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11th out of 285 books
—
200 voters
To Whisper Her Name (Belle Meade Plantation #1)
by
Tamera Alexander (Goodreads Author)
Set at Nashville's historic Belle Meade Plantation, the most influential thoroughbred stud farm in America's history, To Whisper Her Name weaves the struggles of real people of the post-war South with the journeys of a man and a woman scarred by betrayal.
Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully ac...more
Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully ac...more
Paperback, 480 pages
Published
October 1st 2012
by Zondervan
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Apr 09, 2013
Arlena
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
4-stars,
adult-read,
christian-fiction,
drama,
ebooks,
a-good-book,
humorous,
military,
my-reviews,
romance,
slavery,
historical,
civil-war
Author: Tamera Alexander
Published by: Zondervan
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Book Blog For: GMTA
Rating: 4
Review:
"To Whisper Her Name" by Tamera Alexander was a wonderful historical christian romantic long read that has it all. This setting was from 'Belle Meade Plantation' in Nashville, TN. (1866) following the Civil War where you will find "Southerners who fought on the side of the South, the women who were left behind to defend their homes, a Southerner who aligned himself wi...more
I loved this book. A librarian from the Providence library recommended this book to me. She promised I would like this author. She was right. The book was very well written and what a beautiful love story. The book took place at the end of the Civil War. Olivia Aberdeen was a widow of a man who was cruel and demeaning to her and also was considered a traitor to the South because he cheated many of the people of Nashville out of a lot of money. She was considered guilty because she was married to...more
Feb 25, 2013
Alyson Farmer
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Alyson by:
Amazon
Shelves:
christian-romance,
historical-fiction
I am finding a pattern to my reading. I usually have an audio book that I'm working on and a non-fiction book that I'm reading that are both a bit more substantial, but I read multiple lighter books at the same time. I read perhaps a few too many of the later this past week without any intention of reading another but this book fell in my lap! I'd had it on hold at the library for months and it finally came in. Once I started I was hooked. It was all that I'd hoped it would be.
It takes place on...more
It takes place on...more
Just when I thought I couldn’t like Tamera Alexander and her books anymore (check out reviews here and here), she releases To Whisper Her Name, which just might have become my favorite.
I’m sure you’re tired of me talking about anything related to the Civil War, but I just can’t help myself, that era of history is fascinating, so its natural I read so many fiction novels in that time period.
Anyway, this story deals with Elizabeth and Ridley (how can you not like that name??) and takes place on Be...more
I’m sure you’re tired of me talking about anything related to the Civil War, but I just can’t help myself, that era of history is fascinating, so its natural I read so many fiction novels in that time period.
Anyway, this story deals with Elizabeth and Ridley (how can you not like that name??) and takes place on Be...more
Wow! That is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about this book. "To Whisper Her Name" has been such a contradiction for me. It felt at times that it would never end, and yet, I found a part of me didn't want it to. Filled with the true South, it reminded me of Gone with the Wind and the Daughters of Twin Oaks series, but with it's own legs to stand on. Filled with characters that steal your heart, are complete scalawags, anger you, and one that leaves you not knowing how you feel...more
Dec 13, 2012
My Book Addiction and More MBA
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
historical-romance,
christian-fiction
TO WHISPER HER NAME by Tamera Alexander is an exciting inspirational historical romance. Set to the backdrop of the historic Belle Meade mansion,a Thoroughbred stud farm in Nashville, Tennessee and post Civil War. Follow,a Southerner,who fought for the Union, Ridley Adam Cooper and widow Olivia Aberdeen on a journey of healing and love. Filled with inner turmoil, secrets,horses,horse trainer,thoroughbred horses, enslavement,humility,healing,forgiveness,betrayal,freedom, arrogance,Nashville histo...more
This was an excellent book, if I might say so myself. Author Tamera Alexander outdid herself once again with a story line that is very engaging and has plenty going on, which I love. It was easy to fall in love with the characters at Belle Meade Plantation.
Following Olivia Aberdeen all over the plantation brings its highs and lows. You feel deeply for the way she was treated by her late husband and for the way society is treating her now. Yet, now that she is here at Belle Mead, you know thing...more
Following Olivia Aberdeen all over the plantation brings its highs and lows. You feel deeply for the way she was treated by her late husband and for the way society is treating her now. Yet, now that she is here at Belle Mead, you know thing...more
Tamera Alexander has succeeded, once again, at completely captivating me by one of her historical reads. "To Whisper Her Name" is a well-written book filled with delightful characters. I have to say that, although the main characters Olivia and Ridley are indeed interesting and well-rounded, my favorite characters of all were the numerous African American servants populating the novel and bringing their own spice to the story. Former slave Robert Green was especially a favorite of mine, and I fo...more
Oh. My. The wait for this book has been excruciating, but it was absolutely worth it. To Whisper Her Name sets the bar for historical romance. Once again, Tamera Alexander has created a masterful saga that swept me away, this time to Belle Meade plantation. I adored Ridley Cooper and Olivia Aberdeen. Their individual stories are captivating and heart-wrenching; their relationship is superbly depicted. I loved their clashes and snarky verbal sparring just as much as the tender moments that made m...more
Tamera Alexander is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical authors. There is something about her novels set in Antebellum Nashville that draw me in and keep me reading. I couldn't read this novel fast enough. Besides the GORGEOUS cover, the characters were wonderful Olivia Aberdeen is a widow in a desperate situation who is welcomed at Belle Meade Plantation. She knows she is a charity case, but fights to come into her own. Ridley Cooper is a huge part of that happening. He sees a depth...more
Tamera Alexander takes the reader to postbellum Tennessee in her new release To Whisper Her Name. Alexander never fails to create well-developed settings and interesting characters. I particularly loved the setting of this novel, Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville. It shines through the pages like a Southern Belle at her debut ball. I visited Belle Meade several years ago, which gave me a personal connection with the novel. Alexander's descriptions brought back the beauty of the area and the gr...more
Sometimes I need to read books like this one--sweet, slow historical fiction. I grew up reading Christian historical fiction in my church library (think Janette Oke). I don't read much Christian fiction anymore, but I'm not sure why. It's not all preachy and in-your-face. This book is an example of great historical fiction that just happens to be published by a Christian publisher.
Olivia is shunned by all of Nashville when her husband is found to be a traitor to the Confederacy. She is lucky to...more
Olivia is shunned by all of Nashville when her husband is found to be a traitor to the Confederacy. She is lucky to...more
This is the first Tamera Alexander book I have had the pleasure to read. I found her writing has a very easy style with just enough detail to establish a rich setting and create a lighthearted and yet moving tone. Since I am very interested in Civil War, and any fiction set in the period, I had to check this out. I am glad I did.
The war has been over a year when Ridley Cooper fulfills a promise to himself. He has wanted to return to Nashville, to the scene of an eventful moment in the war for h...more
The war has been over a year when Ridley Cooper fulfills a promise to himself. He has wanted to return to Nashville, to the scene of an eventful moment in the war for h...more
When To Whisper Her Name begins Olivia Aberdeen is the ostracized widow of Charles Winthrop Aberdeen. Mr. Aberdeen was a hated carpetbagger, he swindled and stole from the people who'd already been through the horror of war. Mr. Aberdeen was a hated enemy. Olivia escapes to the home of her mother's best friend and her husband---Elizabeth and General William Giles Harding. General Harding has a thoroughbred stud farm near Nashville, Tennessee. The name of the farm is Belle Meade. Olivia had been...more
Let me start out by saying that Tamera Alexander is a very talented author, and has been one of my favorites for years. I was very excited to get to meet her last week and she signed To Whisper Her Name for me. :) She is a very sweet, fun woman. I highly recommend looking into her work and finding a book that sounds interesting because she has some amazing works.
As for To Whisper Her Name, I liked, but I didn't love it. I really wanted to love it, but I think it was just a little too long for me...more
As for To Whisper Her Name, I liked, but I didn't love it. I really wanted to love it, but I think it was just a little too long for me...more
Originally, I was on a mission to remember the title of A Reliable Wife. All I could remember was the red dress on the cover, and even though I knew this book didn't fit the time frame when I first saw A Reliable Wife about two years ago, I noticed it was on sale at Kindle for about $1.99. I took the plunge and bought a copy, angry to learn from reviews that the other book was horrible and I wasted hours of my life looking for books with red dresses on the cover.
I also learned that this book was...more
I also learned that this book was...more
Tamera Alexander in her new book, “To Whisper Her Name” Book One in the Belle Meade Plantation series published by Zondervan brings us into the life of Olivia Aberdeen in 1866 Nashville.
From the Back Cover: Set at Nashville’s historic Belle Meade Plantation, the most influential thoroughbred stud farm in America’s history, To Whisper Her Name weaves the struggles of real people of the post-war South with the journeys of a man and a woman scarred by betrayal.
Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a...more
From the Back Cover: Set at Nashville’s historic Belle Meade Plantation, the most influential thoroughbred stud farm in America’s history, To Whisper Her Name weaves the struggles of real people of the post-war South with the journeys of a man and a woman scarred by betrayal.
Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a...more
Tamara Alexander sweeps readers away to the old post war south, and incorporates the history of the real Belle Meade plantation into this story. The romance in this novel reminded me many times of Gone With The Wind. Olivia and Ridley are at times, oil and water, and their clashes and disagreements add to the charm of their relationship. The other characters are interesting as well and the author blends a wonderful cast of personalities into this book. I must say, this was a LONG book so it took...more
While I thoroughly enjoyed Tamera's western novels, set in the Colorado territory, I was hesitant to pick up a book about the South. I'm simply not a fan of books that lean into a period of war. Most often I find such books to be less than objective. Yet, in To Whisper Her Name I found a beautiful balance of dealing with both history and personal choices with respect, where the war was an essential element of the story, but it did not "steal the stage" from the overall storyline.
The characteriza...more
The characteriza...more
To Whisper Her Name is the first book in the Belle Meade Plantation series. Tamera Alexander has taken the historical facts surrounding the original owners of Belle Meade to create a fictitious story. Widow Olivia Aberdeen and former Union officer Ridley Cooper must vercome the past that the Civil War has created for them in order to truly have a future together. Tamera as always paints believable characters in true-to-life scenarios that give the readers a peek into America’s past while bringin...more
Tamera Alexander is one of my favorite authors and this book does not disappoint. Alexander writes with depth and wit. Her characters are real people with real issues and they are always a pleasure to get to know. She managed to bring the somewhat austere south down to earth while incorporating the very real issues of the day. Olivia grows throughout the book and becomes a dear character. Ridley is fun from the beginning and only growths in his depth. The horse aspect of the book is fascinating....more
I don't know what has come over me. I've never been a romance reader... But I truly loved this book.
Maybe it was the setting...Belle Meade Plantation—just 45 minutes up the road from me—in the post-Civil War South, still seething from its outcome. Maybe it was the heroine...Olivia Aberdeen, a woman scarred from a physically and emotionally abusive past and now with an infamous reputation. Maybe it was a male lead so like the one in my own romance story...confident, driven, charismatic, genuinely...more
Maybe it was the setting...Belle Meade Plantation—just 45 minutes up the road from me—in the post-Civil War South, still seething from its outcome. Maybe it was the heroine...Olivia Aberdeen, a woman scarred from a physically and emotionally abusive past and now with an infamous reputation. Maybe it was a male lead so like the one in my own romance story...confident, driven, charismatic, genuinely...more
This marvelous historical fiction novel is the first book I've read from Tamera Alexander, and it definitely won't be the last. Set directly following the Civil war, I loved the two main characters, Olivia and Ridley. Ms. Alexander really made you feel like you knew them very well, both their strengths and weaknesses, and I enjoyed watching how their trust developed. The humor that was thrown in so many times really added to the story for me. I also found the character of Elizabeth fascinating;...more
Definitely a good read and I look forward to reading more books by Tamera Alexander. The only thing that bothered me was the ending -- so if you don't want to know what happens, stop reading. :-)
The hero, Ridley, has a plan throughout the book: to learn about horses so he can move to Colorado and establish his own ranch. But he falls in love with Olivia, who feels compelled to stay in Tennessee. Clearly, one of them will have to change their mind if they're going to get together. In the end, tho...more
The hero, Ridley, has a plan throughout the book: to learn about horses so he can move to Colorado and establish his own ranch. But he falls in love with Olivia, who feels compelled to stay in Tennessee. Clearly, one of them will have to change their mind if they're going to get together. In the end, tho...more
"Like a perfect Hallmark story." I believe this is a perfect example of historical fiction. Two beautifully crafted characters to move us through the lives, times and location of reality in the post-bellum South. Alexander's development of the Lead characters takes nothing from the real lives of the Hardings or Robert Green, while her awakening of those real life people was gentle and unintrusive. There is nothing fake or over-exagerated; no forcing characters into a scene to make the history wo...more
This book was absolutely amazing. It was just so good! I loved the backdrop of The South after the Civil War just ended. I love that it was based on true events. I wonder if the people the book was based on were anything like their namesakes? I often found myself wondering if the Harding's really loved their slaves so much. It seems doubtful, but this book was excellent nonetheless. The only thing to me was the ending was a little flat and almost abrupt. But, the book was long enough so I can se...more
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Set on a plantation in Nashville at the end of the Civil War, To Whisper Her Name is a historical romance. Olivia a young widow, disgraced by her swindling husband, is invited to come and help the family. Ridley has a past that will ruin his life in the South, but he determines to learn the skill of horse whispering from the best wrangler in Tennessee, a former Belle Meade slave.
Two things kept this from 5 stars for me. This is a Christian novel and it teetered on the edge of becoming too preach...more
Two things kept this from 5 stars for me. This is a Christian novel and it teetered on the edge of becoming too preach...more
First Lieutenant Ridley Adam Cooper is a Southerner fighting for the North in the American Civil War, a past he has to hide when he obtains employment at Belle Meade, an estate owned by a Southern General that is famous for its horses. Ridley knows he will have to keep his past a secret, but he only plans on staying a short while before going west to start a new life.
Olivia Aberdeen is the widow of a traitor to the South, and has been shunned by most of the people she once called friends. She ha...more
Olivia Aberdeen is the widow of a traitor to the South, and has been shunned by most of the people she once called friends. She ha...more
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USA Today bestselling author Tamera Alexander is a novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose have earned her devoted readers worldwide as well as multiple industry awards. Tamera enjoys a devoted international following with her books being translated into German, Dutch, and Polish. She recently returned from a book tour in The Netherlands for the release...more
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“Settled on the carriage seat, Olivia drew in a deep breath, the first in what felt like five years. she knew it was wrong, what she was feeling. Because of widow of only a week shouldn't wish to dance a jig. But God help her, that's precisely what part of her wanted to do. Not on the grave of her recently deceased husband, of course-that would be considered rude. Just off to the side would suffice.”
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4 people liked it
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Feb 26, 2013 07:26am