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Originally published as AMERICAN DESTINY. LEGACIES OF A FAMILY DIVIDED BY HATRED, AND A PASSION TWO PEOPLE COULD NOT FORGET Debutante Diane Parmalee was a U.S. Army officer‘s daughter; Lije Stuart was the handsome Harvard educated son of the part-Cherokee Stuart clan. Nothing, not even their different worlds, seemed able to stop their love–except a tragic legacy. The wealthy Stuart family burned with the memory of the government‘s forced march of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears. Now, as the nation exploded in civil war, Lije‘s family split in a violent feud, driving Lije to do the one thing Diane could not forgive–fight for the South. At his father‘s side, Lije was riding away on a journey of blood and sorrow, perhaps forever. The lovers‘ only hope was another legacy: a passion strong enough to reunite them before betrayal and death claimed their hearts…

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

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About the author

Janet Dailey

408 books1,871 followers
Janet Anne Haradon Dailey was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide.

Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they "retired" to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.

She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.

Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.

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5 stars
84 (32%)
4 stars
75 (29%)
3 stars
69 (26%)
2 stars
21 (8%)
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8 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
128 reviews
October 8, 2016
Ms Dailey writes romance with a lot of history included. This was an unusually good book, based on the aftermath of the "Trail of Tears" and the lives of the Cherokees that followed. We read about this horrible time in history, but Ms Dailey gives us her version of what followed.
Profile Image for Ann.
206 reviews
October 15, 2016
Very good for learning about history of Cherokee Nation during Civil War. Mediocre novel otherwise.
Profile Image for Cherie.
748 reviews
July 23, 2012
This is a romance/Civil War novel. Even though it contains the usual North vs South love story, it was a bit different in that the main characters were members of the "Cherokee Nation," and wanted to remain neutral. I was rather confused in the beginning, not understanding how Cherokees who had been forced from their homes in Georgia 30 years earlier could be plantation owners with slaves in the "Indian Territory" west of Arkansas in the 1850's and early 1860's.So I googled "Cherokee Nation," "Indian slave owners," "Indians in the Civil War" and anything else I could think of to help me learn more about the situation I was reading about. I learned that the Cherokees were considered on of the five "civilized" tribes because many of them had adopted European ways, including many of them owning slaves just like their fellow Southerners. I was also surprised that many of them had become wealthy and were land owners! Yet when the law was passed to move all the indigenous tribes out of the states, they had to leave! That is very hard to imagine! I can't believe that with all the American history that I have learned about and read about, I have never come across this before. Anyway, this story was about a very wealthy part-Cherokee family living in the Indian Nation, yet very much associated with Americans from both sides. It really opened by eyes to a part of American history that I did not know much about.
Profile Image for Hannah Price.
39 reviews
July 31, 2023
Read this for an independent reading book freshman year of highschool. So cute, I highly reccomend if your looking for a romatic period peice.
Profile Image for Priscilla.
1,930 reviews18 followers
June 22, 2024
Desculpem, mas não dá para falar bem desse livro.

Janet Dailey tenta nos convencer que uma rica família de índios se envolve na Guerra da Secessão mesmo já estando adaptada ao "mundo dos brancos". Só isso já merece um aparte, os Parmelee e os Stuarts - sim, os indígenas - são caracterizadas de uma forma tão fraca, que se tivessem mudado o nome dos personagens principais para John e Jane, nem perceberíamos.

Toda a migração forçada e problemas sociais são reduzidos a algumas linhas. É como se a proposta de recontar o período perdesse força frente a história romântica de Lije e Diane e dos outros personagens.

Dispenso.
Profile Image for Pat.
471 reviews52 followers
October 21, 2012
I had not realized how much the Cherokee Nation was dragged into the Civil War, even though they wanted to remain neutral. This book gives some idea of how those living in Indian Territory, black and white as well as Native American, were affected. It gave me a lot to think about.
Profile Image for Heidi.
395 reviews
August 11, 2016
Interesting take on the divisions within families and communities caused by the American Civil War, set in the Indian territories. Part of a series of books but quite readable as a stand-alone novel.
Profile Image for Patt.
468 reviews6 followers
July 9, 2015
This was an interesting historical fiction/romance. The story takes place in the Cherokee nation during the Civil War. I learned a lot of history that I never learned in school about the Cherokees and their part in the Civil War.
Profile Image for Debbie Nicolosi.
48 reviews1 follower
May 22, 2022
All the historical facts that surround this fictional love story is what really pulled me into this book. Historical romance has long been my go to read.
I feel this story is well written and well researched. I found myself looking up facts to see if it was true.
1 review
September 30, 2013
xD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews