Review: Beautifully written post Civil War love story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 22, 2011
The quality of writing in 'Terms of Surrender' raises it above most romantic fiction.The setting is after the Civil War with all the aftermath of loss, suffering and confusion.Captain Michael Cantrell is a young man whose experiences as a Confederate officer have aged him before his time. He has lost everything he once held dear, including his family and his home. He has travelled since the end of the war looking for a new beginning and a purpose in life.Annie and her young brother Robbie are running their small ranch and raising horses alone in a hostile environment, having lost their last remaining family member to an Indian attack. Their most deadly enemy however is a local Colonel who wants their land at whatever cost.Mike and Annie are brought together when he risks his life to save her and Robbie. He is gravely wounded in the process and they take him home to try to save him.The story is full of detail and drama. Several events threaten their safety and future. In addition to external dangers, they face their inner nightmares and the memories that imprison them, especially Michael.The love that develops between Annie and Michael is tender and touching, a healing force that drives away the pain of the past. Robbie is also a great character, helping to fill the huge void in Michael after the loss of his own young brother Gavin on the battlefield.The secondary characters add interest, from the dark, cruel Skinner, the scheming Colonel and his daughter through to the `Yankee' soldiers at the fort and Mike's old friend the Major and his wife.  There is also humour, such as fun at the expense of Michael's southern accent and ways.The story is about the healing, redeeming power of love after the chaos and pain of war, not simply in the relationship between Annie and Michael, but also in bridging the divide between north and south.