A Fine Looking Soldier: Secret Soldier Vol. 1

A Fine Looking Soldier: Secret Soldier Vol. 1

Jane Hadley

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

Charley Smith is up to something… Henry Schaefer is sick of standing in his brothers’ shadows. That’s why he tried to enlist just as soon as Lincoln put out the call. Now that he’s finally mustering in at Fort Snelling in the last company of the Second Minnesota Regiment, he’s eager to prove himself and catch up with his brothers on the front lines. He may be green, but at least he’s not as green as the snot-nosed Charles Smith, who seems hell-bent on making life in their squad as difficult as humanly possible. Charles Smith knows he’s being an unbearable ass. But it’s nothing personal — it’s a matter of survival. Because the last thing he can afford is for his squad to discover he is actually Cate Ellis, whose unhappy marriage finally drove her to throw everyone’s expectations to the wind and do all she can to open up the promise of freedom to every square mile of these United States. Which, in this case, means disguising herself as a man. It’s too bad she has to do everything she can to drive that lughead Schaefer away, because he is … well, he is objectively a very strapping man. Henry knows there’s something off about Charley. And he’s going to get to the bottom of it, even if the little weasel has these dark eyes he can’t quite look away from…


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  • yarncrone
    Apr 17, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    This book was delicious! The author wrote that “the plot was sacrificed on the alter of historical accuracy” and I think this is true in the most wonderful way! The minimalist approach to plot completely fits the anxious waiting in the story, which is set in a Union camp during the Civil war, as everyone prepares to go off to fight for the first time.

    This is a love story, and it does that really really well - pining, forbidden love, the highest stakes, only one tent, grumpy/sort of less grumpy… it’s wonderful, from a romance perspective and very sexy and sweet.

    In addition to that, it’s deeply well researched - the level of historical detail in this book really makes it come alive. I could almost *feel* how filthy everyone is all the time and enjoyed reading about things like walking hours to go to a wedding (as one did) and the novelty and excitement of getting photos taken.

    The author is also doing more with the ‘cis woman passing as a man’ situation than many people would have and I am here for it! I love how both Charley and Henry journey through their understanding of her gender and identity as the book progresses. An excellent read - can’t wait for the sequel!

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