Book Review: THROUGH THE STORM by Beverly Jenkins

From Beverly Jenkins Online!
RaimondLe Veq needed to marry to gain his inheritance and restore the fortunes of theHouse of Le Veq, the proud Black New Orleans family whose wealth had beenravaged by the War Between the States. Still wounded by the double-cross of the only woman he ever came closeto loving, he gave the choice of bride to his mother.  But he never expected that she would pickSable Fontaine -- the beautiful former slave he could not allow himself totrust again.
Betrayedand sold to a cruel neighbor, Sable did whatever it took to escape.  With the spirits of her royal Africanancestors guiding her, she made a bold bid for freedom and won.  But along the way she had to hurt thecharming Union Major Le Veq, who had romanced her and championed her.  Now fate has brought them back together in amarriage of convenience.  Can sheconvince Raimond she was never a rebel spy, and that this time, she'd choosehim above all else?
My thoughts...
Thebook opens in Georgia in 1864.  SableFontaine, a house slave sold for $800 to an evil man, escapes.  Along the way, she meets Raimond Le Veq at aslave camp.  Immediately lured in mySable's green eyes, Raimond falls for her. When Sable's freedom is threatened, she takes off rather than risk beingsent back into slavery, leaving an angry and heartbroken Raimond behind.
Yearslater, the two meet again in New Orleans when Raimond's mother introduces Sableto him as the woman she wants him to marry. Raimond cannot hide his anger at Sable, but agrees to the marriage.  Although Raimond doesn't trust her, he can'thelp but be intrigued by her.  Eventually,the marriage of convenience turns into one of love.
Sablewas a remarkable, resourceful, intelligent woman.  She was a descendent of African Queens, andthrough her story, I learned about African royalty.  Raimond was a brat, but he was HOT! He was sotender, so fiercely loyal, so dominating (in a good way)... I couldn't help butlove him. The two scorched up the pages. Amidst the turmoil in their lives, they manage to get past the hurt andanger and just revel in their love for each other. 
Therewas never a dull moment with this delightful cast of characters.  In this book, Ms. Jenkins, introduced us tothe Le Veq clan.  (Well, maybereintroduced for those of us who'd read Indigo.)  The Le Veq brothers were equally handsome yetcompletely different from each other. They also provided a bit of comic relief. And just so you know, the LeVeq brothers are also featured in Windsof the Storm and Captured.  Also, Ms. Jenkins gave us a treat by bringingGaleno and Hester Vachon (from Indigo)back to life and giving us a glimpse into their life during this period.
BeverlyJenkins is an exceptional writer with a knack for storytelling.  I guess it should be no surprise that I lovedthis book.  Through the Storm was so awesome, I read again after I finished—justin case I missed something.  Once again, Iwas transported into a world I could only imagine in my dreams.  Ms. Jenkins does a wonderful job of capturinga reader's attention with vivid imagery, memorable characters, and Blackhistory.  I highly recommend Through the Storm to anyone looking fora fabulous, historical romance.
Myrating: 5 stars