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heather667's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Classism, Blood, Medical content, Sexual harassment, War, Violence, Confinement, Sexism, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, and Torture
Moderate: Murder, Death, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
Minor: Infidelity, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury
jess_justmaybeperfect's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book easily shot to an all time favorite. The terror and tragedy of slavery and the US Civil War. The repeated failures of white people to recognize their privilege and do something with it. The reality of facing the person you’ve become. Running away from the closest thing you’ve ever had to a sanctuary. Reckoning with the past. Wanting desperately to be a full piece of your family. Confronting enemies. Falling in love.
The intimacy the MCs explore and ultimately commit to is so well developed I could write an essay about that alone.
WHEW, beyond impressed.
The intimacy the MCs explore and ultimately commit to is so well developed I could write an essay about that alone.
WHEW, beyond impressed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Torture, War, Racism, Violence, and Murder
caitlinemccann's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, War, Bullying, Classism, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Sexual content, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Medical content, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
As the second installment in Alyssa Cole's Loyal League series, this was a knock-out for me. I LOVE quieter slow-burn stories where the stakes gradually heighten until you are ready to scream from the on-page tension - this is that, both interpersonally between Marlie and Ewan AND externally as the increasingly invasive Confederate presence in Marlie's home drives her from her day-to-day life and family. Marlie, a free Black woman living with her white family in the South, is everything I love in a competent and self-protective heroine. She is inventive and reflective and knows when to take measured risks. And Ewan, neurodivergent and earnest and deeply traumatized by his role in the war, is so well-matched. Cole explores the impact of the war on free Black folks and poor white folks in divided territories and the various occupying factions, delivering a nuanced and compelling plot that drives this romantic suspense. This was 5/5 for me, I highly recommend to all historical romance readers!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Torture, War, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Abortion, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
Minor: Vomit
unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is a romantic suspense set in North Carolina during the American Civil War (1863). I really really love this series for a couple of reasons: the characters are based on real people, and they tell stories about the Civil War focused on people who were working against the Confederacy from within the South. The stories are high stakes and also realistic. Each one has taken me like two sitting to read because the plots are intense and exciting.
Both couples so far have been interracial, and in both books, the Black FMC has had to wrestle with the reality of her situation, and essentially figure out how to be in love with a white man in the South while the white MMC has had to be patient but also pragmatic.
In a world where the dominant Civil War romance narrative is Gone with the Wind (gross), we need books like these to tell the whole story, and shine a light on the incredible people working for good during such a dark time in our history.
⚠️Do mind the content!! These are not lighthearted and they do feature many dark realities from this time including racism, racist slurs, threats of r*pe, k!dnapping, assault, t0rture, slavery, violence and of course, war.
👍🏻Recommended. If you are looking for a historical romance set in the US featuring diverse characters and fascinating bits of real history - these are for you!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Ableism
Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, and Racism
thirdeyeangel23's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Alyssa Cole knows how to get you in your feelings. This is the story of Marley and Ewan. The product of a former slave and slave master, Marley has spent most of her life living under the safety of her sister who took her into the family estate. As a well known herbalist and abolitionist everything changes for Marley the night her brother returns home with his wife and Marley offers refuge to a Union soldier. As the war continues to wage on Marley finds solace in Ewan while everything she’s ever known crumbled. A story of unlikely forbidden love blossoming under the most dangerous of circumstances, Cole keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
beccaand's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Death
Minor: Death
traceyanderson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, War, Murder, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
alikath's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a bit different from book one, but I liked it!
I would say that the main difference between this one and book one is the stakes. This one included a lot more detail about the actual military and militias involved in the civil war. I found this to be really interesting. I felt like the romance still came through and I personally enjoy romances with a lot of outside stuff going on. It also seemed very well researched. The care Cole took in writing this time period really came through in this story and I really liked that.
I enjoyed the romance. I liked Ewan and I thought Marlie was a really interesting character. I found her frustrating to read at time but all the choices she made that were frustrating to read were also completely understandable given her circumstances, which made for an even more interesting read. At the beginning of the relationship, I didn't quite feel the connection but as it went on I started to really root for them and I really enjoyed seeing them in the final conflict of this book. I did want to a bit more of a wrap-up between Marlie and her family. She has conflicts for them that never resolve. Even if she just told them that she didn't want to see them for a while, it would have been more satisfying to me than what we got.
This is a really good series and I'm excited to read the last book. Alyssa Cole is a really good writer and I also want to get to her other series in the near future.
I would say that the main difference between this one and book one is the stakes. This one included a lot more detail about the actual military and militias involved in the civil war. I found this to be really interesting. I felt like the romance still came through and I personally enjoy romances with a lot of outside stuff going on. It also seemed very well researched. The care Cole took in writing this time period really came through in this story and I really liked that.
I enjoyed the romance. I liked Ewan and I thought Marlie was a really interesting character. I found her frustrating to read at time but all the choices she made that were frustrating to read were also completely understandable given her circumstances, which made for an even more interesting read. At the beginning of the relationship, I didn't quite feel the connection but as it went on I started to really root for them and I really enjoyed seeing them in the final conflict of this book. I did want to a bit more of a wrap-up between Marlie and her family. She has conflicts for them that never resolve. Even if she just told them that she didn't want to see them for a while, it would have been more satisfying to me than what we got.
This is a really good series and I'm excited to read the last book. Alyssa Cole is a really good writer and I also want to get to her other series in the near future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs
annieca's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Rape