Thursday, November 24, 2022

Review: Rebel by Beverly Jenkins


Genre: Historical Romance
Published: May 28, 2019
Pages: 373



Valinda Lacey's mission in the steamy heart of New Orleans is to help the newly emancipated community survive and flourish. But soon she discovers that here, freedom can also mean danger. When thugs destroy the school she has set up and then target her, Valinda runs for her life—and straight into the arms of Captain Drake LeVeq.

As an architect from an old New Orleans family, Drake has a deeply personal interest in rebuilding the city. Raised by strong women, he recognizes Valinda's determination. And he can't stop admiring—or wanting—her. But when Valinda's father demands she return home to marry a man she doesn't love, her daring rebellion draws Drake into an irresistible intrigue.



"Pirate wives are allowed to do that."

I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program. This is my honest review. 

I've been on a bit of a romance kick lately and feel almost like I'm flying through them. I'm not, but it feels that way because I went so long without reading. But they are typically light reading and helping me get back into my love of reading that I lost there for a while, so definitely worth it. 

This was another predictable romance read, but I was still rooting for Valinda to get with Drake, in spite of all the things that should be keeping them apart. There was a twist that I did not see coming and it left me feeling pleasantly surprised.

I feel like I was less invested in this story than some of the others I've read lately, but I think that's because it's set during the reconstruction era and Libertie was set during the Civil War and reconstruction era, so they felt somewhat connected in my head, especially because I read them fairly close together. Although logical me knows they're not really connected, emotional me was not able to keep them separated.

In spite of that, I give this book four out of five stars. - Katie 




Beverly Jenkins is the recipient of the 2018 Michigan Author Award by the Michigan Library Association, the 2017 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the 2016 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for historical romance. She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured in both the documentary Love Between the Covers and on CBS Sunday Morning. Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for inclusive romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR. If you would like to be notified when Beverly Jenkins has new releases, events, and other news, sign up for her newsletter at www.beverlyjenkins.net

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