Think... Serena and Tuxedo Mask in the American Civil War.
If you know, you know.
Sixteen-year-old Veronica is a southern belle desperate to break free of an arranged marriage to her childhood bully. After cannons are fired over Charleston, Veronica accepts an invitation to Washington, D.C. from her new friend Amy, not revealing her secret mission: To find her childhood friend Jack and convince him to marry her instead.
When Brad, Amy’s handsome cousin, saves Veronica from being trampled at Bull Run, Veronica questions her southern assumptions and childish plans. Shaken by the battle, Veronica and Amy return to Richmond. Following them is a masked man who claims to be Jack…
Catching the Rose is a historical drama for readers who enjoy living history through quirky characters and entertaining dialogue.
Excerpt
NOTE: There is no fantasy in this book. This is a cozy historical fiction with low stakes and high emphasis on slice-of-life in the days preceding and following the Battle of Bull Run.
Everyone else would remember that Saturday as the day President Lincoln died. Gretchen Miller would remember it as the day the ragged man collapsed at her feet.
“Save your apologies, Nettle.” Brad touched his stinging cheek. It was surprising such a small woman could hit so hard. She must have had practice. “You sting just like a nettle, too.”
“You better not be makin’ a habit of callin’ me that.” Veronica watched him from beneath her lashes, irritated to find his brow quirked in amusement.
“What are you going to do about it, Nettle? Run to your army and tell them to hurt me?”
Veronica stood, ready for the conversation to be over.
Brad jumped to his feet, grabbing her arm as she turned to leave. “I hadn’t known southern women had such spunk,” he said as she struggled from his tight grasp. “You’re a regular spitfire.”
“Let me go. This is a scandalous way treat me. What Amy would say to such doin’s!” Veronica was glad to see this had shocked some sense into him, as he paused with a slight frown.
“You’re right, I’m behaving shamefully. I beg of you to accept my apologies with a kiss.”
Veronica recoiled in alarm—proper girls were not kissed before marriage.
Brad leaned close, smelling honeysuckle in her hair. “I am sorry, Nettle,” he breathed.
Read the full excerpt.
Content
Romantic rating: Low heat with a focus on emotional connection, holding hands, light kissing.
Tropes: Runaway bride, found family, ditsy heroine, rogue hero, hero in disguise, withdrawn mother, hidden in plain sight, north vs south romance, bittersweet HEA
Violence: A slap occurs (man hitting woman) and she hits the wall, hard.
Sensitivity: I wrote this book as a high school child who grew up in a predominantly white, upper middle class, socioeconomic situation with little awareness or sensitivity to my topic. I was uncomfortable with the idea that my family, had we arrived in the 1800s instead of the 1970s, would have been enslaved. As such, I glossed over Nell's enslavement, promoting her to Veronica's friend and confidante, giving her a strong, beautiful presence while never truly engaging the enslavement topic. The opening chapter is perhaps particularly triggering in my childish attempts at motif. I can no longer recommend my book but have been unable to pull it from digital bookshelves. I leave it here for historical purposes and to embrace my journey toward a more sensitive, nuanced understanding of the past.
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