Engraved on the Heart

Reluctant debutante Keziah Montgomery lives beneath the weighty expectations of her staunch Confederate family, forced to keep her epilepsy secret for fear of a scandal. As the tensions of the Civil War arrive on their doorstep in Savannah, Keziah sees little cause for balls and courting. Despite her discomfort, she cannot imagine an escape from her familial confines?until her old schoolmate Micah shows her a life-changing truth that sets her feet on a new path . . . as a conductor in the Underground Railroad.Dr. Micah Greyson never hesitates to answer the call of duty, no matter how dangerous, until the enchanting Keziah walks back into his life and turns his well-ordered plans upside down. Torn between the life he has always known in Savannah and the fight for abolition, Micah struggles to discern God?s plan amid such turbulent times.Battling an angry fiancé, a war-tattered brother, bounty hunters, and their own personal demons, Keziah and Micah must decide if true love is worth the price . . . and if they are strong enough to survive the unyielding pain of war. Review Starred review. In her sparkling debut, Johnson introduces vibrant and flawed Savannah heiress Keziah Montgomery, who comes of age as America hovers on the brink of the Civil War. Keziah, who should be a sought-after bride in aristocratic Savannah society, has epileptic seizures, a condition her family desperately tries to hide. Attending an abolitionist meeting with her childhood friend Micah Greyson, Keziah begins to understand how barbaric it is to own slaves and why they so desperately seek freedom. Despite Micah?s warnings, Keziah finds purpose as a conductor for the Underground Railroad. After Keziah?s brother is reported dead, Keziah?s ailing father becomes even more determined to see Keziah married to a man who can financially take care of the Montgomery women?one who?s not tainted by abolitionist ideals. Hiding a family secret of his own, Micah fears he cannot be the man Keziah needs. With more than a few twists and turns, Johnson crafts an inspirational tale of love, fortitude, and what it means to do the right thing when the very concept of ?right? is challenged.Publishers Weekly Review Engraved on the Heart brings Savannah, Georgia, during the Civil War to life. A book to savor and an author to watch!Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of the Waves of Freedom series Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Engraved on the HeartBy Tara JohnsonTyndale House Publishers, Inc.Copyright © 2018 Tara JohnsonAll rights reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4964-2831-8CHAPTER 1April 12, 1861 savannah, GeorgiaDont jail. Tonight of all nights, dont fail.Keziah Montgomery placed her gloved fingers into the waiting hand of the man smiling at her with confident expectation.Taking a shallow breath against the corset threatening to crush her ribs in its unyielding grip, she willed her fluttering stomach to calm and allowed Mr. Watson to lead her onto the crowded dance floor. A colorful array of bright silks and lace flurried around her in circles. The thick, sticky air carried the weight of pomade and a nauseating mixture of shaving soaps and rice powder. The din of chatter and polite laughter choked her dizzying thoughts.From across the room, she caught Mothers penetrating stare. Elsie Montgomery had been adamant Keziah be at her best. No one must know her shamefUl secret. The sooner she marry, the better ... before her future husband realized what her parents were so desperate to keep hidden.Looking up, she smiled into the youthful face of Tate Watson as he cupped his warm hand against her waist, keeping the proper distance between them as the musicians struck up the opening strains of "The Scenes of Our Childhood." She noted the golden stubble lining his jaw, his brown eyes bright. A flush of heat crept up her neck.She blinked away the grit filming her vision. It was late i