Always Remembered by Janelle Mowery is a fascinating love story set against the backdrop of the Battle of the Alamo. Rosa Carter is a young woman forced to spy on the Alamo by her stepfather under threat of never seeing her mother again. Miles Fitch is an Alamo defender who first meets Rosa when he rescues her from another defender who is accosting her.
Awkward around a beautiful woman, Miles is hesitant in his initial efforts to get to know her better. Meanwhile, she seems intent on charming another defender. Over time, Miles and Rosa grow closer. Yet, as they do, Miles suspicions grow she may be one of the spies Davey Crockett and Jim Travis have asked him to ferret out.
Their romance begins a whirlwind ride full of tension as he struggles to trust her and Rosa struggles to trust anyone after she learns her mother is in agreement with her stepfather’s plans.
Because of the cruelty in their lives—Miles family was killed by Mexicans, as was Rosa’s father—they both struggle in their relationships with God, angry and not understanding why.
Miles is sent to seek reinforcements. By the time he returns empty-handed, the battle is over and all his comrades and friends slaughtered. He blames himself for not staying to help.
Rosa, seeking information on Miles, disguises herself as a Mexican soldier and enters the Alamo. Convinced he is dead, she runs to his house seeking solace. Miles finds her, sees only the uniform, and fires at her, missing. Feeling betrayed yet again, he leaves her without explanation and joins General Sam Houston in time for the Battle of San Jacinto.
While they are separated, they each draw closer to God. Miles journey of self-forgiveness is arduous while he questions if he can ever trust Rosa and she ponders how to regain that trust.
Ms. Mowery’s story is well written. Even though the outcome of the Alamo is known, she maintains the tension very well by 
showing the events unfold through the characters’ eyes. The book is well researched and shows her attention to detail.
She does and excellent job of fleshing out the historical characters like Travis, Crockett, Houston, and Fanin. She makes their humanity believable without resorting to stereotypes.
Her fictional characters are also well drawn. Rosa and Miles are deeply complex and their struggles for love, trust, and forgiveness resonate. They are two people we are excited to meet and to get to know. The tension in their lives and in their relationship make the story a genuine page-turner. The reader is caught up in their adventures and their seeking love and peace in the turbulent times of the story.
My only disappoint in the story is the dialogue. The characters tend to sound the same, using similar word choices and patterns. They sound like they speaking above the education level and dialect patterns you would expect during the time period.
From reading this novel, it is easy to see why Ms. Mowery is an award-winning novelist. She weaves a rich tapestry of people and events that gives a very satisfying read.
I highly recommend to any who are interested in a good romance story during a fascinating time in our history.
I give it four stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, but I was under no obligation to read the book or post a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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