Genesee
Juliet WaldronHistorical romance
Available from Jacobyte Books
ISBN: 1-74053-093-4
2002
| When she is just an infant, Genesee van
Cortlandt, the daughter of a runaway girl and a Seneca
brave, is taken from the Indian village where she was
born, by her uncle, Hendrik van Cortlandt. Her life
in the wilderness is quite happy until Hendrik dies
when she is twelve. After his death, Trudy, Hendrik’s
widow, treats Genesee like a servant, and matters only
become worse when Trudy remarries. Genesee’s cousin,
Schuyler, tries to protect her, but when the situation
becomes violent, he writes their grandfather in
Albany. Fearing for her safety, Grandfather van
Cortlandt sends for Genesee.
Genesee tries to join in Albany society but never feels like she truly fits in. She’s always aware of the whispers and scornful looks she receives because of her dark skin. Despite the hardship she left behind, Genesee longs for her wilderness home. That longing begins to ease when Genesee literally falls into the arms of Captain Alexander Dunbar. The more she learns about the handsome young man, the more she falls in love with him. It seems that he feels the same way, for he constantly seeks her companionship, but her family warns her that there is only one thing such a poor young man could want. Will Genesee find out if Alexander’s love is true before her family or the ravages of the American Revolution destroys her chance at happiness? GENESEE is an extraordinary book about love, hardship and prejudice. It’s well written and full of wonderful characters. Even though they have many differences, Genesee and Alexander are true kindred spirits. Ms. Waldron keeps you enthralled by, a little at a time, giving tantalizing tidbits of their origins. This story isn’t sugarcoated, which is really refreshing. There are some instances of violence, but they’re brief and handled well. Anyone who enjoys an honest, realistic story will love this one.
Overall rating:
Reviewer: Renee Burnette |
