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Book Review of Christmas at Carnton: A Novella

Christmas at Carnton: A Novella
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Continuing my reading of holiday-themed novels in December, I enjoyed Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander. I don't often read Civil War novels, and the Confederate/Tennessee setting was especially interesting.

This novella is a prequel to the author's The Carnton Novels series and won a 2018 Carol Award. We meet several of the characters who will be featured in the series and focus on Aletta Prescott, who recently received word that beloved husband died in battle, and Jake Winston, a Confederate sharpshooter whose ability to serve has been threatened by a recent injury.

This is a romance so the plot is fairly predictable, although there are a few twists to keep things interesting. With the shorter length there's less time for the âangstâ phase of the romance, a plus in my opinion. I'm eager to read the first full-length novel in this series, With This Pledge, which won a 2019 Christy Award.