Callie Sue Marsh would do whatever she could to find her younger brother, the only blood family she had left after the civil war had taken her father and her mother had passed long ago. Shearing off her golden curls and joining the ranks of the army to try and hunt down John was her plan that no one could talk her out of despite the dangers of being outed as a woman. She could only hope to make it home before she could be found out but when she was caught in gunfire her hopes were sure to be for naught as the loss of blood had her closing her eyes on the battlefield. Waking up as a prisoner Callie was more mortified and afraid about being found out as a woman than the dangers of the war camp but the doctor who tended to more than just her bloody wounds touched her heart like no other even if he was her enemy.
Thomas Kent knew immediately that the prisoner brought to him was not what he appeared to be. The “boy” was more of a woman than he had ever imagined, and stirred more than his former fiancé had ever done before. He could not touch her no matter what he desired, he could not let her face the demons he faced each day and chased away at the bottom of the bottle. Keeping her safe from the prying eyes of the soldiers in camp along with the lustful eyes of their commanding officer would have to be enough for him. He could not touch her no matter how much he desired her, he was not worthy of anyone’s love, especially the boy-woman who wanted to make Christmas happen for the very enemies who had stolen her family from her.
Giving in to their desires, Callie and Thomas find a way to comfort each other while hiding the truth from the men they worked together to heal even though Callie was still a prisoner of war. When another decides he too is interested in the young man, more than he could ever admit to in public, the deception that both hid could make them face even more danger than they ever imagined.
This was a delightful Christmas time romance. The connection the two make overrides the secrets they hide even from themselves as they deal with the ravages of war. From opposing sides of the fight, Tom and Callie find a way to share a love that will help them both heal from the horrors they faced both together and after the final shot of a war that tore their country apart. One of my favorite escapes during this holiday season.
Filed Under: Books, Recommended Reads
Tagged: Civil War, historical romance
