The Copper Road: Beyond the Promise

Shire's Union #2

by Richard Buxton

Shire is far, far from home, his old life in Victorian England a fading memory. To keep a promise to his childhood love, he’s sailed an ocean and battled through war-torn America.

He’s kept his promise, but now Clara’s pushing him away.
The war won’t let him go.

Fighting for the Union and his friends, Shire must survive the brutal campaign for Atlanta and imagine a future without her.

After a violent end to a cruel marriage, Clara is free from her husband but not from his ghost. All that is left to her is Comrie, her home in the Tennessee hills. But the war relentlessly steals away its treasures and its people.

Tod, a captured Rebel, escapes in Pennsylvania. His adventures on the roads and rivers back to his regiment cast the Civil War in a new light. Does he still have the will to fight?

Three young lives become wrapped in the Rebels’ desperate need for copper. Friendships, loyalty and love will be tested beyond breaking point. Shire has new promises to keep.

The Copper Road is the second novel from award winning writer Richard Buxton. Book one of Shire’s Union, Whirligig, was shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award.

Genres: Historical Fiction

319 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2020

About the author

Richard lives with his family in the South Downs, Sussex, England. He completed an MA in Creative Writing at Chichester University in 2014. He has an abiding relationship with America, having studied at Syracuse University, New York State, in the late eighties.

His short stories have won the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story Award.

Richard’s first novel, Whirligig, was published in 2017 and shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award. His second novel, The Copper Road, was published in July 2020. His third novel, Tigers in Blue, was published in December 2023.

To learn more about Richard’s writing visit www.richardbuxton.net.

Reviews

[Mridula Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the series and the writing gets exponentially better. While love triangles don’t excite me much, the one between Clara, Shire and Tod did make me want to read until the very end. Shire’s perspective of events builds a different war scenario, equally engrossing and brutal. Clara is his priority, the lady who has ended her marriage and has pushed Shire away in a desperate attempt to cut ties from her past life. Tod adds a different angle to the story, giving us major grey areas, testing our loyalty as we root for our favourite characters. These characters show great potential, and I hope the final book in the series is equally captivating.

With remarkable writing, ‘Shire Union’ is a series that is to be added to your TBR, if you’re a fan of Historical Fiction.

[Jenica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback as a member of Kaybee's Bookshelf review team.


Historical fiction at its best! I thoroughly enjoyed the history that saturates this story along with the love triangle present with Clara, Shire and Tod. I never expected to immerse myself in the connection that would be made with these characters! Shire has been in love with Clara since they were young. I unfortunately have not read the first installment of this series, but I could grasp what happened. Clara was sent to live in America from London and she married Taylor, a not so great man, from what I gather. Shire saves her from this by coming to America as well and joining in the war. In this installment, he saves her again but this time she has taken up with Tod, known to her as Luke, aboard a ship. Eventually, in the war, Tod connects with Shire and neither knows that the other is in love with Clara, until they are traveling together to save her again. It's a twisted tale rich with history and love.

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you HFVBT and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Copper Road: Beyond The Promise
Shire's Union #2
By: Richard Buxton


REVIEW ☆☆☆☆

In truth, the Civil War era is not a particular favorite of mine. I, therefore, had my doubts pertaining to The Copper Road and my reading it. How surprised was I, then, when I absolutely loved the book?

Literally, from the first sentence, I kept my head down, eyes glued to each page, immersed in this tale of sorrow and searching. Shire, Tod and Clara were vivid in my mind, and I took every step with them. Truly, each character had depth, authentic qualities and exponential growth. Because the characters were so brilliantly written, I didn't feel like I was reading a war story. It felt more of a study in human nature and its complexities in situations fraught with hardship and danger.

I'm not going to rehash the plot because I don't want to spoil anything when you read the book for yourself. I intend to read Whirligig, the book before The Copper Road, just as soon as I can. Living through any war is a horrendous thing. Richard Buxton somehow managed to breathe beauty into bitter circumstances while also creating three unforgettable characters. This amazing story is perfect for historical fiction readers of any era because it will speak volumes to the heart of anyone anywhere.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free electronic copy of the ARC of this novel on July 20, 2020, from Netgalley, Richard Buxton, and BooksGoSocial. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Richard Buxton writes a compelling story set in the south in the last year of the Civil War. We see the action from both sides through the spring and summer of 1864. The pace is tense, the mood electric, and though this is part of a series, The Copper Road: Beyond the Promise is complete in and of itself. I'm sure, however, that you, too, will have to run down a copy of Shire's Union, Book #1, once you get involved in the lives of Shire and Clara.

pub date July 26, 2020
received July 20, 2020
BooksGoSocial

Reviewed on July 28, 2020, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, and Barnes&Noble. Not available for review of BookBub, Kobo, or GooglePlay.

[Dayna Linton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Copper Road: Beyond the Promise is the second book in the Shire’s Union series and I highly recommend you start on the first book, Whirligig – Keeping The Promise: A Heartbreaking Saga in Time of War, as I was a little lost when I first started reading this book.

However, once I caught up, I was swept in the grandeur of this expansive saga of heartbreak, loss, longing, loyalty, ambition, avariciousness, zealousness, love, and so much more as the Civil War continues to divide a nation and her people into its third year of war.

Told from the perspective of three main characters, Shire, who left England to follow his childhood friend to America and keep his promise to her, now caught up in America’s Civil War, fighting for the Union and pushed away by Clara’s trauma. Loyal, brave, steadfast, and heartsick to his core.

Clara, the daughter of a Duke, who left England to marry Taylor, a Confederate Colonel, who turns out to be a volatile, abusive son-of-a —miscreant. On top of that, he may be a bigamist as well.

In Book 1, Shire goes AWOL to rescue Clara from her brutal husband, by killing Taylor before Taylor could kill Clara. Clara has a deep affinity for Comrie, the Tennessee home she once resided with Taylor, and the former slaves who still live on the land, namely Moses, Matilde, Hany, and Cele. Still reeling and mending from her abuse and haunted by Taylor’s ghost, she pushes the one man she knows will always love her—Shire—away and back to the battlefields of war.

And Tod, the captured Rebel, whom Shire had given a small kindness to, who escapes from prison and finds his way back to his regiment, but not before receiving some guidance from an Amish man along the way. This advice seems to color every action for Tod—whether he wants it to or not. Along Tod’s journey back to his regiment, he has another fateful encounter that will forever impact the lives of all three of our main characters.

These three characters make up a Venn diagram no one would envy and ends in a collision course bound for disaster.

With the Confederates’ backs against the wall and fighting for their lives with little left to throw at the Union Army, the need for copper, something Clara has ample of, is thrust into the forefront and becomes a conflict of epic proportions.

History lovers will love the battle sequences portrayed in great detail, including the feelings of those who fought—the gut-wrenching angst, the debilitating fear, the steadfast loyalty, the religious zealousness, the mind-numbing hopelessness—but it is the specifics of how the battles were fought that Mr. Buxton truly excels. The research he must have done to illustrate those battles in such sweeping accounts is mindboggling.

Mr. Buxton is an immense talent, and his descriptions and details about conditions for those who fought during the Civil War were vivid and true-to-life—like viewing the scenes as a documentarian would with a video camera—not missing even the smallest of details, but not mired in the mud in those inconsequential specifics which amount to nothing.

I have come to love each main character—and some secondary characters as well—immensely and am waiting not-so-patiently for the third book in this series, having been left on one very big cliffhanger. By the end of the book, we are left with only eight short months before Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House, signally the end of the brutal national conflict. The last book of this series is bound to be a humdinger. But I will have to pacify myself by reading the first book in the series instead to catch-up on all the details I missed by starting this series out of sequence.

To say this book is epic, would be an understatement. If Hollywood isn’t calling yet, they should be because this book—nay series—is begging to be optioned for film.

*I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first book of the series Whirligig: Keeping the Promise, Owen 'Shire' Stanton leaves England to follow his friend, Clara Ridgmont, the daughter of a duke, to America. His aim is to honour a childhood promise. By the time he arrives, the country is embroiled in war and his destination, Comrie, Clara's home in Polk County, Tennessee, is in Confederate territory. Penniless and with civilian travel restricted, Shire enlists in the Union Army, hoping that the march south with the 125th Ohio Voluntary Infantry will get him to Clara.

With his promise kept and Clara's attitude towards him not as he expected, The Copper Road opens with Shire back with his regiment preparing to face Confederate cavalry at Dandridge, Tennesee. Wounded during the battle, Shire is surprised when Clara arrives to take him to Comrie to recuperate. At first they are happy to be reunited, but once again their relationship becomes strained and they are uneasy around one another. Shire returns to his regiment, despondent and believing that he and Clara have parted forever.

In Pennsylvania, Tod Carter, a captured Confederate officer, escapes from a train transporting prisoners to Baltimore. After spending time in a prison camp on Johnson's Island, Tod is done with Union prisons and is determined to rejoin his regiment in Georgia. An Amish family helps him on his way, but parting words from Luther changes Tod's perception of the war and his role in it.

Clara, still coming to terms with her husband's perfidy and his death, finds a new sense of purpose and freedom as the owner of Comrie. She is now responsible for the house and the freed slaves that remain. When Isaiah Matlock, her father's estate manager, arrives to sort out her affairs, he assumes, like her father, that she will return to England, but Clara is no longer prepared to be the dutiful daughter and exerts her independence. Matlock's ulterior motives clash with Clara's wishes and his nefarious dealings place her life in danger. This scenario plays out along the Copper Road, where Clara encounters Tod, who she has met before. The circumstances of that meeting will threaten her relationship with Shire.

There are a number of threads running through this novel. One of them is the effects of war on the civilian population and the soldiers. Having Shire and Tod fight on opposing sides, reveals the war from two different perspectives, although they both suffer similar hardships.

Another thread that runs through this novel is the concept of home. Both Shire and Clara have left behind their homes in England and question where home is now. Although she fights to preserve it, Clara is not convinced that Comrie is the place for her. Shire, his promise to Clara kept, has many opportunities to abandon the war and return to England, but is constantly drawn back to his regiment where he feels secure. And Tod, who enlisted in the Confederate army to defend his home, laments that even though it is nearby, a visit is impossible.

In The Copper Road many characters from the previous novel return. Some of them are Shire's comrades in arms: Tuck, Mason, Cleves, and Sergeant Ock, a fellow Englishman, and their commander, Colonel Emerson Opdycke, and his beloved horse Barney.

One of the new characters introduced is Lieutenant Wicks, an abolitionist and religious zealot, whose influence on the young and scared recruits compels them to sacrifice their lives needlessly. By his actions, Wicks causes conflict in the company and forces Shire to make a decision that will prey heavily on his conscience.

This is a brilliant series whose wonderful characters drew me along with them in their endeavours. Shire, in particular, was my favourite from the start and I enjoyed how his character developed along the way. There is no doubt that he loves Clara, but he is no longer easily persuaded to do her bidding as he once was.

I'm in awe of the research that went into this series. The result is an historical epic that is one of the best American Civil War sagas I've had the pleasure to read.

The Copper Road is a great novel of love, honour, duty, greed and betrayal. I'm looking forward to the final installment.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gripping Civil War Read

The author must have done deep research for this book because I felt as though I could smell the gunpowder and feel the numbness of the ordinary Soldier who had been at war for too long. This book is tightly focused in time, taking place in the early part of 1864. We get a sense of what is happening in the war on both sides, as we follow one man who is a part of the Union Army (Shire) and one who is a Confederate (Tod). We also get a sense of the importance of hot commodities during war—in this case, copper. The Confederate Army is willing to pardon a prisoner of war to secure copper for bullets from a woman's copper mine. Each of these three people has very different perspectives on what is happening during the war and what could happen after it. I loved that the author included some battle maps at the start of the book. I'm a very visual reader, so it helps to have aids like that. By the way, I hadn't read the first story before reading this one, and I had no trouble whatsoever understanding what was happening. I am certainly curious now, though, about that first story, so I will be checking it out. If you enjoy well-written stories about the Civil War, this one is well researched with great characters.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Tracy Fells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Buxton’s second novel in the Shire’s Union series is page turning quality historical fiction with a dash of romance. The Copper Road continues the story of a young Englishman, Shire, thrown unwittingly into the American Civil War and fighting for the Union. His fortune and fate is bound to his childhood friend, Clara, (the daughter of an English Duke). Clara faces her own battles in The Copper Road to protect her dead husband’s Southern estate from marauding gangs. Her unfulfilled love for Shire is tested when she meets Todd, an escaped Confederate prison-of-war, a man with a deep sense of justice and a passionate heart. How will Clara choose between two men, both her equals in intellect and compassion?
The Copper Road is beautifully written by a genuine storyteller. I was completely immersed in the setting and world of 19th century America, effortlessly brought to life by this accomplished writer. Along with the wonderful descriptions it was the interlaced story of the three main characters that kept me hooked and reading to the end. The Copper Road takes you on a cracking journey and will leave you aching to read the next instalment.

[Jan Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent novel series brings to vivid life the travails of the common Civil War soldier through an uncommon Englishman, Shire. In the first novel, The Whirligig-Keeping the Promise, Shire leaves home to make the long journey to America in order to aid his childhood companion and to keep the promise he will always protect her. Naïve and trusting, once he arrives in the country, he joins the Union army hoping it will carry him to where Clara lives in Tennessee. I recommend you read the first novel to get the full effect of the narrative, the coming of age of Shire and the change in him as he is honed into a soldier for the Union.
The Copper Road-Beyond the Promise reveals not only the treachery behind Clara’s marriage, but the brutality civilians suffered at the hands of soldiers. Shire may have kept his promise, getting to her battlefield by battlefield, step by bloody step, but fate has not done with them yet. The level of detail, the weaving of narrative, the sheer adventure of 19th century America comes alive in these vividly told novels. I could not put them down!

[Gill Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Copper Road’ is a meticulously researched and finely written novel taking us through the penultimate year of the American civil war , mainly through the eyes of the soldiers who fought in it. In particular we follow Shire, an Englishman who became caught up in the conflict when he went to America to rescue his childhood sweetheart, Clara, from a bigamous marriage, and Clara herself, now a widow. Richard takes us through the sweeping landscapes of the war with rich and vivid detail. He is equally adept at inner landscapes and I found myself fascinated by the fluctuating relationship between Shire and Clara, so well depicted. ‘The Copper Road’ is a worthy successor to ‘Whirligig,’ Buxton’s magnificent first novel. I can’t wait for the third!

[Phil Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buxton has done it again - with a triumphant return to Shire's saga during the American Civil War. The Copper Road brings back all the atmosphere, adventure, heart-ache and brotherhood present in Whirligig, once again giving a deep and visceral feel for living through the time. While Shire's story continues with the familiar, torn between his new allegiances to the Union and his forlorn love, we're given the bonus of a sympathetic alternative POV in Tod, a Confederate soldier who adds an extra layer of humanity to the two forces clashing.

It's another epic, enthralling ride that really draws you into the story, but the vast scope of the war (including an incredible battle sequence, and brilliantly interwoven real-life details) is mere backdrop to a story that is always personal, individual and relatable. The author's talent shines in an ability to pick all the right details to make the past come to life without ever feeling distracting, letting the characters take centre-stage.

A more than worthy entry in what I hope will be an expanding series!

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loyalties

This book is about loyalties and men. It is about the horrors of war and a soldier’s loyalty to his fellow soldiers and his cause. It is also about a girl named Clara and her friendship with two men Shire her English friend fighting for the Union Army and her friend Tod fighting with the Confederate Army.

The book goes into detail with the war, Shire’s unit on the Union side and Tod’s unit on the Confederate side. The fellow soldiers of each, how Shire and Tod meet each other. There is more than that. The men bare their thoughts and their fears to each other.

When Shire’s life is spared by Tod and he is taken prisoner by Tod they become friends. When Shire is offered a pardon by a high ranking Confederate if he rescue’s Clara from a dangerous situation he asks for Tod to accompany him on the mission to save Clara and to bring back a load of copper from her copper mine to use in Confederate bullets. He did not know that Tod had met Clara on a Riverboat and that they had an affair.

The events that took place during that trip tell the rest of the story.

This was an interesting book telling much of the civil war history. What happened to the slaves when the war started. What happened to the plantations when the men all went to war and the slaves left.

This was a good book and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Richard Buxton, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only all historical fiction was written and researched as well as this one, I'd be a happy reviewer. I really was there with Shire's struggle and I hope everyone feels that way. Buxton is a marvelous writer. Highly Recommended 5/5

[disclaimer: I received this book as a gift from the publisher and I chose to read and review it]

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Held my interest throughout

[Glen Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first novel in this trilogy (Whirligig) a few years back, and I’ve been waiting for this one. The Copper Road is a superb continuation of the story of Shire and Clara, the woman he joined the war to protect. All the things that hooked me in with Whirligig are here again—the vivid and well-rounded characters, the forensically-researched battles and historical detail on both the Union and Confederate sides. Buxton has compassion for his characters regardless of what uniform they wear, and his dialogue is some of the best I’ve read. But the really amazing thing about this book, and the series so far, is the way he is able to marry character-driven story telling to the grander forces of economics and politics that informed the war. In my experience, historical writers either excel at one or the other, so it’s really rare to find someone who can find that perfect balance. Really recommended.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very descriptive book, you can almost smell the smoke from all the gunfire. I thought this was a long book and it dragged on forever at times.
Historical fiction fans will enjoy this book
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy

[Eirini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again I am captivated by this story. This is not just a book, it is a bunch of feelings that gets a really strong grip on your heart and mind. For me, reading is about feeling the loss and joy of the characters, identifying myself in their hardships and in the end finding the hope everyone craves. This book succeeded in everything. Highly recommended!

[KayBee's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction at its best! I thoroughly enjoyed the history that saturates this story along with the love triangle present with Clara, Shire, and Tod. I never expected to immerse myself in the connection that would be made with these characters! Shire has been in love with Clara since they were young. I, unfortunately, have not read the first installment of this series, but I could grasp what happened. Clara was sent to live in America from London and she married Taylor, a not so great man, from what I gather. Shire saves her from this by coming to America as well and joining in the war. In this installment, he saves her again but this time she has taken up with Tod, known to her as Luke, aboard a ship. Eventually, in the war, Tod connects with Shire and neither knows that the other is in love with Clara, until they are traveling together to save her again. It's a twisted tale rich with history and love

Team member- Jenica

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be one of the best American Civil War novels that I have read. Richard Buxton writes with passion for his subject and his characters, bringing both to life with detailed research and superb writing skill.

We meet the three lead characters, Shire himself, Clara and Tod, and immediately like them, are immediately immersed in their lives, their hopes, dreams, despairs, and immediately want them to be happy. (Whether they succeed, I'll not divulge.)

Although the American Civil War is the major backdrop to this novel, Richard Buxton's details of battle and life as a soldier are amazing; the story itself is very much character-driven. It is not a story about The Civil War, but about the people and their lives during the war. I'm tempted to say that The Copper Road is a modern-day Gone With The Wind, but to be honest it isn't ... it's far far better than that.

This is a second novel in a series, the first being Whirligig (which I also enjoyed) and it is quality from cover to cover.

Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds

[Carolyn Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Copper Road is the second book by Richard Buxton that I have read, and I enjoyed it just as much, if not more than, the first, Whirligig. These are the first two books of the Shire’s Union trilogy, set (mostly) in 19th century America, during the years of the Civil War. This is not a period with which I was familiar and I am not generally very keen on “war” books, but I overcame my hesitation with Whirligig and how very glad I was that I had done so. For the Shire’s Union books are by no means merely “war books”: they are very much more than that. Battles are certainly described, graphically, horrifyingly and movingly. For the main protagonist, an Englishman, Shire, is unwittingly caught up in the war – on the Union side – and then finds he cannot walk away from it. And the reasons for that are, inter alia, friendship, loyalty and honour. It is these human qualities that I think these books are really about. About the relationships between the main protagonists – Shire and Clara in book 1, and also Tod in book 2 – and between them and others – and how the war both defines and determines their existence, and is the catalyst for so many of their decisions, right and wrong, good and bad.

Like Whirligig, The Copper Road is most definitely character- rather than events-driven. And what wonderful characters they are! So well-drawn. I loved all three of the main characters, and fretted to know how some of the decisions each of them made – some of which seemed frankly crazy! – panned out. It was, yet again, what kept me turning the pages. But the minor characters are very well-drawn too: Opdycke, Tonkin, Waddell, Matlock, Moses, to name just a few, not all of whom were by any means lovable (you could most certainly loathe Matlock!), but many were likeable or admirable, and all of them were rounded people whose motivations you can begin to understand.

Other things to mention…

The history. I am unable to say if the history, and the details of the battles, are “authentic”. But, my goodness, they certainly seem so! Again, it came across so well that the author really understands this period of history, and brings the characters and their world so very much alive in wonderful detail. The battle scenes are grim, obviously, but the visceral, but very personal, writing brought them terrifyingly but also movingly, alive. I was also much impressed by the sense of place. I understand the author has paid many visits to these areas of the United States, and his knowledge of them is clear. I really did feel that he had walked where Shire, Clara and Tod walked. I also much enjoyed the many references to the area’s natural landscape, the trees, the flowers, the butterflies. This does so much to help a reader really “see”, indeed sense, the story being told. One other particular detail I must mention: the whittled walking sticks! The author has clearly seen such wondrous things, and I was delighted by the detailed descriptions of their design.

As with Whirligig, I did feel that The Copper Road had a somewhat slow start, perhaps partly because I was having to get my head around the challenging scenarios of the war. However, once more, I soon enough became so invested in the characters of Shire and Clara, and then Tod, that I was eager to find out what happened to them. (Pages turned quickly…)

I again want to mention the language in these books. They are very well written. Much of the language is lyrical and eloquent, with truly apposite and helpful metaphors. But it also felt “authentic”. I have no knowledge of 19th century American language, but the dialogue in particular sounded “right” to me.

And my final comment is about the romance at the heart of the story. It – they, actually – was handled with such subtlety and sensitivity, especially in respect of one or two of the more difficult outcomes (I won’t say what). Richard Buxton is a very talented writer: he can handle action and excitement, tenderness and affection (between friends as well as lovers), horror and dreadful fear, joy and exhilaration, the full gamut of human activity and emotion, all with great authorial skill. I really do recommend you read these books!

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: The Copper Road, Beyond the Promise
Author: Richard Buxton

Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 22
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 22 readers:
21 would read another book by this author.
22 thought the cover was good or excellent.
22 felt it was easy to follow.
21 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
19 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
20 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
“A character-driven saga enriched by the author’s knowledge of setting.” Male reader, aged 55
“Brutal, gritty, and utterly compelling, this is a must-read for anybody who is interested in American history – or simply enjoys a wonderful novel.” Female reader, aged 52
“I was fully immersed in this story from the first page. The author’s knowledge of the time and place is remarkable and this shone through on every page. The plot is intricate and cleverly crafted, but it is the fully developed characters which make this novel stand out.” Male reader, aged 37
“A very enjoyable story. I was enticed into reading it by the cover which looks amazing. This is the sort of novel you can easily get lost in – in a good way! I would happily read another book by this talented author.” Female reader, aged 69

To Sum It Up:
‘A compelling historical saga packed with unforgettable characters. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Brodie Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherman’s advance on Atlanta in 1864 is the backdrop for a sweeping tale that converges on Shire, an Englishman who fights for the Yankees; Clara, an Englishwoman of noble birth whom Shire has followed to America; and Tod, a Confederate captain. Shire is wounded when his Ohio regiment fights south of Chattanooga and is taken to Comrie, Clara’s plantation in Tennessee, to convalesce, where old feelings begin to awaken. Meanwhile, Tod has been taken prisoner, escapes in Pennsylvania, and begins a roundabout journey south, marveling along the way at the might of the northern war machine. Tod returns to the johnny rebs and learns that Confederate resources are dwindling, and much rides on the mission when he is assigned to the Copper Road, behind the Union lines and not far from Comrie. Tod has had separate chance encounters with Shire and Clara, and the fates lead towards their inevitable reckoning.

Characters are memorable, both admirable and flawed in various ways, and have their convictions tested by relationships and wartime experiences. The prose sometimes evokes the grandeur of America’s defining conflict: “Cannon-fire roared in front and behind, their thunder intruding from some greater world.” Many battle scenes are drawn with grit that might bring to mind one of the author’s declared writing influences, Bernard Cornwell. Sherman’s Atlanta Civil War campaign is well-chronicled, and officer characters are shaped by real historical figures.

The Copper Road is the second book in the author’s Civil War trilogy, and the final installment promises to provide a satisfying resolution to the fates of Clara, Shire and Tod.

Was this review helpful? I am an avid reader of historical fiction, and author, and more of my reviews can be found at www.brodiecurtis.com

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The American Civil War was anything but civil. Americans fought Americans. The Blue fought the Gray. And sometimes they fought among themselves. Over 400,000 men were killed. Copper Road is the story of the 125th Ohio Union Regiment, and the men who fought under its flag.

There was respect and there was contempt. Officers were honored for good decisions or there was disdain for poor decisions. There were friendships. There were jealousies. There were soldiers who fought tenaciously, and soldiers who just wanted to go home. We meet all kinds. We are front and center in the smoke and the dust and the rain and the cold and the heat and the hunger and the thirst.

In the background, of course, there is a love story. And there are war profiteers. But, always, in the forefront, the war intrudes.

A well-researched novel of the Civil War and those who fought in it.

I read this EARC courtesy of the author. Pub date 07/26 /20

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched story about the civil war. Nor sure what the issue was, but just couldn't get into the story. It just didn't interest me, but it was just me, not any fault of the author.
4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for an ARC of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Copper Road: Beyond the Promise, the second installment from the Shire's Union series, was a great read for me. I am hoping there will be a third book in the series. This one is getting five plus stars.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didnt like the ending and was slow.