Gaele Hi
Set in reconstruction era New Orleans, Valinda Lacy has travelled from New York to New Orleans to teach the freedmen and their children in hopes of providing them a ‘leg up’ in the newly changing world. This is all against her father’s wishes, but she’s earned a reprieve as her finance is in France with his business partner hoping to gather funds and support for their own venture into a newspaper. With a small but enthusiastic group of students, children and adults alike, Valinda has gathered together a meagre supply of primers, slates, paper and pencils, and found a small unused building in which to hold classes. Until that building is ‘taken over’ by white troublemakers, attacking Valinda in the process. Drake LeVeq, former captain with the Louisiana Native Guard, freedman and scion of black society in New Orleans is working at the Freedman’s Bureau, in hopes that he can encourage or even hustle the office’s supervisor, Josiah Merritt, recently appointed by the army and clearly unwilling to fulfill the purpose of his office. Drake is frustrated and angered by this behavior, and his bad temper has pushed him to the edge of his patience. But, his sister-in-law has returned after time away, and he must make the family celebration to welcome her home at his younger brother’s hotel. On the way, he comes across Valinda and the men set on attacking her: rescuing her and seeing her safely to the room she’d rented, he made an impression on the sheltered young woman, one that will bode well for them both. Jenkins uses Valinda’s history with her parents, her slow recognition of her own worth, and Drake’s admitted charms to bring these two together, even when Valinda isn’t sure of either love or marriage. She’d only chosen her fiancé, a longtime friend, when her sister was bartered off to a man many years her senior, and her happy demeanor faded. Through struggles with finding a place to teach, the supplies needed, making a place in New Orleans and her increasing sense that this is the place she is needed the most, the story is both a quick read and one that shows the challenges that faced everyone, black and white, in the city in the aftermath of a war that tore the country in two. As Valinda becomes more of her own woman and finds her own strengths, she comes to see that Drake is a solid and integral part of her future, and that together there are few things that will keep them from achieving their goals. Lovely characters, clever insertions of history and characters that leap off the pages, this is a wonderful start to a new series. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
5 people found this review helpful
Evelyn May-Crawford
Decent, read but not Miss Beverly's usual can not put it down page turner I'm used too reading. I however appreciated the history lesson even greater in this tale them most. New Orleans is such a cool city and you feel it instantly upon visiting, being from California it was nice to learn more of the political side of the city.
1 person found this review helpful
Vedece Barnes
This story was as wonderful as the rest, but in this one Archer is not married yet. His story , Winds of the Strom, was before this. No matter, I still LOVED IT!!!
4 people found this review helpful
