I know I’m late and I meant to publish this post in February in honor of Black History Month and Valentines Day, so in honor of that Happy belated Valentines Day and Black History Month. I have read Belle by Beverly Jenkins and what a warm hearted young adult romance novel. This novel follows 16yo Belle Palmer a runaway slave separated from her father while fleeing the south and heading up north. She gets discovered by Daniel Best and his little sister Josephine, and they mistaken her for a boy, they live in Detroit and their family helps runaway slaves become acclimated. Belle is stricken with grief that she was separated from her father and is in bad shape when she comes to the Best’s household. Daniel Best’s mother, Mrs. Best cleans her wounds and helps her heal for the next couple of days. During those days she becomes close with Daniel and his younger sister. She begins to have a crush on Daniel, but keeps her feelings to herself as Daniel is promised to Francine, who is beautiful, but spoiled, jealous, and has a horrible mean streak. Belle hides the fact that she can’t read and enlists Daniel to help her and he obliges. He introduces her to his friends who are smitten with her but Francine becomes jealous and says some cruel words in which Daniel has to apologize for. Belle’s feelings are hurt and confides in Mrs. Best. They end up getting along very well and Mrs. Best puts Belle’s sewing skills to good work as Belle used to sew for her mistress. In the mist of al the family drama Belle has to watch out for bounty hunters also who capture African Americans who were former slaves or not and either take them back to their owner or take them to a plantation to be put to work. The rumor mill has also been spinning with news of Francine’s infidelity against Daniel with the new teacher in town. Daniel refuses to believe it and when he confronts it she all but admits it. Daniel breaks up with her as Francine decided to pursue the new teacher and Daniel decides to pursue Belle.
His parents tell him to give himself some time after he broke things off with Franince to make sure he’s sure about his decision as they do not want him to break Belle’s heart, and soon after he starts to court her. They all end up going to the biggest African American event in Canada where Belle is reunited with her father. And in that alls well that ends well. It was a great conclusion to the story where African Americans in the time of slavery end up with a happy ending. I’m not going to lie I would really like a sequel to this book where Ms. Jenkins would write about finding Belle’s mother who was sold some time before and them all being reunited and I would also like to see Daniel and Belle getting married and having a family of their own. I was skeptical about this book at first and thinking about it being on TV, because when it comes to slavery i absolutely hate seeing the brutality of it and for Beverly Jenkins to write it in such a different aspect was refreshing to say the least. We often forget about during that time people did fall in love and made the most of their situations and she put light on that. I would love to see this as a movie on Hallmark on Lifetime. It would be awesome. A love story of a former slave and a free man who are both African American. The chemistry between the two characters were great. Beverly Jenkins knows how to create romance and sexual tension without having sex scenes. The story was sweet, and innocent and all about black young love. I feel like there is so much to this story. There was great world building and the settings and information given about that time was so accurate. It would be great as a TV movie and I would love to watch it. So tis the season for Valentines Day for this young black couple in the mist of history making events. So in honor of not only Black History month and Valentines Day but everyday take some time out and read this wonder novel that definitely should make it to the screen.
Cast
Belle Palmer- Camille Winbush
Daniel Best- Algee Smith
Josephine Best- Marsai Martin
His parents tell him to give himself some time after he broke things off with Franince to make sure he’s sure about his decision as they do not want him to break Belle’s heart, and soon after he starts to court her. They all end up going to the biggest African American event in Canada where Belle is reunited with her father. And in that alls well that ends well. It was a great conclusion to the story where African Americans in the time of slavery end up with a happy ending. I’m not going to lie I would really like a sequel to this book where Ms. Jenkins would write about finding Belle’s mother who was sold some time before and them all being reunited and I would also like to see Daniel and Belle getting married and having a family of their own. I was skeptical about this book at first and thinking about it being on TV, because when it comes to slavery i absolutely hate seeing the brutality of it and for Beverly Jenkins to write it in such a different aspect was refreshing to say the least. We often forget about during that time people did fall in love and made the most of their situations and she put light on that. I would love to see this as a movie on Hallmark on Lifetime. It would be awesome. A love story of a former slave and a free man who are both African American. The chemistry between the two characters were great. Beverly Jenkins knows how to create romance and sexual tension without having sex scenes. The story was sweet, and innocent and all about black young love. I feel like there is so much to this story. There was great world building and the settings and information given about that time was so accurate. It would be great as a TV movie and I would love to watch it. So tis the season for Valentines Day for this young black couple in the mist of history making events. So in honor of not only Black History month and Valentines Day but everyday take some time out and read this wonder novel that definitely should make it to the screen.
Cast
Belle Palmer- Camille Winbush
Daniel Best- Algee Smith
Josephine Best- Marsai Martin
