As a child Hester Wyatt escaped slavery, but now the dark skinned beauty is a dedicated member of Michigan’s Underground railroad, offering other runaways a chance at the freedom she has learned to love. When one of her fellow conductors brings her an injured man to hide, Hester doesn’t hesitate…even after she is told about the price on his head.The man in question is the great conductor known … known as the “Black Daniel” a vital member of the North’s Underground railroad network. But Hester finds him so rude and arrogant, she begins to question her vow to hide him.When the injured and beaten Galen Vachon, aka, the Black Daniel awakens in Hester’s cellar, he is unprepared for the feisty young conductor providing his care. As a member of one of the wealthiest free Black families in New Orleans, Galen has turned his back on the lavish living he is accustomed to in order to provide freedom to those enslaved in the South.However, as he heals he cannot turn his back on Hester Wyatt. Her innocence fills him like a breath of fresh air and he is determined to make this gorgeous and intelligent woman his own…Yet…there are traitors to be discovered, slave catchers to be evaded and Hester’s heart to be won before she and Galen can find the freedom that only true love can bring.
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Part history, part romance, Indigo is a wonderful introduction to Jenkins’s work. You’ll quickly fall in love with her unforgettable characters. Highly recommended.
This is my favorite book. I have read it at least seven times.
Boning up on my historical romances by Ms. Bev. Highly entertaining, and I always learn something new from her novels!
One of my favorite books of ALL TIME!
Reading a historical romance by Beverly Jenkins is like having a history lesson. Every book is a teaching moment, as well as a fast-paced, emotional experience. Her characters have strength and compassion. Her plots are well-developed. All are set at a time in history when change was around the corner, but just out of reach. This book has five well-earned stars and should have more if there were more to give. Loved it.
I loved this. It’s beautiful and joyful and also hard and heartbreaking. And Galeno is such an arrogant alpha male! Thank goodness Hester is strong enough to stand up to him, and stand by his side.
Indigo is a book that is rich in African American History with plenty of Romance blended in. Beverly Jenkins is such a masterful storyteller. This book is second to the Bible from my point of view. This is a great book to read.
As a child Hester escaped slavery. Now she is a dedicated member of Michigan’s Underground Railroad. When a fellow conductor brings an injured man to hide she doesn’t hesitate to hide him. Galen Vachon, aka the Black Daniel, awakes in Hester’s cellar to find himself being cared for by a feisty conductor with the beautiful hands.
So about this book. This is actually my second time trying to read it. I DNFed a few weeks ago because it wasn’t helping my mental state at the time. This book focuses on slavery and the underground railroad so as you can imagine the context is heavy. This is a very emotional book filled with fear, triumph, and love.
So starting with Galen.. I didn’t really love Galen for the first half of the book but once we started to learn more about him and his past he grew on me. I liked that he tried to spoil Hester but at the same time it was very annoying that he wouldn’t listen to her when she said to stop buying her things. He was a very arrogant man. Hester was a very dedicated woman. I loved how she helped people and was willing to be thrown in jail to do it. Their romance was slow building and enjoyable overall.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the characters both Indigo and Galeno and I really liked the story line. It was sweet and romantic in all of the right ways. There was also so much knowledgeable information in this book. I learned a lot that I never knew and most of the time it was woven into the storyline in a way that felt organic. I further enjoyed the fact that this story was a historical romance novel about people of color, specifically Black people, something I have rarely come across. I have only two minor complaints. The first being, that although I enjoyed learning the historical facts there were certain parts of the storyline towards the end that made it feel like less of a novel and more of a history book. I think the author was just trying to conclude smoothly but it almost had the opposite effect. Lastly, there were pivotal parts of the storyline that seemed to be glossed over. (Spoiler Alert) For instance, when Indigo shares her pregnancy with Galeno there is no dialogue.. it is briefly mentioned and then there is nothing else said. There are more than a few examples of this in the story. Overall, I thought it was a beautiful story of love, protection, and civic duty.
Galen and Hester stole my breath from the moment they walked on the pages. The vibrant push and pull between Galen and his Indigo will have you rooting for these two to succeed like nobody’s business.
The sheer amount of slave/abolition history Jenkins includes is worth reading this book alone-her attention to detail is amazing and she includes a fantastic bibliography! Add in the threat of danger, questionable motives, and an honest, straightforward romance?! Liquid gold.
I really love how Jenkins combines historical fact and fiction so smoothly, it feels effortless but you know it’s not. I also can’t believe how much I’d forgotten about this book and am kicking myself for taking so long to revisit these two!
I guarantee Indigo will sweep you off your feet
One of my favorites.
This is a powerful story filled with amazing characters. It’s a time when doing the right thing could lead to tragic results and Beverly Jenkins deftly intertwines history with a love story for the ages.
There’s nothing I can add to all the kudos the iconic Ms. J. deserves. This book was the first I read by her and is not the last.
Great take on a steamy romance while revisiting historical concepts about the underground railroad.
This is my absolute favorite book by Beverly Jenkins! I have to read it again at least once a year. The African American history and struggles coupled with Hester & the Black Daniel’s love had me on the edge of my seat & in tears. Bravo Ms. Jenkins!