Carnton Novels · Book 1
With This Pledge
2019 Christy Award Winner | #1 Amazon Bestseller Inspirational Historical Fiction | #1 Publishers Weekly Religion Top Fiction (Starred Review) | #2 ECPA Bestseller
HarperCollins · 2019 · ★ 4.42/5 on Goodreads (4,300+)
From the pages of history and accounts of those who endured the Battle of Franklin, Tamera Alexander weaves real-life love letters into a story of unlikely romance first kindled amid the shadows of the Civil War.
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Clouston's quietly held principles oppose those of the Southern Cause—but when forty thousand soldiers converge on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee, the war demands an answer. The Carnton home, where she is governess, is converted into a Confederate field hospital, and Lizzie is called upon to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death. Faced with the unimaginable, she must summon fortitude, even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.
As a young soldier lies dying in Lizzie's arms, she vows to relay his final words to his mother, but knows little more than the boy's first name. That same night, decorated Mississippi sharpshooter Captain Roland Ward Jones extracts a different promise from Lizzie: that she intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate his leg.
Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers' respect as she tends to the wounded within Carnton's walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn't realize she is pledged to another. But as Lizzie's heart softens toward the Confederate captain, she discovers that his moral ground is at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and pledges made, she struggles to be true to her own heart while standing for what she knows is right—no matter the cost.
Praise for With This Pledge
"Alexander paints a vivid portrait of Southern life near the end of the Civil War in this well-researched historical romance... Against the painful backdrop of war, Alexander has created an exceptional tale of faith, hope, and love based on a real-life romance."
— Publishers Weekly ★ Starred Review
"A hard-to-put-down book with relatable characters and plenty of adventures... a wonderful read with pages that fly by. Recommended to anyone who is prepared to spend a weekend glued to its pages."
— Historical Novel Society
"Tamera Alexander takes us to the Civil War battlefield with a vivid yet sensitive portrayal of war and its aftermath. With warmth and grace, she shows us hope and faith at work in the midst of suffering. The beautifully-drawn characters and rich history in With This Pledge work seamlessly to demonstrate that Christ's love and romantic love can triumph even in our darkest moments."
— Lynn Austin, bestselling author of Legacy of Mercy
"Tamera Alexander's With This Pledge is not only historical fiction at its best, but its most compelling."
— Jolina Petersheim, bestselling author of How the Light Gets In
A Note from Tamera
Captain Roland Ward Jones and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Clouston—the hero and heroine in With This Pledge—truly met and fell in love at Carnton following the Battle of Franklin in December 1864. In researching and writing their love story, I had the extreme pleasure of connecting with Captain Jones' great-great-great-grandson, David!
David shared the love letters between Roland and Lizzie with me, along with the family history, and this rich wealth of resources and "insider insights" made writing With This Pledge an absolutely wonderful—though challenging—experience. I worked hard to get the history right, and I'm honored to share With This Pledge—Roland and Lizzie's love story—with you. I hope that one day you, too, can visit Carnton in Franklin, Tennessee and walk those sacred paths.
God's richest blessings from my own corner of Nashville,
