Jocelyn Green

This is a fantastic book by Jamie Jo Wright. It's a well-written story that includes mystery, romance, and wonderful characters. The book also provides a lot of information about ancient Egypt and New York City during the 1920s. I was surprised to learn about the severe consequences Germany faced for their involvement in WWI, outside of monetary reparations. This book is a great option for anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Additionally, the author incorporates the message of God's love, which we all need to know.… (más)

What a great choice A River Between Us was for my book club. We are Georgia-based, and this novel’s setting is Roswell during the Civil War. But the events described didn’t make our Georgia-born members’ history books. Jocelyn Green brings to light the destruction of the textile mills and the subsequent imprisonment of the mill workers of northern Georgia. Can you imagine being a young woman working 6 days a week in unhealthy conditions, earning scrip for purchases at the company store, only to find yourself labeled a traitor to the Union and sent far away from home and family? That’s exactly what happened to hundreds of mill workers, mostly women and children, when Sherman’s army marched into Roswell, Georgia. The novel presents this intriguing historical event and the rest of the war experiences in a balanced manner. No side came off as completely bad or good. There were Union sympathizers among those in the South, and there were Southerners who believed slavery was evil. There were horrific acts by both sets of armies.

We loved Cora Mae and Ethan, the main characters in the novel. What an unlikely pair — a captured mill worker and a Union officer! But they had more in common than they expected, especially their faith. And June, a child protected by Cora Mae, was a great addition to the cast of characters. We all loved her too! The romance element was measured — both characters were constrained by honor and duty. We weren’t sure how the happily-ever-after was going to be achieved, but were thrilled with the outcome.

The Civil War-era is troubling part of our nation’s history, and A River Between Us is an interesting and welcome addition to our historical fiction shelves.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the ebook version from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)… (más)

I have a large collection of Civil War nonfiction books but just wasn't in the mood. So, I ended up reading Wedded to War by Jocelyn Green on my Kindle. It was probably featured in one of the newsletters I received. Based on real-life people and events, Green tells the story of two well-to-do Bostonian sisters who become nurses during the war. Charlotte Waverly is based on Georgeanna Woolsey, a nursing pioneer. Green's details were authentic and gripping: she captured the horrors and challenges of providing medical care on both on and off the front lines as well as the misogyny and condescension experienced by the early nurses. Green also highlighted the economic gaps in the North by including the fictionalized character of Ruby, a poor woman in New York who struggles when her husband joins the army.

Interestingly enough, i didn't realize until maybe a third of the way through that this was "Christian" fiction. A chaplain character was introduced and the characters began to quote scripture. But, considering the time frame, that didn't seem out of character. Eventually, it got a little more obvious with a message of redemption. My suspicions were confirmed by the Acknowledgements.

Even as I write this, I am not sure it matters although there was a subplot of a woman considering an abortion but it wasn't glaringly political. I guess it's a heads up or "trigger warning" as it is called today. That being said, I enjoyed it: well-written, historical fiction.… (más)