Thumbs up for Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. Historical romance.
Let me lead with what’s not so great: the writing in this book is clunky. Bring commas, please, I beg you. Maybe a semi-colon or ten. And the (many) spicy scenes are written in, well, a very 90’s style: throbbing manhoods, firestorms of passion, all the rest. It is, nevertheless, a great book, and I can see why it’s so many people’s favorite. Hester–a smart, practical conductor on the Underground Railroad–is a wonderful character, and her sparring with Galeno (a filthy-rich Creole) is a delight. This is a book about raw physical desire and about Black history, and it does not hold back on either – there’s nothing jaded or self-conscious and it’s refreshing. On this page, [redacted acts]; on this page, abolitionary history you’re probably not familiar with.
“And do not worry about the gossips. Galeno will kill the first person to insult you, and with the saint’s blessing the first to die will be this woman approaching us now.”
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