Decker Brown returns home to Richmond, Virginia, full of plans for his new life marrying his sweetheart Paula and setting up a business to make fireworks. Unfortunately, the Civil War intervenes and suddenly his world is turned upside down. Decker does not believe in slavery, and so would find it hard to fight for his beloved South - he has some serious decisions to make that will skew his life away from the plan and in directions he never would have dreamed.

This is a powerful book, beautifully written, about war, about conscience, about following one's dream. The characters jump to life, the setting is well-drawn and if the plot is occasionally a little unbelievable, drawing in real-life characters like Jules Verne, then its easy to ride along as the whole thing is told so well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.