This Hate-to-Love story takes place after the Civil War. Catriona, an Irish immigrant comes to America in search of her brother. She begins working on a plantation and meets Wade, a secret service agent in search of counterfeiters. This story has interesting information about the counterfeiting problem at this time in history and the measures taken to weed out the counterfeiters. Meanwhile, Catriona is a spit fire and Wade is no nonsense and suspicious. The sparks fly.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#NetGalley #ColorsofTruth

I have read most of Tamera Alexander's books and they are all good. Colors of Truth is also a good story. The author transports the reader back to the years following the Civil War. Catronia O'Toole and her little sister have just arrived in America from Ireland, after her twin brother sent her a large sum of money and begged her to join him. She manages to get to Franklin, Tennessee, the last place she heard from him almost a year ago. She meets Wade Cunningham, manager of Carton House. But Wade is not just a farm manager, he is a secret spy. He is looking to stop a money counterfeiting ring. When Wade and Catronia's paths intersect, both their searches seem to end with Catronia's brother.

Overall, I liked the book but it seemed a bit slow at times. The plot is exciting, and I had to finished it to find out the fate of Catronia's brother. I liked the characters of Catronia and Wade. They are good together. The only thing I didn't like was the character of Catronia's little sister, Nora. The author describes her as spunky but I found her unnecessarily spiteful and rude. She ruined so many parts of the book that it was distracting, not endearing.

Another excellent historical romance from Tamera Alexander! This one is the second book in the Carnton series (3rd if you count the prequel novella), but it is a stand-alone novel. The main characters from the first novel are referenced in this one and the minor characters from that book (the McGavocks and Tempy) are also in this one, but you don't need their history at all to enjoy this story. This book follows Catriona O'Toole, who has imigrated from Ireland and is searching for her brother who immigrated previously and had been conscripted in the confederate army. It also follows Wade Cunningham, an agent of the recently established Secret Service as he's seeking out a counterfeiting ring. Both of their journeys lead them to Carnton, where they eventually converge.

As with her other books, this one completely sucked me in and I had a hard time putting it down to do other things - like work or sleep. The characters were well defined and very likable. Catriona and her younger sister Nora were both full of spirit and sass and Wade was a good grounding character for them. I enjoyed the dynamics between them all as well as the character development throughout the book. There is a solid faith thread as Catriona begins questioning the Almighty regarding all that she has lost. While I feel like her transformation happened a bit more suddenly or abruptly than is natural, it was wonderful to see her faith blossom. Tempy maintained a strong faith as well and Wade struggled with the lying he needed to do for his job. There was a great mystery as to who was involved in counterfeiting and what had happened to Cattie and Nora's brother. There was also a solid bit of history as the battle of Franklin was discussed and the bodies that had been hastily buried afterwards were interred and placed in a proper cemetery. The romance was sweet and there was a great deal of both seriousness and humor amongst the characters. My favorite part was when they helped a stranger catch his runaway chickens. I found myself laughing quite a bit and also tearing up at various points - a sign of a very good book! I would strongly recommend this one to fans of inspirational historical fiction.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced e-copy of this book. I was not obligated to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

*** I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ***

I loved this book. It is the 4th book by this author that I have read and it was another great one. Tamera Alexander's writing is superb and she is great at character development and describing the setting, she really brings you right into the story. Her genre is Christian fiction, but her books are not overly "preachy," which I appreciate. This is a story of the south, Civil War, secrets, family, history, Irish immigrants, racism, death, and love. I really liked this story's cast of characters: Catriona, Wade, Nora, and Tempy. Plus I learned a lot about a battle in southern Tennessee and the counterfeit problem after the Civil War that I was not previously aware of. I'd definitely recommend this book!

Colors of Truth is a timely book. For me anyway. I have in the past shied away from any books that take place around the Civil War era because I don't want to read about racism. But Tamera Alexander blew me away with With this Pledge that I knew I wanted to continue the series. As I type this review, our nation is currently plagued with racial riots and division. And honestly, I'm both heartbroken and unsurprised that we are where we are. On the one hand, so many have shed their blood to ensure that we have, are, and will make progress in loving and viewing one another as equals, despite the color of our skin. On the other hand, there will always be evil in the world. And no matter how much we fight to eradicate murder, rape, racism, or any other evil act, it just won't ever happen. But that doesn't mean the fight to get there isn't worth it.

This topic is so deep and complex and it can ruffle feathers more than just about any other topic I've ever witnessed in my life. In today's culture, we often view people in extremes. Good or evil. Racist or antiracists. We see a person stands for a position that we don't. Pro-life or pro-choice. Democrat or republican. Any person who doesn't fit in the same categories as we do or agree with our position is seen as the enemy. But what Colors of Truth, and really the Carnton series, does such a good job of is showing that people are really just varying shades of gray. Good people can be found on both sides of almost any argument, most any war, most any position. Sometimes things aren't as cut and dry as they appear.

It was interesting to see the world of Carnton through Wade's view. Even though Lizzi was against slavery, she still felt very Southern. She was in a unique position of not supporting the war yet the Confederate soldiers who fought and died were still her people, people she knew personally. Wade fought for the Union. He viewed the Confederate soldiers with a mix of contempt and respect. It was interesting to see that he'd once found it skeptical to believe that some soldiers would fight for the Confederacy while not supporting slavery. But he finds himself in a position of both posing as an ex-Confederate soldier as well as meeting someone who's family fought without supporting the cause because he didn't have a choice. Things, people especially, are rarely black or white (speaking in terms of extreme contrasts and not skin color).

Catroina and her sister Nora are recent immigrants from Ireland. It was interesting to see that the Irish were viewed so negatively during the same period. I wasn't really aware of this since when we study this period in school, the focus is on black and white relations and not much else. Catriona is in search of her brother who was conscripted into the Confederate army immediately upon arriving in South Carolina several years prior. She hasn't heard from him since he mentioned coming to Franklin. So she starts her search for him there. She's doing her best to take care of Nora, her 7-year-old, spunky sister. Nora doesn't make doing so easy at all.

Catroina and Wade's story was complex. Each has so much going on. Catriona is taking care of Nora, looking for Ryan, and comes to realize she's essentially broke and needs to find a place to live and a job to make some money. Wade is working for the Secret Service in search of counterfeiters. He's posing as Carnton's overseer. Both have distanced themselves from God and have to find a way to heal their relationship with him. There's a spark between them, but Catriona is sure Wade is keeping secrets. Wade feels confident that Catriona isn't part of the counterfeiters but just as sure as he is that she's innocent, he's sure that her brother Ryan is guilty.

I didn't have near as many highlights in Colors of Truth as I did in With this Pledge. But here are my favorite quotes:

-Every time she tried being more of a parent to Nora, her efforts ended either with Nora throwing a tantrum or collapsing in sobs. Which only increased her own guilt and made her feel even more of a failure.
I feel that one in my soul.

-He only hoped the deep rifts in this country could soon be healed and that the chasms present for so many years would finally be bridged.

-“I ain’t one to question the Lord’s goodness. But sometimes it sure feels like he can give a body too much to bear, don’t it?”

-“With all the peoples who done lived and died ’fore us, don’t you think the Almighty’s heard just ’bout everything there is to hear? People been railin’ at him since the beginnin’ of time. But he still loved this ol’ world enough to send his only Son to bring us back to him. Don’t that say a lot about him? ’Bout how much he loves us? How much he wants to take care of us?” Catriona tried to smile but couldn’t. “Aye, it does. Until I think about what he did to that only Son while he was here.”

-Way I figure it, one way or the other, give it enough time, and the truth always has its say.

-How could someone who inflicted so deep a wound on your heart still manage to possess a piece of it?

-Aye, they’d both suffered in ways they’d wish on no man or woman. But if God had never led them down those particular paths, they might never have found each other. And whatever he had in store for them— be it prosperity or hardship— they would face it together and look for the blessing in it.

And then probably the best quotes from the entire book were in the Acknowledgements section.

-The United States following the American Civil War was a country divided, a country on the brink of collapse both economically and relationally. Some might say that with current-day divisions in America, we are approaching that same brink again. But we must never forget the abundance of blood spilled for us. Not only by fellow countrymen and women on hallowed battlefields such as that of the Battle of Franklin at Carnton, but far more importantly, at the foot of the blood-soaked cross of Jesus Christ. As long as people inhabit the earth, we will have our differences. But we are all created in the image of God and are therefore his image-bearers. We should treat one another as such, bearing with one another in love, even as we disagree.

-Continue to break me, Lord, until I’m wholly yours.

I do need to mention that I didn't enjoy the dialect in Colors of Truth. I realize dialect can make a story more authentic, but this is a personal preference of mine. It takes me out of a story to read dialogue that's formed or spelled in such a way that's wholly different from our current manner of speaking. It's just not my favorite.

Colors of Truth was really good. I didn't want to stop reading the few times that I needed to. I learned more than I knew before about the history of this period, and I feel more compassion for all those who lived during this time. My heart hurts that we're in the situation we are in our country currently. So much blood was spilled for us to be where we are. More than even enjoying the story (which I certainly did), Colors of Truth gives me much to think about. I'm giving Colors of Truth 4 Stars. Have you read Colors of Truth? What did you think? Let me know!

This book was very atmospheric and full of history. The pages fly.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander takes plays at the Carnton House, and takes into account the real history of the house that served as a confederate field hospital and was right next to a major battle field that decided the course and end of the Civil War. I absolutely loved the historical setting, it felt very real and haunting at times. This second book takes place about a year after that battle, when Catriona and her little sister arrive in Carnton from Ireland, in search for her twin brother. He left for a better life in America, was drafted into the army, and the last letter they got was just before that gruesome battle. They have nothing left, as both of their parents and two siblings died from an illness, and beside finding their brother they also want to make a new beginning with the three of them. Their search starts at Carnton, but it doesn’t quite go as planned. The same day, a handsome new overseer of Carnton arrives, who is in fact a secret service agent looking for counterfeiters. However, Wade might be a little bit distracted because of a flaming redhead with no filter. Catriona is less pleased with his attention though, but they keep bumping into each other. And maybe chickens... I mean sparks are going to fly (bad pun, if you read it you know what I mean).

I really liked the historical setting of this book, though it is a little gruesome at times, war always is. The plot is very well paced, as you follow two people with different goals, which always keeps you on edge. I have to say I didn’t really like Catriona’s personality, her tendency to keep the truth from her sister bugged me, and also her sister Nora was really annoying... I don’t know how people put up with her! But their story is very intense and heart breaking and I kept wondering if everything would turn out alright. And Wade is a very kindhearted and intelligent man, and I love him!

The plot twists were very well timed, and I loved how the secrets between them were handled. I wish I could say more, but spoilers, but I love the originality. The spiritual message about trust was very powerful and the end was action packed and riveting and perfect.

I received an e-arc but it hasn’t influenced my opinion.

Good read! Colors of Truth has much to say about that time in history. It's a mix of personal challenges as well as overcoming those challenges.

The sign of a good book is closing the final page and feeling like you've lived and breathed through the characters within. Colors of Truth is one of those books. Immediately, I was with Catriona as she attempted to make sense of her new life in America. Soon after, I was with Wade as he tried to do his job while slowly losing his heart.

The mystery alone would make this novel a page-turner, but there's a depth and heart associated with the unfortunate realities of the time period that flesh out this historical romance. Alexander excels at mining each scene for everything it is worth and readers are able to enjoy a bounty of emotion as a result.

This book was more than I expected. It's a good one and I highly recommend it for fans of historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.

"Colors of Truth" is a romance set in 1866 in Franklin, Tennessee. This book was the second in a series, but it works as a standalone. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the setting to life in my imagination. The characters were interesting and reacted realistically to events. Wade was observant, competent, patient, honorable, and compassionate. He had great sympathy for the situation that Catriona found herself in and seemed drawn to her primarily because she needed help and was very pretty.

But Catriona wasn't a very likable character for most of the story. She had a temper and quickly lashed out at others even if she was the one at fault. She wouldn't listen, made assumptions, and accused people based on those assumptions. She liked being in control. She insisted on paying back those who freely helped her and even dictated how she'd do this. Now, it's clear in the story that she and her sister learned to lie, lash out in anger, and so on from their father. Once Catriona realized how much she's acting like her father, she did attempt to change. Even later in the story, she finally learned to trust others, including God, which made a big difference in her behavior. I just found her attitude tiring, though the other characters were engaging and the plot was interesting.

Most of the characters were Christian and treated others mercifully because of this. Catriona believed that not only was God currently punishing her for some reason but that God punished believers after death as well, so she didn't feel very open towards God. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.

I love how Tamera Alexander takes real history and real places (in this case, the Carnton home) and writes fictional characters that highlight the time period. Her research is impeccable! It is easy to be transported to the time period and to visualize the battlefields and smell the gunpowder. Tamera Alexander brings honor and respect to the history in such a powerful way. I found myself easily drawn to the characters and their growth throughout the story. I loved Catriona and her spunky spirit and fierce independence. I had no trouble connecting with her, her sister, and Wade and becoming invested in their story. I have truly loved this series and greatly enjoyed this book. I do not think the series has to be read in order, but the first two books have both been excellent. I highly recommend this novel!

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Colors of Truth is a beautifully written novel that takes place in the south during the civil war. The passages are so descriptive, the reader is transported to a new time and place. The characters are strong and emotional and feel like friends and family by the end of the novel.

The release of this book has been postponed from July 7 to October 6. I will post a review at that time.

COLORS OF TRUTH
by Tamera Alexander

* Genre : FICTION / Christian / Historical
* On Sale: 2020-10-06
* Pages: 400
* Publisher: Thomas Nelson
* Series: The Carnton Series

Book Summary

Based on the real history of Carnton, an antebellum home that served as a Confederate hospital, Colors of Truth follows the journey of an Irish immigrant arriving in a country where her kind isn’t wanted, and of a former Federal soldier returning to the scene of a battle that almost destroyed him.

About the Book

Based on the real history of Carnton, an antebellum home that served as a Confederate hospital, Colors of Truth follows the journey of an Irish immigrant arriving in a country where her kind isn’t wanted, and of a former Federal soldier returning to the scene of a battle that almost destroyed him.

In 1866 Catriona O’Toole arrives in the town of Franklin, Tennessee, searching for her younger brother, Ryan, who, according to his last letter, was headed for Franklin only days before the catastrophic Battle of Franklin. Ryan’s last note contained a stack of cash—enough money to bring his entire family across the ocean from Ireland. But after disease and illness tear through County Antrim and the O’Toole family, only Catriona and her seven-year old sister Nora are left to make the journey.

Wade Cunningham, one of ten operatives in the newly formed United States Secret Service Agency, is on the hunt for counterfeiters. A tip leads him to Franklin and to Carnton, the home of wealthy Tennessean John McGavock. The recent murder of a fellow agent mandates that Wade keep his true identity hidden, as well as his past service in the Federal Army. But when he receives a note bearing only the name of the deceased agent, he realizes someone in town already knows who he really is.

As evidence in the case mounts, it eventually points to Catriona, but Wade is slow to want to believe it. Because his heart is swiftly becoming hers. However, Catriona’s sole focus is to find her brother and to provide a home and safety for her sister. In doing that, she somehow finds herself part of a burial committee for the over two thousand Confederate soldiers who were hastily buried in a field following the Battle of Franklin—and her deepest fear is that Ryan’s body is among those shallow graves.

Tamera Alexander never disappoints. I love reading her historical fiction because i am always transported back in time and feel like I am right there with the characters. The characters were fantastic and the slow burn romance is always a favorite with me! To be honest, I didn't care for Catriona until she helped with rounding up the chickens! After that, she seemed to soften and relax a little bit more.
I am glad I read this book and I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this book! 'Colors of Truth' is a bit outside of my usual reading preferences, but the plot sounded too good to pass up. In the past, I greatly enjoyed her "Timber Ridge Reflections" book series, and so was eager to dig into more of her work.

The first thing I noticed was the character creation. So, so good! Each character is fleshed out individually, with their own unique personalities, quirks and beautiful flaws. The author too, sets a scene expertly, allowing the reader to see the world through the characters' eyes. The research done too, was obvious as the storyline moved along. The author easily transports the reader to the late 1800's, from the settings to the daily life of the time; I found the plot to be genuine and authentic, which allowed me as the reader to just settle in and enjoy the story. Which I absolutely, thoroughly did! A definite recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An excellent story about post-bellum Franklin, Tennessee. In the second Carnton novel we meet Catriona, a fiery Irish immigrant who comes to Franklin looking for her missing twin brother. Accompanied by her young sister, Nora, Catriona searches for answers to her family’s story about the McGavocks’ seizure of her family’s land. Arriving at Carnton, in Franklin, Catriona meets Wade Cunningham, a secret service operative on the hunt for counterfeiters. Both of them have secrets to overcome as they learn to trust each other. Various sub-plots concern the re-burial of the Confederate dead from the Battle of Franklin and the effects of slavery—even after freedom. Looking forward to the 3rd entry in the Carnton series.

Colors of Truth
by Tamera Alexander


Thomas Nelson--FICTION
Thomas Nelson
Christian | Historical Fiction
Pub Date 06 Oct 2020



I am reviewing a copy of Colors Of Truth through Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley:



*This Book is based on the History of the Carnton, an antebellum home that served as a Confederate hospital, Colors of Truth is the journey of an Irish immigrant arriving in a country where her kind isn’t wanted, this is also the story of a former Federal soldier returning to the scene of a battle that almost destroyed him.






It’s 1866 when Catriona O’Toole arrives in Franklin Tennessee, where she comes to search for her younger brother, Ryan, who, according to his last letter, was headed for Franklin only days before the catastrophic Battle of Franklin. Ryan’s last letter contained a stack of cash, it contained enough money to bring his family from Ireland to the United States. But by the time they get the money, and after sickness tears through County Antrim it is only Catriona and her seven-year old sister Nora are left to make the journey.






Wade Cunningham is one of ten operatives in the United States Secret Service Agency that had just been formed. They are on the hunt fit counterfeiters. He is led by a tip to to Franklin and to Carnton, the home of wealthy Tennessean John McGavock. But the recent murder of a fellow agent, mandates that he has to keep his real identity hidden,as well as the
past service in the Federal Army. After receiving a note that only contained
the name of the deceased agent, he comes to the realization that someone in the town knows who he is.




When evidence in the case mounts pointing to Catriona, Wade does not want to believe it. Because he is quickly falling for her. But Catriona’s sole focus is making sure to find her brother and to provide a home and safety for her sister. In doing so Catriona finds herself as part of a burial committee for the over two thousand Confederate soldiers who were hastily buried in a field following the Battle of Franklin. She is afraid that her brother Ryan’s body is amongst those buried in the shallow graves.




If you are a fan of historical fiction, especially Civil War era fiction, you will love Colors of Truth.



I give Colors of Truth five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

This book worked its way into every fiber of my being! The characters were fantastic and felt like family. My emotions were electrified with each page and I felt it to my very soul. The history written within these pages came to life and it was if I was standing watching everything play out. The mystery, romance, and danger weave together a story so great that it captivates you from page one. This is frankly some of Tamera Alexandra’s best work! Once I finished the book I had to sit and just ponder on it and mourn what our country went through during that time. This is a book that will stick with you for days, incredible read!
Was given a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

What a treasure we are gifted with by this author, a compelling page turner and the best of historical fiction.
You will be transported to the time in our nation of reconstruction, and of course, there is greed, but this time the perpetrators are professionals in their trade. and thus we meet the newly formed Secret Service, in the form of a kind hearted man.
We also meet a young woman and her seven-year-old precocious sister, who really keeps her on her toes. They are newly arrived from Ireland, having recently buried the rest of their family. We walk in the shoes of these people through the words of this author, and cringe at the smell of death, and hope it is not family for them.
You don't want to miss this one, but warning you won't want to leave!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

Tamera Alexander has once again brought me back in time!

She has this ability to write and weave history into her story, both the good and the ugly.
She does not shy away from the reality and horror of war and yet you are given just enough to make you feel as if you are in the time, yet not too much that you feel overwhelmed.

The struggle of living on after the Civil war, a war where brother fought against brother.
Gritty, raw.

I loved the story of a Secret service agent and an Irish immigrant, whose world collide in the aftermath of war.
So beautiful, so deeply rich.

As I was reading I realized a undercurrent of the importance of truth over a lie, and then I noticed how often colors were associated with true/false battle. So subtle, yet there!

This is another amazing tale were Tamera Alexander brings us into the lives of the people who have lived long ago, she has us feel their struggles and rejoice in their journey.
I highly recommend this book if you want to explore history from the safety of your favorite chair.
I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. My opinions expressed in this book are completely my own and honest.