Keturah

February 1, 2018

In 1772, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson and her sisters, Verity and Selah, travel from England to the West Indies to visit the plantations left to them by their late father and find that their legacy is in decline. For all three, life on the Caribbean island of Nevis comes as a shock. The local gentry seeks Keturah's hand and her property, but past hurts cause her to shy away from romance. Yet a childhood friend may change her mind about trusting in love. Bergren (Waterfall) puts a fresh spin on popular colonial fiction in this series launch that follows three sisters as their lives are shaped by their new circumstances. Keturah is a strong female protagonist who will appeal to inspirational fiction fans who appreciate stories about women who forge their own path in life. VERDICT Readers who prefer their historical fiction mixed with romance may enjoy this tale's original story line and setting. But librarians should be aware of the problematic language used by some of the characters in referring to enslaved peoples; according to the author's website, such strong terms are representative of the historical documentation from the time period, but may be disturbing to some patrons. [This title and the succeeding entries were highlighted in Julia Reffner's "A Delicate Balance," LJ 11/15/17.--Ed.]

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 19, 2018
In this first book of the Sugar Baron’s Daughters series, Bergren (Claim) takes readers to 1773 to tell the story of an English heiress who looks to God when suitors pursue her for her estate on the Caribbean island of Nevis. After Mr. Banning dies, his daughters learn that the family sugar plantation in Nevis has not been producing enough to sustain their current lifestyle. Keturah, the oldest, decides she will travel to the island and take care of the plantation herself, reluctantly bringing along her two younger sisters, Verity and Selah. When Keturah’s childhood friend Gray Covington discovers he will be sailing to Nevis on the same boat, he offers to escort them, and the four set off together. Gray’s own future will also be determined by the success or failure of his family’s plantation. At first Keturah shies away from Gray’s help, but the harsh realities of island life—saboteur neighbors, unscrupulous suitors, hurricanes, and emerging family secrets—force Keturah to realize she might need more help than she thought. Through it all, Gray tries to show her how much he’s matured from the casually flirtatious boy she once knew into the focused man now working for his inheritance. Strikingly, the sisters and Gray show a care and familiarity with their enslaved plantation workers that feels incongruous to the time period—a decision Bergren explains in an author’s note—and might be off-putting to some readers. Bergren writes eloquently about colonial life in this enjoyable tale that lays the groundwork for other promising books about these three strong women.