Tara Johnson has a way of writing a story that you expect because of the genre rules, but somehow she puts a twist or a surprise in there. The kind of surprise that keeps you turning pages and waiting for her next book to come out.

Captivating and inviting cover art. Beautifully written. Historic. Well crafted novel. Rich characters. Five stars.

This would make a fabulous mini series. There's so much to this story, and much is based on the life of a real woman who served in the civil war, without revealing that she was a woman. She performed so many tasks, and was excellent at it. Chosen because she was excellent for many duties, trusted and respected. Gabe is a Scot who raised himself up from the slums of N.Y. and became a photographer in the war. Their story winds through many paths, lined with faith. They both came from nothing and were important to the war. They have a bit in common, and were drawn to each other as friends right away. Excellent read, both learning to believe in themselves and each other and to have faith while working through the struggle of war. A get lost in in it book with never a dull moment.
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#WhereDandelionsBloom #NetGalley

I have to admit I was attracted to this book just by the title alone! It conjures so much beauty in my imagination.

The story somehow reminds me of the Mulan cartoon. Ha! I have often wondered though how any woman could pass as a man unless she is very manly in the first place.

I am afraid this book did not grab me and I actually had to try to read it a couple of times. However, I hope to be able to explore more of this author's future writings. I do like books that has a bit of history infused into it.

Such a touching story! This historical romance had me hooked to the very end! I love the conflict and profound message in it.

Due to reviews of this book mentioning that there is bad language and is insulting to people with incorrect descriptions and using a historical figure as a character yet saying things about the real person that weren't true.

For the first 60% of the book, I wavered between four and five stars, but it went downhill after that. When the heroine becomes a spy, she crosses the line multiple times, swears (I wouldn’t have gotten as bent out of shape over a d* which would have been more historically accurate, but she unleashes a British profanity that’s equal to using an f bomb? Yeah, nope.), and encounters Southerners who are 100% vicious, bloodthirsty, psychotic, or rapist. Not a single one of the Southerners are portrayed as decent people. That really bugged me.

The ending leaped suddenly from one bit to the other and motivations suddenly went up in the air. Because events got summarized so quickly, I lost touch with reality of the chain of events. Johnson left a historical note at the end that her character was modeled on Sarah Emma Edmonds and goes so far as to copy her alias, but makes no attempt to sort fact from fiction in the postscript. I was actually quite disappointed that a few realities got put in but that this story mostly makes everything up. Why try to draw a connection by name and city of enlistment with someone real? The real lady was a Canadian, not a born Michigander; etc etc, with only a few events being the same. I was annoyed that the author would borrow a real location of enlistment and a real name and then invent so large a difference.

Anyway, I’ll probably try her again, but with caution.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Be still my romantic heart. Where Dandelions Bloom gave everything I could have asked for in a novel. Cassie and Gabe's relationship created equal parts drama and sweetness. Everything wasn't perfect, and both characters made mistakes.
When Cassie runs away from her home situation and joins the Union army, any manner of situations could have presented themselves. Cassie faces war with the fierceness of a warrior and the grace of a lady even while in hiding. She cares for others with such a depth of love I found it honorable.
Gabe joined the Union army as a photographer and finds himself learning how to be part of something bigger than himself. With his past, Gabe has some hard-headed ideas on where women do and do not belong. Finding out Cassie is a woman fighting as a soldier doesn't sit well with him in any form and it will take more than one argument to change his mind. His attitude is appropriate for the time and I enjoyed how Tara Johnson worked these characters together so that each could learn from the other.
Using the Civil War as the setting and backdrop for the novel allowed for some grounding of the characters while creating an emotional toll on everyone involved.
I never saw the ending coming, at least not in the way it happened. Now that I've read it, I can't imagine it ending any other way. Perfect. Poignant. With a level of forgiveness not often seen in novels.
I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Where Dandelions Bloom, I absolutely loved it!
I've read many civil war fiction books, it is one of my favourite historical subjects to read about, this one it is special!
The civil war was a bloody battle with so many lives lost. I live very close to Gettysburg and visit it often and have learned much about the battle there.
Even though this book is about the fighting and there are lives lost it is written with compassion by an author who has obviously put in many hours of research time!

Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson

Published by Tyndale House Publishers July 01, 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Pages: 313

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Publisher’s Description

Cassie Kendrick is on the run. Her abusive father arranged her marriage to a despicable man, but she’s discovered an escape. Disguised as a man, Cassie enlists in the Union army, taking the name Thomas Turner. On the battlefields of the Civil War, keeping her identity a secret is only the beginning of her problems, especially after she meets Gabriel Avery, a handsome young photographer.

Anxious to make his mark on the world and to erase the darkness and guilt lurking from his past, Gabriel works with renowned photographer Matthew Brady to capture images from the front lines of the war. As Gabriel forges friendships with many of the men he encounters, he wonders what the courageous, unpredictable Thomas Turner is hiding.

Battling betrayal, their own personal demons, and a country torn apart by war, can Cassie and Gabriel learn to forgive themselves and trust their futures to the God who births hope and healing in the darkest places?

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Tara Johnson brings readers a story of courage, bravery and finding a place to call home in the middle of the Civil War.

Tara Johnson is not an author I have read before but have definitely added to my future reading lists. Her ability to craft a story that included both action and heart without being either boringly detailed or unrealistic is incredible. I’m not usually a big fan of war stories but this one intrigued me. It begins with a young woman named Cassidy who is facing an alarming future. Her abusive father has arranged a marriage for her to a man as vicious as he is but Cassidy has determined to avoid it. Leaving her life behind her, she heads out to serve her country in the war effort. Things don’t go as she first figured, however, and Cassidy finds herself enlisting as a soldier in the Union army. Taking up the name Thomas Turner and disguising herself as a man turns out to be fairly easy and Cassidy quickly earns herself a reputation as a sniper. She gets along well with everyone and in spite of the ravages of war, she finds a purpose for her life. But her secret is threatened with the arrival of Gabriel Avery, a war photographer who seems determined to befriend her. Gabriel has finally been able to gain his dream job of working for the renowned photographer, Matthew Brady, even if the subject he has been assigned is less than ideal.

I absolutely loved Where Dandelions Bloom. Tara Johnson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This one gets five plus stars from me.

I absolutely loved Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson!
It is an inspirational historical romance set during the Civil War. It is a story about love, forgiveness and redemption in Christ. It is a story that pulls at your heartstrings and keeps you coming back for more.
I'm looking forward to reading more books in the future by this wonderful author.

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

This book is amazing.
The romance that develops between Cassie and Gabriel is slow, sweet, and incredibly deep. Although they help each other, they don't try to change anything fundamental about the other, which I appreciate.
Additionally, Cassie is one bad-ss protagonist. She takes all that she's gone through and only grows stronger,
The plot was tight and engaging.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with this copy for an honest review!

Where Dandelions Bloom, I absolutely loved it!
I've read many civil war fiction books, it is one of my favorite historical subjects to read about, this one it is special!
The civil war was a bloody battle with so many lives lost. I live very close to Gettysburg and visit it often and have learned much about the battle there.
Even though this book is about the fighting and there are lives lost it is written with compassion by an author who has obviously put in many hours of research time!
This book is different, it is written more with a woman's point of view about the war as the main character is a woman who disguised as a man enlists to escape an unacceptable marriage arranged by her father.
The romance between civil war photographer, Gabriel and main character enlistee, Cassie is tender and sweet. He isn't so happy to discover she's a woman at first, he's shocked and mourns the loss of what he thought was a male friend.
I was very surprised to read how many woman actually enlisted in the civil war and were able to keep their secret the whole way through.
I enjoy reading about historical things that are different and out of the ordinary and this was that but written in a way that kept my interest while fascinating me.
The story line moves along quickly and doesn't drag at all. I also was pleased to see at the end Cassie forgives her father for past wrongs because not forgiving can eat you up. Hard as it is to do, it's the right thing to do!
Told with compassion,tenderness and authenticity I can not wait to read more by this author!
Published July 1st 2019 by Tyndale House Publishers.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Where Dandelions Bloom is a fantastic historical romance. I throughly enjoyed the Civil War era plot. The author is new to me and I must say her way with the written word is outstanding. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

I'd just like to start off by saying that the writing style was amazing! I was pulled into the story right away, even though it wasn't fast-moving, and at first I was sure that this would end up a 5-star read.

Well, it obviously went downhill.

I loved the characters of both Cassie and Gabe, and before Gabe found out that 'Turner' was actually a girl, I *really* enjoyed the book.

But then he found out her secret. And he couldn't stop noticing her perfect curves. Especially when she was in a dress—it just graced her feminine curves. And her full lips? *heart eyes* What made it all worse was that after almost every one of their detailed kisses, he had to pull back before he lost himself.

But it was quite obvious that he'd already lost himself.

Cassie and Gabe's ongoing argument about a woman's place seemed . . . I don't know . . . so *drawn-out*. She loved him. She kissed him. He said something that offended her and reminded her of her abusive father. She avoided him at all costs until an unexpected event (usually danger or injury to one of them) brought them back together. Repeat.

So what kept me from giving this book only 1 or 2 stars? When they weren't together (or thinking about each other . . . ) the story was amazing. The aspects of war were so *real*. The author's writing voice was incredible. But all the romance kinda ruined the rest.

With careful attention to detail and obvious extensive research, Tara Johnson brings the Civil War period to life in her book, Where Dandelions Bloom. The characters are meticulously crafted and layered, and so realistic I could easily see the scenes play out in my mind. I felt Cassie’s anxiety and horror when she realized she would have to leave to avoid being married off to a loathsome man. Her scheme to disguise herself as a man and join the army to fight in the war seemed a bit radical, but she was desperate and determined. Gabriel was a perfect hero—handsome, ambitious, friendly, and well-liked by those around him. Watching the relationship evolve between Gabe and Thomas Turner/Cassie was captivating.

Johnson did a wonderful job of painting the settings and describing the conditions the characters were in. I could almost feel the mud sucking around my shoes and the rumble and shaking of the cannon firing. Filled with nail-biting suspense, intrigue, romance, and tender messages of courage, faith, and forgiveness, this book has something for everyone. I’ll be looking forward to more wonderful stories from this author. 4.5 stars rounded to 5

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Tara Johnson has written one the best Civil War novels that I have read and I have read several because historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. Ms. Johnson is a new to me author but after reading Where Dandelions Bloom, I can easily see her becoming one of my must read authors.

With limited choices on how to escape her abusive father who has arranged her marriage to an equally wretched man, Cassie Kendrick enlists in the Union Army disguised as a man. Thomas Turner is the name she has taken and let's just say that Thomas goes through a lot to keep her identity a secret on the battlefield. Gabriel Avery is the handsome photographer who is sent to capture images on the front lines of the war. He is carrying baggage from his past but desperately wants to escape his demons, too. I liked how Cassie and Gabriel both took action to remove themselves from situations they didn't welcome in their lives. Though their home lives were vastly different from each other, they still were determined to have better futures.

The secondary characters left a lasting impression on me as much as Cassie and Gabe did. Cassie's grandmother was one of my absolute favorites, she is so kind and caring which left me wanting to meet her. Kudos to the author for creating characters who seemed so real to me. Where Dandelions Bloom is a beautifully crafted and memorable novel and one of my favorites of 2019. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Johnson's work.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.

Cassie Kendrick takes her life into her own hands, escaping and arranged marriage and her abusive, alcoholic father, by dressing as a man, taking the name Thomas Turner and joining the Union Army. But her disguise becomes more difficult when she meets the handsome photographer, Gabe.



Photographer Gabriel Avery, is anxious to make his mark on the world by documenting the war, under the mentorship of Matthew Brady. Raised in the city, he is unprepared for life on the frontlines. He befriends many of the men, including the quiet, dry humored, Thomas.



Cassie and Gabe fight for their country, as well as personal battles of darkness and guilt, while navigating their growing attraction for each other.



Where Dandelions Bloom offers a unique perspective on the Civil War, through the eyes of Cassie and Gabe. I felt like this book dealt with Army life realistically, from the lack of cleanliness, to the long periods of down time.



Cassie is a courageous taking on the role of a lifetime, fighting for her country and eventually serving as a Pinkerton. She is clever and strong, earning the respect of many of her fellow soldiers.



Gabe is a strong young man who follows his dream of capturing images, he is haunted by guilt from his past, wondering if in hindsight he could have done more. Though a city boy, he can hold his own in a fight. He is a good friend, and admires Cassie's bravery and ingenuity.



Overall, an enjoyable read, with a different view of the Civil War. There were moments that were hard to read because of the subject matter, but also humor as well. I liked Jonas and his endearingly annoying talkative ways. Strong lead characters who must overcome challenges physical and emotional, brought together by the war.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a good book, and I was unaware until the Author’s note at the end that it was loosely based on a real person. Her name was Emma Edmonds and she had many of the same jobs as Cassie, the heroine in this story, did. The battle scenes seemed very true to life from other accounts of the Civil War I’ve read. The love story intertwined in the pages was sweet relief from the cruelty of war. I believe anyone interested in the sad history of our country known as the Civil War would enjoy this book.

I received this book from the publisher via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.