"Hugh is a superb character, whose struggle to do the right thing pulls on our sympathies despite the unfathomable conditions of slavery…Rosen is an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church, and in addition to her novel's considerable historical research, she brings a commendable degree of psychological insight. She understands how good people justify evil actions, and she explores Hugh's character with tremendous empathy and unstinting clarity….With so much passionate propaganda on both sides, Hugh welcomes the opportunity to "clear the air," [with character John Varick, a visiting Northerner] and the situation provides Rosen a chance to draw out the different species of hypocrisy in the North and South. All of these big themes are richly developed in the lives of interesting, engaging characters..." — Ron Charles, THE WASHINGTON POST

"The American Civil War remains this nation's epic moment above and beyond all the rest of our history. At the heart of all great writing is transformation. Elisabeth Rosen has given us such a story in HALLAM'S WAR. We watch men and women forever transformed by war and sorrow. Rosen's story beautifully draws us in to those times, as Hugh Hallam and his way of life are made anew." — Robert Hicks, author of THE WIDOW OF THE SOUTH

"A big, sprawling Civil War epic, Rosen’s first novel contains enough romance and history to draw Miss Scarlett’s fans like flies to honey...plenty of battle detail and frequent appearances by real historical figures all add up to a winner for the historical fiction crowd." — LIBRARY JOURNAL

"The two characters are inextricable from their Civil War setting, and their decisions and changing ideals are inseparable from the war. As a result, the book works just as it should. It creates two characters who are real and complex and whose perspectives change over the course of the story. It uses the historical setting to give a rich and detailed context for the development of these two characters.... the depth of its central characters is enough to satisfy even readers who are not history buffs." — The Winston-Salem Journal

"Hallam's War shines for its lush style, fascinating characters and impressive psychological perspicacity. Hugh Hallam is one of the more memorable characters of recent historical fiction, and for readers looking for a big summer book with substance, I can think of no better choice than this bravura performance." — Mobile Press Register

"A powerful Civil War tale that vividly describes life in the south just prior to the conflict and during the war…Fans of Civil War dramas will appreciate Elisabeth Payne Rosen’s insightful look at the antebellum south." — GENRE GO ROUND REVIEWS

"Rosen meticulously recreates the Civil War from a Southern point of view, and her narrator is a man of both character and contradiction . . . . Rosen does a remarkable job in terms of research and authenticity." — Booklist

"In her Civil War novel, the author addresses the dilemma from the perspective of a Southerner in Tennessee plagued by self-doubts and the overwhelming historical events that remove any element of choice…With great attention to the battles that brought the South to its knees, the author balances her characters’ inequities with precise historical detail, a disturbing backdrop for Hugh and Serena’s loss of innocence." — CURLEDUP.COM

"Civil War buffs will want to check out this debut novel...Rosen knows her subject. Her description of antebellum plantation life rings true as does her harrowing portrait of medical treatment in Confederate hospitals." - MILITARY.COM

"Rosen, a deacon in the Episcopal church and a hospital chaplain, delivers an auspicious debut set during the Civil War. Serena Hallam, the beautiful daughter of a prominent Charleston family, is married to handsome Hugh Hallam, a Virginia native, West Point graduate and Mexican War veteran. The happy couple lives with their three children and a dozen slaves at Palmyra Farm in Tennessee. A progressive who is concerned for the welfare of his slaves, Hallam laments the growing sectional acrimony and insists that rational heads will prevail in the end. Regardless, when the war begins, Hallam puts aside “his conflicted loyalties” and joins the Confederate army. Appointed commander of the 8th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, he is wounded and taken prisoner at Shiloh. In his absence, Serena struggles against long odds to run Palmyra Farm and hold the family together. Rosen paints a balanced picture of antebellum life and writes convincingly about the horrors of combat. (Her description of field hospitals is especially chilling.) Civil War buffs in particular will welcome this thoughtful historical novel." — Publisher's Weekly