Reviews - Rebel | The StoryGraph

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741 reviews for:

Rebel

Beverly Jenkins

4.0 AVERAGE

bekahinthebooks's review against another edition

4.0

hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

sofipitch's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed the historical details included, I've uhhh written historical fiction set in NOLA and there were details I wished I had used. This one was a little too long of a slow burn though, especially for many of the obstacles to resolve as easily as they did

Content Warnings

macknificent's review against another edition

3.5

funny hopeful informative lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Rebel is the story of Drake LeVeq and Valinda Lacy. Miss Lacy comes from New York City to teach the newly freed Black residents of New Orleans. Always having been a bit daring, she hopes to do some good and experience a little adventure before settling down with her lifelong friend and betrothed, Cole. Their match is one of convenience, but it will offer her a freedom she could never expect if her future were left in the hands of her father.

When Valinda's school, and virtue, are attacked, Drake LeVeq steps in to save the day. After meeting such a dashing and passionate savior, she begins to question whether she can be satisfied by the loveless match she has made.

This is my first Beverly Jenkins read, and I'm a little disappointed that this is where I started. Throughout the story, there are hints of the magic of Ms. Jenkins' writing, but it was mostly absent from this book. I found the romance to be mediocre, with little chemistry between the main characters.

Please don't take this to mean I did not enjoy myself! Jenkins is superb when it comes to including pieces of Black history, I learned a lot from this book and was even moved to tears by one particularly poignant moment. I'm definitely going to continue reading the author's work, I'm just going to go back to some of her older material. I can fully see why Jenkins is such a pillar of Black Romance, but even geniuses can produce mediocrity.

leonalikesliterature's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Great read! I loved the characters and the relationship between Valinda and Drake. This book represented real life historical events and violence from post-civil war in a way that was realistic and informative, but the love and joy of the characters was still the priority, which I really loved.

I didn’t like the virgin trope and the spice was very flowery, which I don’t like.

Overall, great book! Definitely a new favorite historical romance for me. Will definitely read more of her works.

Content Warnings

taureanbookclub's review

3.5

Beverly Jenkins is incapable of writing a bad book, but this didn’t have the same magic as the other La Veq stories, and the lack of Archer & Zahra was pretty disappointing.

mskristi4's review against another edition

3.75

fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

asanusi945's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous hopeful

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

vicsmoodyreads's review

DID NOT FINISH: 49%

I tried. I really did. I just can’t with slow books that are bogged down with a lot of info that doesn’t really give me much between the characters. Idk if I’ll try another one of her books but this one wasn’t it for me.