Review: For This We Are Soldiers: Tales of the Frontier Army by Carla Kelly

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

From master storyteller Carla Kelly comes this collection of frontier tales that take you behind typical army lines and into the hearts of ordinary men and women who perform extraordinary acts of bravery. From handsome hospital stewards and dashing soldiers to courageous children and wives who will pull at your heartstrings, there’s something for everyone’s fancy.

My Review

I'm a huge fan of Carla Kelly's writing style. She has a way of including the gritty and sometimes grim facts of life from the historical eras her stories are set in that only adds to the intensity and realism of the plot and romance while allowing the subtle humor of her characters to bring a lighter and hopeful tone. I love that her characters are regular, everyday working people. She is a great researcher and I can trust that her stories are historically accurate. This collection of stories is a nod to the women who sacrificed a great deal during their lives serving with the army in the wilderness of the western frontier. Some are short stories that provide a vignette, while others are longer novellas with a fuller story arc. My favorite was "Take a Memo" with the shy Corporal Ted Sheppard and his opportunity to get closer to sweet Millie while  following orders to get to the bottom of who is responsible for wandering cows and missing milk. This is a collection not to miss for fans of western historical fiction and sweet romance.

(Thank you to Cedar Fort Publishing for a copy of the book; this is my honest review)

About the Author

Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America. She is also a recipient of a Whitney Award for “Borrowed Light,” “My Loving Vigil Keeping,” and “Softly Falling.”

 Follow the blog tour:

October 11: Writing Worm
October 12: Heidi Reads...
October 13: Live to Read
October 14: Singing Librarian Books | Literary Time Out
October 15: I Am a Reader
October 16: I Love to Read and Review Books
October 17: Bookworm Nation
October 18: Emmy Mom
October 19: Robyn Echols Books
October 20: Getting Your Read On | Wishful Endings
October 21: LDS and Lovin’ It
October 22: Bookworm Lisa
October 23: Books and Benches
October 24: Blooming with Books | Julie Coulter Bellon
October 25: Bookworm2Bookworm
October 26: Katie’s Clean Book Collection
October 27: My Book a Day | Rockin’ Book Reviews
October 28: Fire and Ice