfire sister, Nora, Catriona hopes to reunite the siblings–the only surviving members of their devastated family.
Wade Cunningham is a former Federal soldier who now works for the newly formed United States Secret Service and is trying to uncover counterfeiting rings in the postwar South. In order to infiltrate their sophisticated enterprise, he must pose as a former Confederate in Franklin–a town where counterfeit greenbacks run rampant. When Wade meets Catriona, he is immediately intrigued by her and the little redheaded scamp in her care–but what he doesn’t anticipate is that the cash in Catriona’s possession is some of the most convincing counterfeit money he’s ever seen. Soon the object of Wade’s affection is also the suspect in a major crime–one he’s expected to prosecute.
With rich historical detail and multifaceted prose, USA TODAY bestselling author Tamera Alexander tells a riveting tale of truth, betrayal, and unlikely romance that unveils the many shades of God’s perfect redemption.
The Carnton series are standalone novels, meaning they are part of a series but can be enjoyed individually.
Christmas at Carnton, a novella
With This Pledge, book 1
Colors of Truth, book 2
Book 3 coming Summer 2021
more
Tamera Alexander is one of the authors I most admire, and this book is yet another example of why. Her characters are layered and endearing, the plot is full of believable conflict and tension, the pacing is perfect, and the themes are significant and meaningful. There is power in Tamera’s writing. Her stories shine light in dark places, offering a beacon of truth and hope. I loved Colors of Truth and found it completely satisfying.
I really appreciate Tamera Alexander’s thorough research of the historic homes that are the center of her last three series and of history in general, and that her books are written without any sugar-coating. This book takes place in 1866 Franklin, Tennessee. There are many facets to this story including the treatment of Irish immigrants, the newly formed Secret Service’s investigation of counterfeiting, the proper burials of Confederate soldiers who had died in the Battle of Franklin over a year before, lies and their effect, faith, and romance. Catriona O’Toole and her young sister, Nora, arrive in Franklin from Ireland, using money sent by Catriona’s twin, Ryan, who had immigrated several years before and had been conscripted into the Confederate army. It’s been awhile since they heard from him, but the last letter had said he was in Franklin. Wade Cunningham is undercover, investigating a counterfeiting case for the Secret Service. The owners of Carnton, Col. John McGavock, his wife and children, and their cook, Tempy are characters we met in the previous Carnton books. This is quite a long book (almost 500 pages) but the story is so compelling that it reads fairly quickly. I highly recommend it.
The second full-length novel in the Carnton Series (With This Pledge—novel; Christmas at Carnton—novella), Colors of Truth is a compelling tale set in post-Civil War Tennesee. With suspicion of outsiders running rife, counterfeiting running rampant, and families, cruelly torn apart and separated by slavery and war in search of one another and not about to trust strangers, it’s hard to imagine love or faith growing between people who’ve cruelly suffered the many sides of a horrific war, but Tamera Alexander pulls just that story together beautifully. I was especially intrigued by the beginnings of newly formed United States Secret Service and how they operated. Rich historical detail, well-developed characters and a romance that buds and blossoms through the era of Reconstruction, Colors of Truth was, like all of Alexander’s books, a journey to take and a pleasure to read.
I don’t ususally do romance novels even historical romance, but because of the setting of the book i was interested.
My great grandfather fought at the battle of Franklin and I have done alot of reading on this area. THis book was well done and gave interesting twists to the end. I highly recommnend it.
Colors of Truth
By Tamera Alexander
This is a wonderful historical fiction read set in 1866 Franklin, Tennessee that follows the journey of Irish immigrants and based on the history of Carnton that once served as a Confederate hospital.
Catriona O’Toole is in search of her younger brother Ryan as she travels across the ocean with her seven year old sister Nora with the money sent over by their brother Ryan. Throughout the search, they find themselves at a loss in a new country, and even getting mixed up with some counterfeit operation, where Catriona finds Wade, an undercover government operative.
I thought that the writing was fabulous and did keep me absorbed into the time period. The detail in the writing was beautiful and I find that the relationship of the characters were done wonderfully with great background that really adds to the story line.
This was a great read I enjoyed and recommend.
A story of counterfeiting, missing family, complicated lies, and two feisty red heads will draw you rapidly into life at Carnton Plantation. This story weaves together the tale of Wade Cunningham, an undercover Secret Service agent with a complicated past, and Catriona and Nora O’Toole, Irish immigrants fresh from immigrating to America in search of their brother Ryan, a conscripted Confederate soldier.
As Wade works on the plantation by day as the overseer, he investigates a counterfeit operation in the area at night and in his spare time. As the layers are peeled back in his investigation, Catriona O’Toole, now the head gardener at Carnton becomes a prime suspect. The two have a push/pull relationship, frequently at odds, but attracted to each other as well. They finally settle into a friendship that works for their complicated life.
Highlighted by the ravages of war and the lack of progress in reconstruction, the south offers a setting both sad and hopeful. Once again the characters are rich in historical genuineness and true personality. Woven with threads of historical fact amid a complicated plot, the story is a rich mingling of history, drama, and romance. Touching on complex issues of the prejudice against immigrants and the difficulties of life in the south for slaves after the war, the story is well written and respectfully handled.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this multifaceted story. Excellent read for those who enjoy historical fiction and those who read inspirational historical fiction! This is the second book in the Carnton series.
This ARC copy was received from Netgalley.com. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
What a treasure we are gifted with by this author, a compelling page turner and the best of historical fiction.
You will be transported to the time in our nation of reconstruction, and of course, there is greed, but this time the perpetrators are professionals in their trade. and thus we meet the newly formed Secret Service, in the form of a kind hearted man.
We also meet a young woman and her seven-year-old precocious sister, who really keeps her on her toes. They are newly arrived from Ireland, having recently buried the rest of their family. We walk in the shoes of these people through the words of this author, and cringe at the smell of death, and hope it is not family for them.
You don’t want to miss this one, but warning you won’t want to leave!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.
Irish immigrant Catriona O’Toole and her sister come to Franklin, Tennessee after her twin brother Ryan sends the family money to come to the states. Catriona and her sister are the only surviving members to make the trip. They come to reunite with Ryan who fought as a Confederate soldier in the bloody battle of Franklin. When she gets to Franklin she searches to find her twin brother. She meets Wade Cunningham who fought as a federal soldier and is a United States Secret serviceman who works trying to undercover a counterfeiting ring. This book has wonderful characters and rich historical details. This is the second book in this series. Tamera Alexander can draw you into a book that you do not want to put down. I loved this book . I received a copy from net Galley
A touching and well-researched historical romance that beautifully illustrates the power of love, truth, and respect over bigotry and deception.
Tamera Alexander always does a wonderful job of bringing historical characters and settings alive. In this book, she shows how broken the south was after the Civil War and how hard it was for people to start over and live in unity. I listened to this book on audible and enjoyed the wonderful accents the narrator used from southern to Irish.
I honestly Love this book! It is a great written book. It also helped me understand a few things about losing a loved one! I just lost my oldest brother a few months ago, and it’s been a little hard but with Jesus’s help, it’s getting a little easier.
Real and raw. Yes, it had some graphic moments (war guts and stuff), but it made the characters’ situations realistic. Obvious research went in this story making me hunger for more from this time period! Great story
I have been to the Carnton Plantation and I have walked among the graves of the Confederate soldiers in the cemetery just taking shape in Colors of Truth. Tamera Alexander brings that history (and more) to life.
Catriona is determined and headstrong, Wade is intelligent and capable but also undercover. From their first meeting, these two are drawn to the other but both have their missions before them. The romance between them is a slow burning build to the satisfying conclusion.
There’s a touch of mystery with the counterfeiting as well as what happened to Catriona’s brother. And of course, there’s so much history infused in this book, the reader is transported to Franklin, TN in 1866 (a year after the Battle of Franklin highlighted in the first book of the Carnton series). But deep down, at its core, Colors of Truth is a story of acceptance and healing.
While there is some tragic events, life is like that right, Tamara jumps right in with action and barely slows down until the end. The true history with characters who actually lived and the possible events that could have happened are brought together in a Page-turner read.
I knew as soon as Thomas Nelson cancelled Tamera Alexander’s book that it was going to be a good one. Well, I knew it before that, but the cancellation just confirmed it for me. Standing up for what is right tends to bring out the best results, and wow – this book did.
Colors of Truth starts right after the end of the Civil War, and immediately the destruction, whether physical or emotional or spiritual, that the war caused on everyone. No one emerged unscathed, on either side, and that is evident throughout the novel.
Catriona O’Toole is an Irish spitfire (she reminded me of me at times) who’s tasked with taking care of her little, bratty sister, while trying to find her twin brother. She is a scarred woman, angry at God for the pain her family has endured, and lost in a world that is trying to return to normal – if there’s a normal to return to.
I adored her, and little Nora, though as a big sister, I felt Catriona’s frustration way too often. Catriona’s spiritual journey was realistic and beautiful. She made me laugh plenty, with her feistiness and her frustration over finding Wade attractive.
And Wade. Oh my. He is a Federal soldier and has to hide that fact, and aren’t those the best stories? I loved how Tamera wrote him. He was broken too, and though he hid it, she also allowed him moments of vulnerability. The way was awful, and as I stated above, no one made it through without be brutally wounded in some way. Tamera shows that in all the characters, but Wade was the one who saw action, including the Battle of Franklin.
The name of Jesus was spoken many times and the faith element …. oh, it was beautiful. And there’s a part at the end of the novel that I won’t spoil, but I’m just going to say this: if you’ve read A Note Yet Unsung, you will cry.
4.5 stars
“Before she left Ireland, she’d thought she understood what it meant to be alone. To be left behind. But she hadn’t. Until now.”
Travelling all the way to Franklin, Tennessee from the Irish countryside with a “wee corker” of a seven year old sister and some money set aside for new beginnings, Catriona O’Toole is searching for two things; her twin brother, Ryan, conscripted into the Confederate Army upon arrival to America, and concrete answers to a generational land dispute between the O’Tooles and the McGavocks. One question is answered rather quickly, comparatively speaking, but the other unknown fact forces Catriona and her sister Nora to face rather troubling circumstances, along with a slew of inaccurate accusations, and the charming smile of the newly acquired Carnton overseer, a Mister Wade Cunningham. . . who seems to show up everywhere . . . that she is.
Secret Service Agent Wade Cunningham is walking a fine line; posing as a former Confederate soldier, which he most definitely was not, he applies for an advertised position at the famed Carnton property owned by Mister John McGavock; Wade’s sources have led him to believe that a notorious counterfeiting ring is operating in the vicinity. Ingratiating himself with one of the most respected members of the Franklin community seemed like a really good idea, but having his head turned by not one, but two red headed Irish females, was not anywhere in the plan. Especially when he is certain that Catriona O’Toole is up to her pretty eyeballs in secrets, but can he blame her? So is he.
One might be tempted to conclude that Catriona and Wade’s journey to wholeness is fraught with far too many insurmountable obstacles, for even Wade muses, “How could someone who inflicted so deep a wound on your heart still manage to possess a piece of it?”. But the hand of the Almighty God is at work, using truth as a balm rather than a battering ram. Leave it to Tempy to offer Catriona these words of sage wisdom, “Way I figure it, one way or the other, give it enough time, and the truth always has its say”, just as the final Word promises us that “the truth will set us free”.
Enjoy this lovely story!
Colors of Truth #2 A Carnton Novel by Tamera Alexander
I have been a long-time fan of Tamera Alexander. Colors of Truth is an amazing, gripping story that gives the reader a glimpse of postwar Tennessee 1866. The author deals with the tumultuous time of slavery and all it entails with sensitively and grace. Historical facts are interwoven within the story-line and the fictional characters.
I can’t imagine losing all you have and having to start over and in a new country as Catriona O’Toole and her younger sister, Nora, do as they brave the wide ocean traveling to the Colonies. Nora may be only 7-years-old, but she has a mind of her own and knows exactly what she will and will not do. I think part of why she behaves the way she does is that she is grieving and doesn’t know how to handle it any other way. Even so, Nora soon became a favorite character.
Another favorite character is Wade Cunningham. He is a godly man and his integrity shows in all he does; even as he investigates counterfeiting rings in Franklin, TN. I enjoyed watching Wade and Catriona as they interact and fight their growing feelings. The relationship between Wade and Nora is so special and sweet. A gripping story of betrayal, truth, loss and grief, forgiveness and redemption, danger, love and faith with in-depth details that places the reader in the midst of the characters lives. At times I was smiling and other times in tears.
The period right after the Civil War is one that has been somewhat neglected. So often authors concentrate on the devastation during the war and fail to write about the lasting effects upon families and the nation. Tamera Alexander has done a superb job of telling a gripping story that picks up where With This Pledge left off. I can’t wait for the third in the series to come off the press!
I love anything that Alexander writes, also anything Historical and especially during the civil war era. She does her research well and always weaves christian faith into her characters. She is a master at what she writes. This book is no exception. This beautiful & riveting story takes place in Tennessee in 1866 post-civil-war era. Colors of Truth has historic elements, romance, suspense and you can see how God intervened in the lives of the characters. It has such an unusual plot that will hold your interest from the very first chapter. Then throw in some lilting Irish sayings from an Irish lass and you have a delightful book filled with lots of drama and romance. I loved it…..I received an ARC from the author, was not required to give a review but I am very glad to do so.
Tamara Alexander does a wonderful job in giving us a glimpse into the South post Civil war. I loved how she made sure that we understood how horrific the war was and the devastation that happened while not going into so much detail that a reader would have a hard time reading it. I also loved the romance between the two main characters and how it didn’t start off smooth but with time and learning to trust each other, love was able to grow. I’m glad that she was able to get this book out into the world so we, as readers, could learn more about this time in US history.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.