A Lasting Impression (Belmont Mansion Novel)

by Tamera Alexander

Blockbuster New Historical Series From Acclaimed Author Tamera Alexander

To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. When her fraud of a father deals her an unexpected hand, Claire is forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville, only a year after the War Between the States has ended. Claire's path collides with that of Sutton Monroe, and she considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But when they meet again and he refuses to come to her aid, she realizes she's sorely misjudged the man. Trading an unwanted destiny for an unknown future, Claire finds herself in the middle of Nashville's elite society and believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art may finally be within reach.

All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.

Set at Nashville's historical Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America in the 1860s, A Lasting Impression showcases the deep, poignant, unforgettable characters that set Tamera's stories apart and provides an inspiring love story that will capture readers' hearts and leave them eager for more.

• ISBN10: 1611732492
• ISBN13: 9781611732498
• Publish Date: 1 December 2011 (first published 2 June 2011)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 27 April 2017
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Center Point
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 679
• Language: English

Reviews

[ladygrey]

I almost forgot I read this book. I didn't write the review right away and I knew I had two books to review - I remembered one but couldn't for a while remember what the other was. It was this one.

That being said, it wasn't that bad. It was predictable but it was also nice. The characters were decent. I especially liked Adeleica with her particularly straight forward manner. The heroine... something French... Ms. Laurent I believe, started off a bit weak and lost of me but it was a good place for her to begin in order to grow as a character.

The thing about this book is that I could put it down rather easily, which I don't normally do with books. I was never so engaged in the story that I couldn't come to the end of a chapter and put it down for the night. Which is why it took me weeks to read. Well, maybe only one week once I started in earnest but I read the first few chapters and then didn't pick it up again for a few weeks. Still, I liked it well enough and would read another book in the series for a pleasant, easy read some time.

[cherryblossommj]

Tammy is a special author to me, and it's not just because we share the same school history with a private school in Georgia or the southern hospitality spirit. It's because of that and because her stories get under your skin and in to your heart. Her characters are real and leap from the page. I was captivated by every series I have read so far, pretty much from page one. I have lost many a night sleep or day's chore lacked accomplishment simply because I was too distraught by the idea of leaving the plot and protagonist until I found out what happened next.

It's amazing to me, how Tammy can find characters with a slight bit of past that makes you really want to not like them, and walk on the other side of the road... but she finds ways to bring them into your hearts and they are then the ones that you are mentally cheering for as you turn each page. Reading this Belmont Mansion Novel, I could hear the southern drawl and it makes me smile. A native Georgian, southern through and through now relocated to Tennessee -- I definitely found things within these pages to endure and entertain.

*Thanks to Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for providing a copy for review.*

Originally posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2011/11/07/a-lasting-impression-by-tamera-alexander/