First published 2008
Sewing Annie Coats cuts fabric in her Washington tailor shop, her hands steady despite the constant fear. She and her son Gabriel have purchased their freedom, but their former owner still threatens their hard-won independence. The frontier community offers little safety for freed slaves trying to build new lives. Annie operates both a tailoring business and a laundry, working long hours to survive in this harsh environment. Gabriel helps with the shop while they secretly assist escaped slaves seeking freedom. War approaches, and tensions rise throughout the territory. Their former owner refuses to accept their liberation and continues to harass them. Annie must protect her son and their business while maintaining their dangerous work helping other slaves escape. The family faces constant pressure from hostile neighbors and the ever-present threat of violence. Each day brings new challenges as they navigate between survival and their commitment to helping others find freedom.
Genres: american-civil-war, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, historical-romance, 19th-century, african-american-historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Washington, Frontier
Period: 19th-Century
359 pages · Library Binding · Center Point Pub
Content warnings: slavery, violence