Love Held Captive by Shelley Shepard Gray

Love Held Captive by Shelley Shepard Gray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: I requested a copy from Netgally a long time ago.
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Book Description:  After the War Between the States, a Confederate officer longs to heal the heart of a beautiful woman—but first he’ll have to right the wrongs that were done to her.

Major Ethan Kelly has never been able to absolve himself of the guilt he feels for raiding a woman’s home shortly before he was taken prisoner during the Civil War. He is struggling to get through each day until he once again crosses paths with Lizbeth Barclay—the very woman he is trying to forget.

Life after the war is not much different for former Captain Devin Monroe until he meets Julianne VanFleet. He knows she is the woman he’s been waiting for, but he struggles to come to terms with the sacrifices she made to survive the war.

When Ethan and Devin discover that their former colonel, Adam Bushnell, is responsible for both Lizbeth’s and Julianne’s pain, they call on their former fellow soldiers to hunt him down. As the men band together to earn the trust of the women they love, Lizbeth and Julianne seek the justice they deserve in a country longing to heal. 
My thoughts: Love Held Captive is a book driven by emotion. The four main characters have all been hurt by the Civil war. All have demons and are survivors. Their lives have been altered by the things they had to do, or had done to them.

This book focuses on forgiveness. The pain that some of the characters feel was caused by one wicked man. I do not consider him one of the main characters, but his actions drive this book. Each of the characters must come to terms with what he did to them or the one's they love. They must survive and prevail.

There is a quote from the book that really struck and appealed to me. "Someone recently told me writers and poets make wars seem glorious but only fools think that way."

I enjoyed this book. I loved the romance, it was sweet and tender. The healing and forgiveness are exemplary. It does mention rape, indiscretions, and violence. This is the third book in a series, but only the second I have read. I think that a reader could pick up this one without reading the first and follow along well.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

About the Author:  (Taken from Goodreads)  I live in southern Ohio with my husband, two teenagers, and two dogs. My days are filled with busy activities like most any other mom and housewife. But I also love to write books.

Each morning, after my kids go off to school, I sit at my desk, look out my window, and dream of other places. The hours fly by as I make up people and places and drink way too much coffee.

Writing for Avon Inspire has truly been a dream come true. Being able to spend my days in my make-believe world of the Brenneman Bed and Breakfast is a true blessing. I have enjoyed getting to know more about the Amish culture and tapping into my faith as I show each character’s progression toward a personal relationship with our Lord.

Before becoming a full time writer, I taught elementary school in Texas, Arizona, and Colorado. A job transfer to Ohio led my husband to encourage me to finally give writing a try. After all, I had notebooks full of made up stories.

I’ll never forget that first book I typed in our unfinished basement. It was exciting to make up a story, but also very scary. I was also so embarrassed, sure someone would come out of the woodwork and point out that I wasn’t a ‘real’ writer. But I persevered, and sold my third manuscript.

Things have changed a bit. Now I have a real office of my own. (think old guest bedroom!) My walls are painted pink, and more than a couple of book covers decorate my walls. But my days are still the same. I wake up, dream about other people, and do my best to type out stories.

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