An Extraordinary Union

by Alyssa Cole

Overview

An Entertainment Weekly TOP 10 ROMANCE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A Bookpage TOP PICK
A Kirkus BEST BOOKS OF 2017
A Vulture TOP 10 ROMANCE BOOKS OF 2017
A Publishers Weekly BEST BOOKS OF 2017
A Booklist TOP 10 ROMANCE FICTION 2017

“Richly detailed setting, heart-stopping plot, and unforgettable characters.” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author

As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . .

Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South—to spy for the Union Army.

Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he’s facing his deadliest mission yet—risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia.

Two undercover agents who share a common cause—and an undeniable attraction—Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost—even if it means losing each other . . .

Praise for the novels of Alyssa Cole:

“Rich in atmospheric details and rife with unexpected dangers.”—RT Book Reviews

“Sweet, sensual, and suspenseful . . . rousing and entertaining.”—Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496707444
Publisher:	Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication date:	03/28/2017
Series:	The Loyal League Series , #1
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	110,573
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Alyssa Cole is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary romance, and SFF romance. She's contributed to publications including Shondaland, The Toast, Vulture, RT Book Reviews, and Heroes and Heartbreakers, and her books have received critical acclaim from Library Journal, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, and various other outlets. When she’s not working, she can often be found watching anime with her husband or wrangling their menagerie of animals. Visit her online at www.https://alyssacole.com/

Editorial Reviews

★ 02/20/2017
Opening a series set in the Civil War era, Cole (Mixed Signals) hits all the right notes in this smartly written espionage romance brimming with vivid characterization, heartfelt dialogue, and sensual sweetness. Ellen “Elle” Burns, a sassy freedwoman, and Malcolm McCall, a charming immigrant from Scotland, are both spies committed to using their skills to defeat the Confederacy. Their collaboration is complicated by the sizzling chemistry between them. Elle has given up her freedom to pose as a mute slave in an influential Confederate household, as her photographic memory lets her retain confidential information after just a glance. In the same household, Malcolm claims to be a Confederate soldier, hoping to endear himself to Confederate officials. Their closeness leads to genuine mutual understanding of their private selves and a satisfying intimate relationship. But Elle knows the perils of an interracial romance, and she struggles to trust a man who lies so glibly. Despite their ability to work seamlessly together and their growing belief in a shared future, a risky plan to secure vital information goes awry, threatening the success of the mission—and their lives. Cole’s sparkling gem of a romance portrays love at its most practical and sublime; she writes with lyricism, intelligence, and historical accuracy. This fascinating novel is a most welcome addition to the historical romance genre. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Exceptional Praise for The Loyal League Series
 
“It’s gratifying to read a novel that deals so frankly with such issues and takes an unflinching view of the realities of life during the Civil War rather than reiterating the dangerous Lost Cause rhetoric that often colors romance narratives of this era.” —Entertainment Weekly on A Hope Divided
 
“Successfully navigating the challenges of writing an interracial romance set during the Civil War is difficult enough to do once, but to pull it off twice is truly impressive. And yet Cole has managed to do just that with her second book in the series.” —Shondaland.com on A Hope Divided
 
“Thoughtfully portrayed characters with deep minds and passionate hearts make this second novel in Cole’s Loyal League series, following An Extraordinary Union (2017), sparkle. Highly recommended for lovers of historical romance.” —Booklist, starred review for A Hope Divided
 
“Alyssa Cole’s An Extraordinary Union was one of our favorite spring romances, and this season she returns with the sequel.” —Bookish “Autumn’s 2017 Most Swoon-Worthy Romance Books” list for A Hope Divided
 
“An exceptional story that both educates and entertains and beautifully launches a unique series.” —Library Journal STARRED REVIEW, Editor’s Fall Picks for An Extraordinary Union
 
“The second book in Cole's Loyal League series (An Extraordinary Union, 2017) follows much the same pattern as the first. Again, Cole's heroine is gorgeously portrayed and powerful enough that readers will worship at her feet just as Ewan does. But if this book shows that Cole is settling into a pattern, readers won't want her to break the mold on book No. 3. Her prose is flawless. Her historical research is absorbing, and her characters are achingly human. This book is fantastic. As the war closes in around them, the line blurs between who is the rescuer and who is the rescued.” —Kirkus starred review for A Hope Divided
 
“Brace yourself for another amazing installment of Cole’s The Loyal League series! A Hope Divided features plenty of twists and turns that make Marlie’s family secrets as surprising to the reader as they are to her.” —RT Book Reviews, 5 Stars Gold for A Hope Divided
  
“Cole’s books are always timely, and yet timeless. She has a solid grounding of how to use history in her plots, and knows exactly what story she wants to tell. I could not put this down, even as some of the characterizations made me squirm in recognition (Marlie’s White sister is the ancestor of a lot of white feminism. Like, a lot). I love it when the second book in a series totally exceeds the (very high) expectations of the first book.” —Smart Bitches Trashy Books on A Hope Divided
 
“Cole does the seemingly impossible, using the Civil War as a backdrop for a realistic, gripping interracial romance that interrogates slavery, systemic racism, and more, while still remaining utterly swoon-worthy.” —Entertainment Weekly on An Extraordinary Union, Top 10 Romances of 2017
 
“Cole deftly interweaves the fraught realities of American history with romance and adventure — this is a spy story, after all — and it is elegantly told.” —Vulture.com on An Extraordinary Union
 
“The first installment in Cole’s Loyal League series defies genre stereotypes at every turn. It’s both a romance and a spy novel, with a healthy dose of adventure thrown in, and it offers a nuanced portrayal of Civil War–era racial politics. Any reader who thinks romance novels are pure fluff will be schooled by Cole’s richly drawn characters, who must overcome generations of trauma in order to let themselves love each other.” —Kirkus starred review on An Extraordinary Union
 
“Cole’s sparkling gem of a romance portrays love at its most practical and sublime.” —Publishers Weekly starred review, BEST BOOKS OF 2017 on An Extraordinary Union
 
“Cole spins a tale that will pull you in from the very first page.” —RT Book Reviews *five star* Top Pick review on An Extraordinary Union
 
“In the first installment in what should be a spectacular new series, Cole opens her adventurous historical romance at the beginning of the American Civil War.” —Booklist starred review Top 10 Romance Fiction: 2017 on An Extraordinary Union
 
“Cole's Civil War-set romance boasts one of the most delightfully, unapologetically powerful heroines in recent memory. Elle Burns quotes The Art of War in between dodging Confederate bullets, and by the end of An Extraordinary Union, readers are just as smitten with her as her adoring love interest is.” —BookPage 10 Best Romance Novels of 2017 on An Extraordinary Union
 
“Alyssa Cole in any situation is magic, and from what I’ve heard from advance readers it’s going to change the face of historical romance.” —BookRiot Best Books of 2017 (So Far) on An Extraordinary Union
 
“With projects like WGN America’s Underground, Cole’s lively novel—besides being an enjoyable romance full of adventure and extremely good lust—is therefore part of a long-overdue pushback against the way historical fiction portrays this seminal moment in American history.” —Jezebel on An Extraordinary Union
 
“A compelling and engrossing historical civil war romance between two spies, a free black woman and a Scottish immigrant that leaves you spellbound.” —Huffington Post on An Extraordinary Union
 
“With its richly detailed setting, heart-stopping plot, and unforgettable characters, An Extraordinary Union is everything you can ask from historical fiction. Alyssa Cole has taken an unforgettable hero, a uniquely resourceful heroine, and mixed them together for some truly combustible chemistry. Brava!” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author on An Extraordinary Union
 
 “Alyssa Cole’s AN EXTRAORDINARY UNION is as extraordinary as the title suggests—riveting, romantic, and utterly remarkable.”  —Courtney Milan, New York Times bestselling author on An Extraordinary Union

“Alyssa Cole is just a wonderful storyteller, and she’s fast become one of my auto-buy authors. An Extraordinary Union is the perfect blend of history, adventure, and heart-stopping romance, with a courageous heroine you’ll love and a hero you’ll fall in love with. I read it in a single sitting, and my heart wants to go on living with these characters.” —Susanna Kearsley, New York Times bestselling author on An Extraordinary Union
 
“Alyssa Cole’s An Extraordinary Union is the first in what promises to be a riveting series.” —Heroes and Heartbreakers on An Extraordinary Union 

From the Publisher

★ 04/15/2017
With her eidetic memory and quick wit, Elle Burns, a Northern freedwoman and part of the Loyal League, is the perfect spy for the Union Army. Now a mute "slave" in the home of an influential Southern senator, Elle is shocked when her latest contact turns out to be the handsome Confederate soldier pretending to pay court to the senator's spoiled daughter. But Malcolm McCall is no Johnny Reb; he's a Scot by birth and a Pinkerton detective on a mission for the Union. When he and Elle learn of plans to break the Union blockade, they join forces in a perilous race against time to see the plot foiled. Based in part on historical characters and events, this carefully composed tale envisages aspects of the Civil War often overlooked. VERDICT Courageous, passionate protagonists fight for justice, freedom, and the right to love in an exceptional story that both educates and entertains and beautifully launches a unique series. Cole (Mixed Signals) lives in the Caribbean.

Library Journal

★ 2017-01-23
A spy posing as a slave in Civil War Virginia risks her own life and the outcome of the war by falling in love with a fellow spy of another race.After being freed from slavery as a child, Ellen "Elle" Burns has one purpose. She is "going to help destroy the Confederacy." But to do that, she has to do something she never imagined possible—pose as an enslaved woman on loan to a family of spoiled whites. Her "masters" are living the high life in spite of a punishing Union blockade that's causing widespread suffering and starvation in Richmond, Virginia. Elle's photographic memory makes her extremely valuable to the Loyal League, a network of black spies working to undermine the Confederacy. But her careful work is thrown into disarray by the arrival of Malcolm McCall, a detective in the Pinkerton network who is posing as a Confederate soldier paying social visits to the household where Elle works. Malcolm is a skilled spy and a good person, but Elle has a hard time bringing herself to trust a glib and charming white man whose job requires him to be a gifted liar. Little by little Malcolm wins her over, but the painful racial dynamics around them threaten to poison their relationship. Malcolm must treat Elle as less than human in front of others while convincing her in private that he values her as highly as any white woman. The first installment in Cole's (Mixed Signals, 2015, etc.) Loyal League series defies genre stereotypes at every turn. It's both a romance and a spy novel, with a healthy dose of adventure thrown in, and it offers a nuanced portrayal of Civil War-era racial politics. Any reader who thinks romance novels are pure fluff will be schooled by Cole's richly drawn characters, who must overcome generations of trauma in order to let themselves love each other. A masterful tale that bodes well for future work from Cole.

Kirkus Reviews