All Through the Night by Tara Johnson is a powerful and gripping story…with a nice dash of romance as well.
In a time when a slow tongue was equated with a slow brain, Cadence Piper struggled to find purpose and acceptance from the person she needs it most–her father.
My Review of All Through the Night
When Cadence begins working as a nurse alongside Dr. Joshua Ivy, she finds the purpose she so desperately craves but will it be enough to save her from a lifetime of people-pleasing?
The Characters in All Through the Night
Washington is in turmoil because war had been declared with the intention to free the slaves. As a doctor, Joshua is in the midst of it, as an abolitionist–even more so.
Joshua Ivy is a man driven to extremities because of his past and the injustices he has witnessed. He works long hours both as an abolitionist and as a physician caring for those he can. When we first meet Joshua, he is quick to judge and doesn’t seem like someone you’d like to get to know much less read a book about, but he soon grows on you.
Cadence, on the other hand, longs for purpose. When she gets the chance to serve as a nurse, she’s ecstatic though the job is nothing like she expected. She throws herself into the position and excels at it. But sometimes we do the right things for the wrong reasons as Cadence quickly found out.
The romance between Cadence and Joshua unfolded slowly over months of them working together and getting little insights into the other person’s life. They made each other better and their relationship was fun to read.
The children were great secondary characters and the love they shared for each other reminds us that love transcends blood.
All Through the Night takes you into the heart of the War Between States and as such, some of the characters were not very nice. There were evil, selfish men who sought to benefit or profit from slavery or hurt those who wanted to free the slaves.
The Themes in All Through the Night
One of the major themes in All Through the Night was a reminder that God has chosen us. We don’t need to prove ourselves to anyone on earth but should instead, live our lives in a manner that gives God the glory.
We are also reminded that fear can be a great motivator or a great destroyer. This was a lesson Joshua had to learn. His fear kept him from drawing close to his family when he had the chance and the consequences were dire.
We were also reminded that family has more to do with the bond between people than any familial ties. Joshua’s family also reminded us that children are taught prejudice–it’s not a natural state of being.
Final Thoughts on All Through the Night
This story explored some hard topics exposing the nefarious practices of those who benefited from the slave trade and didn’t want it to be abolished. It also showed the people who worked to free the slaves sometimes had to fight against their own ethnicity.
Through it all, the reader is reminded that we were all created by the same Creator who loves us with an everlasting love. We are never alone as God is no more than a prayer away.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publishers through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.
About All Through the Night
With her stammering tongue and quiet ways, Cadence Piper has always struggled to be accepted. After the death of her mother, Cadence sets her heart on becoming a nurse, both to erase the stain her brother has left on the family’s honor and to find long-sought approval in the eyes of her father. When Dorothea Dix turns her away due to her young age and pretty face, Cadence finds another way to serve . . . singing to the soldiers in Judiciary Square Hospital. Only one stubborn doctor stands in her way.
Joshua Ivy is an intense man with a compassionate heart for the hurting and downtrodden. The one thing he can’t have is an idealistic woman destroying the plans he’s so carefully laid. When the chaos of war thrusts Cadence into the middle of his clandestine activities, he must decide if the lives at stake, and his own heart, are worth the risk of letting Cadence inside.
Everything changes when Joshua and Cadence unearth the workings of a secret society so vile, the course of their lives, and the war, could be altered forever. If they fight an enemy they cannot see, will the One who sees all show them the way in the darkest night?
Purchase All Through the Night: Christianbook | Amazon
About Tara Johnson
Tara Johnson is an author, speaker, and loves to write stories that help people break free from the lies they believe about themselves.
Tara’s debut novel, Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale), earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly and finaled in the Carol and Christy Awards. She has articles published in Plain Truth Magazine and Live It Loud Magazine and has been a featured guest on Voice of Truth radio, Enduring Word radio, television, and podcasts. Tara is a member of ACFW and is represented by Janet Grant of Books & Such Literary Agency. She, her husband, and her children live in Arkansas.
Learn more about Tara on her website: www.TaraJohnsonStories.com
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