What do you think?
Rate this book
Confederates' Physician #1
The Confederates' Physician
When the Confederacy captures her, she's given a choice: treat the Confederate wounded and be branded a traitor by her own people, or refuse and be among the hundreds buried in a common grave on the battlefield.
“…an excellent historical fiction…”-The Faerie Review
“…a really good read about the Civil War…”-Reading is My Remedy
“…a story for anyone who loves US history and a fabulous love story…”-Amazon review
“…intertwines the beauty of love with the pain of war…”-Amazon review
“…Civil War historical fiction at its best…”-Amazon review
The year is 1863, and the United States is entering the third year of the Civil War. Young Samantha Carter, recently educated as a physician in Paris, defies her father, disguises herself as a boy, and runs away to enlist in the Union Medical Corps. On her way there, she is captured by a Confederate patrol. When the commanding officer, Major Ethan Winters-Hunt, discovers that the Yankee “boy” is a capable surgeon, he forces her to serve as a surgeon for the Confederate Army.
Samantha is unprepared for the horrors of battle and finds she must draw upon the strength and native mysticism imbued in her as a child, running wild on the Western Frontier with the Lakota Indians. She must maintain her disguise under rigorous conditions. She is loyal to the Union, and yet she must save the lives of enemy soldiers.
As Ethan takes Samantha from her first battlefield experience in Virginia to the defense of Atlanta, a tenuous friendship develops between them. Eventually, Samantha's identity as a young woman is discovered, and the friendship that Ethan and Samantha share turns into a passionate love that is severely tested by deceit and betrayal as the nation rages in war.
The Confederates' Physician is an epic love story that takes the reader back to the bloodiest time in American History—when families were torn apart, loyalties were tested, and innocence was lost.
“…an excellent historical fiction…”-The Faerie Review
“…a really good read about the Civil War…”-Reading is My Remedy
“…a story for anyone who loves US history and a fabulous love story…”-Amazon review
“…intertwines the beauty of love with the pain of war…”-Amazon review
“…Civil War historical fiction at its best…”-Amazon review
The year is 1863, and the United States is entering the third year of the Civil War. Young Samantha Carter, recently educated as a physician in Paris, defies her father, disguises herself as a boy, and runs away to enlist in the Union Medical Corps. On her way there, she is captured by a Confederate patrol. When the commanding officer, Major Ethan Winters-Hunt, discovers that the Yankee “boy” is a capable surgeon, he forces her to serve as a surgeon for the Confederate Army.
Samantha is unprepared for the horrors of battle and finds she must draw upon the strength and native mysticism imbued in her as a child, running wild on the Western Frontier with the Lakota Indians. She must maintain her disguise under rigorous conditions. She is loyal to the Union, and yet she must save the lives of enemy soldiers.
As Ethan takes Samantha from her first battlefield experience in Virginia to the defense of Atlanta, a tenuous friendship develops between them. Eventually, Samantha's identity as a young woman is discovered, and the friendship that Ethan and Samantha share turns into a passionate love that is severely tested by deceit and betrayal as the nation rages in war.
The Confederates' Physician is an epic love story that takes the reader back to the bloodiest time in American History—when families were torn apart, loyalties were tested, and innocence was lost.
483 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2019
268 people are currently reading
2891 people want to read
About the author
Alison Blasdell
13 books84 followersAlison is a versatile author who artfully blends genres to create fast-paced, memorable stories, always keeping a woman’s quest for empowerment at the heart of her novels. There is a reason why she focuses on strong women who overcome adversity.
Alison admits to running away from kindergarten three times. In high school, the career counselor told her that her grades were too poor to consider attending college. She wanted to pursue martial arts as a teenager but was told she shouldn’t engage in karate because she would get hurt fighting men. She was cautioned about riding horses because of the incidence of severe injury. And finally, she wanted to match her skills in marksmanship with the boys but was told girls couldn’t shoot.
Alison earned a Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics and taught nursing, medical, and physiology students for 30 years before retiring. She earned a Black Belt in karate. She rides her horses every day. And girls can’t shoot?
She often weaves her areas of interest and her passion for history into her novels. She has placed her characters in Britain’s Bronze Age, Medieval Scotland and England, Genghis Kahn’s Mongolian Empire, Ancient Greece, and the U.S. Civil War. However, not wanting to always live in the past, she is also the author of two contemporary spy thriller novels that have garnered an international following.
Alison lives with her husband, two dogs, and three horses in the Midwest on a farm that has been in her family for 175 years.
Alison admits to running away from kindergarten three times. In high school, the career counselor told her that her grades were too poor to consider attending college. She wanted to pursue martial arts as a teenager but was told she shouldn’t engage in karate because she would get hurt fighting men. She was cautioned about riding horses because of the incidence of severe injury. And finally, she wanted to match her skills in marksmanship with the boys but was told girls couldn’t shoot.
Alison earned a Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics and taught nursing, medical, and physiology students for 30 years before retiring. She earned a Black Belt in karate. She rides her horses every day. And girls can’t shoot?
She often weaves her areas of interest and her passion for history into her novels. She has placed her characters in Britain’s Bronze Age, Medieval Scotland and England, Genghis Kahn’s Mongolian Empire, Ancient Greece, and the U.S. Civil War. However, not wanting to always live in the past, she is also the author of two contemporary spy thriller novels that have garnered an international following.
Alison lives with her husband, two dogs, and three horses in the Midwest on a farm that has been in her family for 175 years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 26, 2022
couldn’t put it down
Didn’t know much about the history of the South or the war even though I live near Petersburg Virginia. But I’m a Yankee that’s why. With all the racial tensions here today I found this a very good way to begin to get a sense of the white South and their attitudes. Those attitudes are still around. . The author keeps you wanting to keep reading.
Didn’t know much about the history of the South or the war even though I live near Petersburg Virginia. But I’m a Yankee that’s why. With all the racial tensions here today I found this a very good way to begin to get a sense of the white South and their attitudes. Those attitudes are still around. . The author keeps you wanting to keep reading.
January 19, 2021
Couldn’t stop reading it. Loved it
February 24, 2022
This book covers much of the Civil War when a young woman physician leaves home to work with the Union Army. She is disguised as a young man and is captured and taken to the confederate camp to care for the sick and wounded. This tension between Sam and Ethan Confederate officer who keeps her hostage. The danger and gore of the surgeries Sam has to perform are graphic. Sam and Ethan become more attracted to one another when he discovers that she is a young female. The historical description of the Confederate's struggle to maintain their way of life and resist the Union Army are full of historic descriptions. Even when Sam is given the opportunity to go to the Union Army she remains with the Confederates to care for the injured. The struggle between Ethan and Samantha continue as they both admit their love for one another. This story is filled with pain, grief, and love that cannot be realized.
As the war ends, Samantha travels home to be with her family. They were very angry that she is pregnant by a Union Officer and that she spent so much time with Confederates. They did support her and her unborn child. In the end Ethan finds her and proposes marriage but it does require returning to his home in the south.
This was an incredible, fast moving story, with much historical information and detail. Not for the faint of heart.
As the war ends, Samantha travels home to be with her family. They were very angry that she is pregnant by a Union Officer and that she spent so much time with Confederates. They did support her and her unborn child. In the end Ethan finds her and proposes marriage but it does require returning to his home in the south.
This was an incredible, fast moving story, with much historical information and detail. Not for the faint of heart.
February 23, 2022
Great Book
Although the story of the Civil War has been told time and time again, we are introduced to the practice of medicine. How women were treated in that time although strong in their own right held to a standard that kept many from being as useful as they could be. Most stayed home making sure children were fed and the home was kept while the worry wore on them. This story shows us that that some women did fight beside their husbands and although this is a story of fiction it is one that shows the true grit that some women did poses.
I enjoyed the book and hope that you will too.
Although the story of the Civil War has been told time and time again, we are introduced to the practice of medicine. How women were treated in that time although strong in their own right held to a standard that kept many from being as useful as they could be. Most stayed home making sure children were fed and the home was kept while the worry wore on them. This story shows us that that some women did fight beside their husbands and although this is a story of fiction it is one that shows the true grit that some women did poses.
I enjoyed the book and hope that you will too.
March 2, 2023
Loved this book. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but because of the subject matter and all the reviews, I continued. The character development was so well done and the story was creative and historically accurate. I grew up on the Mason Dixon line in Maryland where civil war stories are passed down through generations. I believe the author captured the moral conflict of slavery, economic independence and human sacrifice that the south and the north suffered. All told through the life of a young female surgeon. So good. Can’t stop thinking about it. Can’t wait to read her next book.
May 7, 2023
A really great read about the Civil War and the horror of what the soldiers faced on the front lines and in the camps. Told from the perspective a female disguised as a male and thrown into the midst of war as a surgeon. Samantha recently back from a medical school in Paris is bound and determined to help fight the war. She disguises herself as a boy and runs off to join the Union Medial Corps, but gets into a bind when she gets captured by a Confederate parol and forced to help in the med tents after she tells them she is a physician. With the battles nonstop, Samantha has no time to think, let alone hardly eat or sleep and soon it has been months. She is still loyal to the Union, however she knows that what she is doing is saving lives and to her it doesn't matter what side these men are on, she knows she is doing good. Brining sanitation and new techniques into the med tents, she soon becomes a well known doc and wanted for her knowledge and ability to keep men alive. But when the truth of what she really is, is found out her life is even more at stake as well as those who had been duped by her. Not one to be tamed Samantha often does what she wants and isn't afraid to speak her mind, but now her new identity can also be of use but emotions are also now coming to the forefront since circumstances have changed with who she really is. I was very excited when I saw there was another novel written about Samantha's family, and I cannot wait to get and read that one. Thank you to Author Marketing Experts for the invite to read this novel, and to the author for the free copy of this novel.
March 25, 2022
Samantha Carter who becomes Sam Cartier to try to make it in a man's world of medicine is determined to provide medical care and treatment for the Union soldiers but on the way is captured by the Confederate army and forced to work as a physician. After her fraudulent way of being able to attend medical school in Paris, she is able to treat the soldiers but is unprepared for the grisly and torturous amputations without any anesthesia, she is forced to do , and begins to care for each life she must try to save. Samantha as Sam Cartier is able to make a real difference in applying what she has learned in her schooling, to the army surgical unit. Samantha who was raised with the Lakota Indian ways , is extremely resourceful and compassionate , but very cunning in her skills of survival. I enjoyed reading this giveaway about this extraordinary woman who really was a 15 yr old girl who displays courage unlike most of the men she is around, and makes a difference in so many lives she touches, along with the man she falls deeply in love with who once was her enemy and protects her every step of the way.
August 6, 2022
Never wanted this story to end!
This was an incredible read, artfully woven against the backdrop of the Civil War. I often find civil war romances to have poor plots, too stereotyped, or not well researched. The author did a tremendous job of depicting the warring sides by shedding light on the challenges and motivations that drove each army. The characters were also vivid and likable. Overall a great read.
This was an incredible read, artfully woven against the backdrop of the Civil War. I often find civil war romances to have poor plots, too stereotyped, or not well researched. The author did a tremendous job of depicting the warring sides by shedding light on the challenges and motivations that drove each army. The characters were also vivid and likable. Overall a great read.
June 17, 2022
Page one and that was it
For me this book was a page turner. I stayed up very late. Forced myself to go to bed.today
I TOOK THE ENTIRE day to sit and just read until the end of a wonderful story with history facts I had not comprehend before. Terrific writing and will follow this author. My cat thanks you too. Sincerely, A fan.
For me this book was a page turner. I stayed up very late. Forced myself to go to bed.today
I TOOK THE ENTIRE day to sit and just read until the end of a wonderful story with history facts I had not comprehend before. Terrific writing and will follow this author. My cat thanks you too. Sincerely, A fan.
March 11, 2024
This. Book. Is. Everything. I loved everything about it. I tend to stick to historical fiction and haven't gotten a real page turner in so long. This one I just could not put down. No fluff or silly drama just a beautiful book!!
December 28, 2020
This book moved quickly and I enjoyed the history. In places, I felt the writing was not as polished as it could have been.
November 3, 2025
A wonderful book that demonstrates just how tough women are! I was sad to reach the end.
1963
Samantha Carter is strong and stubborn. As a child she spent time with the Lakota Indians learning their ways and became a Medicine Woman. Having recently been educated as a physician in Paris, she is intent on joining the Union Medical Corps. She disguises herself as a boy, running away from her family in Iowa, but quickly looses her way and is taken prisoner by the Confederacy. When the commanding officer Major Ethan Winters-Hunt realizes that the “boy” Dr. Sam Cartier, has medical skills, he takes him South to be a Confederate surgeon. Sam sees the suffering of the south and her mind about the enemy and their motivation changes. She becomes a revered physician by the Confederate troops working to save their lives and, by unconventional methods, to bring sanitation methods to the medical front. (LOL)
When Samantha is badly wounded herself in a battle at Kennesaw Mountain, it is discovered that she is a young woman! This fact is known only to a few. Major Ethan Winters-Hunt nurses her back to health and offers her a chance to return to the North but Samantha chooses to remain with the Confederate troops.
Ethan and saucy Samantha fall in love but their relationship is not without serious challenges and surprises.
1963
Samantha Carter is strong and stubborn. As a child she spent time with the Lakota Indians learning their ways and became a Medicine Woman. Having recently been educated as a physician in Paris, she is intent on joining the Union Medical Corps. She disguises herself as a boy, running away from her family in Iowa, but quickly looses her way and is taken prisoner by the Confederacy. When the commanding officer Major Ethan Winters-Hunt realizes that the “boy” Dr. Sam Cartier, has medical skills, he takes him South to be a Confederate surgeon. Sam sees the suffering of the south and her mind about the enemy and their motivation changes. She becomes a revered physician by the Confederate troops working to save their lives and, by unconventional methods, to bring sanitation methods to the medical front. (LOL)
When Samantha is badly wounded herself in a battle at Kennesaw Mountain, it is discovered that she is a young woman! This fact is known only to a few. Major Ethan Winters-Hunt nurses her back to health and offers her a chance to return to the North but Samantha chooses to remain with the Confederate troops.
Ethan and saucy Samantha fall in love but their relationship is not without serious challenges and surprises.
August 20, 2025
I stumbled across this book at Goodwill thinking it would just be an interesting before-bed read.
WOW—within the first couple of chapters I was completely hooked, and the story kept unfolding in ways I didn’t expect. I haven’t read many books from this time period, fiction or non-fiction, but I really appreciated the author’s commitment to historical accuracy surrounding the Civil War and the unflinching look at the gruesome realities of medical treatment during the war.
One of my favorite takeaways was Sam’s decision to enlist the help of women on the margins of society—prostitutes—to improve camp sanitation. By implementing better practices around human waste, food preparation, and handwashing, they helped combat the unsanitary conditions that were responsible for killing over two-thirds of Confederate soldiers. That storyline alone was fascinating and eye-opening.
⚠️ A note for readers: the relationship between Sam and Ethan does get a bit spicy at times, with a few jarring moments.
Overall, this was an unexpectedly powerful read that blended history, medicine, and human drama in a way that really stuck with me.
WOW—within the first couple of chapters I was completely hooked, and the story kept unfolding in ways I didn’t expect. I haven’t read many books from this time period, fiction or non-fiction, but I really appreciated the author’s commitment to historical accuracy surrounding the Civil War and the unflinching look at the gruesome realities of medical treatment during the war.
One of my favorite takeaways was Sam’s decision to enlist the help of women on the margins of society—prostitutes—to improve camp sanitation. By implementing better practices around human waste, food preparation, and handwashing, they helped combat the unsanitary conditions that were responsible for killing over two-thirds of Confederate soldiers. That storyline alone was fascinating and eye-opening.
⚠️ A note for readers: the relationship between Sam and Ethan does get a bit spicy at times, with a few jarring moments.
Overall, this was an unexpectedly powerful read that blended history, medicine, and human drama in a way that really stuck with me.
August 16, 2023
I was excited to read this book because one of my ancestors had a similar story of pretending to be a man so that she could fight in the Civil War next to her husband. Unfortunately, the book was poorly written. The book was filled with info dumps that felt like the author was shoving random Wikipedia content into the story. I came across several grammatical and/or spelling errors that distracted from the story. The book was just over 400 pages and I made it to page 300 before I finally gave up on it. By that point the story had turned into a really weird harlequin romance novel between a 16 year old girl and an older man who alternated between yelling at her and "spanking her" for her misbehavior and trying to restrain himself from tearing her clothes off. It was just an awkward, weird, love story that didn't include nearly as much Civil War and did include far more steamy romance than I was hoping for.
January 20, 2024
Such an interesting lead character but I would have liked it so much more if she had been aged up even just a little. Just because in that era men considered women ready for marriage at 12 years old doesn't mean it is palatable or relatable to be reading about sex scenes with a 14/15-year-old girl. Much of the narrative felt like a southerner trying to reframe the era in that they would have "come around" on the slavery issue eventually and justification for the Civil War being solely about states rights. I kept reading, expecting that we would discover these white southerners that we were supposed to root for were part of the Underground railroad or something along those lines. Even allowing for the context of the era I couldn't get past the age of the protagonist and the uncomfortable whitewashing of the stories.
March 12, 2023
This was an excellent historical fiction, set later in the civil war. If you love strong heroines, then Sam is about to steal your heart - she's smart, stubborn, and determined to follow her heart no matter what. The story opens with a scene that grabs your attention and makes you want to read more, and moves along smoothly from there. I really liked Ethan, he and Sam make a great duo, and watching them get to know each other and fall in love was wonderful. There are some scenes that are absolutely not for the squeamish, (this is war after all), and Blasdell does an excellent job bringing the historic setting to life. It's clear plenty of research went into this book. Cannot recommend enough!
June 23, 2022
This took my awhile to finish seeing as I don’t typically read historical fiction or historical romance. This might be the first. I was intrigued by the concept. I enjoyed Sam wanting to fight and be a doctor and in disguise. I liked the romance between Sam and Ethan. At points it was slow and repetitive. How many times can Sam literally “run” off? I know it’s showing her wild nature but still. I do feel like some of the characters were stereotypical. I think this should’ve been 100 pages shorter. Overall I enjoyed it and am interested in continuing with the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2023
This book was so good! I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited and it’s been on my Kindle since October. I’ve been putting it off but I’ve had a really hard time finding the motivation to read and finish reading books. I finally finished a book I’d been “reading” for almost a month, and decided to give this one a shot. I LOVE historical romances and I LOVE the Civil War so that’s what caught my attention. I read it in two days, it was just that engaging! I need more of Sam & Ethan’s story together! I’m reading the sequel now and can’t wait to see what happens!
August 21, 2025
I've read a few western books with the theme including the American Civil War but this one has to be one of the best by far. Not being an American I don't know anything about their past so when a book has history as part of the story line it gives a person an insight on how things were back then. Overall the book kept me entertained to the extend I had to finish it in one seating. First time reading for this author as well so may look at her other books.
October 5, 2022
mesmerizing story
It is ironic that I bought the sequel which I haven’t read yet and then discovered this book a year later and it sat on my to be read list. And here I am writing a review of a book that I so loved. I love Sam I’ve loved Ethan I love their angst and they were fighting in the setting of the Civil War.
It is ironic that I bought the sequel which I haven’t read yet and then discovered this book a year later and it sat on my to be read list. And here I am writing a review of a book that I so loved. I love Sam I’ve loved Ethan I love their angst and they were fighting in the setting of the Civil War.
January 29, 2024
Totally Amazing
I didn't want to read this book, it must be phenomenal for me to review. This book was so educational and the romantic aspect was developed so heartbreakingly beautiful that it is a must read. I hate sad stories but sometimes you just have to let the tears flow. And the ending was worth it
I didn't want to read this book, it must be phenomenal for me to review. This book was so educational and the romantic aspect was developed so heartbreakingly beautiful that it is a must read. I hate sad stories but sometimes you just have to let the tears flow. And the ending was worth it
October 25, 2022
I loved this book. I find history to be difficult to read so I am always happy to read a book that gives me a good storyline while explaining history at the same time. This book was so well written and brings the characters to life. Will follow this author and look for more books to come.
September 26, 2022
Wonderful story I really loved it!!
October 17, 2022
Big ICK factor here. She turned 15 the previous month, she's his prisoner, and he's married, and he still sleeps with her. Then there's the whole Confederate-apologist tone. Nope.
March 26, 2023
Couldn’t put it down!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews