Earlier in the week I shared my review of Road to the Breaking by Chris Bennett. I love historical fiction--and, after reading the first book in this series, I was more than ready for the second novel! Today, I have my review of Enigma to share! Check out my thoughts, learn about author Chris Bennett and the series--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) , 514 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: CPB Publishing, LLC
Release date: February 2021
Format available for review: print - softback, e-book ( mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF)
Will send print books out: USA
Content Rating: PG-13. Cursing, violence and war scenes, etc.
About the Book
“How can I call myself a man of good conscience, when I myself am no better than a slaver?”
It’s summer 1860, and former army Captain Nathan Chambers has returned home to Virginia to claim his inheritance: a large plantation with more than one hundred slaves. Nathan wants no part of slavery and intends to sell the farm and all its slaves. But even as he arrives home, enduring fearful and downcast stares from despondent black faces, he knows what he must do … and the price he must pay for doing it.
As Nathan works to carry out his ambitious plans, he is troubled by rumors of succession and war, even as a villainous neighbor plots a violent end to their decades-long family feud.
And then Evelyn arrives … strikingly beautiful, spirited, and intriguing, she is the daughter of an old family friend. But the more Nathan is drawn in by her charms, the harder she pushes him away …
The Road to the Breaking Series is an epic tale of a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of a deadly precipice: the American Civil War. In Book 2 of the series, Nathan Chambers has returned from the violent army life out West, only to face a heart wrenching Enigma at home.
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My Review
Enigma continues an incredible series for history lovers. The author's research and background shine in this novel as he creates such a flawless journey back in time for readers. Even more so than the first book, this novel and its characters felt so real that it was difficult to see the story as anything less than a memoir or biographical novel. Readers will find new characters to further the story--and characters from the first book that grow stronger and even more entwined in advancing the plot. The darkness of slavery combines with the characters' moral soul searching and self-discovery to offer readers quite an adventure in another place and time.
Readers should plan to read the series. You could probably read Enigma without reading the first book--but, you would miss so much value that went into the character and setting development in book one. The first book set the stage for the series--and this one takes the characters further along a path. Like the first book, loose ends remain at the end, so you should plan to continue with the next book in the series.
Would I recommend Enigma by Chris Bennett? If you enjoy realistic, historical fiction--I would certainly recommend reading this series. I think the series will flow best if you read the novels in order as a series. I was definitely invested in the characters and the stories--and enjoyed both of the books. As with the first novel, there wasn't a lot of resolution to this novel--and, unfortunately, I don't have the 3rd book on hand to continue for the weekend! I definitely recommend the novels that I have read so far--but, I would probably suggest getting the complete series as I expect there will be loose ends remaining in each novel until the final chapter of the last book!
Enjoy Book 1 in The Road to the Breaking series:
Book Title: Road to the Breaking
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) , 345 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: CPB Publishing, LLC
Release date: January 2021
Content Rating: PG-13. Cursing, violence and war scenes, etc.
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Nothing survived “The Breaking” unchanged; lives and fortunes, love and hate, freedom and slavery …
It’s early 1860, and war hero Captain Nathaniel Chambers, commander U.S.
Army Fort Davis in the west Texas wilderness, has received shocking
news – his father is dead. He must return home to Virginia and claim
his inheritance before a maniacal neighbor can murder his widowed mother
and seize the family plantation.
But he’s torn by a terrible dilemma – to stay in the army and turn his
back on his fortune, his mother and his beloved childhood home, or
become the thing he despises; a slave master! Is there no other
choice?
An epic journey across a young nation seething with debauchery,
brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink
of an unimaginable disaster; the American Civil War. Nathan Chambers
has left the violent army life behind in Texas, never imaging he’s on
the very Road to The Breaking.
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Meet the Author
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A ROAD TO BREAKING Book Tour Giveaway
Sounds like a good read.
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