The idea behind this book is an intriguing one. It's inspired by the women (estimated by some to be between 400 and 750) who disguised themselves as men in order to fight in the American Civil War.
Newlywed Rosetta Wakefield can't handle staying behind while her husband goes off to war. She decides to enlist partly to be near him, partly to help earn enough money to buy the farm they've been hoping to start. While encamped with her husband's regiment, she encounters the usual issues one might expect from a situation like this. How does a woman hide herself, and how difficult would it be?
While I think this book is worth the read for any female interested in the Civil War, it falls far short of what it could have been. The narrative is simplistic, and I just didn't feel the spark from the main characters that the author intends. There are aspects of the plot that are never really resolved, and the ending is almost eye-rollingly predictable. I would have loved it had the plot been as refreshing as the idea behind it.
In hindsight, I think this book works better as a YA read. I just tend to expect more from adult historical fiction.
Two out of Five Stars
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