Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Fire by Night - Lynn Austin


Summary from Good Reads: Book 2 of Refiner’s Fire. The drama of the Civil War unfolds through the eyes of two very different Northern girls. Lovely Julia Hoffman has always enjoyed the carefree life of her well-to-do family, but when she fails to attract the attention of Rev. Nathaniel Greene, a fierce abolitionist, she determines to bring meaning to her empty and shallow existence. When she becomes a Union nurse, her eyes are opened to the realities of war and suffering. She also meets Phoebe, who has entered the army under false pretenses--and whose journey to understanding herself, as well as the tumultuous world about her, is revealed with sensitivity and drama.

Julia Hoffman comes from a very wealthy family in Philadelphia in the 1860's.  In order to win the heart of the local minister, Nathaniel Greene, she decides to change her life and give up all the daily luxuries of her life to become a nurse during the Civil War.  There are many challenges that she faces as a single and beautiful woman that she must lie about herself to do what she wants to do.

Phoebe "Ike" Bigelow is a real tomboy who lives with her three older brothers.  Both her parents have passed and all they know are each other.  Her three brothers enlist in the war, rent out their cabin and farm which forces Phoebe to help a local family with their business and family.  Phoebe is not domesticated at all and instead of suffering through her new job, she cuts her hair and goes to Kentucky to enlist in the Army as a man.

War changes everyone it touches, and Julia and Phoebe are no different.  Along the way they both met some people who have a great impact on their lives.  They learn about war, nursing, love and about God.  When these two woman, from different walks of life, meet in an Army hospital and things are never the same.

This is the first book that I ever read from Lynn Austin and it will not be the last.  I really enjoyed it!  I originally read this for my local book club and the wholw group loved it that we are going back to read the first book of this series, Candle in the Darkness.  Although each of these books can be read alone, some of the characters flow into all the books.  I'll be starting it soon!

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