LOVE HELD CAPTIVE by
SHELLEY SHEPHARD GRAY

If there was ever a book that captures the heart of the Civil War, this book certainly has proven its ability to transport readers back in time. The detail and historical facts make the story come alive. I could see the men in the battlefield and hear their cries as bullets can be heard in the distance. The author has done an outstanding job of taking a subject and given it breath and realism.

There are several characters that stand out in this book. They each grabbed my attention for different reasons. Instead of naming the characters I am choosing to do my review a bit different for this book. The two main women in the story each had been hurt and ridiculed in some way. Some of the men in town mocked them and made them feel dirty and ashamed. I kept thinking of the scripture, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone,” The women were brave, strong , fierce and each find a way to hold their head up with dignity.

Two of the men in the story fought on the battlefield and knew how hard it was to forget what they did in order to survive. They have remorse for the desperation they felt as they found ways to get food and blankets. What I liked about the story is how each of the four main characters carried around guilt and through faith and the help of friends, they were able to let the past go.

There are some difficult moments in the story that was hard to read, but I felt it was necessary so readers would understand what torture and humility the women went through. Will the town ever welcome these two women? What happens when the two men find out that one person is responsible for the pain they have each gone through? I loved the emotional turmoil the men felt and how they needed to “avenge the honor of the women,” The story is one that I thought was very well written with gritty details that show readers how hard it was during the Civil War. I would love to see this book become  a movie. It would be a powerful and emotional journey to show how God can forgive and redeem people.

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