The Belle Meade Plantation Collection – Tamera Alexander Free Audiobook

Written by Tamera Alexander
Read by Tavia Gilbert, Melba Sibrel,Devon O’Day
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

To Whisper Her Name

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Belle Meade Plantation Series, Book 1
Publisher: Zondervan Edition: Unabridged
Release date: October 5, 2012
Duration: 17:08:36

A historical series set against the real history of Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville, Tennessee, that explores the struggles of real people of the post-war South.

Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Hardings’ head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman.

Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives.

As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for fighting against the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again.

To Win Her Favor

Narrator: Melba Sibrel
Belle Meade Plantation Series, Book 2
Release date: May 12, 2015
Duration: 15:23:10

An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He’s come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he’d wagered, especially when Maggie Linden’s father makes him an offer he shouldn’t accept yet cannot possibly refuse.

Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance, and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder, Maggie’s father—aging, yet wily as ever—makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail: that Maggie must marry a man she’s never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.

VERDICT Alexander brings in characters from earlier series titles (To Whisper Her Name), yet this book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. Strong characters, a sense of the times, and the themes of love, friendship, and the importance of loyalty and determination make this a triumph. It will be popular not only with Alexander’s many fans but also with readers of Judith Miller and Tracie Peterson.—Library Journal

To Wager Her Heart

Narrator: Melba Sibrel
Belle Meade Plantation Series, Book 3
Publisher: Zondervan
Release date: August 8, 2017
Duration: 11:29:47

Set against the real history of Nashville’s Belle Meade Plantation and the original Fisk University Jubilee Singers ensemble, To Wager Her Heart is a stirring love story about seeking justice and restoring honor at a time in American history when both were tenuous and hard-won.

With fates bound by a shared tragedy, a reformed gambler from the Colorado Territory and a Southern Belle bent on breaking free from society’s expectations must work together to achieve their dreams—provided the truth doesn’t tear them apart first.
Sylas Rutledge, new owner of the Northeast Line Railroad, invests everything he has into this new venture, partly for the sake of the challenge, but mostly to clear his father’s name. One man holds the key to Sy’s success—General William Giles Harding of Nashville’s Belle Meade Plantation. But Harding is champagne and thoroughbreds, and Sy Rutledge is beer and bullocks.

Sy needs someone to help him maneuver through Nashville’s society, and when he meets Alexandra Jamison, he quickly decides he’s found his tutor. But he soon discovers that the very train accident his father is blamed for causing is what killed Alexandra’s fiancé and shattered her world.

Spurning an arranged marriage by her father, Alexandra instead pursues her passion for teaching at Fisk University, the first freedmen’s university in the United States. But family—and Nashville society—does not approve, and she soon finds herself cast out from both.

Through connections with the Harding family, Alexandra and Sy become unlikely allies. And despite first impressions, Alexandra gradually finds herself coming to respect and even care for this man. But how can she, when her heart is still spoken for?

Sy is willing to risk everything to win over the woman he loves. What he doesn’t count on is having to wager her heart to do it.

“The author realistically depicts life in Nashville, Tennessee, after the Civil War. Melba Sibrel narrates as a relationship between Alexandra, a sheltered teacher, and Sylas, a former gambler turned businessman, gradually builds. …, Sibrel’s layered interpretation captures Alexandra’s dedication to her pupils and bonds with her friends, and, to her surprise, Sylas. The compelling African-American characters are presented with realism and dignity in their fight for an education. Sibrel’s pace and tonal qualities make the varied Southern characters distinctive and keep the listener involved with the story.”—AudioFile

· To Mend a Dream (novella)

· Narrated by: Devon O’Day
· Length: 2 hrs and 38 mins
· Release date: 07-14-15
· Publisher: Thomas Nelson

In order to rebuild her life, Savannah must help the people taking over her home.

The Civil War cost Savannah Darby everything—her family and her home. When Aidan Bedford, an attorney from Boston, buys the Darby estate, he hires Savannah to redecorate. Can she find a mysterious treasure before her job is finished?