Last night, I did something I haven’t done in ages: I read a book under the covers. Through the Lettered Veil by Candace West is such an outstanding story that I could not set it aside until I read to the last page. I was up until the wee hours, completely absorbed in this book.
The American Civil War has just ended, but bitterness and hatred still run deep in rural Arkansas. Lawless and brutal criminals roam the county, and it’s no time for a young unmarried woman to be on her own. So, when Aynsley O’Brien’s uncle is gunned down by a group of thuggish brothers, she’s aware of how precarious her position is.
Her uncle Stewart loved and protected her like a father, and he’s done his best to ensure her safety in the event of his death. He’s left her the fertile family farm, on condition that he marry within 30 days.
Meanwhile, Nolan Scottsdale returns from the war to find himself unwelcome at home. His mother is bitter because he chose to fight for the Union, which led to her husband being murdered by Confederate sympathizers.
Homeless and penniless, Nolan goes to the O’Brien home, looking for work. He meets his childhood friend Aynsley, the girl who broke his heart, and learns of her plight. A marriage of convenience might solve both their problems.
So begins this beautiful, page-turning tale which is, quite possibly, the best book I’ve read this year. I cannot rave enough about it.
Candace is part of the Mosaic Collection of Christian fiction authors, and this is her first release as part of the group.