4.0 out of 5 stars
THE RIVER'S TREASURE is a fascinating look at life in the 1830's., July 10, 2007
This review is from: The River's Treasure (Paperback)
Genevieve Rawlings originates from a wealthy family in New Orleans. However, after falling from the deck of a riverboat and fighting her way onto the riverside of the Mississippi River, she doesn't remember anything about her life or realize the danger she's in. Since she can't remember her birth name, Cooper, her rescuer, chooses the name Becka for her until she can remember her real name.
Cooper Monroe farms fifty acres of land near where Genevieve manages to claw her way out of the river. He originally came to America as a slave after his parents sold him. When his owner died, Cooper and a couple of the other slaves ran away together and become a close family unit. Maura and Arnou help with the farming and since the death of Cooper's wife nine months ago, they also help raising Cooper's two children.
Cooper finds a woman on the riverbank and soon realizes that she has no memory of who she is or where she comes from. The necklace she's wearing is worth a small fortune though, so surely, somebody would be looking for her. Soaking wet and with no memory, Cooper takes her to his home to get cleaned up and rest. She's accepted into the mismatched group with all the love and acceptance of a family member. Deciding that he couldn't continue her "Miss," Cooper picks the name Becka for her until she could remember her real name. Since Cooper is white, Arnou asks him to purchase a woman, Ilde, from a neighboring farm. Ilde is a slave and buying her is the only way for Arnou to obtain her for his wife. Because Cooper can't read well he glanced at but can't read the contract for Ilde's purchase before signing, leaving him unaware of the additions Stevens made to the agreement. Will Cooper find a way out of the horrible addition to the contract?
Because Becka can't remember the fall from the riverboat, she is in very real danger. Jacques Fortier destroyed her family, but because Becka was in France living with her aunt, he wasn't aware of her existence or that she was a member of the Rawlings family. He let her wear the valuable necklace in the hopes of seducing her. When he discovered her identity, he confronted her and attempted retaking the necklace, only she fought him and fell overboard. Now Jacques is desperate to find both the necklace and Genevieve. Will she be able to remember her identity? What of her family?
THE RIVER'S TREASURE is a fascinating look at life in the 1830's. I love that Cooper's family consists of both colored and white people. Love knows no color and in this case, it's absolutely true. Having survived slavery together, Cooper, Maura, and Arnou are closer than many families. The characters are well thought out and feel very real, adding to the emotional upheaval you feel as you read. Becka, despite losing her memory, is an extremely determined young woman. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. Janet Quinn has done a beautiful job tackling the issue of slavery in a way that touches your heart, at the same time, you feel a better understanding for the horrors many slaves faced. Incidentally, I have to mention one of my favorite characters is Sam. Sam is a wonderful gentle giant of a man who comes into the story when he's bought on the slave block. Because of his size, he's intimidating but he protects those he cares about with a vengeance. He's tremendously endearing and I'd love to see more of his story in a future book.
Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)
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