Mississippi Brides

Beginning in 1815 and moving through to 1864, three generations of women grow up and find their true loves in Mississippi. Alexandra Lewis has to move in with her grandmother in Natchez after her father dies in disgraced in Nashville, Tennessee. She is shunned by "Society" and considered unworthy of the young bachelors available. Her grandmother insists that she marry Lowell Sheffield, but Alexandra doesn't want to marry for anything but love.

Jeremiah LeGrand has been taking care of his friend Judah Talbot who was wounded in the Battle of New Orleans and lost his leg. When Jeremiah's uncle decides to open in a branch of his shipping business in Natchez, Jeremiah escorts his friend home and helps him bring in his crops so that he doesn't lose his plantation.

Those are the seeds planted for love in Across the Cotton Fields.

Abigail LeGrand has decided that she doesn't need marriage to have a fulfilled life until she meets the circuit riding preacher, Nathan Pierce. He has come to the area to take over the circuit, and has been given lodgings on the Magnolia Plantation. Abigail has been raised to use her own mind and believes that marriage will hold her back from her goals for her own life. But after going to the pastor's meetings in Jackson and going to the Summer Camp meetings, she finds that maybe Nathan won't hold her back but will enrich her life.

That's how love grows in Among the Magnolias.

Caroline Pierce has traveled with her family from Jackson to Natchez for her father's evangelical meetings and meets Captain Luke Talbot who has brought his grandmother to the meetings. During the week, the two become acquainted and find an attraction they cannot deny or overcome. They persuade her father, Nathan, to marry them and then the fun begins. Luke's grandmother has her way of doing things and nothing Caroline can do is right. Luke is too preoccupied by the War between the States to help Caroline settle in with his grandmother. As a way to keep her sanity, Caroline begins teaching her maid, a slave, how to read and Luke finds out. Caroline has a long family history of believing it is wrong to own another person and cannot come to terms with Luke's absolute disagreement. It's as though their love dies before it has a chance to grow. When Luke is injured in a battle and his own slave keeps him alive, Luke begins to see Caroline's point.

And love begins to bear fruit in As the River Drifts Away.

Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver are a great dynamic duo in writing historical romance. The history is accurate, the characters are believable, and the stories never drag. These two authors are worth the time to read. A very definite four stars.