Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
Released: January 26, 2016
Historical Romance
Avon
Reviewed by Mandi
Set in Virginia City, Nevada in 1877, Rhine Fontaine lives an interesting life. Born as a slave, with a black mother and a white father, Rhine can pass as a white person. Although he fights for black rights, post civil war, he realizes pretending to be white can give him sway when it’s time to vote or fight for things concerning the black people who live in town. Rhine is on the city council and has dreams of running for a higher political office once his term is done, which is how he finds himself engaged to the town’s beauty. Her personality leaves much to be desired, but her parents are very influential Republicans. His need to help stop the Republican party from sliding into a hateful place outweighs everything else, hence pretending to be white and being engaged to a girl he doesn’t really like.
One day while traveling, Rhine comes upon a black woman in the desert who is in severe need of medical attention. Eddy Carmichael dreams of being a cook. She is already an excellent one, she just needs to get paid for it. Having very low funds, she hears there is great opportunity in California, so she packs up and leaves Denver. Both of her parents are dead and she has no one left anyway. She doesn’t have enough money for a train ticket so she hitches a ride with whom she thought was a pastor. Instead, he steals all her money and leaves her to die in the desert. Thankfully Rhine finds her, still breathing, and he brings her to Virginia City.
As Eddy recuperates in Rhine’s house, she starts to become his friend. At first she is totally scandalized to be in his bed, which is above a saloon that he owns. But she soon comes to learn his nature and realizes he is a good man. When she is strong enough, she moves into a boarding house across the street – but she can’t keep Rhine off her mind.
This is a story that really highlights the state of politics and racism post civil-war out west. Black people are frowned upon, segregation comes up in town meetings. Rhine, passing as white, can sneak onto councils, and other places with more power, to then fight for equal rights. He doesn’t care of the ramifications if he is found out. He has lost a lot in his life and is tired of the inequality. When he meets Eddy, he sees that same spark of life that he has inside of him. Eddy is a fighter – fighting back from being very sick. She is fiercely independent and her spirit is hard to break. Eddy can’t help to notice just how sexy Rhine is, but when he asks her to dinner, still engaged, she will have none of that.
“Have dinner with me.”
Her heart was pounding so loudly she was certain he could hear it, but she kept her wits about her. She studied him with his fine good looks and even finer clothing. “Will your fiancee be joining us?” she asked pointedly.
His head dropped.
Eddy starts to gain a sense of community and belonging living in Virginia City. She starts to cook for the boarding house and plans to save money to eventually continue to California. People start to love her cooking, and love her personality. Rhine realizes he is with the wrong woman, and starts to put his romantic life on the right track.
It’s a very sweet, and slow building romance. I enjoyed both Rhine and Eddy quite a bit…but I will say this book is a little slow. It dragged a bit for me at times, but I’ll read the next one.
Make sure you read the author’s note at the end, as Beverly Jenkins tells her inspiration for writing this book. Let me also note for long time readers of Beverly Jenkins, Rhine Fontaine makes his debut in her 1998 release, Through the Storm.
Grade: B-
Leave a Reply