Having read several books by Tamera Alexander, I was looking forward to reading To Wager Her Heart and was not disappointed. Although third in the Belle Meader Plantation, the book can easily be read as a stand-alone story. Set in post-Civil War Tennesee, Alexandra and Sy's story is captivating. The characters are realistic and relatable and the reader is quickly drawn into their circumstances and adventures. The author does a great job portraying the historic aspect of the story as she describes Nashville's Belle Meade Plantation and Fisk University, the first freedmen's university in the US and the growth of the railroad during this time. I love historical fiction and To Wager Her Heart was a great read. I look forward to reading more from this author. I listened to a library copy of the audiobook and Melba Sibrel did a nice job of narration which made for an enjoyable listening experience. I also won a complimentary copy of the book in a contest and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own. ( )

4.5 stars.

Featuring real life people, events and places, To Wager Her Heart by Tamera Alexander is an absolutely delightful Christian romance that is rich in historical details. Although this latest release is the third installment in the Belle Meade Plantation series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

One year following the tragic death of her fiancé David Thompson, twenty-five year old Alexandra Jamison's father is attempting to force her into an arranged marriage to a much older man of his choosing. After declining the marriage proposal, she leaves the family home to pursue her vocation as a teacher of freemen and women at Fisk University. Penniless, Alexandra agrees to help Colorado railroad owner Sylas "Sy" Rutledge navigate the sometimes tricky rules of Southern business negotiations. Her relationship with Sy is somewhat complicated due to his unexpected ties to the train accident that took her fiancé's life. Needless to say, Alexandra is a little taken aback when her opinion and feelings for Sy begin to evolve as they become better acquainted. As she becomes more emotionally entangled with Sy, will Alexandra allow the past ruin her chance at happiness?

Alexandra is a little ahead of her time as she finds herself in the midst of attempting to right the social injustices of the time period. Her sympathies lie with the freedmen and women who finally have the opportunity to receive the education they have been long been denied. On occasion, Alexandra comes face to face with her judgments and perceptions of the people she is trying to help. She is quick to admit to her failings with grace and humility when necessary.

Sy is no stranger to hard work since he is a self-made man from extremely humble beginnings. He truly believes in equality for all and he is more than willing to fight for his principals no matter the personal cost to himself. Sy is immediately smitten with Alexandra but he very wisely consents to the stipulations she puts forth when she agrees to help him with his business dealings. Sy is also incredibly loyal to the people in his life and his quest to clear his father's name is quite admirable.

The historical elements of the storyline are quite enlightening and these details greatly enrich the unfolding story. Race relations are still quite tense and workers greatly resent the influx of freedmen into the work force. Alexendra is stunned by the backlash she and her family endure in the aftermath of her noble decision to work at Fisk University. Her experiences traveling with the Jubilee Singers are quite enlightening as she witnesses firsthand the difficulties the freedmen and women must endure in both the North and the South.

With a gentle undercurrent of faith, To Wager Her Heart is an endearing historical romance that old and new fans of the Belle Meade Plantation series are going to love. Tamera Alexander's incorporation of true life events, people and locations greatly enhance an already substantial storyline. The relationship between Sy and Alexandra gradually transitions from slightly adversarial to genuine friendship and eventually, love. A truly engaging novel with lovable characters, a realistic plot and a sweet romance that readers of historical fiction do not want to miss. ( )

Tamera has done it again with an historical novel that takes readers back in time and witnesses what it may have been like during that time period. I love how she incorporated historical facts into the story that gave it a more realistic feel. Some of the scenes in the story may be a bit graphic for some and some words that were used may be offensive to some. I will say in these scenes it was as close to reality as you can get. Unfortunately the word “negro”was used during that time period and I appreciate how the author depicted the word in a tasteful manner.

Alexandra is a very prim and proper young lady. Her family is known for money and her father is very strict with her. The story takes place during the 1870s were people were trying to survive anyway they could. I loved Alexandra right away when she became a voice for those who deserved an education but were tossed aside . It must have been hard during that time to treat everyone with respect when prejudice was prevelant. Alexandra goes against her father’s wishes and takes a teaching job at Fisk University. Throughout the story the author describes how difficult it was to run the University and how the people come together to try to save it.

Sy was my favorite character. He was kind, honest and willing to help others. I loved learning about the railroad and how it was hard to keep the trains going. It amazes me that even on a train there was prejudice amongst people. What makes this book so emotional is how the author continues to reinforce how God see us. He doesn’t look at the color of our skin, but at the purity of our heart. It was nice to see people helping each other and looking past what others couldn’t.

The story is rich in history and follows not only the people of Fisk University but the railroad . Sy is looking for the truth in a train accident to clear his father’s name. Will he get the answers he wants? Can Alexandra find happiness teaching knowing her father disapproves? Don’t miss this wonderful story that captures a time period that truly emphasizes how important it is to follow God .

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild. The review is my own opinion. ( )

If you like the "When Calls the Heart" TV series, I think you'll really enjoy "To Wager Her Heart". "To Wager Her Heart" by Tamera Alexander is the third book in the "Belle Meade Plantation" series. It can also be easily read as a stand-alone. I don't normally like to read a lot of books set in the U.S. during different war periods, but recently I've been picking more of these up and enjoying them more than I thought I would. "To Wager Her Heart" is just such a book. Tamera Alexander has a superb and engaging writing style and creates here a story that draws the reader in. Her characters are also very well written and come to life on the page. She is very good at writing swoon-worthy moments!

"To Wager Her Heart" is set in the post-Civil War South. It is fascinating to read about the South and what life was like for everyday people after the war ravaged their land and their hearts. Ms. Alexander does such a great job portraying this "in-between" time where a lot of change is taking place, but there's also many people who still hold to the "old ideals", including the father of our main character (Alexandra).

I love how Ms. Alexander incorporates real life into the fictional story, like the freedman's school that Alexandra teaches at (Fisk University) and the Jubilee Singers. I love that the university emphasizes knowledge, not only of the basic subjects, but of Christ. Despite these many good things, it was hard for me to read at points, due to the vivid descriptions and the heavy subject matter. Like I said, it's not my favorite time period to read about, precisely because of all of weightier issues that come along with it. But it is important to remember these periods in our nation's history as well and the courageous men and women who went before us.

There are many important messages in this book. Throughout the story, Ms. Alexander conveys the lesson that we're all created in God's image and it doesn't matter what color skin you have, which is still a very pertinent message today with the recent racial tensions and the white supremacy movement. I was encouraged by Alexandra's struggle with fear after tragedy and how she is able to overcome that fear through her faith. Tragedy, loss, love, overcoming, and justice are all themes that are woven into this amazing story!

Content: This is a clean read, but it is more on the edgy, gritty side of Christian fiction. One character was in a train accident and she often thinks about it or has flashbacks. The descriptions of the accident and aftermath are very detailed and vivid. The word "negro" is used in context. There is talk about a woman's "assets" and the author implies that a character is a prostitute. The prostitute propositions a man, and this man has been to a brothel before. The Lord's name is taken in vain once. A person accidentally gets drunk. A man tries not to look at a woman's décolletage. There is some sexual innuendo. There is talk of how slaves used to commit suicide.

Genre: Christian historical fiction; Romance

Rating: I give this book four stars.

I want to thank Tamera Alexander, Zondervan, and the Fiction Guild for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. ( )

I struggled in the beginning to get into this book. It was very slow reading. In fact, I was not sure if I could last until the end or even a third of the way into the story. Actually, I did jump ahead some into the story. However, I did not feel like I missed anything by doing this and by doing this for me, I got to the part of the story where it seemed to pick up.

From the beginning, I did like Alexandra. She did not want to just settle for being a housewife. She wanted to go out into the world and make something of herself. She showed this by standing up for herself and showing independence; even if it was a struggle at times.

Than there is Sy. He had a kind heart. Just like Alexandra, he was just trying to find his way in the world as well and separate himself from his father and the terrible accident that took Alexandra's fiancé. I like that Sy did not push too fast with Alexandra. The romance was a slow build but it felt real this way. I did enjoy this book and the location that the author built for this story. ( )