On this blog, I’ve introduced numerous World War II novels, but not one single Civil War story. In trying to recall any Civil War titles I’ve read, only Gone With the Wind comes to mind. And that was decades ago!

Of my 109 posts since November 2021, the novel set closest to the Civil War is Kelly Goshorn’s A Love Restored (2018). It takes place in Virginia in the wake of the Civil War. The war may be over, but racism is not. As a white woman, Ruth Ann Sutton’s decision to teach at a Freedman’s school is met by disdain and threats. And that’s simply not acceptable to her suitor James. Check it out here.

It’s about time for some Civil War stories. Today I’m introducing two novels from author Susan Pope Sloan’s series, Rescued Hearts of the Civil War, books 1 and 4. It includes five titles, all historical romance:

• Rescuing Rose (Book 1)
• Loving Lydia (Book 2)
• Managing Millie (Book 3)
• Seeking Simon (Book 4)
• Redeeming Rupert (Book 5)

Blurb for Rescuing Rose

His army destroyed her livelihood. She represents the people he scorns. How can they reconcile their differences when the whole country is at war?

When the Union Army marches into Roswell, Georgia, and burns down the cotton mill where Rose Carrigan worked, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s also taken prisoner and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely kindness of one of her guards makes the trip bearable.

Union Captain Noah Griffin hates the part of his job that requires him to destroy the lives of innocent civilians, but at least he’s able to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Louisville, Kentucky. Especially the one whose quick wit and kindness draw him.

While they’re forced to wait in Marietta, two fugitives arrive to complicate matters between Rose and Noah. As Rose heads north and Noah returns to the battlefront, they each face fears and prejudices. With survival so tenuous, only faith can help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy.

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My Thoughts on Rescuing Rose

Having not read a Civil War novel in years, there’s a lot I didn’t know or remember. One of those things was the uprooting of Southern women and sending them to relocation camps. 

Rose and her sister Celeste are two of those women. One day at work at the cotton mill in Roswell, Georgia, in 1864, they are evacuated. Union soldiers burn down the mill. The two sisters were barely hanging on before, and that’s before the mill burns down. They watch their livelihood goes up in smoke. Now they’re prisoners, soon to be transplants. 

This story enables readers to see people band together after experiencing a huge, devastating loss banding together. The former textile mill employees, children, and older men are all taken by wagon and train north to Louisville, Kentucky. Apparently, this was common during the Civil War, but I had no idea.

Union Captain Noah Griffin doesn’t like that part of his job, so he tries to compensate with kindness. He’s good-hearted and fair, protective of the women under his care. At one point, he rescues Rose and Celeste from a handful of scoundrels. But it takes more than that to soften Rose’s heart toward the enemy. Despite the friction and the fact that Rose and Noah are prisoner and captor, gradually the boundaries between them  narrow. Meanwhile, danger still runs rampant—with scoundrels, a runaway slave, and more.

This well-written story is told from two perspectives—Noah and Rose. The tale flows smoothly, easily transitioning between the two. If you like Christian historical romance with a faith thread, you’ll most likely enjoy this story.

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Blurb for Seeking Simon

When a mysterious stranger claims to be her fiancé, the fight to save her land turns into a battle for her heart.

Daviana Spalding dreams of leaving Georgia in search of a place where she can prove her worth as more than a claim to land. And when a handsome and kind stranger wanders onto the farm in need of help, she can’t help but see him in those dreams too. Yet those are only daydreams…until the Freedmen’s Bureau shows up threatening to take their land, and her guest steps forward claiming to be her betrothed.

Simon McNeil is a man haunted by his past and his time in a Confederate prison, seeking redemption and a fresh start back in Alabama. But his journey home is delayed when a bout of malaria keeps him bedridden, depending on strangers for help. As Daviana nurses him back to health, Simon is drawn to her strength and beauty, and when her home is threatened, he steps in to help.

When their fake engagement becomes real, Simon and Daviana must confront their feelings for one another as they face escalating threats that could tear them apart. And when a long-lost friend returns, all their plans could come crashing down.

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My thoughts on Seeking Simon

The story’s unique premise gives a glimpse into dilemmas of the worn-torn South following the Civil War. Though it’s book 4 in the Rescued Hearts of the Civil War series, it works as a standalone while including some characters from previous books. The setting is 1865 near the Georgia/Alabama line. 

Daviana’s father Rufus is intent on getting her married off to keep the land in the family. His son has gone out west and might not ever return. She wants to escape Georgia but changes plans after a stranger shows up and the Freedmen’s Bureau starts asking questions. The stranger, Simon McNeil, fought in the war and is still fighting the demons of his past. He’s on his way home but gets waylaid at the Spalding farm when he falls ill.

His posing as Daviana’s fiancé precipitates a string of events that bring good surprises as well as danger. There’s a mix of family drama, risks, romance, faith, hope, and second chances in the most dire of circumstances. The writing is well crafted, but to be honest, I had trouble with the fast pace of this romance. The engagement escalated from fake to “true love” much too quickly to be believable, in my opinion. But if you are drawn to sweet romances, you’ll enjoy this story. 

Join me for some Q & A with Susan Pope Sloan.

Questions about Rescuing Rose and Seeking Simon

What was your inspiration for writing a Civil War series as your first dive into writing fiction, and in particular for writing Rescuing Rose? What’s your personal connection to the setting or situation?

Actually, my first attempt at writing fiction was thirty-plus years ago—a biblical novel that was “before its time,” before that genre became popular. Not long after, I heard about the women of Roswell from a former co-worker who was also a Civil War re-enactor. That was pre-Internet, when research involved heavy lifting, but the story stayed with me over the years. 

When I retired, I started researching and found a wonderful non-fiction book that contained most of the details I needed. The fact that the event occurred only a couple hours north of my hometown—near my husband’s family home and areas familiar to me—convinced me that this was the story I was meant to write.

Being set on familiar territory sure adds an extra layer of meaning. Which historical parameters were imposed on you? Where did you have to fill in the gaps with your imagination?

I had to frame the story within the movements and timeline of the Union Army. I feel that the Lord led me to choose Noah’s division—the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry—which provided inspiration for how the plot would advance. I found a website that included maps and actual reports on that unit. 

Details on the women’s journey north, however, were scarce. This was probably because most of them were illiterate, and once they were out of the Union Army’s hair, few people gave them any thought. 

Unfortunately, that makes sense. How did you develop your heroine Rose and hero Captain Noah Griffin? 

I knew that Rose, like the other Roswell women, was merely trying to support herself and her family. As the poor daughter of a minister who had faced discrimination, she would have had little contact with slaves and lived by her Christian principles. 

Noah also lived by those principles, but he was more idealistic, never having lived in the South. As he witnessed the destruction of war, however, he realized some of the notions he held about Southerners were unfounded, and he did his best to protect the innocents caught in the middle.

That made both characters very sympathetic. How did you come up with your premise and situation for Seeking Simon? Did you stick to a plan or did it evolve?

After writing Loving Lydia and Managing Millie, I was so entrenched in the McNeil family, I had to see what happened to them after the war. Simon was the perfect place to start—the impulsive, passionate brother who left home early and fought for the Union in the war, the prodigal who returned after years away. 

His story definitely evolved little by little. I had to discover why he left home and what he hoped to find when he returned. Having him encounter Rufus and Daviana on his journey gave me the opportunity to include previous characters and incidents from those earlier books.

Having familiar characters is the benefit of writing a series. How do Rose and Daviana compare as heroines? Not just in their situations but their personalities?

Rose and Daviana are much alike in their love of books and accepting all people at face value. Each had lost her mother as a young teen and had only one sibling. However, Rose presented herself as more self-confident, perhaps even a bit arrogant, while Daviana had low self-esteem and needed to discover her true worth. 

Just for fun—what would Rose and Daviana have to say about you? 

They might chide me for putting them in perilous situations! I’m sad that those events might trigger some people, but the sad fact is I think most women have experienced times when they felt threatened by men. They might say I made them how I want to be—stronger than I see myself—and hope I would measure up to them if I ever face such trying circumstances.

It’s good to have someone to aspire to! How do you want your stories to resonate with readers?

I hope readers will see that God is with us in all situations, that He always loves us and has good plans for us. I pray that they will hold onto hope for their prodigals and forgive themselves for mistakes. I want them to cling to the Word, no matter what life brings their way.

Questions about writing

Which books and/or authors have been most influential for you as an author? 

I guess it depends on how far back I go. In my teens, I adored the work of Grace Livingston Hill and later read Not My Will by Francena Arnold—very profound.  Without much access to Christian books in those days, I looked for clean mainstream books, preferring the Regency period because of the stricter moral code of the times. Among those authors, Mary Balogh became my favorite because even her bedroom scenes were done with finesse. 

About the time I was working on my first novel, thirty years ago, I discovered Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I worked up the courage to write to her—this was before she became so famous—and she replied.

That’s so special! What a keepsake! Share a bit about your writing process, from the story idea to revising and editing.

I’ve always been fascinated by history and wondered what kinds of details we might be missing in our factual accounts of events. I usually jot down ideas, but as in the parable of the sower, only a few really take hold and grow into stories. Those always start with the characters because I’m not much of a plotter. 

When I write a scene, it’s bare bones on the setting and revolves around dialogue, then I go back and add more details and action. I depend heavily on critiques from my peers in ACFW and my local Word Weavers group to improve the story before I send it to my editor, and I still get lots of suggestions from my editors to add more details. I always learn more during the editing and revising process.

Me too. What a blessing to have a great writers group. Please share something about a current project or the direction you want to go as an author. 

The fifth book in Rescued Hearts of the Civil War just released in February with Rupert’s story. Redeeming Rupert revolves around family legacies. 

My current project is a reader magnet I want to offer to new readers/subscribers. (Yes, I should have done this first; I’m backwards.) It’s actually a prequel, taking place in the 1840s with the courtship of the parents, John and Connie McNeil. I wrote it a year ago but then decided to eliminate a third POV to make it more in line with the others. 

After that is finished, I may write a contemporary story because my grandsons want to be included in one; however, my heart is with historicals, so I guess that’s where I’ll stay.

Is there any writing advice you wish you had known ten years ago? 

I wish I had known about Christian writers groups that were available to me. There is so much value in getting critiques, seeing what others are writing, and learning about industry trends. Also, I wish I had been more consistent with my writing, realizing that regular sprints of writing can produce more than once-in-awhile marathons.

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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . . 

If you like historical fiction, you might enjoy my newest novel A Hundred Magical Reasons  (launched January 2025). This story spotlights L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here. 

A Hundred Magical Reasons awards:

• First Place in The BookFest for Literary Historical Fiction (April 2025)
• Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Fiction (March 2025) 
• Bronze Medal for the Illumination Book Awards for General Fiction (February 2025)
• 3 five-star Readers’ Favorite reviews

If you like Southern fiction and small town/rural stories about family dynamics and secrets, you might enjoy my novel All That Is Hidden. Set near North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1968, the story spotlights the bond of family and the connections of a tight-knit community. Northern exploitation threatens as a father’s hidden past catches up to him and tests family ties. Learn more and watch the trailer here.

All That Is Hidden awards:

• Winner of the Artisan Book Reviews Book Excellence Award
• Semifinalist in Serious Writer’s Book of the Decade contest

I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you 7 Oz-inspired recipes:  A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com

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Susan Pope Sloan bio

Susan is a Christian, wife, mother, grandmother, writer and speaker. She calls herself a history junkie, grammar umpire, critical reader, and sporadic singer. Although retired, Susan stays busy with her local Toastmasters clubs and Word Weavers Columbus. Her writing includes non-fiction, children’s stories, and historical fiction. Susan hopes her writing will engage and inspire others to live well.

After retiring from a career in technical writing, Susan turned to Christian fiction to combine her love of history and language. She and her husband live in Georgia. Her current project is a historical novel series, but she enjoys writing children’s stories for her grandchildren. Learn more on her website. 

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Join me next time for a visit with author Donna Wichelman.

Meanwhile, have you read books about the Civil War or any by Susan Pope Sloan? Any favorites? Answer in the comments below.

Ever reading,

Laura

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