REBEL HEARTSONG
by Morgan
K. Wyatt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Townsend
Sewell, as heir to the biggest planation in Beaufort County, is also the
biggest marital prize. Life is good, at least it was before the war. After the
Civil War devalued Confederate money, and stripped their plantation, Townsend
became a not so great catch. The only person who stands by him is Yvette, a
mulatto companion to his sisters. She jokes that she stayed only to watch over
him, which she does, quite well. He can't remember a time the beautiful servant
hasn't taken care of him, almost like a wife. He's lucky to have Yvette, but
someday some man will steal her away. The thought enrages him. He's unwilling
to live without her by his side. Does she feel the same way? If she does, how
will they survive when the law declares their love taboo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
The kitchen was silent without clatter of dishes, no
gossiping, and no scratching from the potboy trying to rid the pot of the last
bit of burned grits. Almost afraid to
look, Yvette put her fork down and looked to the swinging door that Townsend
filled up so well. Imogene began to wave the staff out of the kitchen.
Townsend ducked his head. “Sorry to bother you, I just
wanted a word with Yvette if you don’t mind.” He nodded to Imogene, and then
added, “Ma’am.”
“Go ahead. She’s all yars.” Imogene hooted as she left the
kitchen as if she found something amusing.
Yvette shook her head. “She’s always finding something
funny.”
Townsend pulled out a chair and sat across from her at the
worktable. It was so narrow that their knees touched. Did he feel a small
tingle zip up his leg too or was it just her? His lips pulled down in a
grimace, which probably meant he did, and also that he didn’t like it. It could
be that he slammed his knee up against hers, and it just hurt, too. He opened
his mouth as if he was ready to say something, then, closed it, pulling his
lips into a firm line.
“Townsend, please don’t worry about hurting my feelings. Go
ahead and say whatever you have to say. It will make it easier on both of us.
That way you can head back home.” Yvette offered the words as a way to help him
out. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave. On the other hand, did she
want to keep twisting in the breeze? Sometimes she felt like one of those
characters in the forbidden novels Emily devoured. The woman was always in love
with an inappropriate man, and it never ended well. That, in itself, should be
a lesson for her. Taking her fork, she mushed up the rest of the biscuit since
her appetite had fled.
Review:
Rebel Heartsong is a period piece that illustrates well the perilous climate of being a woman of color in the time of the Civil War. The opening scene really struck me as very true to form. It was a harsh time when women had very little say on their fate. This story moved me. Any woman who has been a victim of sexual violence knows the fear and hyper awareness that you get in situations like the one Yvette was forced to endure at the onset of the book. While no assault took place, the very real threat of it was present, and in the plantation home where she lived, even a freed black woman could be subjected to abuse and not be able to say a thing. As Yvette found out, to be anything more than ordinary was to call unwanted attention, and that could cost her everything.
The love story between Yvette and Townsend was scorching and made me think of North and South. I have always loved period pieces in the Civil War era and I enjoyed this book for the lush scenery and the array of characters that showed the spirit of the times. The family turmoil was also something that grabbed my attention right away. Life at home can sometimes be full of drama, but can you imagine a plantation full of people and all of the inner workings? It makes the mind boggle when you look at it from a modern perspective.
Rebel Heartsong is perfect for those fans who love a good story that brings them back to the roots that our country was founded on, and some that have taken centuries to get to.
4/5
Rebel Heartsong is a period piece that illustrates well the perilous climate of being a woman of color in the time of the Civil War. The opening scene really struck me as very true to form. It was a harsh time when women had very little say on their fate. This story moved me. Any woman who has been a victim of sexual violence knows the fear and hyper awareness that you get in situations like the one Yvette was forced to endure at the onset of the book. While no assault took place, the very real threat of it was present, and in the plantation home where she lived, even a freed black woman could be subjected to abuse and not be able to say a thing. As Yvette found out, to be anything more than ordinary was to call unwanted attention, and that could cost her everything.
The love story between Yvette and Townsend was scorching and made me think of North and South. I have always loved period pieces in the Civil War era and I enjoyed this book for the lush scenery and the array of characters that showed the spirit of the times. The family turmoil was also something that grabbed my attention right away. Life at home can sometimes be full of drama, but can you imagine a plantation full of people and all of the inner workings? It makes the mind boggle when you look at it from a modern perspective.
Rebel Heartsong is perfect for those fans who love a good story that brings them back to the roots that our country was founded on, and some that have taken centuries to get to.
4/5
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Morgan K
Wyatt, raised on a steady diet of superheroes, believed she could fly at a very
young age. After using trees, barn lofts, sliding boards, and even a second
story window as launch pads, she found her flying skills were limited to fast
and downward. By the age of nine, her dreams to be a superhero needed some
modifications, which caused her to turn to writing and horseback riding as
alternatives to flying.
At the age of twenty, she had another chance
at superhero greatness as being one of the few female soldiers trained for
combat. The fact that women will be able to serve in combat soon indicates that
all the witnesses to the grenade incident have retired. The grenade incident
didn’t prevent her two sons or daughter-in-law from enlisting in the service.
Having different last names probably helped.
Morgan
recently retired from teaching special needs students to write fulltime,
instead of in the wee hours of the night. With the help of her helpful husband
and loyal hound, she creates characters who often grab plot lines and run with
them. As for flying, she prefers the airlines now.
Buy Links
Morgan will be awarding a $5 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and grand prize of the winner's choice of ivory, peach, or white, cultured freshwater pearl necklace to one randomly drawn commenter. Make sure you leave your name and email and follow the blog by GFC and email. Don't miss a post.
The code is Morgan20
Secret Cravings Publishing is offering a sale during the Rebel Heartsong and Escaping West tours.
All Morgan K Wyatt books bought May 15-31st are available for another 20% off publisher's site.
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