Hamilton’s
Battalion: A Trio of Romances
Authors: Alyssa Cole, Rose Lerner, Courtney Milan
Publisher: Courtney Milan
American
release date: October
17, 2017
Format/Genre/Length: Kindle/Gay Romance/Interracial Romance/378 pages
Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★
Hamilton’s
Battalion is a trio of novellas, set during and after the
American Revolution. After the death of her husband, Alexander Hamilton,
Elizabeth Hamilton collected reminiscences from those who knew him,
particularly those who fought with him during the war. That was the inspiration
for these tales, told by three different authors.
Promised
Land
by Rose Lerner
Corporal Ezra Jacobs is
actually Rachel Mendelson, a Jewish woman who also wants to fight for her
country. Once married to Nathan Mendelson, she left that life behind five years
ago, letting him think her dead. Don’t ask—it’s complicated! But when she
accidentally runs into him in the middle of her camp, she pegs him as a spy and
turns him in. However, things are not what they seem. Now Rachel and Nathan
have to make sense of who they were as opposed to who they are now. Have they
been brought together for a reason… and will the war tear them apart in the
most final way possible?
The
Pursuit of… by Courtney Milan
Corporal John Hunter is
serving in the rebel army with the promise of being freed from his condition of
slavery once the war has been won. His concern is for his sister and her child,
and he wants to return to them as quickly as possible to make sure they are all
right. When he accidentally runs across a British soldier named Henry Latham,
Henry’s first comment to him is “Nice weather for a siege, isn’t it?”
These men are
opposites, yet they soon find themselves together under circumstances which
would have been impossible before the revolution, as they travel to Rhode
Island. What began as a confrontation could change… but for the better or not
remains to be seen. John has never met anyone who talks as much as Henry. And
as for his cheese… well, the less said about that the better.
As opposite as night
and day, they find themselves drawn to each other by a power too strong to
fight. But considering the day and age, will they be allowed to be happy
together? Or will they be forced to separate forever?
That
Could be Enough by Alyssa Cole
Mercy Alston works for
Elizabeth Hamilton, helping her to preserve the stories she collects from the
people who served with her late husband, Alexander Hamilton. When another young
black woman, Andromeda Stiel, comes on behalf of her grandfather, Mercy is
immediately drawn to the beautiful dressmaker. Andromeda is lively and
flirtatious and utterly enchanting… and she seems to be very attracted to Mercy
as well.
But Mercy has known too
much heartache from other women, so she’s buttoned herself up and walled off
that part of her heart which might respond to Andromeda. Mercy doesn’t believe
happiness is in store for her, and she’s not willing to take a chance again.
Not to mention society frowns on such as they. She has her work with Mrs.
Hamilton, as well as taking care of her daughter Angelica, who has not been the
same since her brother Phillip was shot in a duel years before, while defending
their father.
Can Andromeda get
through to Mercy and show her that she deserves to be loved? Or will she live
in the memory of lost lives, like Mrs. Hamilton and her daughter?
I loved each of these
novellas. Each tells a different story, and each writer has her own style, but
together this is one great read. I love all things Hamilton, so when I ran
across the book, I had to buy it. I’m glad I did. Each story has one thing in
common… love. People in love. And each couple has its own obstacles, whether
it’s an interfering Jewish mother-in-law or a society that does not allow
people of the same sex to love one another or people who are of different
races.
Prior to reading this,
I was familiar with Alyssa Cole, and have reviewed several of her books, I
didn’t know Rose Lerner, and Courtney Milan was on my to-read list.
If I had to pick my
favorite couple, that would be a hard choice, but I think I would go with John
and Henry, because I do love a good story about two men, and these two are
wonderful, each in his own way. The first story was a good introduction to many
Jewish customs and traditions I was unaware of. And while I did not warm up to
Mercy and Andromeda immediately, it didn’t take long for them to click with me.
Especially when I realized Andromeda felt the same as I do about Mrs. Hamilton
wasting her life on a man who not only is dead but who mistreated her when he
was alive and certainly didn’t deserve to be canonized.
This is a must-read for
anyone who loves Hamilton, but I also recommend it to those who enjoy history,
and those who like good love stories. This has all of that and more!
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