What do you think?
Rate this book
A More Perfect Union
Inspired by true events, A More Perfect Union is an epic story of love and courage, desperation and determination, and three people whose lives are inescapably entwined…
Henry O’Toole sails to America in 1848 to escape the famine in Ireland, only to face anti-immigrant prejudice. Determined never to starve again, he changes his surname to Taylor and heads south to Virginia, seeking work as a traveling blacksmith on the prosperous plantations.
Torn from her home and sold to Jubilee Plantation, Sarah must navigate its intricate hierarchy. And now an enigmatic blacksmith is promising her not just the world but also her freedom. How could she say no?
Enslaved at Jubilee Plantation, Maple is desperate to return to her husband and daughter. With Sarah’s arrival, she sees her chance to be reunited at last with her family—but at what cost?
Henry O’Toole sails to America in 1848 to escape the famine in Ireland, only to face anti-immigrant prejudice. Determined never to starve again, he changes his surname to Taylor and heads south to Virginia, seeking work as a traveling blacksmith on the prosperous plantations.
Torn from her home and sold to Jubilee Plantation, Sarah must navigate its intricate hierarchy. And now an enigmatic blacksmith is promising her not just the world but also her freedom. How could she say no?
Enslaved at Jubilee Plantation, Maple is desperate to return to her husband and daughter. With Sarah’s arrival, she sees her chance to be reunited at last with her family—but at what cost?
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2020
48 people are currently reading
5265 people want to read
About the author
Tammye Huf
4 books73 followersOriginally from the east and west coast of the USA, I have lived in the UK with my husband and three kids for the last twenty years. I love nothing more than to immerse myself into new places and experiences, and I love the way that books allow me to do that, travelling the globe or even back in time with the turn of a page.
Since earning my BA from Wellesley College, I have been a teacher of various ages and abilities as well as a copywriter and a translator. I've had the pleasure of seeing my short stories published in several literary magazines and being named the third-place winner of the London Magazine Short Story Prize 2018.
Since earning my BA from Wellesley College, I have been a teacher of various ages and abilities as well as a copywriter and a translator. I've had the pleasure of seeing my short stories published in several literary magazines and being named the third-place winner of the London Magazine Short Story Prize 2018.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
March 1, 2021
This was the third slave narrative novel I read this month and it was also the Read Soul Lit Readalong for February 2021. A More Perfect Union is a story based on the great great grandparents of the author Tammye Huff. Henry O'Toole is white Irish and Sarah is a slave. This story centers around their love story but explores how each character deals with their situation. Henry soon learns what it means to be a slave even though for him starvation in Ireland is what motivates him to survive in this new world. Well-written with great characters and a story that will have you glued from the start, I highly recommend A More Perfect Union.
March 20, 2023
5 star story and audio!
This book was inspired by true events and it was so good!! Some parts were super tough to read, but this book surprised me. I went in blind and did not know there would be a love story involved.
Henry O’Toole escaped a potato famine, comes to America around 1848, changes his name to Henry Taylor so he can get work as a blacksmith. Being that he’s Irish, he’s very much looked down upon. He meets Sarah, an enslaved Black woman that he falls head over heels for pretty much from first glance. Everything is an uphill struggle from there. Henry gets a job on the plantation that Sarah works on and it’s pretty much considered “the devil” as far as mixed race marriages and this causes a lot of problems. The storytelling in this book is amazing and I can’t believe this is the authors debut novel. This book is meaty, but sooo worth it. Go in blind, avoid spoilers and read this story.
This book was inspired by true events and it was so good!! Some parts were super tough to read, but this book surprised me. I went in blind and did not know there would be a love story involved.
Henry O’Toole escaped a potato famine, comes to America around 1848, changes his name to Henry Taylor so he can get work as a blacksmith. Being that he’s Irish, he’s very much looked down upon. He meets Sarah, an enslaved Black woman that he falls head over heels for pretty much from first glance. Everything is an uphill struggle from there. Henry gets a job on the plantation that Sarah works on and it’s pretty much considered “the devil” as far as mixed race marriages and this causes a lot of problems. The storytelling in this book is amazing and I can’t believe this is the authors debut novel. This book is meaty, but sooo worth it. Go in blind, avoid spoilers and read this story.
February 16, 2021
One of the best works of historical fiction I have read in a while and all the better because its based on the story of the author's great-great grandparents, which was a reassuring factor while reading, because so many obstacles get in the way of the two main protagonists the young Irish immigrant Henry O'Toole (who has already had to change his name to Taylor) and Sarah, the black slave he first encounters on the road in a storm, who treats his injured hand.
Henry is making his living as a blacksmith, after the disappointment of arriving in New York and struggling to find work due to discrimination by employers against the Irish. His story begins in the fields of Ireland and as he arrives on the plantation where Sarah works as a house slave, his ignorance of the South and their ways threatens to put her and those around her in danger.
The other main character is Maple, also a slave, but sister to the Master's wife, they have the same father, but she became separated from her mother, husband and daughter when her sister married, forced to move with her. Maple is full of anger and desperate for news of her family. She resents the presence of the blacksmith and would like nothing better than to wipe the smile off Sarah's face.
The novel is written in short chapters, reminiscent of the style of Bernice L. McFadden and there is a subtle rhythm in the narrative, where hopes are raised and dashed simultaneously, for Henry/Sarah and Maple. It's like a universal force that acts on them all at the same time, as their objectives and the means they use to attain them intersect, hinder and/or help them.
It's a compelling read, with great characters and you really are left wanting to know more, wishing to know more about the lives of these three characters and those whom they are connected to. It's a book that evokes a very visual response, I felt at times as if I were watching the scenes unfold and can imagine how much more tense it would have been to see this on screen.
I read this along with everyone in the Read Soul Lit Feb Read Along Group.
Henry is making his living as a blacksmith, after the disappointment of arriving in New York and struggling to find work due to discrimination by employers against the Irish. His story begins in the fields of Ireland and as he arrives on the plantation where Sarah works as a house slave, his ignorance of the South and their ways threatens to put her and those around her in danger.
The other main character is Maple, also a slave, but sister to the Master's wife, they have the same father, but she became separated from her mother, husband and daughter when her sister married, forced to move with her. Maple is full of anger and desperate for news of her family. She resents the presence of the blacksmith and would like nothing better than to wipe the smile off Sarah's face.
The novel is written in short chapters, reminiscent of the style of Bernice L. McFadden and there is a subtle rhythm in the narrative, where hopes are raised and dashed simultaneously, for Henry/Sarah and Maple. It's like a universal force that acts on them all at the same time, as their objectives and the means they use to attain them intersect, hinder and/or help them.
It's a compelling read, with great characters and you really are left wanting to know more, wishing to know more about the lives of these three characters and those whom they are connected to. It's a book that evokes a very visual response, I felt at times as if I were watching the scenes unfold and can imagine how much more tense it would have been to see this on screen.
I read this along with everyone in the Read Soul Lit Feb Read Along Group.
October 2, 2022
September Book Club Read
Slave Narrative, Historical, and A True Story, has my name all over it.
Eventhough, at times it is hard to read a slave narrative, I love the history of what our ancestors went through and how far we as a Black and White race have come.
This story was very unique. Not many slave stories end with an Irish and a Quaker man who comes on the plantation, takes the black slave girl away, and she lives her happily ever after.
The story was interesting bold, fierce, caring with so much love and determination 💟
I love when the "master" who thinks he has all the power, really has no power at all. He never saw the plan coming.
Kudos to the author for sharing your family story. I hope that Sarah and Henry lived a long and prosperous life. What an honor to them and your family.
Highly Recommend this book!!
Slave Narrative, Historical, and A True Story, has my name all over it.
Eventhough, at times it is hard to read a slave narrative, I love the history of what our ancestors went through and how far we as a Black and White race have come.
This story was very unique. Not many slave stories end with an Irish and a Quaker man who comes on the plantation, takes the black slave girl away, and she lives her happily ever after.
The story was interesting bold, fierce, caring with so much love and determination 💟
I love when the "master" who thinks he has all the power, really has no power at all. He never saw the plan coming.
Kudos to the author for sharing your family story. I hope that Sarah and Henry lived a long and prosperous life. What an honor to them and your family.
Highly Recommend this book!!
January 14, 2023
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
People say it's the disease and the hunger that's killing us, but I say it's the being poor.
Told in first person point-of-view chapters alternating, mostly, between Henry a young adult in Ireland slowly starving to death with his family because of the potato famine and greed of the English landowners and Sarah a young enslaved woman in Virginia who gets sold away from her family to masters who like to wield the word of God to their own means, A More Perfect Union was a story of survival and living in spite of.
“[...] Everything you do gets paid for one way or the other. If you ain't the one paying, you can sure bet someone else is.”
Henry's journey from leaving Ireland and the absolute no way to survive there after his parents die and his arrival in New York after being the only sibling to survive the ship ride over showed how he adapted the attitude of survival at all costs. He does things in New York he wouldn't have thought himself capable of to survive, in spite of the “Irish Need Not Apply” and eventually ends up a traveling blacksmith. He meets Sarah on the road one day and instantly feels something for her. Sarah now lives on Jubilee Plantation and is enslaved in the house to look after the master's son. Coming from Ireland, Henry has some ignorance about the American slavery system and he doesn't always respect the danger Sarah is in. Sarah understands it and when she sees that Henry has come to her plantation and the master hires him on to stay awhile, she knows she should stay away but also has feelings for Henry.
This is what it looks like when a master holds you special.
There is a third pov from a character called Maple and even though Sarah and Henry are clearly the focus of the story (the author's great-great-grandparents are the inspiration for Sarah and Henry), I often found Maple's povs the most powerful. Maple is the half-sister of the master's wife and after years of her ancestors being raped by their self-imposed masters, she could pass for white. She grew-up with and raised her half-sister and when the half-sister got married, their father gave Maple to her and Maple was forced to leave behind her mother, husband, and daughter Rose. Maple comes off hateful and mean to Sarah but readers get Maple's inner thoughts through her pov and her boiling rage and PTSD from her enslavement experiences had me understanding her more.
But I know I can't claim innocence no matter how small a cog of the wheel I am.
The bulk of the story is Henry and Sarah falling in love, Henry learning that any oppression he experienced as Irish is not the same as what Sarah lives, and them trying to figure out a way to be together. There's plantation politics between the other enslaved individuals at Jubilee, how they protect and fight for each other in the ways that they can, danger from the overseer, and a good look at how the master and missus think they are better than other owners because they follow the word of God. I liked how the author showed the hypocrisy of the master by claiming to be a man of god and then using it as a tool to try and placate Northern abolitionists and use it as a weapon against the people of Jubilee.
A country can claim that wrong is right, but that'll never erase the sin of it.
Given the time and place of this story, there are hard truths and experiences discussed and shown, definite content warnings for the control the master and overseer have over other human beings, the rapes (shown, remembered, and thought of), and whippings. I think Sarah not letting Henry absolve/explain away his making the chains that at times bound her, Maple's fraught determination to try and save her daughter, and Bessie, an older enslaved woman's fate, will be scenes that will stay with readers long after they finish the book.
“I promise that I'll be yours if you'll be mine.”
The ending was rushed through a little quickly, we get a brief, quick look at the, in spite of the obstacles, life Sarah and Henry forged for themselves to give some uplifting. This was a memorable story for its hard truths, Maple's rage, and promise.
People say it's the disease and the hunger that's killing us, but I say it's the being poor.
Told in first person point-of-view chapters alternating, mostly, between Henry a young adult in Ireland slowly starving to death with his family because of the potato famine and greed of the English landowners and Sarah a young enslaved woman in Virginia who gets sold away from her family to masters who like to wield the word of God to their own means, A More Perfect Union was a story of survival and living in spite of.
“[...] Everything you do gets paid for one way or the other. If you ain't the one paying, you can sure bet someone else is.”
Henry's journey from leaving Ireland and the absolute no way to survive there after his parents die and his arrival in New York after being the only sibling to survive the ship ride over showed how he adapted the attitude of survival at all costs. He does things in New York he wouldn't have thought himself capable of to survive, in spite of the “Irish Need Not Apply” and eventually ends up a traveling blacksmith. He meets Sarah on the road one day and instantly feels something for her. Sarah now lives on Jubilee Plantation and is enslaved in the house to look after the master's son. Coming from Ireland, Henry has some ignorance about the American slavery system and he doesn't always respect the danger Sarah is in. Sarah understands it and when she sees that Henry has come to her plantation and the master hires him on to stay awhile, she knows she should stay away but also has feelings for Henry.
This is what it looks like when a master holds you special.
There is a third pov from a character called Maple and even though Sarah and Henry are clearly the focus of the story (the author's great-great-grandparents are the inspiration for Sarah and Henry), I often found Maple's povs the most powerful. Maple is the half-sister of the master's wife and after years of her ancestors being raped by their self-imposed masters, she could pass for white. She grew-up with and raised her half-sister and when the half-sister got married, their father gave Maple to her and Maple was forced to leave behind her mother, husband, and daughter Rose. Maple comes off hateful and mean to Sarah but readers get Maple's inner thoughts through her pov and her boiling rage and PTSD from her enslavement experiences had me understanding her more.
But I know I can't claim innocence no matter how small a cog of the wheel I am.
The bulk of the story is Henry and Sarah falling in love, Henry learning that any oppression he experienced as Irish is not the same as what Sarah lives, and them trying to figure out a way to be together. There's plantation politics between the other enslaved individuals at Jubilee, how they protect and fight for each other in the ways that they can, danger from the overseer, and a good look at how the master and missus think they are better than other owners because they follow the word of God. I liked how the author showed the hypocrisy of the master by claiming to be a man of god and then using it as a tool to try and placate Northern abolitionists and use it as a weapon against the people of Jubilee.
A country can claim that wrong is right, but that'll never erase the sin of it.
Given the time and place of this story, there are hard truths and experiences discussed and shown, definite content warnings for the control the master and overseer have over other human beings, the rapes (shown, remembered, and thought of), and whippings. I think Sarah not letting Henry absolve/explain away his making the chains that at times bound her, Maple's fraught determination to try and save her daughter, and Bessie, an older enslaved woman's fate, will be scenes that will stay with readers long after they finish the book.
“I promise that I'll be yours if you'll be mine.”
The ending was rushed through a little quickly, we get a brief, quick look at the, in spite of the obstacles, life Sarah and Henry forged for themselves to give some uplifting. This was a memorable story for its hard truths, Maple's rage, and promise.
February 2, 2022
Henry O’Toole escapes the Irish potato famine of 1848 and comes to America, unprepared for the hatred against the Irish that greets him in New York. Changing his name to Henry Taylor, he eventually becomes a traveling blacksmith in Virginia, where he meets Sarah, who is enslaved on the Jubilee plantation. When they fall in love, an uphill battle awaits them as interracial marriage is illegal and considered immoral at that time. Also on the plantation is the enslaved Maple, who is actually the half-sister of the mistress of the house. Maple has been forcibly separated from her husband and child in order to serve her sister. Based on the story of the author’s own great-great grandparents, this is a novel that will captivate, shock, and yes, enrage the reader.
What a stunning debut novel by Tammye Huf! The extreme injustice of the time is so well portrayed that it had me in tears. The beautiful love story of Henry and Sarah is made all the better knowing that this is based on a true story. The chapters are divided into multiple points of view, which makes for a compelling read. The author does not hold back in portraying the evil of one man owning another, and the depraved reality of the lashes, neck rings, slave markets, and chains is brought forth for all to see. The truth about the so-called respectable men and women of that era is sobering, but the lights of hope woven into this story are shown in Henry, Sarah, and others who are willing to take risks in order to help. A More Perfect Union is a love story, but also a shocking and heart-rending look at the realities of slavery. It is a must-read for those who want to know the truth about the pre-Civil War South.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Historical Novels Review Magazine. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
What a stunning debut novel by Tammye Huf! The extreme injustice of the time is so well portrayed that it had me in tears. The beautiful love story of Henry and Sarah is made all the better knowing that this is based on a true story. The chapters are divided into multiple points of view, which makes for a compelling read. The author does not hold back in portraying the evil of one man owning another, and the depraved reality of the lashes, neck rings, slave markets, and chains is brought forth for all to see. The truth about the so-called respectable men and women of that era is sobering, but the lights of hope woven into this story are shown in Henry, Sarah, and others who are willing to take risks in order to help. A More Perfect Union is a love story, but also a shocking and heart-rending look at the realities of slavery. It is a must-read for those who want to know the truth about the pre-Civil War South.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Historical Novels Review Magazine. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
January 23, 2022
This is the debut book by author Tammye Huf. This historical work of art is memorial and poignant.
Once I started reading it I simply could not put it down. The disrespect and injustice done to slaves is just unimaginable. The story is based on family history of what happened to her great great grandparents. He was a white Irish man that came to American to avoid starvation she is a slave at The Jubilee Plantation. Love sees no color, it just knows the emotions of wanting to be with someone and give them all the love you have but at this time in history this love is forbidden.
You will feel an array of emotions as you read through this. This love story endures love and pain at the same time. Highly recommended!
Published January 11th 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Once I started reading it I simply could not put it down. The disrespect and injustice done to slaves is just unimaginable. The story is based on family history of what happened to her great great grandparents. He was a white Irish man that came to American to avoid starvation she is a slave at The Jubilee Plantation. Love sees no color, it just knows the emotions of wanting to be with someone and give them all the love you have but at this time in history this love is forbidden.
You will feel an array of emotions as you read through this. This love story endures love and pain at the same time. Highly recommended!
Published January 11th 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
July 30, 2022
Historical Fiction will always hold a special place in my heart, but when it’s a true story based on the author’s life, heritage, and experience, I feel an even stronger bond to the story, both the characters and storyline.
I loved A MORE PERFECT UNION, and was surprised that I haven’t seen this book discussed more. It captured my heart from the start, and I enjoyed the multiple POVs, the Irish setting that later navigated to the fields of Virginia.
*many thanks to Grand Central for the gifted copy for review
I loved A MORE PERFECT UNION, and was surprised that I haven’t seen this book discussed more. It captured my heart from the start, and I enjoyed the multiple POVs, the Irish setting that later navigated to the fields of Virginia.
*many thanks to Grand Central for the gifted copy for review
January 10, 2022
This book was... frustrating. And it's completely my fault. I have this habit of grabbing books that look good, that fall into genres I like, get a gist of what happens in the book and request it. More and more, lately, that's starting to bite me in the butt because I'm not paying close attention, I am picky about what I read, and blurbs are increasingly evasive about giving the reader an idea of what the book is about.
So, I caught that this was a historical fiction novel set on a plantation which normally doesn't bother me. I missed that there is a ribbon of interracial romance between an enslaved woman and an irish blacksmith hired to work at the plantation.
These two.... *sigh* I just... fail to come up with the appropriate words to convey my frustration with them, with their romance, with the people around them- both enslaved and free. At one point, they concocted this stupid plan that I could see from ten paces out was not going to work, and one wonders how they were so hopeful that it would.
At around 50%, I had to decide if I was going to dump it or keep going. The romance between these characters is but one thread of drama throughout the book. They do have at least one person plotting against them- Maple runs her mouth incessantly and can't stand to see someone else happy. She's kind of deliciously bitter toward Sarah.
The plantation owner is, also... interesting. Super petty but also a bible thumper so he believes he's being righteous and a 'good man' by not allowing his property to be mistreated. Let's throw him a parade.
Anyhoo, I am going to settle at 3 stars. It is not terrible- the writing is fine, is engaging. Sarah and Henry were infuriating and dragged down the book for me.
So, I caught that this was a historical fiction novel set on a plantation which normally doesn't bother me. I missed that there is a ribbon of interracial romance between an enslaved woman and an irish blacksmith hired to work at the plantation.
These two.... *sigh* I just... fail to come up with the appropriate words to convey my frustration with them, with their romance, with the people around them- both enslaved and free. At one point, they concocted this stupid plan that I could see from ten paces out was not going to work, and one wonders how they were so hopeful that it would.
At around 50%, I had to decide if I was going to dump it or keep going. The romance between these characters is but one thread of drama throughout the book. They do have at least one person plotting against them- Maple runs her mouth incessantly and can't stand to see someone else happy. She's kind of deliciously bitter toward Sarah.
The plantation owner is, also... interesting. Super petty but also a bible thumper so he believes he's being righteous and a 'good man' by not allowing his property to be mistreated. Let's throw him a parade.
Anyhoo, I am going to settle at 3 stars. It is not terrible- the writing is fine, is engaging. Sarah and Henry were infuriating and dragged down the book for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2020
I first learned of this book when I stumbled upon an IG live featuring the author, Tammye Huf and bookstagrammer @secretworldofabook (interview is in her igTV highlights). After watching the entire interview I had to get my hands on a copy! Not available yet in the U.S.? That’s okay, I had it shipped to me via @amazonuk.
What a treasure this story is! It is the fictional love story of Sarah and Henry, based upon the lives of the author’s very own great-great-grandparents. This story takes us back to the Virginia Plantation where Sarah is a house-slave recently purchased and separated from her family. Henry is a hired blacksmith who is an Irishman that has escaped the oppression of the English overlords of Ireland.
Sarah and Henry fall in love and begin a dangerous, secretive relationship. Despite the cruelty and evils of slavery we see some light enter their world and their love begin to bloom. I absolutely loved both of these characters and was so rooting for them!
This is an uplifting love story, but it never sugarcoats the harsh realities and ugly history of slavery in America. Such a wonderful book! I highly recommend to everyone!!
What a treasure this story is! It is the fictional love story of Sarah and Henry, based upon the lives of the author’s very own great-great-grandparents. This story takes us back to the Virginia Plantation where Sarah is a house-slave recently purchased and separated from her family. Henry is a hired blacksmith who is an Irishman that has escaped the oppression of the English overlords of Ireland.
Sarah and Henry fall in love and begin a dangerous, secretive relationship. Despite the cruelty and evils of slavery we see some light enter their world and their love begin to bloom. I absolutely loved both of these characters and was so rooting for them!
This is an uplifting love story, but it never sugarcoats the harsh realities and ugly history of slavery in America. Such a wonderful book! I highly recommend to everyone!!
April 25, 2022
This story takes place in the mid-1800’s. It is the story of Henry (Irish) and Sarah (a slave girl in Virginia).
Henry having fled Ireland’s potato famine for a better life in the US finds himself scorned and unable to find work because in NYC there are “No Irish Need Apply” signs everywhere.
By some unfortunate means (or fortunate depending on how you look at it) Henry finds himself in possession of all necessary tools and means to leave NYC and finds work in the south as a blacksmith.
He happens upon a plantation in Virginia that offers a good deal of work allowing him to stay put for a while where he is captivated by a slave girl Sarah and love blossoms. This love affair is, of course, doomed from the start.
Henry is repelled by the slave culture and finds a comparison with his life in Ireland where the British treated the Irish in a likewise manner: “Even if a master chooses not to torture and abuse someone, it’s enough that he could.” (Pg.156)
From here on the tale takes the kinds of twists and turns one would expect for a white man and a black slave girl who have fallen in love in the 1800’s US South.
Beautifully written a tale of a love that should not be, but is. I could not put the book down. I forgot to eat. It is everything that a good read should be. The author has captured the characters, the language and the emotion pitch perfect.
I HAVE A QUESTION:
Most slave owners liked to quote scripture to justify keeping slaves, as did Sarah’s owner when he says…
“God made some people to be servants and some people to be masters, but in Babylon they tried to mix the people together….So, what did God do? He destroyed what they built up and made it so the races couldn’t talk to each other, so they’d stay apart.” (Pg.220)
You have to think that to keep a person as a slave you must hate them, or at least dislike them intensely and believe that they are beneath you in some way; and obviously you know for a certainty that black and white must not mix.
Therefore – why is it that every male slave owner, bar none, would regularly take his female slaves to his bed, often producing children.
What could be the rational for this behaviour?
Henry having fled Ireland’s potato famine for a better life in the US finds himself scorned and unable to find work because in NYC there are “No Irish Need Apply” signs everywhere.
By some unfortunate means (or fortunate depending on how you look at it) Henry finds himself in possession of all necessary tools and means to leave NYC and finds work in the south as a blacksmith.
He happens upon a plantation in Virginia that offers a good deal of work allowing him to stay put for a while where he is captivated by a slave girl Sarah and love blossoms. This love affair is, of course, doomed from the start.
Henry is repelled by the slave culture and finds a comparison with his life in Ireland where the British treated the Irish in a likewise manner: “Even if a master chooses not to torture and abuse someone, it’s enough that he could.” (Pg.156)
From here on the tale takes the kinds of twists and turns one would expect for a white man and a black slave girl who have fallen in love in the 1800’s US South.
Beautifully written a tale of a love that should not be, but is. I could not put the book down. I forgot to eat. It is everything that a good read should be. The author has captured the characters, the language and the emotion pitch perfect.
I HAVE A QUESTION:
Most slave owners liked to quote scripture to justify keeping slaves, as did Sarah’s owner when he says…
“God made some people to be servants and some people to be masters, but in Babylon they tried to mix the people together….So, what did God do? He destroyed what they built up and made it so the races couldn’t talk to each other, so they’d stay apart.” (Pg.220)
You have to think that to keep a person as a slave you must hate them, or at least dislike them intensely and believe that they are beneath you in some way; and obviously you know for a certainty that black and white must not mix.
Therefore – why is it that every male slave owner, bar none, would regularly take his female slaves to his bed, often producing children.
What could be the rational for this behaviour?
February 2, 2022
This is a well-written story overall but a few things made it significantly less enjoyable.
1. Henry in particular is quite stupid, and Sarah is annoyingly naive. I would easily spot glaringly obvious problems in their plans that only a moron wouldn’t consider. It made it hard to enjoy the story because it was so reckless. How could Henry not know Missouri is a slave state? How could he not mention to a potential business partner that he intends to run off with an enslaved woman and assume he would be okay with it? And Sarah always thinks he knows what he’s doing. Why are they so physically affectionate with each other out in the open, just assuming they’ll be fine? It’s ridiculous. These are just a few examples.
2. Their connection is so paper thin that there’s no reason to root for them as a couple beyond the obvious fact that of course you want this woman to be free and happy because she deserves that. But there’s no reason these two should actually be fond of each other, they don’t have a connection you can see. They like each other because they’re written that way.
3. What was the point of Maple’s POV beyond her being a dick at every turn? Her story doesn’t end up going anywhere and I kept hoping it would get tied in. But no, she’s just there to be mean to Sarah constantly and ploy to see her family, which is totally understandable but not much of an arc.
Sometimes I think a 3 star review is the most frustrating. The talent is there. The bones are solid. But the execution is a hot mess, and that’s worse than a truly bad story.
1. Henry in particular is quite stupid, and Sarah is annoyingly naive. I would easily spot glaringly obvious problems in their plans that only a moron wouldn’t consider. It made it hard to enjoy the story because it was so reckless. How could Henry not know Missouri is a slave state? How could he not mention to a potential business partner that he intends to run off with an enslaved woman and assume he would be okay with it? And Sarah always thinks he knows what he’s doing. Why are they so physically affectionate with each other out in the open, just assuming they’ll be fine? It’s ridiculous. These are just a few examples.
2. Their connection is so paper thin that there’s no reason to root for them as a couple beyond the obvious fact that of course you want this woman to be free and happy because she deserves that. But there’s no reason these two should actually be fond of each other, they don’t have a connection you can see. They like each other because they’re written that way.
3. What was the point of Maple’s POV beyond her being a dick at every turn? Her story doesn’t end up going anywhere and I kept hoping it would get tied in. But no, she’s just there to be mean to Sarah constantly and ploy to see her family, which is totally understandable but not much of an arc.
Sometimes I think a 3 star review is the most frustrating. The talent is there. The bones are solid. But the execution is a hot mess, and that’s worse than a truly bad story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2022
Oh wow... This was excellent 👏
Full review to come 💕
Full review to come 💕
February 20, 2021
I loved this book and I highly recommend reading it! If you're a fan of Kindred, you'll love this one too!
August 21, 2023
Als de tot slaafgemaakte Sarah en de gevluchte Ierse Henry elkaar tegenkomen, worden ze gelijk verliefd. Maar in hoeverre kan hun liefde slagen als de maatschappij het tegenovergestelde beweert?
Een verhaal over moed en liefde tijdens de slavernij. Het heeft een mooi bedacht plot met aandacht voor de verschrikkingen van slavernij. De zinnen zijn met een mooi taalgebruik geschreven. Maar nu komt de grote maar: de personages konden veel beter uitgewerkt worden. Toen ik op de helft van het boek aangekomen was, wist ik nog niet wie Sarah was. En de verliefdheid vond ik heel lichamelijk, zonder liefde voor wie de persoon ís.
Een verhaal over moed en liefde tijdens de slavernij. Het heeft een mooi bedacht plot met aandacht voor de verschrikkingen van slavernij. De zinnen zijn met een mooi taalgebruik geschreven. Maar nu komt de grote maar: de personages konden veel beter uitgewerkt worden. Toen ik op de helft van het boek aangekomen was, wist ik nog niet wie Sarah was. En de verliefdheid vond ik heel lichamelijk, zonder liefde voor wie de persoon ís.
February 11, 2021
3.5 stars
review to come
review to come
March 4, 2021
This book reads really fast because of the short chapters and engrossing characters. It is a historical fiction novel based on the author’s family history. The main characters are Henry, an Irish immigrant and Sarah, a slave in the American South. In the description of the main characters’ lives the author shows the similarities and stark differences in the conditions of Irish poverty and enslavement in America. The author also gives an additional cast of characters: some you love, some cause you to roll your eyes at the page.
This book is for those who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of romance.
This book is for those who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of romance.
February 25, 2025
♾️⭐️
It doesn’t happen very often when I read a book that makes me feel such visceral emotions. Not only was this beautifully written, but the story was raw and real (in more ways than one).
I think one of the most impactful parts about this book is that Jubilee Plantation is modeled after James Madison’s Montpelier, where he enslaved hundreds of people throughout his life. Despite Madison’s place as the Father of our Constitution and a defender of personal liberties to create “a more perfect union,” his home is used as a model to display injustice. There’s something so powerful in the setting and the experiences of different characters here.
Besides the love story Huf is telling, she also speaks to the stories of other enslaved characters like Maple, Bessie, Red, and Finny, who have different traumas and emotional reactions throughout the book. In doing so, she captures nuance in a compelling and harrowing way. I was constantly reflecting on the circumstances of the people who witnessed versus experienced the horrors of slavery. I encourage other readers to consider this as they read.
I’m going to think about this book for the rest of my life. Thank you, Tammye Huf, for sharing your family’s story.
It doesn’t happen very often when I read a book that makes me feel such visceral emotions. Not only was this beautifully written, but the story was raw and real (in more ways than one).
I think one of the most impactful parts about this book is that Jubilee Plantation is modeled after James Madison’s Montpelier, where he enslaved hundreds of people throughout his life. Despite Madison’s place as the Father of our Constitution and a defender of personal liberties to create “a more perfect union,” his home is used as a model to display injustice. There’s something so powerful in the setting and the experiences of different characters here.
Besides the love story Huf is telling, she also speaks to the stories of other enslaved characters like Maple, Bessie, Red, and Finny, who have different traumas and emotional reactions throughout the book. In doing so, she captures nuance in a compelling and harrowing way. I was constantly reflecting on the circumstances of the people who witnessed versus experienced the horrors of slavery. I encourage other readers to consider this as they read.
I’m going to think about this book for the rest of my life. Thank you, Tammye Huf, for sharing your family’s story.
December 14, 2021
5⭐
PG for low steam, but includes whipping and abuse to enslaved people
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. You don't need to know anything else, just go preorder it now and I promise you won't regret it because this is the best historical fiction book I've read since Yellow Wife and that is a pretty high bar right there.
Do you enjoy feeling sad when you read? What happy? Angry? Hopeful? Distraught? Thrilled? Well I felt all of those feelings reading this book and I loved every moment... Even when I got to the end and I was very worried as to whether this would be a happy book or a sad book.
A More Perfect Union is the story of a man who leaves Ireland during the potato famine for America who falls in love with a slave woman when working on a plantation and their determination to seek her freedom together. Even better? It's based on the author's great-great grandparents story.
From start to finish, this book was incredible. Sarah was this clever woman balancing refinery politics from the family who owned her to the slave who ran the household and hated Sarah. I didn't think Henry was really worthy of Sarah at first and was just a bit lovesick, but he grew to have a much deeper understanding of how his actions contributed to the condition of slavery. Sarah put Henry in his place when he tried to compare being poor to being enslaved and that conversation is sadly still relevant today when people try to equate class struggles with racism.
The reality of slavery is harrowing and Tammye Huf puts it all out there, along with the struggle of the Irish potato famine. But there were also so many beautiful tender moments between Sarah and Henry that balanced out my anger and sadness with joy and hopefulness. I loved this book and I really do want everyone to read it because it was just so special and wonderful and educational. If you like any historical fiction at all, read this book!!!!
PG for low steam, but includes whipping and abuse to enslaved people
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. You don't need to know anything else, just go preorder it now and I promise you won't regret it because this is the best historical fiction book I've read since Yellow Wife and that is a pretty high bar right there.
Do you enjoy feeling sad when you read? What happy? Angry? Hopeful? Distraught? Thrilled? Well I felt all of those feelings reading this book and I loved every moment... Even when I got to the end and I was very worried as to whether this would be a happy book or a sad book.
A More Perfect Union is the story of a man who leaves Ireland during the potato famine for America who falls in love with a slave woman when working on a plantation and their determination to seek her freedom together. Even better? It's based on the author's great-great grandparents story.
From start to finish, this book was incredible. Sarah was this clever woman balancing refinery politics from the family who owned her to the slave who ran the household and hated Sarah. I didn't think Henry was really worthy of Sarah at first and was just a bit lovesick, but he grew to have a much deeper understanding of how his actions contributed to the condition of slavery. Sarah put Henry in his place when he tried to compare being poor to being enslaved and that conversation is sadly still relevant today when people try to equate class struggles with racism.
The reality of slavery is harrowing and Tammye Huf puts it all out there, along with the struggle of the Irish potato famine. But there were also so many beautiful tender moments between Sarah and Henry that balanced out my anger and sadness with joy and hopefulness. I loved this book and I really do want everyone to read it because it was just so special and wonderful and educational. If you like any historical fiction at all, read this book!!!!
February 24, 2021
What a really good book. This was not your typical slave narrative, this was a love story between a slave and a poor man from Ireland, who left his home to escape starvation. The lengths that they went through to be together, in spite of the plantation master who wasn’t having it, and slaves that only saw danger ahead were exhilarating and nerve racking. I was rooting for the couple in spite of the odds.
January 21, 2022
Poignant, impactful, and extremely memorable!
A More Perfect Union is a passionate, heart-wrenching tale that sweeps you away to Virginia during the mid-1800s and into the lives of Sarah, a young woman destined to live out her days as a worker on the Jubilee Plantation and property of the prosperous Master Jeremiah and Henry, an Irish immigrant whose heart sees no colour and who will do whatever it takes to spend his life with the one he loves.
The prose is expressive and rich. The characters are determined, vulnerable, and strong. And the plot is an exceptionally captivating tale about life, loss, love, hope, injustice, jealousy, guilt, self-identity, loneliness, slavery, and courage.
Overall, A More Perfect Union is a book that needs to be read. It’s a powerful, moving, beautifully written tale by Huf inspired by true-life events that, at its heart, is a magical reminder that no obstacle is too large and no challenge too difficult when it comes to love.
Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A More Perfect Union is a passionate, heart-wrenching tale that sweeps you away to Virginia during the mid-1800s and into the lives of Sarah, a young woman destined to live out her days as a worker on the Jubilee Plantation and property of the prosperous Master Jeremiah and Henry, an Irish immigrant whose heart sees no colour and who will do whatever it takes to spend his life with the one he loves.
The prose is expressive and rich. The characters are determined, vulnerable, and strong. And the plot is an exceptionally captivating tale about life, loss, love, hope, injustice, jealousy, guilt, self-identity, loneliness, slavery, and courage.
Overall, A More Perfect Union is a book that needs to be read. It’s a powerful, moving, beautifully written tale by Huf inspired by true-life events that, at its heart, is a magical reminder that no obstacle is too large and no challenge too difficult when it comes to love.
Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2022
Safe to say my family and I have been taking advantage of every second of this April break. My reading and posting consistency has definitely taken a hit, but totally worth it!
In the beginning of the month I read A More Perfect Union by Tammye Huf for the challenge to read 12 friend recommendations. This was recommended to me by @geraldinetalks ! It’s a historical fiction novel following a man who comes to America to flee the famine and other issues in Ireland. Another perspective follows a woman who is a new slave to a plantation he comes to work at as a blacksmith. The third perspective is a woman who has been a slave there for years, but has been separated from her family.
❤️Review❤️
I’m so glad that this was recommended to me. If you enjoyed The Yellow Wife, I think you’ll love this one just as much. This is based on the author’s family history. I loved how engaging and gripping the story was. I intended to just read a chapter or two to get a feel for the writing and next think I knew I was about 50 pages in. I had such a hard time putting it down. The characters, discussions, a plot points were so flushed out and well done. The emotion was felt leaping off the page. I found myself happy, sad, angry, etc. right along with the characters. This was so well done for a debut novel and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#HistoricalFiction #Bookstagram #BookRecommendations #Bookstagramer #QuickReads #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #ShortChapters #EmotionalBooks #ImportantBooks
In the beginning of the month I read A More Perfect Union by Tammye Huf for the challenge to read 12 friend recommendations. This was recommended to me by @geraldinetalks ! It’s a historical fiction novel following a man who comes to America to flee the famine and other issues in Ireland. Another perspective follows a woman who is a new slave to a plantation he comes to work at as a blacksmith. The third perspective is a woman who has been a slave there for years, but has been separated from her family.
❤️Review❤️
I’m so glad that this was recommended to me. If you enjoyed The Yellow Wife, I think you’ll love this one just as much. This is based on the author’s family history. I loved how engaging and gripping the story was. I intended to just read a chapter or two to get a feel for the writing and next think I knew I was about 50 pages in. I had such a hard time putting it down. The characters, discussions, a plot points were so flushed out and well done. The emotion was felt leaping off the page. I found myself happy, sad, angry, etc. right along with the characters. This was so well done for a debut novel and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#HistoricalFiction #Bookstagram #BookRecommendations #Bookstagramer #QuickReads #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #ShortChapters #EmotionalBooks #ImportantBooks
February 8, 2021
Such a beautiful love story in the face of such evil
March 13, 2023
Op 1 dag uitgelezen. Krachtig verhaal, heel vlot verteld en waargebeurd. Een must read.
January 4, 2022
A terrific, compelling read. I read this in one sitting. I gasped, clutched my iPad and wondered just how the story would end. I love that the story is based on the author’s great great grandparents. The way she wrote the story; it’s like it’s unfolding in real time. The characters come alive with her apt descriptions and emotions. It’s an emotional wrencher to the very end. Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the advance copy.
April 29, 2024
4.5⭐️
This was a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of two individuals who love each other but can’t be together. Set in 1848/49 Virginia, Sarah was born a slave and will remain a slave for her entire life. She meets an Irishman who just immigrated to the US, named Henry, and the two find safety and love in each other. I thought their love was so powerful and I was so moved by how they risked their lives for each other. I can’t fathom living during this terrible time in history, but I so appreciate how this author brought this story to print. It encompasses trauma, abuse, racism, classism, and sexism, but also strength, courage, love and hope. Don’t miss out on this if you are a fan of historical fiction!
This was a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of two individuals who love each other but can’t be together. Set in 1848/49 Virginia, Sarah was born a slave and will remain a slave for her entire life. She meets an Irishman who just immigrated to the US, named Henry, and the two find safety and love in each other. I thought their love was so powerful and I was so moved by how they risked their lives for each other. I can’t fathom living during this terrible time in history, but I so appreciate how this author brought this story to print. It encompasses trauma, abuse, racism, classism, and sexism, but also strength, courage, love and hope. Don’t miss out on this if you are a fan of historical fiction!
August 6, 2023
This story is a reasonably OK read, but all the characters as well as the storylines lack depth. The romantic storyline has been presented to us without any build-up or development. More like an infatuation than a love relationship. This makes it hard to root for them, as we know nothing else about their personalities or why they like eachother. The excitement within the story is built more around whether or not they manage to escape. After that there is nothing. Readers do not get to know much about their subsequent life/love. And really, the attempt at a romantic setting in a field full of flowers and butterflies is very naff, sorry.
As far as the historical part goes: The Irish story serves only to give Henry a background of suffering and loss, as a mirror to Sarah's situation. This is a missed opportunity, in my opinion. Sarah's life as a slave is also a diluted version of what it could have been, with a rather mild plantation owner.
The interracial aspect is meant to be inspiring, but it is a pity the white man is presented as the 'saviour'. Stereotypical, even if it has apparently been based on the author's ancestors' real lives.
Still, it is informative if you had no idea about what views people held at the time, and how the oppressed were treated.
It is OK, but disappointing too, as it could be so much more.
As far as the historical part goes: The Irish story serves only to give Henry a background of suffering and loss, as a mirror to Sarah's situation. This is a missed opportunity, in my opinion. Sarah's life as a slave is also a diluted version of what it could have been, with a rather mild plantation owner.
The interracial aspect is meant to be inspiring, but it is a pity the white man is presented as the 'saviour'. Stereotypical, even if it has apparently been based on the author's ancestors' real lives.
Still, it is informative if you had no idea about what views people held at the time, and how the oppressed were treated.
It is OK, but disappointing too, as it could be so much more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2021
Well written and I loved the multi perspective and short chapters. I don't know how I feel about the romance tho lol. But I loved the characters and their reactions causing them to adjust what they needed to do to survive slavery. I wanted to kill a few of those characters for their stupidity too lol. All around solid 4 stars.
February 22, 2025
Mooi liefdesverhaal. Leest zeer vlot. Geeft inzicht in het leven van slaven in de VS midden 19de eeuw
January 9, 2022
A More Perfect Union is such a great read! The tidbits in the back of the books with the author interview also added so much to this story and the title. Based on a true story of her family history, this author told the amazing story of love prevailing at a time when it was looked down up, and down right illegal for a black and white to be together openly and by choice, let alone to then marry.
Henry has just come to America after losing everything from the potato famine, and understands a little of how it is to be a slave to others and what it is like to want in life. Everyday wants that we all take for granted- food, shelter, clothing… but things in America are turning out to be harder than what he has heard. No one wants the Irish, so again he is cast out to fend for everything in life and makes a decision that changes his life.
Sarah is a house slave on the Jubilee Plantation, she was sold to the couple and life isn’t too bad here. They are treated better than most slaves on other plantations. They are fed, have houses and are only whipped when it is in a most extreme situation that the Master deems acceptable punishment. He has a much different rational on how to run a plantation than most, but Sarah is still owned and does not have freedom of any kind.
Henry and Sarah meet when Henry makes his way to the Jubilee plantation looking for blacksmith work and the Master hires him for jobs around the place. Both feel a spark but it is unspoken for either of them to act on these feelings, but they cannot help themselves and soon they find themselves in danger and with enemies from all sides if the truth got out. Can love really overpower the law or will there be consequences for their actions.
This was such a good read! This is one that will sick with me for a while. I cannot wait to see what other family stories the author writes about in the future. Thank you to Forever Publishing and Grand Central Publishing for the free book. This one will be staying on the shelf!
Henry has just come to America after losing everything from the potato famine, and understands a little of how it is to be a slave to others and what it is like to want in life. Everyday wants that we all take for granted- food, shelter, clothing… but things in America are turning out to be harder than what he has heard. No one wants the Irish, so again he is cast out to fend for everything in life and makes a decision that changes his life.
Sarah is a house slave on the Jubilee Plantation, she was sold to the couple and life isn’t too bad here. They are treated better than most slaves on other plantations. They are fed, have houses and are only whipped when it is in a most extreme situation that the Master deems acceptable punishment. He has a much different rational on how to run a plantation than most, but Sarah is still owned and does not have freedom of any kind.
Henry and Sarah meet when Henry makes his way to the Jubilee plantation looking for blacksmith work and the Master hires him for jobs around the place. Both feel a spark but it is unspoken for either of them to act on these feelings, but they cannot help themselves and soon they find themselves in danger and with enemies from all sides if the truth got out. Can love really overpower the law or will there be consequences for their actions.
This was such a good read! This is one that will sick with me for a while. I cannot wait to see what other family stories the author writes about in the future. Thank you to Forever Publishing and Grand Central Publishing for the free book. This one will be staying on the shelf!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews