A Lasting Impression
by Tamera Alexander
426 pages
Bethany House Publisher
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A fake. A forger. More than anything, Claire Laurent longs for the chance to live an authentic life, to become the woman she wants to be. And she'll be given that choice. But will it come at too costly a price?
Claire Laurent's greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she's forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville only a year after the War Between the States has ended, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe. She considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But after he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged the man. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville's society, Claire believes her dream to create a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach--but only if her fraudulent past remains hidden.
The Federal Army has destroyed Sutton's home and confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family's honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him and to right a grievous wrong reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined--as well as the woman he loves.Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves--and each other--for who they really are.
MY REVIEW: Let me confess up front – the cover of this book made me fall in love with Claire. What woman doesn’t sometimes imagine herself wearing one of the beautiful ball gowns from the Civil War era? And this one was spectacular.
That aside, the story inside was wonderful. Claire Laurent leaves a bad situation and just happens to fall into a dream world. As liason to Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, who is trying to reclaim her place in society, Claire is delighted to find that Belmont is filled with artwork beyond belief. Claire works very hard to prove herself worthy of the position, and at the same time starts to fall in love before she herself even realizes it.
While this is a wonderful love story and “girl making a new life for herself” book, what I find myself remembering most is the sentence that God speaks to Claire at a critical time in her life. I won’t give it away here, but I’ve been applying it to different aspects of my own life and it brings fresh perspective. The combination of great story and a new way to look at life makes this a splendid book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.
For more information please visit www.tameraalexander.com
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