Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Become addicted to Murphy's novel of love and war, January 25, 2003
I'm normally not a huge fan of Civil War novels, but Kim Murphy's Promise & Honor pulls us into the lives of her characters so adeptly that it's hard not to be addicted to her story of love, war, and honor. She has created a heroine, Amanda Graham, who conveys the fears, hopes, and joys of women in any time period, but, at the same time, who offers a taste of the heroic struggles females faced in the middle of America's brutal battles between North and South.Widowed at the outbreak of the war, Amanda is left with very little money as she endeavors to maintain her Virginia farm. Family friend Wil Jackson offers financial assistance in exchange for running medical supplies for the South. Amanda braves her duties with courage and dignity, while at the same time balancing her affections between Jackson, dangerous because of his libertine ways, and another friend, Sam Prescott--a Northerner. Amanda's love for the two gentlemen on opposing sides echoes the novel's balanced treatment of the North and the South. Murphy clearly shows that the war was not simply a matter of abolitionists fighting slave owners, and that women and children were often forced to struggle for survival just as much as the men in battle were. All individuals were deeply affected by the conflict, no matter where they lived and who they fought for. Promise & Honor will satisfy a wide variety of readers, from those craving breathtaking romances to diehard historical buffs, and everything in between. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to its forthcoming sequel.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Couldn't Put It Down, December 14, 2003
By A Customer
Of all the books I've read, this is the first one that I had to read from
cover to cover in many years. The portrayal of the characters was so well
done I could easily imagine conversing with them; they were that real to
me. The story itself is truly gripping; I was able to identify with the
main players (Sam and Wil) vying for Amanda's attention. There were parts
of them I could easily find in myself: the always honorable Sam on the
Union side, and the likable but roguish Wil with the Confederates.The setting comes across with a sense of realism and authenticity that is
quite remarkable. Having visited Virginia several times, I knew many of
the scenes and locales described in the book, and the details were right
on the mark. It is obvious the Author has done her research on both this
and the historical elements of the Civil War. There are many novels about this time in history, but few can successfully
provide all the elements that come together in this book: history,
setting, characters, and a really good plot. A book that gives a glimpse
into what the average people experienced at this time is a rare commodity,
and Promise & Honor delivers.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So easy to pick up and so difficult to put down, February 9, 2003
Set in Virginia during the American Civil War, Promise & Honor by Kim Murphy is the story of Amanda Graham, a woman loved by two men who are on opposite sides of the bitter and deadly national conflict. A sweeping saga, written evenhandedly with both emotion and strength, Promise & Honor is an outstanding work of compelling romantic drama from the first page to the last. Promise & Honor is one of those novels that are so easy to pick up and so difficult to put down.
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