A sweet, Southern, love story amidst a Civil War

I wasn't really sure what to expect of this audiobook as I have listened to very few stories from this period of American history. This book is set during the American Civil War, from the Confederate perspective; which was something I struggled with a bit at the beginning. At first I thought it was going to be harder to warm to the Military heroes given what they were fighting for. My knowledge of American history is limited and not particularly nuanced, but I do find it difficult to view that era with any sympathy for the slave owners and anti-abolishonists, and I was concerned that the contentious issues would be glossed over or romanticised.

I need not have worried so much at the start, however, as the author's position on this point was clarified near the beginning by Eden's brother, Isaac, who pointed out Eden's naive view of the war. The contrast between the way they had treated their valued farmhands and the abuses suffered by slaves on neighbouring farms helped Isaac to educate Eden in the Yankees' cause, and made him a much more sympathetic character. A clear line was drawn, with Isaac fighting for his land, his family, and his home state but not agreeing with all the reasons for the secession. Discovering that Rayce had freed his slaves and employed them honestly was also comforting, and quelled my unease.

It did feel a bit like it was Making A Point when each of the Confederate soldiers expressed very forward-thinking views for the time, and the Union soldiers were unilaterally more degenerate. This black-and-white theme was carried throughout the book, with each new person to whom we were introduced being either a Rebel Hero or a Yankee Villain. War is anything but tidy, with the moral issues often as mangled as the bodies of the men and women on the front line. However, I do appreciate that many in Southern states are incredibly proud of their Confederate history, and that this book aims to be a positive, nostalgic, chocolate-boxy interpretation of the time; where all the women were beautiful Belles, all the men were handsome heroes, and love conquered all far beyond the battlefield. It is not really a social or political commentary the way that Lars D. H. Hedbor's Tales From A Revolution series is for the War of Independence.

Once I had settled into the period and the characters, Thorns of Eden fit the historical romance template well. The sexual tension between Eden and Rayce was palpable from the beginning, and her feistiness was a good foil for his stubbornness. Though they clashed upon first meeting, it was inevitable that they would succumb to the attraction one way or another, and I was rooting for them to do just that.

This is, in many ways, a very traditional romance novel. The language is often very florid and over-the-top in a slightly Mills & Boon fashion but I believe that to be consistent with the regional culture. Both protagonists were achingly perfect; Eden's skin was always flawless ivory and her hair honeyed perfection, her greatest weakness being to always think of others before herself. Rayce's bearing was the height of masculine allure, his voice burning into her core like the finest brandy, and he cared more for his country than his own life. The romantic and intimate interactions suffer a little from the aforementioned lace-fan-wafting language, which sometimes feels rather dated (and not to the historical period), but it wasn't unpalatably saccharin because Rayce's gruffness helped take the edge off.

If you dislike stereotypes then this isn't the book for you, but if you've ever swooned at a technicolour Hollywood musical then - chances are - you'll like this, too.

Reagan Boggs' performance was delightful. Her rich, smooth, Southern drawl was very evocative of the location and she remained entertaining and engaging throughout this audiobook. I would have liked Rayce's voice to be a little deeper and more masculine but it is almost always a trade-off in books like these with a single narrator. I think this book could have been perfect for dual-narration, with a male narrator joining for the masculine parts, but it wasn't really necessary as Boggs did a fine job. Hers is a name I will look out for now that I know how pleasant she is to listen to.

I would recommend Thorns of Eden to people who like sweet, sweeping love stories with a traditional feel, and to anyone with the US Romance Package - recently rebranded Audible Escape - in which this audiobook is included.

*I received this audiobook free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

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