Selah (The Sugar Baron's Daughters, #3)

by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Selah Banning has come of age on the West Indies island of Nevis, shaped by experiences far beyond the typical upbringing of a young British lady in 1776. She never anticipated that the most tumultuous time of her life might await her in the year ahead.

Jedediah Reed, a young Methodist preacher with a call to serve the slaves of Nevis, has settled at Selah's family's plantation, the Double T. As Selah's heart is drawn to the same people, their shared purpose brings them together--despite her guardians' concern with a romance that promises little security for the future.

As Jedediah's faith and Selah's abolitionist leanings lead to changes on the plantation, the Revolutionary War continues to build in the States. With the threat of starvation and the conflict with island mogul Angus Shubert growing ever stronger, the future of the Double T and its people hangs in the balance.

• ISBN13: 9780764230264
• Publish Date: 3 April 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Imprint: Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[phyllish]

A touching story

Selah's love and care for the slaves on Nevis caused her to propose revolutionary changes, which led to their family being ostracized. She spent time helping the slaves and freedmen on their plantation to learn about the Lord and to better their lot in life. She had a kind heart and was strong enough to stand up for herself, which she had to do more than once!

Jedediah was a Methodist pastor who had been called by the Lord to minister to the slaves. I loved his humble attitude and the way he worked alongside them instead of claiming an exalted position. He was determined to not to take a bride - knowing the conditions he would be living in.

I enjoyed seeing the interactions between the sisters and the deep love they had for one another. They were so protective and each would have sacrificed herself for the others.

Mr. Shubert, the owner of the largest plantation on the island, was quite the villain! He clearly hated the girls and worked on making their lives miserable. He used his power to make it difficult, if not impossible, for them to obtain supplies during a time when it was already extremely difficult! And his cruelty towards his slaves was reprehensible!

There was adventure, suspense, and romance all wrapped up in a story steeped in history. The faith and struggling faith of the characters led to discussions that pointed clearly to Jesus.

Much of the story dealt with cruelty and desperate times. While not overly violent or descriptive, the acts depicted were dark. It was well written and reminded a bit of the heavy feel of movies such as Anthony Adverse; full of drama and peril and yet ending with hope. As I prefer more light-hearted stories, this was not my cup of tea.

While it was obvious this was not the first book in The Sugar Baron's Daughters series, I didn't feel lost. I did wish I knew the backstories better and recommend you read Keturah and Verity before this one.

There are only three sisters and thus it seems like this would be the last of the series. However, the ending did leave room for more to come. So stay tuned – there could easily be more books forthcoming.

Read my full review at Among the Reads


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.