Touching the Sky

I just reviewed my latest book for Bethany House Publishers. If you recall, I reviewed the book Chasing the Sun by Tracie Peterson several months ago. (In fact, I think it might have been my first review ever!) Suffice it to say, I was a little underwhelmed by it.  It seemed to me that she was trying too hard to fit the historical details into the context of a fictional novel, and it seemed not to mesh.

Well, I was really torn when the next round of historical fiction review choices came out. I saw that the second book in Peterson’s series, the Land of the Lone Star series, was one of the choices. I didn’t really want to risk getting another book that seemed choppy, but I’m a sucker for a series. (So far it seems that the books are actually stand-alone titles, but do mention characters from the other books, so I’m guessing it’s helpful to have read them in order.)

I just HAD to know what happened next.

So I picked Touching the Sky, the second book in the series by Peterson.

Laura is the main character- Laura Marquardt. She is the daughter of a wealthy, Union Supporter father, in Texas, in the days and weeks just following the “resolution” of the Civil War. Times are still uneasy, and their family is not being so well-received for supporting a united country, yet residing in the South.

Brandon Reid is a Union soldier, stationed in the same area where Laura’s family lives. He runs into Laura in an alleyway one day, and finds her rather rude and insubordinate.

Brandon is asked to do some intel work for the Army, spying on a Malcolm Lowe, who is suspected of heinous crimes in the past, and of planning a terrible attack in the future. Unfortunately, Malcolm is engaged to Laura’s sister, Carissa.

While working, Brandon finds himself more and more drawn to this sassy southerner, Laura. However, Laura fears he has only played her to get closer to his suspect.

None of it may matter, if they don’t find a way to uncover Malcolm’s threat to kill.

I would call this book a redemption of sorts, in my opinion, for Tracie Petersen. The historical aspects, that made the book believable, were much better integrated this time. The characters were spunky, flirty, and very individual- a much more realistic (and enjoyable to read) approach to what can sometimes be portrayed as a “staunch” era in time (with proper ladies and boring gentlemen.)

Peterson had me feeling for slaves and aristocrats alike. I very much enjoyed this novel.

Read it sometime. Let me know what you think!

(Psst- Just wanted to make sure you remember that I do get to keep this fab book as a perk for reviewing- but I am not forced to share any certain opinion of it- the opinions are all mine.)