The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Grande, Reyna. A Ballad of Love and Glory. Simon & Schuster, 2022.

The Yankees invade Santa Isabel in March of 1846. Ximena flees with her grandmother, Nana Hortencia, and her husband, Joaquin, to their nearby rancho. Joaquin’s friend, Cortina, arrives along with several of his men. Cortina recruits Joaquin to the guerilla army.

Meanwhile, leaflets are strewn across the Yankee camp at Fort Texas urging men to desert and join the Mexican army. Private John Riley advises his tentmate, Franky Sullivan, to forget the Mexicans’ promise. Riley tends to play it safe as he has a wife, Nelly. and a son, John, back home in Ireland.

The Irishmen within the Yankee army are often abused. Riley’s friend Maloney gets branded on the forehead with the letters “HD,” standing for “habitual drunk” (31). Riley helps Maloney from the hospital back to his tent the next day. Lieutenant Bragg chastises Riley for not immediately saluting him, despite Riley’s hands being full. General Taylor saves Riley from punishment.

Ximena often has clairvoyant dreams. One night in April, she dreams of Joaquin covered in blood. That morning, as they ride on horseback, he apologizes to her for joining the guerillas without asking her. They come across a field of slaughtered cattle. Joaquin explains that the Texas Rangers, who now work for the Yankees, are eager to get their revenge on Mexicans for the Texas Revolt. Ximena is Tejana and grew up in San Antonio. Her father sided with the Yankees in the Texas Revolt but was thrown out of the city once they accomplished their goal of joining Texas with the United States.

Sullivan gets shot while trying to desert. Riley weeps over his tentmate’s death. He decides to join the Mexican army. He is granted a short leave and uses it to swim across Rio Grande, to the Mexican side. Once there, he meets General Impudia, who welcomes him warmly.

Joaquin returns to the rancho one night looking angry and feverish. He rapes Ximena. She spends the next couple days tending to him. While on horseback, Joaquin confesses to Ximena that he killed a Yankee soldier. He spots Texians riding towards them and tells Ximena to go back inside.

Ximena hides along with Nana Hortencia and their servants. Joaquin is dead. Cortina arrives shortly after. He weeps over his dead friend’s body and promises to escort Ximena and Nana Hortencia to Matamoros.

In Matamoros, Ximena stays with her sister-in-law, Carmen. Carmen points out Riley in a crowd. Ximena is moved that foreigners would fight for Mexico.

Riley is ordered to return to Fort Texas for his fellow Irishmen. Maloney is afraid of the water but does his best to swim across the Rio Grande. He gets separated from Riley in the river. Riley fears he lost his friend, but Ximena finds Maloney washed ashore the next day.

Ximena and Nana Hortencia decide to become field nurses. The first battle between the Yankees and the Mexicans is a disaster. Countless Mexicans die because of General Arista’s foolishness. Riley says as much to Ximena when he sees her in the hospital. The city is evacuated but Ximena stays behind to care for the wounded. Nana Hortencia contracts measles and dies.

Riley and Ximena meet again in Monterrey. They enjoy spending time together and even dance together on Mexican Independence Day. Riley feels guilty and avoids her for a few days after that.

The Yankees arrive. After three days of battle, they succeed in capturing Monterrey. Maloney spots some Texas Rangers plundering a church. He charges at them with his musket and gets shot. Ximena runs towards Maloney but Riley intercepts her and carries her away on horseback. They weep and kiss.

The Mexican army journeys to San Luis Potosi. Along the way, Ximena tries to initiate sex with Riley, but he turns her down. They keep on seeing each other whenever they can.

General Santa Anna, the new president of Mexico, makes Riley a captain. Riley establishes Saint Patrick’s Battalion, a company of Irishmen. He becomes good friends with one of his men in particular, Dalton. Meanwhile, Santa Anna starts calling on Ximena to tend to his wounded leg. It is clear that he is attracted to her while she is repulsed by him and blames him for the countless atrocities which occurred during the Texas Revolt.

The Mexican army journeys to La Angostura. It is now March of 1947. After a bloody battle, Santa Anna decides to retreat. He takes off for Mexico City to quell a revolt there while the rest of the army heads for San Luis Potosi. Ximena tends to Riley and Cortina, who are wounded, while there. Riley receives word of Nelly’s death and decides to forsake Ximena as penance. He heads to Vera Cruz without her. The Yankees succeed in capturing that city as well.

Ximena considers joining a convent but cannot on account of her pregnancy. She decides instead to seek out Riley. They meet in Mexico City, where she informs him of her pregnancy. Riley is glad but worried that he will not be able to provide for his children adequately. Riley becomes a major and weds Ximena. Santa Anna insists on walking her down the aisle.

The day after the wedding, Riley charges into battle. The Yankees win and he is taken prisoner, along with the rest of his men. The San Patricios are sentenced to hang as deserters of the Yankee army. Ximena, after much petitioning, succeeds in granting a few of them a reprisal. Riley and a few of his friends are beaten, branded, and imprisoned while their fellow comrades are hanged. Riley is devastated to lose Dalton and blames himself for the deaths of his men.

Ximena gives birth to a baby girl named Patricia. She visits Riley whenever she can. Riley is freed when Mexico finally cedes half its territory to America, thereby ending the war. Santa Anna confesses to Ximena that the Yankees offered him money to deliberately lose the war.

Riley is deeply traumatized after his release. He feels he must return to Ireland in order to forget the past. Ximena consents and arranges for his fellow San Patricios to meet them in Vera Cruz. Riley is overjoyed to see them. Ximena feels hopeful for their future.