Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

The war is over, but her struggle is just beginning.

This novel is based on a woman who experienced the struggles and heartache of trying to rebuild a rice plantation during Reconstruction. And since I live near those very swamplands, I knew I would enjoy this look at the Antebellum South–and one woman’s struggle to survive. 

I found Charlotte somewhat distant but endearingly stubborn. Determined to make a go out of the post-war plantation her father left to her, she puts her heart and soul into cultivating the land and restoring it to its former glory. Obstacle after obstacle, however, kept me reading to find out how she would get out of the next scrape!

Enter a charming widower with two little lonely little girls, and fiascoes ensued in quick succession. A dash of mystery and the author’s clever use of a “villain” made Carolina Gold an interesting look at this corner of history.

I struggled to get into this book at first because the beginning was somewhat slow. I’m not sure why this is, exactly–I didn’t feel as if the story began too soon. Also, I didn’t like that a long-lost cousin appears out of nowhere only to disappear out of Charlotte’s life again or that the widower is absent from the middle of the book.

All in all, though, history lovers like myself (especially those fond of the Civil War era) will appreciate this glimpse into life after the war, when destruction and defeat ran rampant and faith and love were hard to believe in. Carolina Gold has Charlotte finding faith and love worthy of belief.

About the Author

A native of west Tennessee, Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their two golden retrievers. An accomplished author, Dorothy made her debut in Christian fiction with the Hickory Ridge novels.

Find Dorothy : Blog // Facebook // Twitter // Goodreads // Newsletter

Disclosure: Litfuse provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.