Brenda Paddon

This book starts out intriguing and just goes nowhere. I want the hours back which I wasted on this read. The characters have no depth, dimension, or development. I started to get ferociously bored by the time I got to the middle but I felt too invested to abandon it. Sadly I persevered to the end and when I got to the very predictable Hallmark Movie ending it just pissed me off.

This book was definitely insightful and entertaining on some levels. It was an eye-opener to how slaves and owners may have been interacting in the era. Also some light shed on how differently slaves at the house were treated versus the slaves that worked the fields. The opening chapters were real page-turning as I learned only little by little what had happened to Lavinia and also to Belle which led to their current situations. Unfortunately, once these mysteries were answered, there was very little suspense or forward motion. In fact the whole story really stagnated for me and the climax felt overly hyped after this lull. Some themes that could have been developed— there was so much talk of Cardigan but his story line fizzled. Also Mr. Waters— this was a huge issue for many chapters so the storyline of what happened between him and Marshal could have been explored. And why does Belle really have to wait for so many decades to get what she needs and deserves. This is a sort of false issue for me. Why is Lavinia so clueless and helpless? We see things through her perspective but she remains two dimensional. And the Captain was painted so much as a hero and surprisingly non- racist, yet he abandoned his family and allowed so much to happen which he clearly wouldn’t desire. He’s portrayed as a hero but never rises to the occasion. I would not really recommend this book although it does have good features.

One of the best books I've read, although I can't see it in the genre of travelogue. The author's experiences are vastly different from those accessible to most people. Definitely some interesting characters, some surprises. I was on the edge of my seat for several chapters.