The Soldier's Secret

By: Heather Osborne

Narrated by: Kristyl Dawn Tift

Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

A picture of pure shock and curiosity, Emma placed her empty glass down, "Surely, you are not suggesting I dress as a man and enlist in the Union Army!"

"That is precisely what I am suggesting."

In an era when women are adornments, northerner Emma Mansfield finds it challenging to fit the mold. It becomes an impossible task when her country is torn apart by civil war. Knowing she must take action, Emma finds herself in the midst of danger and intrigue when she takes up the guise of a young artillery soldier for the Union Army. Desperately trying to find out if her two brothers are alive, Emma must maintain her anonymity as she fights for survival.

Please note: this is historical romance. I have represented the historical facts to the best of my ability and done countless hours of research. However, I have taken some liberties and creatively interpreted some items to make the story more entertaining. I hope you enjoy this work of fiction.

©2015 Heather Osborne (P)2015 Heather Osborne

An All Around Perfect Experience

My favorite genre is Christian romantic suspense and rarely do I read American historical romannce, but I was intrigued by the summary and I love stories about empowered women. The fact that the main character of this book dressed as a man to enroll in the Union Army in search of her brother got my attention. I was sent back in time from the very moment Kristyl began the narration and I have a new love for this genre or at least Ms. Osborne and Tift. The character's voices came through clearly and I was easily transported due to the excellent detail. I recommend this book. It was a true treasure to listen to.

Narrators voice is perfect!!!

I liked the book and enjoyed the Civil War history. The narrator was excellent! Her voice was just what was needed for this story and she was great to listen to. Her voice changed for each character perfectly. I was able to recognize characters easily based on her amazing performance! I will look for more books she has narrated.

Not what I expected...

What did you love best about The Soldier's Secret?

Normally, I wouldn't read an historical fiction. Boy was I missing out. I enjoyed Emma's story, the writing, and the trials the characters went through. I found the book both intriguing and entertaining. Heather Osborne's understanding and knowledge of the time period shines throughout this novel. I highly recommend this book to not only history buffs, but romance and fiction readers.

What other book might you compare The Soldier's Secret to and why?

I've yet to read other books that compare to The Soldier's Secret because it's not my normal genre.

Civil War Romance with a little twist!

What did you love best about The Soldier's Secret?

I loved how a woman was a soldier in one of the bloodiest wars.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The doctor was my favorite character. He was as gallant as a southrn gentleman.

What about Kristyl Dawn Tift’s performance did you like?

Kristyl Dawn Tift's performance brought Em to life.

If you could rename The Soldier's Secret, what would you call it?

Emma's Civil War Secret.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author/narrator/publisher free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.

Interesting Civil War detail in sweet romance.

Emma is a blossoming, proper young woman living with her family in Rochester, New York. Her father operates a local general store and her two brothers are expected to help in the store as they grow older. Emma meets the local doctor, Colin, and they quickly become enchanted with each other. But war disturbs the plans of everyone.

Will, the elder brother has determined to enlist and fight for the Union. The younger brother, Harrison, is not yet sixteen but he wants to enlist also. All the family tells Harrison that he must stay home to grow and help their father in the business. But Harrison sneaks off in anger to join the Confederates.

Emma becomes engaged to Colin but he feels the call to serve where he is badly needed. When Will’s letters to home Emma becomes more and more upset and concerned about the safety of her brothers. A local friend helps her to disguise herself so she can enlist in the Union army.

“Em” makes it through basic training successfully and sets off with her regiment hoping to find her brothers. She does find Colin and Will and is helping her own unit when she sees Harrison too. Troubles arise with a commander who becomes unreasonably obsessed with this young soldier who seems to do things right and have a charmed life. He continually harasses “Em” and they fear that her secret will be exposed. Colin and Emma make a desperate escape but the obsessed commander is not far behind.

Ms. Osborne does a good job with the vivid portrayal of the bleak hardships of war, camp life and field hospitals. The family drama seems real. There are heartbreaks and joys along the journey as Emma and Colin continue through the Appalachian Mountains trying to make their way back home without being caught by their pursuer.

The story is engaging and I liked the primary characters. I found the sexual scenes a bit more than expected for the nature of the story but it fit the passions of the couple and the basic need to cling in hard times. I recommend this to readers who like Civil War detail with a strong romance element.

Audio Notes: I had to get used to the voice of Kristyl Dawn Tift as it is a bit breathy for a war drama. It does fit the romance though and, as I got used to it, I thought that, overall, she did a good job with the voices and the emotion. I enjoyed the story in audio.

I received this audiobook from AudaVoxx for review. My rating 4.25.

Unique Civil War Story from Heroine's Perspective

Any additional comments?

The Soldier's Secret by Heather Osborne is a very enjoyable historical fiction novel set during the Civil War. The story focuses on New York debutante Emma Mansfield who is unlike any other well to do female of her acquaintance (she is uninterested in dating and only finding a suitable match). After her older brother goes off to war - and then her younger brother runs away to join the Confederacy - she too joins the Union Army in disguise as a young artillery soldier named Emmett Hawkins in an attempt to "look after" her brothers. Thankfully her platoon is stationed near where her older brother is, and she actually saves his life after a terrible battle where he is severely wounded and left for dead.

The Soldier's Secret has everything I look for in a book: well developed characters, a good mystery, and a hint of romance. Emma's character is the perfect heroine, who is a stronger than many men in the story; and she is kind beyond measure, which is demonstrated most compassionately in a scene where Emma comforts a dying soldier. The mystery is a good one too as I couldn't figure out why this one officer was out to get Emma - to the point of hunting her down in NY. And Emma falls in love with Dr. Colin McCafferty who enjoys Emma's drive and determination.

I listened to the Audible version of this book narrated by by Kristyl Dawn Tift who did a great job. She differentiated between male and female voices and changed the tempo in the performance when warranted. I received a copy of this audio in exchange for an unbiased review.

Simply put, I highly recommend this audiobook!

A pioneer for women in combat

Would you listen to The Soldier's Secret again? Why?

Absolutely! I would definitely listen again because I have a tendency to miss little events and usually find I enjoy the book even better the second tine around.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Emma's fiancé Colin was definitely my favorite character. A good looking, hard working but shy man who steps out of his comfort zone to get his girl. Then was very supportive of her unconventional mission. He was very understanding of her reasons for doing what she did.

What three words best describe Kristyl Dawn Tift’s voice?

Versatile, did a great job of voicing the individual characters.
As a narrator, maintained the feel of the era.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I wanted to break the villainous Captain's nose!

Any additional comments?

I acquired this book from the author from Audiobookblast, and thoroughly enjoyed the chance to hear it. I have tended to stay with authors I know, and this was a great opportunity to get acquainted with someone new.

Great story about a strong woman and love!

Any additional comments?

This book is more than just a romance. The story has interesting historical references and the heroine is strong and likable. She is placed is a civil war era situation where she is making an unconventional contribution to the war effort, as many women wanted to do at the time, to try and bring her brothers and lover home safe. The romance is appropriate for the situation so it made the love story plausible. The narrator, Kristyl Dawn Tift, did a great job with the character voices. Her narration was easy to follow and entertaining. I really enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it.

The Soldier's Secret

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."

This is a historical fiction set during the Civil War. It explores many facets of the conflict and how it affected one family in particular , and friends and neighbors as well.

I would read/ listen to other works by this author .

The narration was excellent,

Great performance and a great story!

I really enjoyed the story and the narrator dos great with all the different voices. It was a good listen!

I received this book free in exchange for an unbiased review.