A HEARTBEAT AWAY by S. DIONNE MOORE

About A Heartbeat Away: 

When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Beth Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to defy her pacifist parents and become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam.

Her mother's mysterious goodbye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely nights, but as she sews each block, she realizes there is a hidden message of faith within the pattern that encourages and sustains her. Reunited with Joe, Beth learns his secret and puts the quilt's message to its greatest test---but can betrayal be forgiven?

• ISBN-13: 9781426752704
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Publication date: 5/15/2013
• Pages: 232

Series: Quilts of Love

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/liQMG


 Meet Dionne:

Dionne Moore is a historical romance author who resides in South Central PA with her family, surrounded by the beautiful Cumberland Valley and lots of fun, historically rich locations. She is a weekly contributor to "The Borrowed Book", a blog for book-lovers and "Cozy Mystery Magazine", for all things cozy mystery. 

Learn more about Dionne at http://www.sdionnemoore.com


My Thoughts

Beth Bumgartner desires to be a nurse, so she moves in with her grandmother and assists in caring for wounded soldiers in the height of battle almost at their front door.  Nursing means caring for not only the Union soldiers but also the Confederates. This is difficult for Beth and can't help but feel bitterness toward her enemy of the south.  But there is their first patient an injured soldier which happens to be a Confederate yet she feels some tenderness towards this man even though she despises what he stands for.  Joe has been unconscious since he was brought to them.  It was said he was injured while protecting a group of blacks.  Why would a confederate do such a thing?  Beth and her grandmother work themselves beyond physical and emotional needs to care for these injured and dying soldiers.

The author writes about this woman sitting and working on a quilt her mother has sent her, even though she hated to sew anything.  The quilt becomes a source of healing for her soul and she is drawn to the quilt for Hope and comfort.  This author must have a beautiful tender heart to write such an endearing story set in the middle of trials and tribulations of the Civil War.  She paints a very realistic picture of the aftermath of the battles and the bloody fields.  She writes that with God there is always Hope.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group/Abingdon Press for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.