Reviews

The Copper Road: Beyond the Promise by Richard Buxton

kittietta's review

4.0

Very well researched story about the civil war. Nor sure what the issue was, but just couldn't get into the story. It just didn't interest me, but it was just me, not any fault of the author.
4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for an ARC of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.

jenicasalazar_2003's review

4.0

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback as a member of Kaybee's Bookshelf review team.


Historical fiction at its best! I thoroughly enjoyed the history that saturates this story along with the love triangle present with Clara, Shire and Tod. I never expected to immerse myself in the connection that would be made with these characters! Shire has been in love with Clara since they were young. I unfortunately have not read the first installment of this series, but I could grasp what happened. Clara was sent to live in America from London and she married Taylor, a not so great man, from what I gather. Shire saves her from this by coming to America as well and joining in the war. In this installment, he saves her again but this time she has taken up with Tod, known to her as Luke, aboard a ship. Eventually, in the war, Tod connects with Shire and neither knows that the other is in love with Clara, until they are traveling together to save her again. It's a twisted tale rich with history and love.

pursuingstacie's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

You guys, I kid you not. I have been patiently very impatiently awaiting the release date of this magnificent book, ever since turning the last page of Whirligig: Keeping the Promise, the first in this brilliant trilogy. My father was a lover of all things Civil War, and I used to sit next to him on our living-room sofa, studying the pictures in his history books, marveling at the uniforms and the men who wore them. But nobody, ever, has brought that era to life for me more than Richard Buxton.

First of all, The Copper Road: Beyond the Promise can definitely be read as a stand-alone, so if you haven’t read the first book, never fear. (Although once you finish The Copper Road, you might want to pull a Star-Wars-Strategy and bounce back around to Whirligig. It gives you some much needed insight into these characters, namely Shire and Clara.)

Secondly, this book is glorious in its scope; the meticulous research that was clearly done, the characters and their quirks, plus the plot itself, all culminate together to bring you one impressively resounding story. The book follows Shire, a soldier in the Union Army and Tod, a soldier in the Confederate Army, as well as a young woman named Clara. However, I will admit to you right off the bat, that Shire stole the show for me. (You just can’t help but love him!)

Just as in Richard Buxton’s first book, the story is not so much about the war itself, as it is about being a soldier during wartime. Following the journey of these characters as they navigate the hardships, the fear, the battles (ever smelled gun smoke while reading? You’re about to) and their own emotions is what makes this story take up permanent residence in your heart. The characters themselves literally refuse to stay on the page, choosing instead to trail your footsteps as you go throughout your day. Before you know it, you’re invested in their lives and dying to see what awaits them.

Bottom Line: This is history and humanity at it’s finest, handed to you by one of the world’s greatest storytellers. There’s just no question: you simply need this book.

shelfadmirer's review

4.0

The second book in the series and the writing gets exponentially better. While love triangles don’t excite me much, the one between Clara, Shire and Tod did make me want to read until the very end. Shire’s perspective of events builds a different war scenario, equally engrossing and brutal. Clara is his priority, the lady who has ended her marriage and has pushed Shire away in a desperate attempt to cut ties from her past life. Tod adds a different angle to the story, giving us major grey areas, testing our loyalty as we root for our favourite characters. These characters show great potential, and I hope the final book in the series is equally captivating.

With remarkable writing, ‘Shire Union’ is a series that is to be added to your TBR, if you’re a fan of Historical Fiction.