Wild, Beautiful, and Free

Jeannette Bébinn, a white half-sister reared alongside her father, was born into slavery and raised on a Louisiana plantation. Her father passed away unexpectedly. Jeannette, age twelve, is sold into slavery by her vengeful wife, who also refuses to provide her inheritance. Now that she is an adult, Jeannette must combat the discrimination she encounters due to her mixed ethnicity. Escaped from slavery, she journeys from Mississippi to Philadelphia to New York to Ohio, all the while seeking her place in a nation divided by the impending Civil War, her purpose in life, and love. When she meets Christian Robichaud Colchester, the white owner of Fortitude Mansion, a sanctuary for runaway slaves where Jeannette teaches, everything appears to fit into place. Even though they clicked right away, Jeannette isn't sure she should be in his social circle. Jeannette is faced with the decision of whether to embrace her own self or conform to the expectations of others in a society that suggests she doesn't belong.