Wild Indigo

by Judith Stanton

Love's Spirit To the Cherokee who raised her she was "Wanders Lost," a white orphan in a land ravaged by revolution. To the Moravains of Salem, North Carolina, she was Mary Margaretha, a spirited young woman barely civilized by her years among their prim sisters. To rugged Jacob Blum she was Retha, his new bride, a blazing beauty who stirred his blood. Love's Promise Drawn by a passion that matched Jacob's own, Retha wanted nothing more than to be a loving wife. Yet before she could completely give herself to Jacob, she had to overcome the ghost of her mysterious past, a past whose memories made her tremble at the very touch she so deeply craved.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Native American

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 9, 1998

About the author

Author of four historical novels and RITA finalist, Judith Stanton first imagined equestrian triumphs on her granddaddy's persnickety black Shetland pony and balky donkey, her daddy's mule, even the milk cows. At nine, riding bareback with only a halter, she taught her pinto Blaze to jump hay bales. During a career as a scholar, professor, technical writer and fiction editor, she kept fit riding three-day eventers. She now celebrates her favorite sport in fiction, doing her most daring riding ever on the page. Judith lives in North Carolina, where she and her husband tend to her elderly equine friends and a steady stream of rescued cats. She's a proud owner of Satisfaction ("Simon"), a fancy young eventing prospect ridden by Nate Chambers.

Reviews

[Misfit]

The blurb does a pretty good job summing this story up, and I'm a couple of reviews behind, so I'm going to pass on trying to say the same thing a different way. The story is set during the Revolutionary War era in the Moravian community of Salem, North Carolina. I did like the new-to-me historical setting, as well as a glimpse at a culture so different from ours (YMMV, it may be a bit too structured and religious for some readers). I liked the H and h, and while there isn't a Big Misunderstanding, there are bits from the heroine's past that she can't recall at first that does keep them from consummating the marriage until later in the book - so if you're looking for a story with lots of steamy sex, you're not going to find that here.

All in all, a good story, just not a great one. My copy obtained during a freebie sale.

[Henrietta Higginbottom]

I wrote this lovely, gushing review that was accidentally deleted when I removed my feline friend from my laptop's keyboard. How frustrating!

In short, this was one of my top reads of this year. 99 cents absolutely well-spent.

The historical accuracy and characters that acted in context of their society and religion, was just wonderful.

Jacob was a strong hero (but not your typical aggressive or alpha type); tender toward his loved ones, yet fiercely protective and not a pushover.

Retha felt like a unique character, in that she was not a modern woman wearing a historical dress. She was independent by nature without being stupid (no running off or pouty foot-stomping). Knowing that she was an outcast in both her adoptive societies (first rescued by Cherokee Indians, then taken in by a Moravian community), she did not seem to be angsty or bitter. It was quite rewarding watching her fall in love with (and be loved in return by) her new family.

I'm well into the sequel novel about Jacob and Retha's two sons, and am actually disappointed to find out that Ms. Stanton never released the third book featuring daughter Anna Johanna. Maybe she will see this and be inspired to do so! ;)

[Jeri]

In 1780, the Moravians of Salem, North Carolina are a settled religious community, steadfastly neutral in America's War of Independence. When Elder Jacob Blum seeks a new wife and a mother for his three children, his choice of the foundling raised by the Cherokee is something of a surprise. Mary Margaretha, known as Retha, had almost given up hope that any of the men in the community would overlook her odds ways, and she looks forward to being a loving wife and mother. What neither of them realize is that Retha will have to face the ghosts in her past before they can have a future together.

The wealth of historical detail that makes up the background of this novel is its strength. The community comes alive, with stories of everyday life and everyday people in a little-known chapter of American history. The romance, however, is a bit tepid for my taste, making this a pleasant but not particularly memorable read.

[PlotTrysts]

This is a unique HistRom premise: Retha and Jacob are Moravians living in Revolutionary-era Georgia. Jacob's wife died a year ago and he's looking for a mother to his children, but the "lot" (basically a Magic 8 Ball system where you ask a question and get a "yes," "no," or "ask again later" response) keeps turning down all his suggested brides. One day he runs into Retha, a young woman who came to the community because she was the only survivor of several massacres. When he asks the lot again, he gets the green light to propose, and she eventually says yes. Turns out that Retha has a ton of trauma in her past that manifests on their wedding night.

There are a lot of things I really liked about this one: the history is fascinating, and Stanton does a great job of placing the reader among a community they know very little about in an era that's also not super present in historical romance. This includes a really interesting take on revolutionary fighters, who usually get a great edit from American authors (for obvious reasons). Also, romance readers often think of old school books like this one as having outdated perspectives on consent, but Jacob is a "yes means yes" kind of guy even in the 1780s.

That said, there are some major CNs for sexual assault from a villainous secondary character. I wish that the book had been more focused on Jacob and Retha's connection rather than on reputation and escaping the clutches of that villain. All in all, though, I don't regret dropping the other books on my list to check this one out.

[Auj]

3.5 stars

I liked this romance between a widower with 3 unruly kids and a young woman who had lived with the Cherokees for part of her life. I had never heard of the Moravians and found it interesting that they decided to remain neutral during the American Revolution.

[Jennifer Campbell]

Great Read

Chance to see this in an add. Haven't read any type of romance for quite some time. Great story line and characters. Loved it. Thank you to Judith Stanton.

[Jo Notary]

448p Love's Spirit
To the Cherokee who raised her she was "Wanders Lost," a white orphan in a land ravaged by revolution. To the Moravains of Salem, North Carolina, she was Mary Margaretha, a spirited young woman barely civilized by her years among their prim sisters. To rugged Jacob Blum she was Retha, his new bride, a blazing beauty who stirred his blood.
Love's Promise
Drawn by a passion that matched Jacob's own, Retha wanted nothing more than to be a loving wife. Yet before she could completely give herself to Jacob, she had to overcome the ghost of her mysterious past, a past whose memories made her tremble at the very touch she so deeply craved.

[Mary]

I read it when it first came out and enjoyed it, and I think I enjoyed it even more now. The balance of your faith as it relates to your life seems even more important to me now.