Just Imagine
The War Between the States may be over for the rest of the country, but not for Kit Weston. Disguised as a boy, she’s come to New York City to kill Baron Cain, the man who stands between her and Risen Glory, the South Carolina home she loves. But unknown to Kit, the Yankee war hero is more than her most bitter enemy-he’s also her guardian. And he’ll be a lot harder to kill than she’s figured on…
Believing that Kit’s a boy, Cain offers the grubby rapscallion a job in his stable. But he has no idea what he’s in for, and it’snot long before the hero of Missionary Ridge discovers the truth. His scamp of a stable boy is a strong-willed, violet-eyed beauty who’s hell-bent on driving him crazy.
Two hard-headed, passionate people …. Two stubborn opponents with tender souls…. Sometimes wars of the heart can only be won through the sweetest of surrenders.
This rewritten, retitled version of Phillips's 1984 Risen Glory is a classic tale of the Reconstruction Era, featuring a young Southern hellion who will do anything to reclaim her plantation, a Northern war hero who finds himself in possession of said plantation and guardian of the girl, and an abundance of well-defined secondary characters. It goes without saying that Baron Cain is definitely a hero of the first tier; but while he has some trust issues that he eventually overcomes with the help of the heroine it is Kit Weston's transformation from a fiery, reckless teenager into a strong, determined, courageous woman that is truly memorable. Skillfully weaving issues of politics, power, slavery, poverty, and social class into the plot, this historical may not be what readers expect from Phillips, but her strong characters, lively humor, and excellent pacing are all there. Phillips is a best-selling, RITA Award-winning writer and lives in the Chicago area. — Library Journal
Readers who love Phillips's highly successful contemporary romances will be just as enthralled with this historical romance. Lush landscapes, complex characters, a charming cast of secondary players, and a subplot that takes a look at the effects of slavery and racist attitudes in the Old South all add up to an excellent novel. A rewrite of an early title, Just Imagine is classic historical romance at its best. --Lois Faye Dyer