An Extraordinary Union

This was LOVELY. SUPER well written, from character to plot to setting. Can't wait for the second one.

*4.5

This was a case of "it's not you it's me." I didn't love this book but would still recommend it to anyone looking for a historical romance set in the civil war era but in a very self-aware/respectful way.

** spoiler alert ** I just finished this book and it’s 3:34am and I am speechless. Never have I read a historical that gripped me like this one and I just know my brains going to be churning for a while with Elle and Malcom consuming my thoughts. It’s late and I’m going to come back to give this amazing book a proper review but I just had to let everyone know that this book is a phenomenal must read! ... OK I have finally come back to review this phenomenal book! This has been I think the first book I’ve ever looked back at and wished that I was the type of reader that took notes!! It’s definitely going to be re-read so that I can deep dive into why I love this book so much! now let’s get to the knitty-gritty! what I loved: -Malcolm is a swoon worthy character if I’ve ever seen one. Never has a hero stolen my heart as quickly as he has. I typically am not a fan of the hero’s POV (I can’t understand why either because it’s always nice to get into their heads) but hearing his thoughts on the Civil War and his inter turmoil of how a relationship between him and Elle would work because of the racial prejudices in the country and how he could show Elle that he wasn’t just using her for her body was what made this such a good read. The second I found out it was going to be a relationship between a white man and a black woman in civil war times immediately stressed me out because I was skeptical as to how that would work, but Alyssa Cole is a master in the craft and created a beautiful story. -Elle and her strength and intelligence was the best. thing. ever. Her past of being used as essentially a show pony to do tricks to prove her and other black peoples worth because of her extraordinary intelligence was a major aspect of the story and I loved how it was addressed and dealt with. It creates a lot of inner conflict within her of her worth as a person where she was valued for what she could do and not who she was and the dynamic that created between her past relationships ultimately led to their end. Malcolm on the other hand saw her as more than just what she could do and he wasn’t intimidated by her superior intellect and memory either! Never once did she let anyone tell her that she wasn’t capable of doing something. -The historical background and context was art. I felt like I was taken back in time with how much attention to detail Cole used in this book. I learned about so many new aspects of the Civil War that I was ignorant of before reading this book. From the Ironclad ships to the various movements of the troops and battles, it was evident that an extreme amount of research went into creating this masterpiece. -The very first scene between Malcolm and Elle in the dining room where he flirts with her before realizing how scary and inappropriate that is for Elle was perhaps my favorite scene. The immediate burning at the back of my throat from fear for Elle turned into a love for Malcolm at how profusely he apologized and his desire to let her know that she had nothing to fear from him. I also believe this is the scene where he promises to protect her though I can’t be sure because I didn’t take notes (again, my biggest regret). -This also has one of my favorite plot devices; the meeting between the two main characters without them knowing that it’s each other their meeting with! I loved the big reveal of Malcolm finding out that Elle can actually talk and that sexy scene in the bush was an added bonus! what I didn’t love: I honestly have nothing that I didn’t love about this book. It was engrossing on every single page and never once did I read something and go “I don’t like this”. I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is a gripping, realistic, beautiful story. If you haven’t read it you’re missing out. This takes a spot in my top 3 favorite historical’s it’s so good! This is a book set in the Civil War so the topics are of course hard to read about (slavery, oppression, and abuse is never easy to think or talk about) but it’s such an important book. Everyone needs to read this book. This, in my mind, is a defining book in the romance genre and showcases Alyssa Cole’s skills beautifully. If you’re hesitant to read a book set in the Civil War focused around an interracial couple like I was, know that this book (and this series most likely once I finish the other books!) is the gold standard for how to do it right!

This was much more suspenseful than I was expecting! Even though I knew this was a romance, and would therefore have a happily-ever-after ending, it was hard at times to see how they were going to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the way of their relationship. I liked Elle quite a bit, but found Malcolm a bit more opaque. I could definitely understand why Elle didn’t trust him at first, and I really respected her for how careful she was about getting involved with him. Elle has been used all her life because of her talent – by her parents, by her almost-husband Daniel, by the Loyal League – and finding someone who seems to value her for herself is heady, but she’s wise enough to realize that Malcolm’s charm isn’t enough to overcome the obstacles to their relationship. As for Malcolm, he falls for her strength and intelligence, and is confused when his charm doesn’t work on her like he expects. Malcolm’s slow realization of the awfulness that Elle faces every day of her life, and what they’ll both experience if they choose to pursue a relationship, is painfully real. This is not exactly a light read. Elle is posing as a mute slave in a Rebel household, and the treatment of her, and the other actual slaves, is heartrendingly awful. Nor does Ms. Cole, or her characters, shy away from the difficulties involved in an inter-racial relationship during the Civil War area. Despite it all, Elle’s dedication to freedom shines through. “We don’t want revenge, Malcolm.” She looked at him like he was the densest bastard to ever walk the earth. “We want life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, just like any damned fool in these United States is entitled to so long as he isn’t Black or Red. So you can keep your outrage. All I can do is try to make a difference.” With all that said, this is a wonderful, amazing read. Ms. Cole shows a deft ability to balance the horrors of the Civil War with humor and delightfully real characters. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series!

I think this is the first time I read a historical romance set during the Civil War, but wow I loved this one! Alyssa Cole is such a talented writer. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!