A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander
March 25, 2018 by Tammy Doherty
Filed under Book and Movie Reviews, Books and Movies, Reviews
Reviewed by Tammy Doherty –
A LASTING IMPRESSION immerses the reader into the gilded world of the super-rich in late 19th century America. From the start, the characters are captivating. Claire’s inability to go against her father as well her blind obedience to his command and that of Uncle Antoine is hard to grasp in this modern world. Ms. Alexander seems to have realized this—she frequently, yet gently, reminds readers of the difference between our world and that of the South 150 years ago.
This difference is seen as strongly, though more subtly, in Sutton Monroe. His adherence to honor and honesty make him stand out from modern society’s standards. That he is not swayed merely by money shows the strength of his character and personality.
Claire and Sutton find each other physically attractive; however, this is not what draws them together. Both like the good qualities in the other. The romance develops slowly and believably. The obstacles to their relationship are mostly due to the setting—time and place—and somewhat self-imposed. Again, this works well, especially towards the end when the rules of society seem too big an obstacle to overcome.
In addition to being a wonderful romance story, A LASTING IMPRESSION is fine historical novel. Ms. Alexander paints a beautiful picture of Nashville and particularly Belmont Mansion, providing a rich tapestry which sets the stage for the action and conflicts. It’s easy to sink into the atmosphere of post-Civil War Tennessee, with all the difficulties of the Reconstruction Era.
Despite the novel’s length (426 pages), the story does not drag. The pages turn quickly and there’s a sense of being pulled through a time warp to view actual events. The Belmont Mansion really exists in Nashville. Likewise, Adelicia Aklin really lived there and though her characterization is fictional, Ms. Alexander used historical records to bring Adelicia to life. Even more, this story reads as if Claire and Sutton, and all the secondary characters, were real and that the events depicted actually happened.
This novel will truly leave A LASTING IMPRESSION.
Tammy Doherty is the author of three inspirational Western romances, CELTIC CROSS, CLADDAUGH, and CELTIC KNOT. Her current projects are contemporary romantic suspense, set in a small town in central Massachusetts much like her hometown. Tammy lives on a small farm with her husband of 25+ years and their two children. Besides writing, she also manages the family perennial farm and works in customer service for a veterinary supply distributor. http://tammydoherty.com