Hollywood loves a historical drama, and Alyssa Cole's An Extraordinary Union combines a fraught period in history with an epic love story. Former slave Elle uses her eidetic memory to return to the South and spy for the Union. While there, she meets Malcolm, a detective infiltrating a rebel group, and the two join forces to pool information and help each other's missions. As the war worsens and their missions grow more crucial, Malcolm and Elle are torn between their love for each other and their duty to their country.