Although it flies against all the conventions, they're determined to make their own way in the world. But once they arrive in the Caribbean, conventions are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined--and that's just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this harsh and unfamiliar world.
Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives.To keep her family together and save the plantation that is her last chance at providing for them, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?
Review: My review in a sentence: If you haven't read this book already...do so immediately.
Lisa T. Bergren is one of those authors whose books I will pre-order without even reading the synopsis. Her stories never fail to tug at your heart strings, make you teary eyed, or grin as her heroine does something epic. Perhaps my favourite aspect of Lisa's books are her female lead characters. They are strong, independent, and capable women who maintain their femininity and grace while being non-apologetically powerful. If I had a teenage daughter, I would be giving her all of Lisa's books to read. These are the perfect female leads for any young girl to look up to to.
Lisa's newest book, "Keturah", is no exception. Keturah had been beaten down by life, but instead of cowering in the corner, she has risen up out of her abusive relationship with her deceased husband as a stronger and more fierce individual. I loved Keturah's strength. She is amazing - and I found myself cheering for her from page one.
The novel "Keturah" diverged from the 'run of the mill' historical fiction for teens in several aspects. One, it touched on marital abuse. Although there were no explicit scenes depicting what happened to Keturah in her first marriage, the reader is given a clear understanding that her husband abused her in a multitude of ways. As a result, Keturah is not eager to step into another relationship with any man and is very cautious of marriage for her sisters. Second, Keturah and her sisters own slaves. Now, many historical fiction romances will reference servants, but I can't recall any that I've read that have included actual slavery. When Keturah moves to the Indies, the slave scene there is described in detail and it is quite horrifying. This book touched on some very real and heavy issues (as just mentioned), and follows Keturah during a very rough period of her life and her journey with God through all of it.
This was an incredible book and I would highly recommend it. I read it in a day, and am eagerly awaiting the second book in this new series (The Sugar Baron's Daughters)
Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and to Baker Publishing House for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions mentioned above are entirely my own.
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