#BookReview: STEPPING TO A NEW DAY by Beverly Jenkins

Oh to live in a town where everyone knows your business and loves or accepts you anyway, even if you're the former mayor who terrorized the town and your wife with a 600 lb. hog. Henry Adams, Kansas is indeed a forgiving town, a land of second chances. When Riley Curry blows back into town stirring up trouble, the town's residents have to look deep into their hearts to forgive him, but it's going to take some time.

Genevieve Gibbs has finally gotten herself back together financially after Riley's prized pig destroyed her house. Living with her best friend has been fun, but there's a new man in town who's caught her eye. After dealing with Riley, Gen isn't sure that she's ready to get involved with anyone. If she does, she'd like to keep it under wraps and it's hard to keep secrets about her new romance while living in such close quarters.

The children of the town are growing up and some of them are starting to see the boy or girl next door in a different light. And while Henry Adams is an idyllic place to live, it's time for some of the kids we've met along the way spread their wings. But just as they can always come back home to Henry Adams, so can readers.

Some series get stale after awhile, but Beverly Jenkins has a way of keeping characters and storylines fresh. Introducing new characters introduces new perspectives and new storylines. In seven books, I have yet to get tired of Henry Adams, its people or the Blessings series.

If you're just hearing about the Blessing series and like what you hear, be sure to go back and read the previous titles.  All of the books can stand alone, but reading them in order gives you a more complete view of who is who and the history behind why things are the way they are.

Book 1: Bring on the Blessings
Book 2: A Second Helping
Book 3: Something Old, Something New
Book 4: A Wish and A Prayer
Book 5: Heart of Gold
Book 6: For Your Love

304 p.
Published: June 2016
Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher, opinions are my own.

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#BookReview: FOR YOUR LOVE by Beverly Jenkins

As the sixth book in the Blessings series opened, I wondered if Beverly Jenkins would still be able to draw readers into the imaginary town of Henry-Adams, Kansas in For Your Love.  I shouldn't have wondered because Beverly Jenkins is a master at what she does.  As always, she combines historical fiction with modern times, entertaining readers while teaching them.

For Your Love focuses on returning characters like Trent July, the mayor of Henry-Adams, and his wife Lily, as well as the town owner, Bernadine Brown.  Jenkins also introduces us to a few new characters, including Trent's mother and a family of newcomers.

Friends of Crystal's from her previous life, Bobby and Kelly are a young family she knows from her days on the streets in Dallas. A former gang member and the product of a foster home, Bobby trusts no one except for Kelly.  When Crystal offers the young couple and their twins a chance to leave the hard knock life of Dallas and move to Kansas, they're hesitant.  I absolutely loved watching Bobby mature as Trent and the other men in town mentored him in various ways.  The people of Henry-Adams show time and time again what community looks like.

Watching some of the women's reactions to Rita Lynn return to the small town is interesting.  It gives us a glimpse into what Henry-Adams looked like over forty years ago.  Grudges and mistrust from decades ago kick up their ugly heads, but Jenkins likes a happy ending, so you already know everything will work out before the book ends.

If you're just hearing about the Blessing series and like what you hear, be sure to go back and read the previous titles.  All of the books can stand alone, but reading them in order gives you a more complete view of who is who and the history behind why things are the way they are.

Book 1: Bring on the Blessings
Book 2: A Second Helping
Book 3: Something Old, Something New
Book 4: A Wish and A Prayer
Book 5: Heart of Gold

Purchase Links: Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

About Author

Beverly Jenkins is the author of thirty historical and contemporary novels, including five previous books in her beloved Blessings series. She has been featured in many national publications, including the Wall Street Journal, People, the Dallas Morning News,Vibe, and many other publications.

Find out more about Beverly at her website and connect with her on Facebook

#BookReview: A Second Helping - Beverly Jenkins

The second in what I hope becomes a series, A Second Helping is the follow up to 2009's Bring on the Blessings. The residents of the historically black town of Henry Adams, KS are back for more.

Readers of the first book will remember that newly divorced millionaire Bernadine Brown bought the struggling town while looking for a project to immerse herself in after she found her husband of twenty-plus years cheating. A woman with a big heart, Bernadine began a project in the first book to unite the families of Hays Adam with hard to place foster children. In her latest sequel, we find the kids and their families thriving and readying for adoption.

Eleven year old former car thief, Amari, has found a home with the mayor of the small town and has made the decision to become a part of the July family. In order to do so, he must complete a spiritual quest guided by the matriarch of the July family, Tamar, and complete an unselfish task that brings joy to someone else. Paging through old photo albums, Amari stumbles upon pictures of the August 1st parade and decides to organize one for his new family and new town.

Prior to reading this book, I had never heard of an August 1st parade. Most of us are familiar with Juneteenth, which is celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the abolition of slavery in Texas, the last state to free their slaves in 1865. August 1st celebrates the abolishment of slavery in the British empire in 1834 and was celebrated throughout towns in the United States up until 1927. To this day it is also celebrated in Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Anguilla, The Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and the British Virgin Isles.

During the 1830s these annual events were small affairs largely organized in schoolhouses, debating halls, and black churches. Over subsequent decades, however, these annual meetings became much larger, more public, and communal affairs. Thousands of people of African descent would congregate in villages, towns, and city squares during the opening days of August to celebrate the ending of slavery elsewhere and organize for its overthrow in the United States. During the 1850s, these public meetings became breeding grounds for more militant opposition toward American slavery: through the attraction and participation of fugitive slaves; the parade of armed black militias; and, fiery speeches demanding the violent overthrow of American slavery. In British Canada, an older generation of black people, along with fugitives and more recent emigrants, also adapted August First as an important expression of their antislavery actions and political identities. In short, August First Day was to become the most important public commemorative event and popular form of mobilization among people of African descent in the English-speaking Atlantic world between the 1830s and the 1860s. - excerpt from Whatever Happened to August First by J.R. Kerr-Ritchie

Along with the adventures that come with planning a parade, readers are introduced to a few new characters and will be delighted to reacquaint themselves with old, familiar characters.

What did you like about this book?

I loved the introduction of August 1st. The author is known for writing historical romances. Though this is not a romance in the true sense of the word, I'm glad that she introduced the historical aspects of this fictional town.

What did you dislike about this book?

It ended too quickly. Yes, even with 386 pages, I wanted more.

How can the author improve this book?

No improvements needed. It's my hope that this becomes a series and that it doesn't take another year for the next edition to be released.

386 pp

Published January 2010