An Officer, Not a Gentleman

Brethren in Arms, Book 3

By: Elizabeth Johns

Narrated by: Alex Wyndham

Despite Tobin O'Neill's humble origins, he finds himself a lieutenant in His Majesty's army, serving on Wellington's staff. When the roguish Irishman strikes up an unlikely friendship with a general's daughter, they somehow become enmeshed in navigating the perils of the greatest battle of their age.

Bridget Murphy had grown up following the drum. Left motherless when a child, she knows no other life and has found purpose in nursing the wounded. The conflict at Waterloo having no regard for rank or fortune in the course of its destruction, they find themselves leaning on each other as they slowly recover from the aftermath.

When they return to Ireland, Bridget's family betrays her, while Tobin's unexpectedly wants to be a part of his life. In a stroke of irony their situations then become reversed, and Tobin now has to convince Bridget that they were meant for each other.

©2020 Elizabeth Johns (P)2022 Tantor

Early 1800's

Some reviewers are frustrated with the heroine.
This book is about what it was like to be a woman in the early 1800s. It made me grateful I wasn't born in that era. Women had almost no rights.
The heroine is unselfish in the extreme.
Compared with modern women, yes. She puts others, those she loves, ahead of her own needs. Not a failing but a strength.
In my opinion.

Mediocre

The story starts out with an interesting view point of the Waterloo battle & participants. The FMC comes across very strong and identifiable as a modern independent woman. She handle the tragedy and adversity with grace and humility. The MMC, though strong in his own way is much more insecure given his low birth station. Their attraction & mutual respect is apparent from the start. It makes the reader want to cheer for them. When they return to Scotland everything changes in unexpected ways. Unfortunately, so does the FMC personality. She acts in the most ridiculous, illogical ways. She claims it is because the situation and the MMC have changed. However the author gives us no inclination of any change within his character asidefrom appearing more confident in his attentions to the FMC. So the obstacle feels very forced and the FMC is now insecure, weak and pathetic, i.e., unlikable. Where's he was just earlier, honest and straightforward she is timid and secretive... again withput logical reasoning. This change destroyed the entire love story for me. I don't know why the author didn't just continue down the original problem instead of pushing such an overdone & unbelievable narrative. Too bad because Tobin had been my favorite character. Sad to see his story end in a muddled jumble of poorly constructed ends.

Annoying main characters

This book is cookie cutter version of the first book in the series. Same plot, different characters. BUT in both books the main characters are aggravating in the extreme. Wishy washy for most of the book. Will they marry? Will they not? For goodness sake. In spite of Alex Wyndham, this book goes into my "not again" group.

Weak story line and characters

The female character is annoying and stereotypical of a weak woman. Barely able to finish the book the only reason I stuck with it was the narrator is so good. I wish he would find more talented authors to read for.