With This Pledge (2019) — A TLC Book Tour

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About the Author

Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling novelist whose works have been awarded and nominated for numerous industry-leading honors, including the Christy Award (two-time winner, seven-time finalist), the RITA Award (two-time winner, four-time finalist), the Carol Award, the Maggie Award, the Booksellers Best Award, and Library Journal’s top distinction, among others. After seventeen years in Colorado, Tamera and her husband now reside in Nashville, Tennessee, where they live a short distance from Belmont Mansion and Belle Meade Plantation, the setting of Tamera’s two USA Today bestselling Southern series.

Connect with Tamera

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My Thoughts

Helplessness is one of the worst feelings a human can experience. To me, there is nothing more awful than seeing someone in great pain and genuinely being unable to help. Tamera Alexander does a really good job of portraying true helplessness in With This Pledge. There are so many horrible moments that take place in this book where Lizzie, the heroine, feels utterly powerless to do anything to make the situations better. On the night of November 30, 1864, Carnton House was commandeered by Confederate soldiers and turned into a makeshift hospital. Acting governess to the McGavock family, Lizzie finds herself pulled in to help the surgeon as he furiously tries to save the lives of many, many broken and severely injured soldiers. Uncertain what to do, but absolutely willing to help, Lizzie aids the surgeon in ways she never imagined. Between the agonizing cries of the wounded and the devastation left after many, many men die senseless deaths, Lizzie struggles with how useless she feels. Sometimes in life, moments barrel us down leaving us questioning whether we will ever be able to get back up again. The Battle of Franklin and its aftershocks is a prime example of life beating down humans.

There have been a handful of times in my life when I have experienced a sense of helplessness. But I admit that I truly did not understand that word in its fullest sense until two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, my dad was killed in a car accident. Someone swerved in front of him on the freeway, and changed my family’s lives forever. There was literally NOTHING anyone could have done after that man made his choice to drive selfishly rather than safely. You want to know what true helplessness looks like? It’s watching your precious mother say goodbye to her best friend before the crematorium workers take your father’s body away forever. It’s knowing that there is absolutely NOTHING I can do to help my mom. It’s knowing that my beautiful daughter, nieces, and nephews will never again get to play with their beloved grandpa this side of Heaven. It’s knowing that my brothers, sister, and I have to wait until it is our turn to go to Heaven before we can hug and kiss our dad again. One man made a decision and there is NOTHING I can do about that. This is true helplessness. I completely understand how Lizzie feels in With This Pledge, and with every fiber of my being I wish I didn’t.

There are several timely themes weaved throughout With This Pledge; all so important for today’s readers to consider. The theme that most resonates with me is that while life is uncertain and there are no guarantees, we who love and cherish God can rest assured that He orders our steps. Nothing surprises God. Nothing shocks Him. God puts every single one of us on a path, and He promises to be with us every step of the way — even in our most helpless of moments. With my heart currently battered, shattered, and bleeding, I really needed this reminder that God is always in control and He is always near. This takes the sting out of what seems like chaos to me.

Tamera Alexander is incapable of writing a bad story. She truly is one of today’s leading Christian Historical Fiction authors. With This Pledge may be Alexander’s best book to date. With a setting that pulls the reader in from page one, characters who are brilliantly and realistically crafted and who worm their way into the reader’s heart, and timely themes, With This Pledge is a definite must-read for 2019. I highly recommend this stunning novel!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via NetGalley through TLC Book Tours. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS

Monday, January 14th: Book By Book

Tuesday, January 15th: Blooming with Books

Wednesday, January 16th: Read Eat Repeat

Thursday, January 17th: Fiction Aficionado

Friday, January 18th: Amy’s Book-et List

Monday, January 21st: The Caffeinated Bibliophile and @thecaffeinated_bibliophile

Tuesday, January 22nd: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Wednesday, January 23rd: Running Through the Storms

Thursday, January 24th: Christian Bookshelf Reviews

Friday, January 25th: Rockin’ Book Reviews

Monday, January 28th: The Sketchy Reader

Tuesday, January 29th: Laura’s Reviews

Wednesday, January 30th: Jathan & Heather

Thursday, January 31st: A Holland Reads

Monday, February 4th: Reflections from My Bookshelves

Tuesday, February 5th: Christian Fiction Girl

Wednesday, February 6th: @booktimistic

Friday, February 8th: View from the Birdhouse

Tuesday, February 12th: The Lit Bitch