A Reluctant Belle

The Civil War is over, and two more amendments have been added to the Constitution.  Joelle writes anonymous articles for the newspaper about educating the freedmen.  An old beau has come to town to take over his father's run for Senate and finds that he's feeling more for Joelle than he originally thought. 

The era that the Reluctant Belle takes place is the era of the birth of the KKK and the animosities between whites and blacks. Although the animosities are not across the board, some of the blacks were treated well, and some were treated harshly.  Some whites believed the blacks could not be educated, while others believed they could and took steps to prove the point.  Joelle was one of these whites who believed the blacks should be educated so that they would know how to run their own businesses and keep track of their own finances.

Schuyler, Joelle's old beau, wants to find out who killed his father for his progressive ideas, and he needs the help of Joelle and her family.  Her brother-in-law is a Pinkerton agent and helps Schuyler. 

Beth White always writes a book with twists and turns to keep her readers involved and to compel new readers to her work.  I will admit I had to flip to read the ending before I finished the book, then I had to go back to read it all the way through to see how Schulyer and Joelle solve the many puzzles put forth in the book.

This is a five star book, with two thumbs, and a night at the Daughtry House.

My thanks go to Revell Publishing and NetGalley.com for allowing me to read and review this book.