Dearest Enemy

Great story from begining to end. The suspense was in every chapter and the history details are accurate and interesting. Has everything from action to sadness to happiness to anger. Was finished reading in a day and a half and passed it along. Nan succeeded again!

It took me a while to really engage in this story, but I was glad I stuck it out. It's an epic story that spans about a decade, not your typical romance that only spans a few weeks or months. I read this book many weeks ago and I tell you the story really has stuck with me. It's a passionate love story with both heartache and triumph. Suzanna and Mitch are from opposite sides of the war, but as a spy Suzanne makes Mitch believe they are on the same side. A deeply passionate romance evolves between them, which leaves Suzanna with some very tough choices. They both make mistakes out of misplaced loyalties and beliefs. I can't say this is the best book I've ever read, but it was a very enjoyable read.

In 1859, eighteen years old Suzanna LeGrande is happy living in Virginia with her widow mom and an older brother, Matthew, a West Point graduate. Her brother introduces her to a friend from his cadet days, Ty Bellinggrath. It is love at first sight as they begin seeing one another. One year later he proposes and she accepts. By April 1861, Virginia secedes from the Union and joins the Confederate States; her brother and her fiancé join Lee. That summer as the Confederacy gains a great victory at nearby Manassas, the two men in her life die in battle. Suzanna vows vengeance on the damn Yankees. Over the next few years Suzanna pretends to be a social butterfly, but is obtaining valuable information for the South as she spies on her Northern guests. In 1864 Union Naval Rear Admiral Mitchell Longley falls in love with Suzanna, but stupidly leaves classified material lying around that she obtains. Suzanna loves Mitch, but her vow means more. She steals the information, which leads to many deaths. Mitch is shattered as he knows who betrayed him. He lives for one thing to destroy the Southern Belle who killed their love. Nan Ryan writes a terrific star-crossed Civil War romance that grips readers once Suzanna vows to see Yankee blood flow and never slows down until Mitch pledges to avenge the flow of Yankee blood caused by the betrayal. The lead characters are fully developed especially when anger takes over reasoning as each drives the exhilarating story line with the personal conflicts over loving a DEAREST ENEMY. This is a one sitter historical to learn how it plays out. Harriet Klausner