Book Summary (Amazon): Selah Banning has come of age on the West Indies island of Nevis, shaped by experiences far beyond the typical upbringing of a young British lady in 1776. She never anticipated that the most tumultuous time of her life might await her in the year ahead.
Jedediah Reed, a young Methodist preacher with a call to serve the slaves of Nevis, has settled at Selah's family's plantation, the Double T. As Selah's heart is drawn to the same people, their shared purpose brings them together--despite her guardians' concern with a romance that promises little security for the future.
As Jedediah's faith and Selah's abolitionist leanings lead to changes on the plantation, the Revolutionary War continues to build in the States. With the threat of starvation and the conflict with island mogul Angus Shubert growing ever stronger, the future of the Double T and its people hangs in the balance.
My thoughts... The three book Sugar Barons series by Lisa T. Bergren, ending with this book, have been so intriguing to me. I had little to no previous knowledge of these islands and the role they played in the sugar trade or history, particularly as it related to the Revolutionary War. I know the author, based on notes at the end of the books, has fictionalized some of the characters and events, but Nevis and the surrounding islands are real places that were active in sugar production and trade. I also loved this trio of sisters, each having their own book in the series. They are each unique in their convictions, but all three are strong and courageous. Selah is the "baby" of the three, yet in this book she is a grown woman trying to make a stand for what God has given her a conviction for, which is the mistreatment of slaves. All of the Banning sisters are trying to make a better life for their slaves, whom they free and help to find jobs as freed men and women, unlike most of their fellow plantation owners on the islands.
This book has a great pace, moving from one interesting event in Selah's life to the next. These events vary from helping runaway slaves, encounters with the evil Angus Shubert, and the building of romantic tension between herself and Jedediah Reed. I would definitely recommend this entire series. The portrayal of women in a male-dominated society was well done, showing the challenges, but also the way that honorable men and women can work together in faith to overcome the prejudices of that time period.
**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to share my honest opinions, which I did.**
2 comments:
I really liked Keturah, but have not read the other 2 books in the series. Of course I plan to . . . . Hope you have a wonderful Easter!
The setting in these books is unlike any I've read before. I really liked the characters, too. Hope you had a wonderful Easter...even though it's many months later!
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