A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander

Claire Laurent’s greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she’s forced to flee her home, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe, who shows her kindness by not turning her in to authorities. But when he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she’s sorely misjudged him. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville society, Claire believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach—but only if her past remains hidden.

The Federal Army destroyed Sutton’s home, confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family’s honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined—as well as the woman he loves.

 

A Lasting Impression is the first book in Tamera Alexander’s Belmont Mansion series, and is also the first book I have ever read by her. However, this book has made me a fan of hers forever, because it was so good!!! I fell in love with Tamera’s writing from the very beginning, and I just devoured every single page! I absolutely love historical novels, and Tamera is fantastic at weaving them together, so I know I will be reading so many of her books in the future!

Claire Laurent was a character I fell in love with from the very beginning. She had suffered so much pain by the time we meet up with her at the start of this book, and she only has to go through more in the first few chapters to follow. However, she still manages to be a very sweet, charming artist whom I absolutely loved and wanted everything to work out for. I loved her innocence, despite all that she had witnessed in her life, and I couldn’t help but know her repentance over her acts of forgery was genuine. My favorite thing of all, though, was her growing relationship with Sutton.

Sutton Monroe is one of my favorite characters out of all the books I have read. I just knew I was going to love him from the first moment I read about him on the back of the book, and I wasn’t disappointed. He is so kind, and caring, and full of life and passion, and I knew he was perfect for Claire from the start. Besides that, I also loved the relationship he has with Adelicia, because it just added a whole other element to what I knew about him, and about her. And can I just say, I really love Adelicia Acklen as well, both the woman, and the name Adelicia. (It sounds so regal, doesn’t it? 😉)

Anyway, Tamera did a fantastic job on this novel, and I can gladly give it all five bookshelves, and a place on my all-time favorites list. I already owned a copy of the next book in the series—A Beauty So Rare—and in fact that is really how I got into her writing, so you can be sure I’ve already been reading that one as well. I’m looking forward to reading tons more of Tamera’s books, and I highly recommend them because they are fantastic!

Happy reading!

To see where I’m linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Tamera Alexander and Bethany House Publishing.