Island Queen

Vanessa Riley is a widely read and loved author of many historical romance novels. As a romance fan, I’m sad to say that I had previously never read her books. When I shared that I was reading this book across my social media, I was inundated with messages from people so excited about this book because they LOVE Vanessa Riley. I was caught up in the excitement! This book, however, was not at all what I had come to expect from such a well-known romance author. Dorothy Kirwan Thomas was an actual person, this story is based on her life and experiences. She was, honestly, a bad ass (sorry about the language, but that’s a proper description). Slavery is such a terrible, inhumane practice and it’s hard to read about it, especially when you pick up a book for entertainment. Not a lot of people are entertained by the horrors brought to humans by other humans (except serial killers, why do we find those so fascinating?) in situations that are based on reality. However, this story is about Doll’s bad-assery. She worked and worked and worked to become a free woman, then she freed her family-her mom, her sister, her own damn children. She had to purchase her own freedom FROM HER FRIGGIN FATHER! She was raped by her brother and ended up having his child, then having to buy her child from her rapist. Her story is both heartbreaking and empowering. If this woman can survive and thrive, then there’s hope for me when I fall apart after stubbing my toe. Clearly my woes pale in comparison. In what I assume is true Riley fashion, the story does focus on Doll’s romantic relationships, which are many (there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that). While I wish her story didn’t have to be so male-focused, the time period and the color of her skin required her to form alliances in any way possible to both stay alive and to build her empire. She needed those relationships. Her life would have been impossible had she not exploited the romantic ties in her life, thus those aspects of her story were necessary. And let’s face it, Riley is a romance author, that’s what she excels at. OF COURSE there would be a focus on Doll’s amorous interactions. Doll did what she had to do, and she did it well. So kudos to Riley for taking on such a fierce woman and doing her story justice.