The Divided Heart — Evan H. Rhodes

The tumultuous epic of The American Palace Series continues in The Divided Heart, a tale of the most cataclysmic time in American history, a time when there were two White Houses in the nation. In 1860 the nation is hopelessly divided over the issues of States' Rights and Slavery and verges on Civil War. Nowhere is that division more evident than in the hearts of Rebecca Brand and her family. Rebecca, a Southerner who believes fervently in the Union, tries vainly to mediate the deadly battle between her sons, Gunning and Bravo, a battle that began decades before when Rebecca gave birth to Bravo, her love child. Gunning, brutally handsome, is involved in the Confederate Secret Service and engages John Wilkes Booth to kidnap Lincoln, thus hoping to negotiate an end to the Civil War. Bravo, the inventor, is an advisor to President Lincoln. As always, the Brands will be opposed by their mortal enemies, the Connaughts-Veronique, Sean, Carleton and the blazingly beautiful but mad Romance Connaught, Gunning's mistress. Rebecca's grandchildren, Forrest, Geary, Sharon, and especially Becky-traumatized and raped years before-will find their fate and salvation in the horror of war-as will Rebecca.Praise for previous books of the American Palace Series.Bless This House. "A captivating novel that creatively meshes fact and fiction."-Publishers WeeklyValiant Hearts. Superbly researched as informative as it is entertaining marvelously readable fare.-Jennifer Wilde, author of Once More Miranda