Wedded to War

Heroines Behind the Lines

De: Jocelyn Green

Narrado por: Laura E. Richcreek

A 2013 Christy Award finalist (historical fiction and first novel categories)

It's April 1861, and the Union Army's Medical Department is a disaster, completely unprepared for the magnitude of war. A small group of New York City women, including 28-year-old Charlotte Waverly, decide to do something about it, and end up changing the course of the war, despite criticism, ridicule, and social ostracism. Charlotte leaves a life of privilege, wealth, and confining expectations to be one of the first female nurses for the Union Army. She quickly discovers that she's fighting more than just the Rebellion by working in the hospitals. Corruption, harassment, and opposition from Northern doctors threaten to push her out of her new role. At the same time, her sweetheart disapproves of her shocking strength and independence, forcing her to make an impossible decision.... Will she choose love and marriage, or duty to a cause that seems to be losing? An Irish immigrant named Ruby O'Flannery, who turns to the unthinkable in the face of starvation, holds the secret that will unlock the door to Charlotte's future. But will the rich and poor confide in each other in time?

Wedded to War is a work of fiction, but the story is inspired by the true life of Civil War nurse Georgeanna Woolsey. Woolsey's letters and journals, written over 150 years ago, offer a thorough look of what pioneering nurses endured.

Jocelyn Green's debut novel is endorsed by historians and professors for its historical accuracy and detail, by award-winning novelists for its spell-binding storytelling, and by entertainment journalists and book club leaders for its deep and complex content, perfect to share and discuss with others.

©2012 Jocelyn Green (P)2019 Jocelyn Green

Excellent!

You can’t go wrong with a Jocelyn Green book! She puts so much detail into her books. I love how the storylines of each the characters weaves together. There is just so much depth to this story. I loved it! I think the narrator did a great job reading this.


*I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.*

Gripping Civil War Story

This was an excellent book! Being the first book I've listened to on here I wasn't sure what to expect. The characters were well done and distinguishable.

The writing in this story had me glued to each word. I loved the character of Charlotte. She was a feisty woman for her time and I appreciated her strength. Phineas was ghastly and may be one of my most hated villains thanks to the author's skill with her pen.

Then there was Caleb who I was rooting for, but always seemed to be like a ship passing in the night with a Charlotte. If there hadn't been a Caleb I definitely would have been cheering for Edward.

And lady, but not least was poor, sweet Ruby. Pulling for her to catch a break while watching her struggle over and over again. She was the character that pulled the most on my heartstrings.

A wonderful series!

I have read and loved this series, so I was eager to listen to it. The story itself is wonderful. Being able to listen to this was an added bonus.

American History brought to life in the best way possible!

I had the privilege of listening to book 2 of this series (Widow of Gettysburg) for review earlier this year, and I so excited to have the opportunity to listen to book 1, Wedded to War!

Jocelyn Green has worked her way into my list of top favorite authors and will hold that spot forever I am sure. Her attention to detail and in depth exploration of the history surrounding her stories make them stand out from the crowd. And Wedded to War was no exception! I was in turn fascinated, appalled, and touched by the vivid pictures of the Civil War and the birth of nursing as we know it. My mother-in-law is a nurse, so hearing about how women had to fight to establish themselves as nurses was especially interesting and moving to me.

The narrator of this book (the same one for Widow of Gettysburg) is one of the best I’ve heard. She makes the stories come to life in an engrossing and non-confusing way. She does all the characters’ voices—which I love!

If you love history, the Civil War era, or nursing, you would LOVE this book, whether in audio or traditional format. 5/5 stars!!

**I received a free copy of this audiobook for review from the author but was not required to give a favorable review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Full Immersive!

I have not hidden the fact that I'm a huge fan of Jocelyn Green's stories. Her books have such an amazing, immersive ability. She brings history to life, while weaving a fictional character into the the story flawlessly to make it all the more relatable.

I first read Wedded to War in 2013. I loved it! This book was just released as an audiobook and goodness, I didn't think I could like the story anymore then I already did! The narrator, Laura Richcreek really made this book pop! Her narration style was smooth and very easy to listen to. She modified her voice for each character to where you knew who was speaking and it had an effortless flow.

Listening to the story allowed me to really take it all in. It also made some of the little details I overlooked when I originally read stand out more an enhanced the story. I was sad when the book came to a close. I was wanting more. I'm looking forward to continuing this series with book 2, Widow of Gettysburg. It was one of my favorites!

Thank you to the author, I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

War does affect women

The characters of Charlotte and Ruby formed an unlikely friendship that told an epic story from women’s point of view during the Civil War years. I learned significant Civil War history details that I had not heard before. I was thrilled to hear the narrator sing songs as they appeared in the story. These songs were important to the setting and allowed me to soak in the feeling of the moment. Laura Richcreek provided a clear voice that changed easily with the different characters yet remained comfortable to understand. Jocelyn Green offers up her intense research to provide readers with enjoyable lessons tucked inside a delightful and thought provoking story.

An immersive experience

Writing historical fiction without making the narrative sound like a textbook is hard enough, but merging the lives of so many characters from vastly different backgrounds and situations into one cohesive, engaging story seems nearly impossible! Jocelyn Green has done the impossible! As a lover of good fiction and amateur historian of the Civil War, I can't recommend this enough! The author has done her research admirably and I found myself nodded in agreement to all the snippets of historical accuracy she threw into the story. These characters came alive, flying off the page, and I felt as if I were reading the memoires of these people who braved the trials and struggles of being a woman in the mid-19th century. The flow of the story is excellent, the dialogue engaging, and the narration for all the variety of accents and tones were spot-on, which made it all the easier to follow. Every character's motivation, grief, and joy was believable to the fullest extent. This was the first of Green's work that I've "digested" and it certainly won't be the last!

Amazing

The horrors of the civil war, but the amazing people that stepped forward are brought to life in the story. Even though fiction, several people and instances are based on real history. The narrator’s voice was perfect with so much feeling and emotion which drove the story

Cant wait to listen to the rest of the series!

This novel checked all the boxes for me! 1) A strong, intelligent female lead who has more to offer than just her looks. 2) The story offers fascinating historical details without being dry. 3) The plot kept me guessing. I didn't have it all figured out before the end of the story. 4) The romance was important, but certainly not the entire story. 5) The narrator did a phenomenal job pf voicing the characters.
I finished this book in record time and immediately purchased the second novel in the series!

Well-researched story with heart and soul

Ms. Green’s research and strong characters shine in this first book of the Heroines Behind the Lines series. It’s an excellent tribute to the nurses who fought to save soldiers on both sides of the fight.