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Hiding Hearts
On March 21, 1865, the mayor of Goldsborough, (now spelled Goldsboro,) North Carolina, surrendered the town to General William Tecumseh Sherman’s troops. It was the end of the Union Army’s march through the Confederacy, the deathblow that sealed the fate of the Southern insurrection.
Charlotte Bratcher, Lottie to friends and family, an eighteen-year-old farm girl from Wayne County, had no particular allegiance to the Southern cause. She is known as the best horse rider in the county. She and Big John, her horse, cause quite a stir, as a group of horse thieves have them both in their sights.
The Bratcher family, like most North Carolinians of the time, had no slaves and scraped a living from the land as best they could. The men in her family, conscripted into a war they did not believe in, soon lost the zeal young men have for living a war hero’s tale. These Tar Heels were forced to fight in a rich man’s war. By 1865, all Lottie and those like her wanted was an end to the bloodshed.
As the one hundred thousand plus Yankees spread over Wayne County like ants, Lottie and her family out in Bratcher Patch are just trying to survive. In addition to blue-coated warriors, desperate deserters, bummers, thieves, and the home patrol to deal with, Lottie is also coming to terms with a long held infatuation with Patrice Cole. Not knowing how to name her feelings for the dark-haired Miss Cole, Lottie does what she knows how to do, run. Charlotte Bratcher runs, but it’s straight into the arms of the woman she has dreamed about for years.
Charlotte Bratcher, Lottie to friends and family, an eighteen-year-old farm girl from Wayne County, had no particular allegiance to the Southern cause. She is known as the best horse rider in the county. She and Big John, her horse, cause quite a stir, as a group of horse thieves have them both in their sights.
The Bratcher family, like most North Carolinians of the time, had no slaves and scraped a living from the land as best they could. The men in her family, conscripted into a war they did not believe in, soon lost the zeal young men have for living a war hero’s tale. These Tar Heels were forced to fight in a rich man’s war. By 1865, all Lottie and those like her wanted was an end to the bloodshed.
As the one hundred thousand plus Yankees spread over Wayne County like ants, Lottie and her family out in Bratcher Patch are just trying to survive. In addition to blue-coated warriors, desperate deserters, bummers, thieves, and the home patrol to deal with, Lottie is also coming to terms with a long held infatuation with Patrice Cole. Not knowing how to name her feelings for the dark-haired Miss Cole, Lottie does what she knows how to do, run. Charlotte Bratcher runs, but it’s straight into the arms of the woman she has dreamed about for years.
- GenresLesbianHistorical
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 8, 2018
About the author
R.E. Bradshaw
26 books242 followersHow did a girl from the Outer Banks of North Carolina end up writing contemporary women's fiction in Oklahoma? Well, there has to be a woman involved. Bradshaw began her writing career in 2010, after leaving Theatre and teaching. Since then, her novels ranging from the popular romance, Waking Up Gray, to the Lambda Literary Award Finalists, thriller Rainey Nights and mystery Molly: House on Fire, have remained among Amazon’s bestsellers in lesbian fiction. All of Bradshaw’s books, thus far, are set in her beloved home state of North Carolina. She was transplanted from the coast to the Heartland by the love of her life, an Oklahoma girl, with whom she celebrate twenty-five years in June 2013. They have a son, Jon, and share their home with two dogs and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 25, 2020
Civil War, trying to survive. Charlotte Bratcher is the best horse rider in the county but it's her heart she can't control. Stubborn, proud and strong, a woman to remember, Charlotte is a good example of a female survive of a war she didn't start, didn't believe in but was damn well going to survive.
June 12, 2018
Loved it
What better way to start a story than with something personal. Ms. Bradshaw takes a family member and turns them into great historical fiction. We can only hope there are more books to come. This story not only looks at the Civil War through a dear member of her family but from the perspective of the common person. A great book to curl up with as with all her books.
What better way to start a story than with something personal. Ms. Bradshaw takes a family member and turns them into great historical fiction. We can only hope there are more books to come. This story not only looks at the Civil War through a dear member of her family but from the perspective of the common person. A great book to curl up with as with all her books.
April 22, 2018
Another great read!
I'm not much for historical fiction as a rule but I'll give it a go when if it's by one of my favorite authors. And REB didn't let me down. She writes great dialog using fresh dialects that seem very natural to read. I loved all the characters and will definitely look for more in this series....at least I hope it's a series! Loved this book!
I'm not much for historical fiction as a rule but I'll give it a go when if it's by one of my favorite authors. And REB didn't let me down. She writes great dialog using fresh dialects that seem very natural to read. I loved all the characters and will definitely look for more in this series....at least I hope it's a series! Loved this book!
May 19, 2019
I have missed reading Bradshaw's books. I usually avoid reading books with a history theme because some of the scenes aren't that believable, but I loved this book. I can't wait for the second book and I hope it has updates on everyone!
July 19, 2020
This is a great novel set at the end of the Civil War and telling the story of those citizens of the South who paid the price of secession. The cast of characters is wonderful as is all of the historical detail. I really, really hope book number 2 comes sooner rather than later.
April 25, 2018
Great book
I enjoyed reading this story and I love the setting. I found the setting during the civil war to be quite interesting.
I enjoyed reading this story and I love the setting. I found the setting during the civil war to be quite interesting.
September 3, 2018
Sweet forbidden love!
Can't wait for the next installment! I wasn't sure I would like the historical channel, but the sweet subtle nuances were worth it!
Can't wait for the next installment! I wasn't sure I would like the historical channel, but the sweet subtle nuances were worth it!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews