The Magnolia Duchess

3.5 stars
It isn't often that you come across stories about the Gulf and the conflict of 1812. I really appreciated all the research that went into the story and made it feel so authentic, and I loved the good family relationships in this one. (While not all family members are great, they stick together through thick and thin and are willing to do whatever it takes for each other.) I spotted a few anachronistic phrases (“her stitches were so even it looked as though they had been done by machine;” no sewing machines in 1814) and found the kissing scenes to be really heavy, but otherwise the story is very enjoyable and a great read. I will definitely be checking out White's next series.