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Jeb Nubey is now a dependable minister, and still parenting three orphan children. He has finally won the affections of the pretty schoolteacher, Fern. Every thing is Nazareth, Arkansas, is going as smoothly as the depression allows. Until Jeb opens the door to find a basket on his doorstep: an infant girl enveloped inside. And the baby is black.
In spite of all Jeb’s attempts, the baby’s mother is no where to be found. The townsfolk feel Jeb ought to throw the baby out with the trash. But how can Jeb do that? Still, the controversy is destroying his church. When a black teenager shows up on his door to work as nanny for the baby, Jeb takes her in too. But what will happen when rocks are thrown through his church members windows? Graffiti appears on the church walls? And the town themselves becomes divided over this controversial matter?
WHISPER TOWN is the second book in the Millwood Hollow series and I recommend that the first book in the series Nazareth’s Song is read first as the events in this book tie into it. It is nice to see Jeb’s character further developed and his relationships with his children improving. I wish we could have seen his relationship with Fern improve too, as it seems she went from giving him a cold shoulder in book one to being all over him in book two.
I never realized times could be so hard for people of color back then and the way the story portrayed the actions of the community to black people really made me ill. I hoped Jeb would be strong enough to stand up under pressure and continue to do what’s right. In some ways I was disappointed by the books end, in other ways it was perfect. WHISPER TOWN is a must read, holding ones attention, for all those who love historicals.
Discussion questions are included at the end, making this ideal for
small group studies.
Reviewed by Laura V. Hilton
for The Road to Romance
December 28, 2005
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