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Swept into Destiny
One brave decision leads to serious consequences.
Maggie Gatlan is secretly educating the slaves at Spirit Wind Manor. But the manor’s serenity is soon threatened by abolitionist John Brown. A new republic looms ahead with Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, and her countrymen’s anger escalates as secession spreads across the southern states.
With the fires of civil war glowing on the horizon, Maggie is swept into its embers, realizing she is in love with the manor’s hardworking, handsome Irishman Ben McConnell.
Ben joins the Union Army and Maggie is forced to call him her enemy. An unexpected chain of events leads her into choosing where her loyalties lie. Conscience and consequence – did she care more for Ben or for her beloved South?
As the battle between North and South rages, Maggie is torn. Was Ben right? Had this Irish immigrant perceived the truth of what God had predestined for America?
Maggie Gatlan is secretly educating the slaves at Spirit Wind Manor. But the manor’s serenity is soon threatened by abolitionist John Brown. A new republic looms ahead with Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, and her countrymen’s anger escalates as secession spreads across the southern states.
With the fires of civil war glowing on the horizon, Maggie is swept into its embers, realizing she is in love with the manor’s hardworking, handsome Irishman Ben McConnell.
Ben joins the Union Army and Maggie is forced to call him her enemy. An unexpected chain of events leads her into choosing where her loyalties lie. Conscience and consequence – did she care more for Ben or for her beloved South?
As the battle between North and South rages, Maggie is torn. Was Ben right? Had this Irish immigrant perceived the truth of what God had predestined for America?
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 16, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Did Not Finish
August 2, 2020DNF
Note: I won this book in a giveaway last year, but was not required or asked to write a review, positive or negative. This review is my honest opinion.
Review: Unfortunately, while I was interested enough in this book to enter a giveaway for it and happy when I won, I ended up DNFing it. I figured, when I reached a point in the story where a character did something where I literally thought, “Oh for crying out loud, why did you do that?” and put the book down in favor my phone, that was a good sign it just wasn't for me. I did try to keep going, but there were things that were bothersome enough I finally just quit.
(I’ll note that my mom tried to read this late last year and also ended up DNFing it.)
One of the biggest problems that kept me from liking this book was the romance. It was a hate-to-love thing, which I don’t mind, but I despised the way the male love interest was introduced. It was like in one of those old movies where the male lead man-handles the woman (think the way Rhett Butler tended to treat Scarlett O’Hara in the “Gone with the Wind” movie) and I guess the reader isn’t supposed to mind? To be more specific, the book literally starts out with the hero and heroine's rather abrupt,first meeting. Maggie hears someone calling for help and ends up trying to help a stranger out of the deep swamp mud. She almost falls in herself, when someone (the romantic interest, Ben) grabs her from behind to pull her out of the muck. She has no idea who he and the guys with him are and is indignant at being held that way (though still notices how big, strong, and tan he is). Okay, that's not so bad. But then Ben hefts her over his shoulder and spanks her bottom once when she fusses about being upside down. Umm…no. Not okay.
THEN, Ben’s father tells him to check Maggie for leeches, which results in Ben carrying her up the hill (against her protests), then up go her skirts, off go her stockings and yeah it turns out there are leeches on her legs. Leeches or no, I’m still not okay with him lifting her skirts and removing her stockings without her permission, all while she's throwing a fit over it. All I could think through this whole things was, “I’m supposed to want the two of them to get together when he's introduced like this???” Until I realized he was the romantic interest mentioned on the back cover, I thought these guys were ruffians! To Ben’s credit, he did apologize for the way he treated her later and seemed to genuinely regret it, but man-handling a woman like that should never have been an option if he was really a moral man, worthy of her hand in marriage.
Anyway, this being a romance, it had to change from hate to love eventually, and I felt like it changed awfully fast. They knew each other only for barely a week, if that long? And their interactions were brief, mainly with Maggie bringing Ben and his fellow workers food and chatting a little bit. And then all of a sudden Ben is thinking about how pretty she is and thinking about her kissable lips. He did at least walk her home at one point, but we’re given no insight as to if they talked about anything important during that walk. It also seemed kind of weird that the heroine (if I was understanding correctly???) was only 14? Ben sounded from the description like a full grown man and after the way he treated her at the beginning…I was getting creepy vibes.
There were also some moments of drama that I felt were totally unnecessary. The one that made me say, “Oh, for crying out loud,” was when Ben got bitten, first by a pygmy rattlesnake he *knew* was there but purposefully ignored, and then got bitten immediately after by another swamp snake. Both would have been completely avoidable if he hadn’t ignored his father's warning. His father got the venom out, but not before Ben’s legs are paralyzed. Really, Ben? Really? That was a dumb thing to do! And I wasn’t even worried about his paralyzation because the back of the book says he joins the army later on, so obviously he got better enough to walk and fight. An unfortunate example of a spoilery book synopsis totally fizzling the story's tension.
There *were* a few things I liked about the parts of the story I read, like all the references to the historical things that were happening around that time. And the spiritual themes were quite strong, with God and His providential hand in the history of the United States referenced frequently, to the point I even kept seeing them while skimming the rest of the book trying to convince myself to keep reading. Honestly, If it weren’t for the romance I couldn’t get into and other irritating things I couldn't get past, the story probably is good. If it sounds interesting to anyone reading this review and you can overlook the issues mentioned here, go for it. You may appreciate it more than I could. It just wasn't for me.
Content advisory: I can only mention content I saw in the 47 pages I read, but including the issues already mentioned in my review, some other things to be aware of were…
Historically accurate racism and sexism: This story was set in the south during the Civil War era, and the main character’s father owned slaves, so there was some racism present. The heroine's father did not believe black people were equal to white people and stated outright that he didn’t agree with the abolitionists.
The overseer, Mr. Reynolds, was generally a jerk and called one slave a “blackie” when the man dared to speak to him, and also had a tendency to boss Maggie and her mother around.
We find out that Maggie and her mother have been going behind the overseeer’s and their father’s/husband’s back and teaching the slaves to read and write. However when the father/husband starts to get wind of it, he chastises them and neither he nor the overseer seem to think slaves should be educated in any way.
Speaking of Maggie and her mother, neither of them seem to be completely okay with slavery, but also have little to no say in the matter as it relates to their own household.
Sexual: Along with what was already mentioned in my review, Mr. Reynolds frequently made Maggie (and this reader) uncomfortable by leering at her nearly every time they were on the page together. As I said before, I only got to page 47 and don’t know if that ever escalated, but I will repeat that she was only 14 and it was very creepy.
Violence: One man dies after getting snake-bitten three times and his cries of agony are mentioned as well as a description of his bloated dead body a day later. The story continues through the entire four years of the Civil War and, as stated on the back cover of the book, Ben joins the army, so it is possible some combat is shown, but I did not specifically see it while skimming to know how graphic it is. I did, however, see one description of a blood-soaked bandage.
Note: I won this book in a giveaway last year, but was not required or asked to write a review, positive or negative. This review is my honest opinion.
Review: Unfortunately, while I was interested enough in this book to enter a giveaway for it and happy when I won, I ended up DNFing it. I figured, when I reached a point in the story where a character did something where I literally thought, “Oh for crying out loud, why did you do that?” and put the book down in favor my phone, that was a good sign it just wasn't for me. I did try to keep going, but there were things that were bothersome enough I finally just quit.
(I’ll note that my mom tried to read this late last year and also ended up DNFing it.)
One of the biggest problems that kept me from liking this book was the romance. It was a hate-to-love thing, which I don’t mind, but I despised the way the male love interest was introduced. It was like in one of those old movies where the male lead man-handles the woman (think the way Rhett Butler tended to treat Scarlett O’Hara in the “Gone with the Wind” movie) and I guess the reader isn’t supposed to mind? To be more specific, the book literally starts out with the hero and heroine's rather abrupt,first meeting. Maggie hears someone calling for help and ends up trying to help a stranger out of the deep swamp mud. She almost falls in herself, when someone (the romantic interest, Ben) grabs her from behind to pull her out of the muck. She has no idea who he and the guys with him are and is indignant at being held that way (though still notices how big, strong, and tan he is). Okay, that's not so bad. But then Ben hefts her over his shoulder and spanks her bottom once when she fusses about being upside down. Umm…no. Not okay.
THEN, Ben’s father tells him to check Maggie for leeches, which results in Ben carrying her up the hill (against her protests), then up go her skirts, off go her stockings and yeah it turns out there are leeches on her legs. Leeches or no, I’m still not okay with him lifting her skirts and removing her stockings without her permission, all while she's throwing a fit over it. All I could think through this whole things was, “I’m supposed to want the two of them to get together when he's introduced like this???” Until I realized he was the romantic interest mentioned on the back cover, I thought these guys were ruffians! To Ben’s credit, he did apologize for the way he treated her later and seemed to genuinely regret it, but man-handling a woman like that should never have been an option if he was really a moral man, worthy of her hand in marriage.
Anyway, this being a romance, it had to change from hate to love eventually, and I felt like it changed awfully fast. They knew each other only for barely a week, if that long? And their interactions were brief, mainly with Maggie bringing Ben and his fellow workers food and chatting a little bit. And then all of a sudden Ben is thinking about how pretty she is and thinking about her kissable lips. He did at least walk her home at one point, but we’re given no insight as to if they talked about anything important during that walk. It also seemed kind of weird that the heroine (if I was understanding correctly???) was only 14? Ben sounded from the description like a full grown man and after the way he treated her at the beginning…I was getting creepy vibes.
There were also some moments of drama that I felt were totally unnecessary. The one that made me say, “Oh, for crying out loud,” was when Ben got bitten, first by a pygmy rattlesnake he *knew* was there but purposefully ignored, and then got bitten immediately after by another swamp snake. Both would have been completely avoidable if he hadn’t ignored his father's warning. His father got the venom out, but not before Ben’s legs are paralyzed. Really, Ben? Really? That was a dumb thing to do! And I wasn’t even worried about his paralyzation because the back of the book says he joins the army later on, so obviously he got better enough to walk and fight. An unfortunate example of a spoilery book synopsis totally fizzling the story's tension.
There *were* a few things I liked about the parts of the story I read, like all the references to the historical things that were happening around that time. And the spiritual themes were quite strong, with God and His providential hand in the history of the United States referenced frequently, to the point I even kept seeing them while skimming the rest of the book trying to convince myself to keep reading. Honestly, If it weren’t for the romance I couldn’t get into and other irritating things I couldn't get past, the story probably is good. If it sounds interesting to anyone reading this review and you can overlook the issues mentioned here, go for it. You may appreciate it more than I could. It just wasn't for me.
Content advisory: I can only mention content I saw in the 47 pages I read, but including the issues already mentioned in my review, some other things to be aware of were…
Historically accurate racism and sexism: This story was set in the south during the Civil War era, and the main character’s father owned slaves, so there was some racism present. The heroine's father did not believe black people were equal to white people and stated outright that he didn’t agree with the abolitionists.
The overseer, Mr. Reynolds, was generally a jerk and called one slave a “blackie” when the man dared to speak to him, and also had a tendency to boss Maggie and her mother around.
We find out that Maggie and her mother have been going behind the overseeer’s and their father’s/husband’s back and teaching the slaves to read and write. However when the father/husband starts to get wind of it, he chastises them and neither he nor the overseer seem to think slaves should be educated in any way.
Speaking of Maggie and her mother, neither of them seem to be completely okay with slavery, but also have little to no say in the matter as it relates to their own household.
Sexual: Along with what was already mentioned in my review, Mr. Reynolds frequently made Maggie (and this reader) uncomfortable by leering at her nearly every time they were on the page together. As I said before, I only got to page 47 and don’t know if that ever escalated, but I will repeat that she was only 14 and it was very creepy.
Violence: One man dies after getting snake-bitten three times and his cries of agony are mentioned as well as a description of his bloated dead body a day later. The story continues through the entire four years of the Civil War and, as stated on the back cover of the book, Ben joins the army, so it is possible some combat is shown, but I did not specifically see it while skimming to know how graphic it is. I did, however, see one description of a blood-soaked bandage.
July 27, 2019
I loved this book! The cover was very appropriate. As you can see, Maggie was a Southern Belle - I can picture her wearing beautiful gowns and carrying her lace fan as you see in the photo above. Her Father had a plantation called Spirit Wind. Maggie's Mother was half Cherokee and Irish. Marie had strong faith in God and that kept Maggie grounded in the Lord.
The beginning of the book the time period is around 1849. I learned a lot about the Irish immigrants and how they were treated. As the book progressed I also learned more about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln had a big part in this novel.
From the beginning this book kept my interest. Right away Maggie was thrown into a dangerous situation trying to rescue a man from an infested swamp.
This book was full of Scripture and other quotes and anecdotes from the Irish and from Abe Lincoln. I also enjoyed hearing Irish songs - I had never heard of these before.
I highly recommend this book. The author did great research and did a superb job of creating the atmosphere and feelings of the people during this time period. I very much want to read the next book in this series.
The beginning of the book the time period is around 1849. I learned a lot about the Irish immigrants and how they were treated. As the book progressed I also learned more about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln had a big part in this novel.
From the beginning this book kept my interest. Right away Maggie was thrown into a dangerous situation trying to rescue a man from an infested swamp.
This book was full of Scripture and other quotes and anecdotes from the Irish and from Abe Lincoln. I also enjoyed hearing Irish songs - I had never heard of these before.
I highly recommend this book. The author did great research and did a superb job of creating the atmosphere and feelings of the people during this time period. I very much want to read the next book in this series.
September 6, 2017
Great title for a great book!!! It has a little bit of everything thing in it including John Brown!
I love this book for so many reasons.
I could feel the love, and especially hate in this book. The author did a great job in bringing out the feelings in these characters.
I think Ben has to be my favorite. I just love Ben because he's kind, loving, and compassionate all rolled into one. Did I say he was handsome?
Maggie is just as delightful. I hated that she got caught up in the middle of everything. I did admire her strength for standing up for what she believes in. I love her honesty.
She's just as delightful as Ben.
Both are very stubborn!!
The overseer was something else now. He was definitely a piece of work is all I have to say.
I think what I love about this book was the action/adventure.
I have to say I'm skeptical about the rent revival and what went on there.
But overall I really enjoyed this book!
I strongly recommend this book to people who love reading historical books because it will take you back into a time just on the brink of our Civil war
You won't want to put this book down until you finish it.
I received this book for free. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own
I love this book for so many reasons.
I could feel the love, and especially hate in this book. The author did a great job in bringing out the feelings in these characters.
I think Ben has to be my favorite. I just love Ben because he's kind, loving, and compassionate all rolled into one. Did I say he was handsome?
Maggie is just as delightful. I hated that she got caught up in the middle of everything. I did admire her strength for standing up for what she believes in. I love her honesty.
She's just as delightful as Ben.
Both are very stubborn!!
The overseer was something else now. He was definitely a piece of work is all I have to say.
I think what I love about this book was the action/adventure.
I have to say I'm skeptical about the rent revival and what went on there.
But overall I really enjoyed this book!
I strongly recommend this book to people who love reading historical books because it will take you back into a time just on the brink of our Civil war
You won't want to put this book down until you finish it.
I received this book for free. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own
June 20, 2017
I won a copy of this historical fiction in an online event. I enjoyed reading this "Women's Fiction," even as a guy. Women are doing wonderful work in historical fiction these days.
Set before and during the Civil War, this book avoids the cliches of Civil War romances, concentrating instead on the historical ambiguities posed by cultural, ethnic and regional identities struggling with an emerging American reality. I don't think I've ever read better description of the interplay of dramatic and mundane realities in the people of that time, as families and neighbors, fighting for opposing sides on the battlefield, must come home from time to time and interact with as much civility as possible over property, marriages, and other issues that connect them even as the historic struggle pulls them apart.
Brakefield does a great job using words to engage the reader's senses. Her scenes of a work crew draining a swamp are harrowing (SPOILER if you are afraid of snakes, get ready...) Her romantic passages stay PG but verge on erotic. Her descriptions of period homes become photographic.
The spiritual passages of the book ring true in the mouths of that period's people. There are no extended sermons; instead, characters apply (or struggle to apply) Biblical passages, which did in fact comprise much of the moral understanding in that time, and which were used to teach children to read.
I couldn't give the book a 5-star due to some distracting editing problems. There are a number of typos on the level of "The tree had stop (sic) moving."
But on the whole I enjoyed the book enough to consume it over my lunch hours at work, looking forward to diving back into Brakefield's story more than getting off the work floor.
Swept into Destiny launches a series, and there is a teaser from the next book at the end of this one.
Set before and during the Civil War, this book avoids the cliches of Civil War romances, concentrating instead on the historical ambiguities posed by cultural, ethnic and regional identities struggling with an emerging American reality. I don't think I've ever read better description of the interplay of dramatic and mundane realities in the people of that time, as families and neighbors, fighting for opposing sides on the battlefield, must come home from time to time and interact with as much civility as possible over property, marriages, and other issues that connect them even as the historic struggle pulls them apart.
Brakefield does a great job using words to engage the reader's senses. Her scenes of a work crew draining a swamp are harrowing (SPOILER if you are afraid of snakes, get ready...) Her romantic passages stay PG but verge on erotic. Her descriptions of period homes become photographic.
The spiritual passages of the book ring true in the mouths of that period's people. There are no extended sermons; instead, characters apply (or struggle to apply) Biblical passages, which did in fact comprise much of the moral understanding in that time, and which were used to teach children to read.
I couldn't give the book a 5-star due to some distracting editing problems. There are a number of typos on the level of "The tree had stop (sic) moving."
But on the whole I enjoyed the book enough to consume it over my lunch hours at work, looking forward to diving back into Brakefield's story more than getting off the work floor.
Swept into Destiny launches a series, and there is a teaser from the next book at the end of this one.
June 19, 2017
I was privileged to get a sneak peek at Catherine Ulrich Brakefield’s new novel and what a treat. Swept into Destiny is a wonderful historical romance that gives the reader a glimpse into the Irish immigrants in the Civil War. This well-research story moves along like the splendor of Gone with The Wind. We experience life on the plantation, life as the poor Irish and life in a divided nation and the war devastation that changed the culture. Ben McConnell is a wonderful character who portrays the best of the Irish spirit and Maggie Gatlin the heart of Southern charity.
Catherine has captured the determine nature of the Irish. Their perseverance amid extreme difficulties. The Irish song lyrics on the battlefield added the creation of the brave warriors willing to sacrifice their lives for a new beginning in a new land.
Cindy Ervin Huff , Winner of the Editor’s Choice Award for Secrets and Charades and President of the Aurora Chapter of Word Weavers.
Catherine has captured the determine nature of the Irish. Their perseverance amid extreme difficulties. The Irish song lyrics on the battlefield added the creation of the brave warriors willing to sacrifice their lives for a new beginning in a new land.
Cindy Ervin Huff , Winner of the Editor’s Choice Award for Secrets and Charades and President of the Aurora Chapter of Word Weavers.
December 6, 2018
Historical and spiritual Romance....Civil War Era
Cathy Brakefield writes a story with the same flourish as Margaret Mitchell and Louisa May Alcott. I enjoyed this quote " The constitution was made so there would be no more tyrants to govern the People." The civil war story has believable characters that enhance the story with the interaction of real historical characters. It is full of spiritual quotes from the bible in appropriate places. There is love ,hate, songs and historical quotes woven in throughout the story bringing history to life. She describes the Underground Railroad,teaching blacks to read and write,John Brown, Abe Lincoln and the hardships that come about in times of war. I found this story a heartwarming and enjoyable read. My husband purchased this book for me and I can not wait to read the 3 other period books in this series. I would recommend this book to adults and teens who like to read a realistic story about history. can not wait to start the next one!
Cathy Brakefield writes a story with the same flourish as Margaret Mitchell and Louisa May Alcott. I enjoyed this quote " The constitution was made so there would be no more tyrants to govern the People." The civil war story has believable characters that enhance the story with the interaction of real historical characters. It is full of spiritual quotes from the bible in appropriate places. There is love ,hate, songs and historical quotes woven in throughout the story bringing history to life. She describes the Underground Railroad,teaching blacks to read and write,John Brown, Abe Lincoln and the hardships that come about in times of war. I found this story a heartwarming and enjoyable read. My husband purchased this book for me and I can not wait to read the 3 other period books in this series. I would recommend this book to adults and teens who like to read a realistic story about history. can not wait to start the next one!
September 10, 2017
This is the second Catherine Ulrich Brakefield novel I've read and like the first one, I enjoyed Swept into Destiny as well. To play up the title, Ms. Brakefield always sweeps me into the time era. I recommend this novel!
May 22, 2019
Excellent! I love reading a book that entertains and teaches me at the same time. I had no idea how the Irish people were treated around the civil war. Can’t wait to read the other books in the series.
November 14, 2017
Wonderful historically rich Civil War novel, the first in a series. Looking forward to the next book.
August 30, 2017
3.5 Stars
Swept Into Destiny really works so well as the title. Author Catherine Ulrich Brakefield did a great job in presenting readers a time period that is at the brink of chaos. Pre-Civil War and the tumultuous beginnings of hate and discourse of slave-owners versus others. I like our hero and heroine. Their characterizations are intriguing at times and it brings in the action towards the storyline. The swamp scenes all gets to me and kind of teeth clenching type. There's a lot of grit in it that makes it visually impactful, and I think at times, it's a little much. With that said, I think Swept Into Destiny is rich in historical details, while giving readers strong characters to really want to get to know.
This review first appeared on Just Commonly blog.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.
Swept Into Destiny really works so well as the title. Author Catherine Ulrich Brakefield did a great job in presenting readers a time period that is at the brink of chaos. Pre-Civil War and the tumultuous beginnings of hate and discourse of slave-owners versus others. I like our hero and heroine. Their characterizations are intriguing at times and it brings in the action towards the storyline. The swamp scenes all gets to me and kind of teeth clenching type. There's a lot of grit in it that makes it visually impactful, and I think at times, it's a little much. With that said, I think Swept Into Destiny is rich in historical details, while giving readers strong characters to really want to get to know.
This review first appeared on Just Commonly blog.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.
July 18, 2019
Captivating story
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It gave you a very different point of view of the Civil War time period. I have read many books set in that time, and this one took me on quite a journey. I’m not sure if the Kindle version translated some page/paragraph divisions well, because there were times where I felt like the storyline just randomly jumped. That was a little disconcerting. Overall, I would definitely recommend it and look forward to reading the second one at some point.
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It gave you a very different point of view of the Civil War time period. I have read many books set in that time, and this one took me on quite a journey. I’m not sure if the Kindle version translated some page/paragraph divisions well, because there were times where I felt like the storyline just randomly jumped. That was a little disconcerting. Overall, I would definitely recommend it and look forward to reading the second one at some point.
August 16, 2019
Well written story set around the time of the Civil war/War between the states. This book shows some of the family divides and cross overs that were part of that.
October 16, 2020
Catherine did an amazing job with this series. As soon as I read the first one I had to read the second.
Be sure to leave time in your schedule to be Swept away into Destiny. You'll be glad you did!
Be sure to leave time in your schedule to be Swept away into Destiny. You'll be glad you did!
July 31, 2022
Swept into Destiny is a historical novel with intrigue and romance. I love the strong main character. Courageous Maggie Gatlan bucks society's expectations of women. She also takes huge risks to teach slaves to read and write. This is a great read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews