Lady of Secrets

An Irish immigrant and a freed slave find love in this surprisingly light first romance in the Ladies of the Civil War series from Carr (The Color of Hope), set in 1863 New York City. Matthew Green has been courting freewoman Henrietta Wright for two years, but despite familial pressure Henrietta is dragging her feet on whether she’ll accept his proposal. She’s not in love with Matthew and instead has her eye on one of her literacy students, Irishman Elijah Byrne. Pushing those feelings aside proves difficult, but Henrietta and Elijah’s racial differences and Henrietta’s familial obligations hinder any chance at a real relationship. The story takes a turn when, during a drunken night with her friends, Henrietta makes a vow to join the Union Army. Her initial attempt to enlist is meek at best, but when she receives word that her cousin, Thomas, has been captured by the Confederates, she devises a plan to rescue him. Elijah accompanies her on the mission and the two become quite the pair as they’re swept up into a whirlwind of intrigue and romance. Though the stakes never climb all that high, readers will appreciate the plotting and historical detail, and will have no trouble rallying for Henrietta and Elijah. This is a notable start to the series. (Self-published)