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PASSION'S FURIES - AlTonya Washington
Parker Publishing
1-58571-324-4
August 2008
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SYNOPSIS:
Set against the backdrop of the Denmark
Besey rebellion in 1860s Charleston, this passionate tale follows a black woman
who is determined to be part of the uprising, and the half-white man who vows to
keep her safe.
HISTORICAL ROMANCE |4+| Marguerite
Lemons
REVIEW:
Jacinta McIver is smart, headstrong, and
independent.
She refuses to heed her
father’s wishes, and attends secret meetings being held by free men and slaves
in their quest to revolt against slave owners in Charleston to secure freedom for all people of
color.
Solomon Dikembe is an
independently wealthy, free man of color who’s hated by white folks because of
his color and wealth; while deemed untrustworthy by the slaves for that same
reason.
Jacinta and Solomon
originally meet as she is fleeing one of the secret meetings, and she
inadvertently runs into Solomon, losing part of her disguise in the process.
When Solomon sees her mass of hair tumbling about her shoulders and
realizes she is not a young boy, he is mesmerized, but before he can speak,
she’s gone.
Their paths cross again,
when Solomon comes to
Charleston
to purchase land owned by Jacinta’s father.
Neither realized how they were affected by their previous meeting until
they meet again.
That’s when sparks
begin to fly, and a “battle of wills” ensues.
PASSION’S FURIES is a well written,
moderately paced story that takes you on a journey through
Charleston,
New York,
and Michigan
in the early 1860’s.
You visit some
the horrors of slavery via an entertaining walk through a history that is rich
in triumphs achieved by a people who survived the devastation of their culture,
their families, their pride, and their lives with an unbreakable spirit and a
will to overcome.
Ms. Washington does an admirable job showing
Jacinta and Solomon’s strengths and weaknesses, especially when dealing with the
underlying issue of mistrust within the race based on the complexion of one’s
skin.
I liked the resilience and
entrepreneurial spirit of Simon’s character, as well as, his stubbornness,
patience, and nurturing spirit when it came to helping Jacinta realize her “true
calling”.
I enjoyed PASSION'S FURIES. The
underlying story of racism is a testament to what is currently happening in
America today.
reviewer@romanceincolor.com
| 20th May 2008
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