This book was such an joy to read. I could hardly put it down. The characters come to life as the author recounts Annie's struggle to survive. You felt her experiences. I'm really glad I finally took the time to read this.

I loved this book very much. . It was very hard to put it down. ☆☆☆☆☆ rating.

Matt survives the Civil War but has to be rescued by Annie and returned to health. These two have been wounded by the times and life and find a way to the future. Get ready to be engrossed in this family tale that keeps you turning the pages and wanting more are the ending. Definitely recommend this author and series.
Ebook from Netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

For the Brave ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ written by Holly Bush
(The Gentrys of Paradise #1)

I reviewed the preview novella of this series Into the Evermore and in my review I said I really like the story but I wanted more. This novel so much more. Ms Bush pulled out all the stops and has created a finely crafted beginning family sage.

Matt Gentry left home at eighteen after a argument with his father. He joined the Confederate Army and fought for the south. He left the army after four years as a mentally battle scared soldier and drifted for two years. He drank to the point of not knowing where he was or who he was with.

It was during one of drunken escapades Ben Littleship, a close family friend, finally found him. Ben informed him of the death of his father and told him he needed to come home the the Paradise Ranch the family compound.

Matt regretted his father's death and that they did not make amends. It is on this journey home that Matt and Ben are caught in a deadly storm and find themselves at the edge of drowning and subsequently their death.

They are rescued by a young woman Annie Campbell she is somewhat of a recluse and lives quite secluded on the outskirts of town. Annie totally dedicates herself to their recovery which evolves over a few months. It is during this period both Annie and Matt become friends and confide hidden secrets about their lives.

This book is quite a story so well crafted and riveting. Ms. Bush paints such details you feel yourself in the book not just a reader. This book is not for the faint of heart some scenes prove to be quite cruel but needed to fulfill the story. The book to me is one of this author's finest works and a testimony to her talent.

For the Brave is the first full-length novel in Holly Bush’s The Gentrys of Paradise series. Although I read the prequel novella for the series late last year, For the Brave can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

The Unique
-Bush has a very minimalistic writing style. She gives readers just enough information to form a picture in their head. She’s found and mastered the fine line of just enough, not too much and not too little. The pages of For the Brave weren’t packed with prose and details, but they weren’t empty either. I rather enjoyed the imaginative freedom this book gave me!
-Although I’ve been seeing more and more Civil War and post-Civil War romances on the market, this is still a pretty uncommon time period for historical romance. For the Brave’s post-Civil War setting, paired with Matthew’s regret over signing up to serve, set the stage for some incredibly engrossing scenes where Matthew mulled over the purpose of the war and what the war meant to the young, Confederate soldiers.

The Exceptional
-Although Matt and Annie shared a connection for a good part of this book, they both knew that Matt was heading home to Paradise and that Annie was staying at her farm as soon as possible. Annie’s vehemence that she needed to stick out the rough situation at her family’s farm and Matt’s necessity in getting back to Paradise really set and ante very high.
-In For the Brave readers get to see an entire sex scene written from the male POV and that sex scene includes Matt’s emotions. It’s so good guys and dolls. So, so good!
-We saw substantial personal growth from both Annie and Matt in this book. Matt’s growth was readily apparent as he moved from a drunkard man-whore to someone his mother could be proud of when he returned home. Annie’s growth was less obvious though. She moved the dial from simply surviving to really exploring, and loving, and thriving through the course of For the Brave. Her understated transformation contrasted Matt’s unmistakable changes in a way that made this book hard to put down and hard to get out of my head.

The Imperfect
-If you aren’t a fan of seeing a H/h in a sexual situation with someone other than their eventual partner, skip the first part of Chapter 1. I’m glad I persevered on since I ended up loving For the Brave, but the first few pages of this book were really, really hard for me to read.

For the Brave is full of really good character development and the irresistible romance of Annie and Matthew. It’s also brimming with historical details though. Bush has clearly done a ton of research on this time period and that thorough research shows on each and every page. For the Brave is perfect for Civil War romance newbies and existing connoisseurs of this time period. If you aren’t sure about reading a romance set in this time period I urge you to give For the Brave a try!