Review: To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander

First Lieutenant Ridley Adam Cooper is a Southerner fighting for the North in the American Civil War, a past he has to hide when he obtains employment at Belle Meade, an estate owned by a Southern General that is famous for its horses. Ridley knows he will have to keep his past a secret, but he only plans on staying a short while before going west to start a new life.

Olivia Aberdeen is the widow of a traitor to the South, and has been shunned by most of the people she once called friends. She has moved to Belle Meade to take up a role as companion to the General’s ailing wife. But Olivia quickly finds that Belle Meade might not been the place of refuge she was hoping for, as the General takes her under his wing as a daughter – with the idea of arranging another marriage for her, even though she is still officially in mourning. But Olivia has secrets too.

I very much enjoyed To Whisper Her Name. The two main characters were likeable, which is always a good place to start! The story felt well-researched as it brought out various aspects of the period but without going into too much detail. The romance developed slowly and naturally, as Olivia and Ridley spend time together when he helps her with her work on the estate, and they become friends.

The one fault of To Whisper Her Name is that it finished too quickly. I don’t mean that it was too short, but that it simply finished and an epilogue was tacked on the end. It felt as though one or two final chapters were missing. The Christian aspects of the story are very understated, as the novel focusses more on the developing relationship between Olivia and Ridley and the attitudes of Southern society in the aftermath of the War Between the States. A historical romance that is well worth reading.

Thanks to and Netgalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Tamera Alexander at her website.