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    The Original Shades of Gray: An Epic Civil War Love Story
    Unavailable
    The Original Shades of Gray: An Epic Civil War Love Story
    Unavailable
    The Original Shades of Gray: An Epic Civil War Love Story
    Ebook703 pages10 hours

    The Original Shades of Gray: An Epic Civil War Love Story

    By Jessica James

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    This book has been updated and enhanced into the Shades of Gray Trilogy (Duty Bound, Honor Bound and Glory Bound)

     

    Honor and conviction clash with loyalty and love in this epic Civil War love story that pits brother against brother. Often compared to Gone with the Wind, Shades of Gray chronicles the clash of a Confederate cavalry officer with a Union spy as they defend their beliefs, their country, and their honor.

     

    This is the tale of Colonel Alexander Hunter, a dauntless and daring Confederate cavalry officer, who, with his band of intrepid outcasts, becomes a legend in the rolling hills of northern Virginia. Inspired by love of country and guided by a sense of duty and honor, Hunter must make a desperate choice when he discovers the woman he promised his dying brother he would protect is the Union spy he vowed to his men he would destroy.

     

    Readers will discover the fine line between friends and enemies when the paths of these two tenacious foes cross by the fates of war and their destinies become entwined forever.

     

    NOTE: Shades of Gray was re-published as Noble Cause with a happily-ever-after ending. The original Shades of Gray was expanded and enhanced into the Shades of Gray Civil War Trilogy.

     

    "It is a book that I think could have the impact of  a "Gone With the Wind.' –   J. A. Noyalas, Assistant Professor of History and Director for Civil War Studies, Lord Fairfax Community College

     

    "Andrea and Alex will surely take the place in my heart of Rhett and Scarlett as the perfect Civil War fictional love story!" – Angel Deyarmin

    "I am reluctant to admit I enjoyed it (Shades of Gray) more than Gone With the Wind! This book takes you through so many emotions! Jessica James is a very talented writer! A must read!"  – Amazon Reviewer

     

    "Not since reading Gone With the Wind have I enjoyed a book so much as Jessica James's Shades of Gray!  I could not put Shades of Gray down, from start to finish! Unforgettable." - Sarah Winch

     

    "This is what epic stories are made of. I will not get rid of this one ... it is a keeper that I will read time and time again." - T Weatherby

     

    I'm a civil war historian with roots deep in the sSuthern states and I couldn't put this book down. I'm not usually into books with a romantic element, but Shades of Gray really is that good! - B Webb

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJessica James
    Release dateMay 10, 2018
    ISBN9780979600036
    Unavailable
    The Original Shades of Gray: An Epic Civil War Love Story
    Author

    Jessica James

    Jessica James is an award-winning author of small town women's fiction, suspense, historical fiction, and patriotic fiction ranging from the Revolutionary War to modern day. She is a four-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and was featured in the book 50 Authors You Should Be Reading, published in 2010. Her novels appeal to both men and women and are featured in library collections all over the United States including Harvard and the U.S. Naval Academy. By weaving the principles of courage, devotion, duty, and dedication into each book, she attempts to honor the unsung heroes of the American military—past and present—and to convey the magnitude of their sacrifice and service.

    Read more from Jessica James

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    Reviews for The Original Shades of Gray

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      7/23/12: i am enjoying this book but am going to put it aside for a bit to read some library books that have a time limit....
    • 5/5
      I am absolutely forever in love with Hunter!This is the story of honor, duty, loyalty, trust, mistrust, allegiance, and true love - a time in history when men are men and women are...spies.Throughout the story, it is difficult to see how the ending will ever be resolved. You know these characters will never see eye-to-eye and a friendly relationship will never be possible, much less blossom into a love story to end all love stories. I yelled, "Just kiss her already!" at least a dozen times while reading. It was frustrating to witness as I found myself rooting for true love to conquer all throughout the book. The writing is rich and descriptive. The characters are complicated and intricate, even down to their thoughts and motivations.
    • 5/5
      I cannot remember how I found this book but I marked it to read in July for the 2009 Southern Reading Challenge. I'm very glad I did. I had a tough time putting it down - which is something since it is a book about the Civil War. War novels are not a genre I tend to enjoy. That said, it's more about people than battles. There are plenty of battlefield scenes but the real story is the one involving Alex Hunter, a Confederate officer and Sinclair, a Union spy. Ms. James wrote a wonderfully paced novel that kept my attention throughout. I think she shows a gift for believable, intelligent dialogue. Although the epilogue told more than I needed/wanted to know, I really hated to see the story end and will count the book among my favorites for the year.
    • 5/5
      Move over, Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara. You’ve met your match. Captain Alexander Hunter, Confederate officer, is brave and daring, as well as handsome. Andrea Evans, Union sympathizer, is headstrong and impulsive, and like a chameleon changes her identity to suit the situation. When North meets South sparks are bound to fly, not only on the battlefield, but also in the lives of a man and woman that will do anything for the cause they believe in. SHADES OF GRAY, the award winning historical novel by Author Jessica James, is set in Virginia during the American Civil War. Andrea plays many roles in the story: a boy that delivers dispatches for the Union, a guide, and a Southern Belle to name a few. Captain Alexander Hunter is a fearless leader, respected by his men. Both characters believe deeply in their cause and will defend their beliefs until death if necessary. Jessica James shows the personal side of the characters and how families are torn apart in a war that will scar our nation for years to come. The battle scenes are so vivid I felt as though I were in the middle of the action, hearing the cries of pain, witnessing the blood and the dying men. The story contains beautiful moments too. When Alexander and Andrea can stop arguing enough, they realize they’re falling in love, something I’d been telling them all along. The American Civil War is my favorite era in history, and I have a whole library of books about the war. I am pleased to add another great novel to my collection. The only thing I disliked about the book was the ending, not because it wasn’t beautifully written. It was. I also understand why it ended the way it did. And that’s all I’m saying because I don’t want to give anything away. Other readers may love the ending. However, I am happy to hear that Noble Cause … well, my lips are sealed. I’m reading it next. Ms. James has written another great story dealing with the history of America. Let’s hope we’ve learned our lesson from the past.###
    • 5/5
      I read this during my recent trip to Gettysburg. This is a great civil war novel. It is a little long, but it is worth spending your time on it. Well I should probably tell you the truth here, it is 522 pages. It contains espionage, love, war, and lots of conflict. The chapters are fairly short so one could read this in small doses.I purchased this for myself in Gettysburg. Yes and you guessed it, I paid way too much for it there. It was written in 2008. Yes, I have to admit I was attracted to the cover. I am a sucker for anything purple. It is my favorite color. I think it is a great cover. This is an award winning book. It won the John Esten Cooke award for Ficiton 2011, just to name one. Beware this is the same novel as Nobel Cause. Nobel Cause was released in May of 2013 for the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War. It is the same book as Shades of Gray with a new ending. Hmm is this just another way to make money?Well I want to say that I loved this book!! It kept my interest all the way through. It is action packed and full of events. The main character Andrea is a very strong woman. You probably know by now that I like books with strong female characters. She is a spy for the union army, but was born and bred in Virginia. She is strong in her anti-slavery beliefs and loyal to the union. She falls in love with Colonel Hunter who is a legendary leader of the southern army. This is no doubt going to cause some problems. There is also Victoria who is the southern belle in love with Colonel Hunter.This book is beautifully written and just sails along. It is a real page turner. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! I enjoyed it immensely. The epilogue is a little long. If you like happy endings chose the Nobel Cause version. I will seriously considering picking up her new book Above and Beyond, which is a Christian Historical Romance. It was just released on 5/23/2013 for e-book and will be in stores in August. I give this book a strong 5 out of 5 stars.