I requested this ARC on a whim as I had never read a Beverly Jenkins book before and have only been reading historical romance for about a year. This one sounded interesting and different from any book I had read before, so I decided to give it a try. This was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!

I loved this book for so many reasons, but a huge reason was that it was like reading a fun, romantic history text where, along with the romance and fun stuff, I learned things too that I didn’t know before reading this book and this author made me want MORE. My knowledge of the South in the aftermath of the Civil War, especially regarding frees slaves, is limited to what I was taught in high school. Well, I just finished the school of Ms. Beverly Jenkins and I cannot wait to read more of her books to learn more. It was fascinating the description of life back then. She wrote of a real sense of community and family and the New Orleans setting was written so I could almost hear the hustle and bustle of the streets in my head.

Captain Drake LaVeq also was just about as perfect as any Hero can get. Somehow, even though the graphic sex was not a lot compared to some of the other historicals I have read, he left me fanning myself many times over.

I also loved our fiercely independent Heroine, Valinda Lacy, a schoolteacher who cares wholeheartedly about her students and wants them all to get as much of an education as they can. She was stronger against Drake’s charms longer than I would have been, but that made me love her more. Their banter was fantastic and I love how loyal and fierce this woman was.

Overall, a great read and a great introduction to an author I think everyone needs to check out!

Rebel
Beverly Jenkins

Rebel is the first book in the Women Who Dare series by Beverly Jenkins. Ms. Jenkins is renowned for her bestselling romance novels and Rebel did not disappoint.

Valinda Lacy has come to New Orleans to educate teach former slaves. Captain Drake LeVeq is a volunteer at the New Orleans Freedmen Bureau. They are both passionate about their work, and they’ve found passion with each other. Can they find love?

Rebel is not a simple romance novel. Well it is, but it’s so much more. This novel is set during the Reconstruction Era, and it is realistically detailed. Beverly Jenkins has managed to convey the contentious nature of race relations following the emancipation of slaves, while relaying a beautiful love story. She accomplished this without trivializing either one. The true beauty of this work is that the author touches on varied racial situations, but still injects humor into the dialogue. I give Rebel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to all lovers of romance novels. Be advised there is some explicit sexual content.

My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

This book was so hard to get through, the first one ever by this author I’ve had this problem with.

Viviana and Drake’s chemistry was non existent. They had a thought about each other and then it morphed into this relationship.

It didn’t materialize onto the pages. It also felt like an unfinished outline, not a pulled together book.

There were so many times I wanted to put it down, but I kept going hoping the story would pick up, but it did not..

I don’t recommend this installment even though it’s the first book in the series.

A novel set in post-Civil War New Orleans where Valinda Lacey has traveled to educate former slaves and encounters funding challenges and threats to her life. Captain Drake LeVeq is a New Orleans native who has a large and supportive family who is attracted to women with strong characters and determination. I really enjoyed their story with challenges coming from their personal lives as well as the issues of the times, with love winning out in the end.

I absolutely LOVED this book! The writing style drew me in and I didn't want to put it down.

The main character, Valinda (goes by Val) is a courageous young school teacher in New Orleans slightly after the Civil War. Even though slavery had been abolished, many of the white people, who often still regarded themselves as "better" than black people, didn't want to see black people learn how to read, or succeed in any way. Black teachers, people who hungered for learning, and people who simply wanted to vote were deterred, sometimes violently, from reaching for their aspirations.

And so Val finds herself the victim of these hooligans. She defends herself, then finds herself backed up by the handsome Drake LeVeq. Although they have an instant attraction to each other, they can't be. Val is intended to be another's wife.

Racist bigots aren't the only people Val has to contend with. Her own father, located back up in New York, also has sexist views about how women shouldn't learn and should have no further aspirations than to get married and have children. Another ill-informed idea that Val rebels against.

You'll just have to read the book to find out how it ends, but this is a book that you'll want to finish. I enjoyed the ending as much as I did the rest of the book... although... I was sad to see the story end. This is an author I'd be happy to read more from.

Beverly Jenkins is a treasure. The end.

Okay, not really the end. But truly, she is. Per usual, not only did I enjoy Rebel for the romance but reading it gave me a better understanding of the historical African-American experience in the United States. At an author event I attended recently, I met a college professor who actually uses Beverly Jenkins books to teach history. Sign me up for that class!

Rebel is lovely. It's impeccably researched and detailed. It's sweet. It's bold. I loved it.

First of all, can I just say - OMG, that cover! So gorgeous!

I can see why people call Beverly Jenkins one of the queens of romance. While I read a fair amount of historical romance, it's typically set in Regency England. US and Civil War historicals aren't really my thing, but I really enjoyed Rebel and feel like it gave me a viewpoint into that time period in US history that I haven't really thought about since learning about it in middle school/high school. I also feel like I learned more about the Reconstruction period reading this book than I ever did in school - what's up with that?

I tend to go for romances with a light-hearted rom-com tone, and Rebel has a more serious and sedate tone than my usual reads, and has some really heavy subject matter somehow without being very high angst. This book wasn't really my speed because it does deal with such dark themes and I prefer my romances to be more escapism. That being said, I'm definitely going to check out some more of Beverly Jenkins' work to see if part of the serious tone was the personalities of the main characters and the heavy subject matter, and see if she doesn't have something a little more light-hearted, because she is SUCH a good writer. I'm really interested to read Sable and Rai's story in Through the Storm.

Val is really admirable, with a giving heart and a spine of steel. And Drake is just completely swoon-worthy. I love how he just quietly supports Val and her decisions, even when they're not the ones he wants her to make, and doesn't put pressure on her to do what he wants. Even when he has a manchild pity party at one point, he quickly realizes that he's in the wrong and apologizes. That, friends, is a man.

This is the fourth book in The Le Veq Family series, but can be read as a stand alone with some minor spoilers for earlier books in the series. You don't need to read the other books before reading this one.

Valinda Lacy has come to New Orleans with a mission - to held to teach the Freedmen and their families to read and write. She is beloved by her students of all ages, until a group of ruffians break in and destroy everything she has worked on. Unfortunately for her, they are still nearby as she is assessing the damage. She fights them off as best she can, but she is more than relieved when Drake LeVeq intervenes on her behalf. It also doesn't hurt that he's so handsome.

This was the time I ever audibly squealed when getting approved for an ARC. I was a big fan of the Old West series, and I felt so honored to get my hands on Rebel (thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins!). I was not disappointed. Jenkins has a special talent for both teaching me actual history that far too many public schools ignore, while also serving me a steamy romance that I become emotionally invested in. I loved this book, as expected, and will be picking up more of her books ASAP!

Not only do we get a wonderful romance, but I learned about events in our country's history that we were never taught in school. While the hero was wonderful and we revisit the LeVeq family, the story really focuses on the heroine. The author writes great strong heroines, hence the name of the series Women Who Dare. Can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Beverly Jenkins is a one-click author for me 100% of the time and this one did NOT disappoint. The chemistry between the characters was so incredibly good and the weaving in of history that still feels contemporary was stunning. I loved this book so much and can't wait to read the next one. We will for sure be recommending this book to our readers!

Valinda Lacy came from New York to Louisiana to help educate former slaves so that they could further enjoy and prosper in there new lives as free citizens. Drake LeVeq, a former Captain in the Louisiana National Guard, is also doing his part to help the newly freed slaves by helping them to navigate the many new situations they now face.while trying to support and provide for their families on their own. When Valinda and Drake meet under dire circumstances and they immediately form an unexpected friendship that blossoms into so much more.
Rebel is a adventurous story about determined and strong willed characters who set out to make the world that they now live in fair and just for everyone which is no easy feat in the year of 1867. But with grit, determination, and the love and support of family and friends, Valinda and Drake not only help many along the way, they also find an undeniable love for each other that only makes them stronger. Ms Jenkins does a wonderful job of painting a picture of the past and what life was like back then and how some of what happened in the past unfortunately mirrors problematic situations of today. Rebel is an emotional read that will bring about feelings of anger, hurt, hope, and in the end joy that makes this story a very enjoyable read.

Link to Live-Tweeting: https://twitter.com/Aarya_Marsden/sta...

Midway through reading this book, I took a brief break from the book and tweeted, "Halfway through Rebel by Beverly Jenkins and I’ve learned more about Reconstruction in the past 150 pages than I have in 16 years of education (12 in public school, 4 in college)... Tbh I’m pretty sure I could just read Ms. Bev’s historical romance backlist and do fine in the APUSH exam. It’s a lot more fun than freaking Richard Hofstadter (I’m getting flashbacks to THE AMERICAN POLITICAL TRADITION)."

I wish that was a joke. I've never been more serious in my entire life. We spent half a lecture in 11th grade discussing the period between the Civil War and the Gilded Age, and all I can remember is that "Northern soldiers went to the South for a decade and took charge of things until Reconstruction ended." That's it. Beverly Jenkins is educating me whereas the public school system has failed me for my entire life.

I sometimes use romance novels as a form of escapism - to completely escape from my stressful 21st century life and soak into the romance. I do that here, too. But I do something else as well: reading Beverly Jenkins makes me angry and righteous for the the injustices in American history. Every paragraph is a new revelation and a new reason to burn with indignity and shame. To be clear: I've always known that American history isn't something to be particularly proud of. But to read about these events in such vivid detail is another experience altogether. It's an odd feeling - to simultaneously root for the romance and protagonists, but also feel a little ashamed and angry about your country's history. But it's only right to feel that way, because it's the truth and any attempt to rationalize those feelings are efforts to wipe away the past. I don't want to forget the past - I want to learn every last detail and watch my two protagonists earn their happily ever after. In REBEL, I was able to do both.

I don't want to spoil much about the plot, so I'll be brief: Valinda is a Northerner who comes down to New Orleans in order to be a teacher. She has a "fiance" (I say fiance in quotation marks because it's more of a convenient arrangement without love) in France. Drake rescues her one night from an attack, Valinda gets evicted from her lodgings, and Drake's mother offers Valinda a place to stay. It's pretty much insta-love from the very beginning, and both characters struggle to resist their attraction because of Val's engagement.

“I blame you and your pirate kin. I was fine until I met your family with all its love and passion.”

I love Valinda. She's my favorite kind of heroine: responsible and caring, with a lot of hellion thrown in. As Drake once admirably points out, she climbed trees when she was young! And no matter all the obstacles in her way, she always responds with grace and kindness. Her commitment to her work and teaching is admirable, especially when circumstances go out of their way to deprive her of professional work.

“What’s your dream, cheri?”

“To head up a school where girls who, like me, have no interest in embroidery or playing the piano, can learn as much about whatever they want: mathematics, botany, the stars. They can study animals or anatomy. And I’d have the money to provide excellent teachers who don’t believe learning will damage them.”

I appreciate how considerate Drake is to Valinda. He has a lot of power - both physically and his overall presence - but he never pressures Val into having a relationship with him. The consent lines are drawn very clearly. Even after Val's fiance comes back, he doesn't outright beg her to stay in New Orleans because he doesn't want to put that kind of pressure on her. He wants Val to make the decision for herself and without emotional manipulation because it's her choice and he wants her to be happy - with or without him.

“If you do leave New Orleans, I’m keeping your smile so I can pull it out and look at it whenever I think of you.”

There is some really dark content in this book - racism, white supremacy, the murder of black people, mentions of past slavery, current unfair/discriminatory practices, etc. It was sometimes painful to read, but important. But despite the dark content, the book still doesn't feel dreary. There is plenty of humor, love, and lightness from the main couple's romance. And the book ends on an optimistic and hopeful note for the couple, even if the world around them isn't utopia.

If you love Beverly Jenkins, you'll definitely love this book. If you've never tried her work before, then this is an excellent place to start. I am looking forward to the next entry in the series.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and will cross-post this review on Amazon on release day.

The events described in the blurb happen before the 20% mark. I felt like the hero and heroine had zero chemistry and couldn’t imagine them making each other happy. And I hate it when the hero has a current mistress.

I'm not a fan of romance so, this was my first Beverly Jenkins, but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed it! she is the romance queen for a reason.

I have always liked the writing style of Ms. Jenkins; her ability to slowly develop her characters, giving details and background on them, characters that you recognize from the beginning desire each other, but building the romance slowly and filling it with plenty of heat. And each of her books actually has a plot, offering more than one sex scene after another. In these areas, this new book does not disappoint. Both characters are strong. The build-up to a satisfying sexual encounter was steamy without being too descriptive. Having some information about members of each of the families enhanced the main characters. The historical information added a reality to the story. And there was some light humor.
I would have given 5 stars but the ending was rushed leaving a lot of loose ends. There were subplots that were just dropped with no resolution.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. and would definitely recommend it.

It is crazy that this was my first Beverly Jenkins. I am kind of embarrassed by that fact. She is romance superstar for a reason. All I can say is that I promise it will not be my last. Set in New Orleans during reconstruction this book is about a woman who heads south with the dream of teaching anyone who desires an education and the son of a prominent family who helps her navigate the dangers of the city she is making her home. The romance is sweet but I loved the historical details and felt that they really elevated this story to a whole other level. I thought I knew about that period but I learned so much and was left wanting to learn even more all while reading a touching story, And that cover is sheer perfection!!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I cannot wait for book two.