Escape: Book One of the Unchained Trilogy - Couverture souple

Daniel and Lori love each other, yet to live as one in 1856, they must escape from the unyielding society that imprisons them. Lori was born a slave in North Carolina, yet by chance was raised alongside Daniel in a wealthy abolitionist household. The sudden death of Daniel’s mother catapults Lori back into bondage. Relegated to chattel on a rice plantation, Lori lives in constant fear under the tormenting scrutiny of Daniel’s wretched Aunt Lucinda. After Daniel fails to convince his relatives to free Lori, he is compelled to devise a daring escape. Although a life threatening endeavor for both of them, Lori’s freedom is priceless to Daniel, and he’s willing to pay such a price for her love. The Story of The Unchained Trilogy Fade to white...Just who do you think you are? Steven Jordan thought he knew, until his grandmother Selina Manning threw a grenade that put his identity in question. She reveals a secret: her grandmother was a black woman, born a slave. Yet Selina has lived her entire life as white. Will Steven ever accept this root hidden beneath his family tree, or choose to leave it buried? Uncertain of what he’ll find, he delves into the past to learn where the secret began. The Unchained Trilogy is an explosive three book series of love, deceit, emotional destruction and in the end, forgiveness. It spans a time period of one hundred and forty two years, with Escape (Book One) opening the series in 1856, and Revelation (Book Three), closing it in 1998. Time does move fast in this family saga, and since there are several years to cover, some purposeful time gaps do exist to move along the narrative. For a brief overview of the entire trilogy, here’s what to expect in every story: Book I, Escape: The year is 1856. Lori is a black woman, born a slave, but Daniel Taylor, a young abolitionist from a wealthy merchant’s family, falls in love with her, and risks his life to help her in a daring escape. After overcoming torturous trials and challenges, Daniel and Lori have a family. However, their youngest daughter, the beautiful and treacherous Lavinia, chooses to pass as white. But will she ever find true happiness while hiding behind a mask? Book II, Masquerade: Lavinia runs away from home at age seventeen to pursue a life of decadence as an actress. Married to a powerful showman in New York, Lavinia weaves one lie after another, doing whatever it takes to keep the truth about her "Negro" mother a secret. Selina Standish, born during her mother Lavinia's second marriage, learns the truth about her ancestry as a young girl. But Selina is convinced by Lavinia never to acknowledge her "Negro blood." However, Selina finds this difficult after meeting her "Negro" relatives, whom she comes to love. Eventually, Selina makes a choice that binds her heart and troubles her future. Book III, Revelation: In 1998, one-hundred year old Selina Standish Manning reveals a secret that she's carried for nine decades like a painful chain bound around her heart. Now, near death, Selina tells her family the truth about her black ancestry. Her relatives are surprised by this revelation, and her grandson, Steven, struggles to accept that black blood courses through his veins. One moment he's an average white guy of European descent, and now this! Despite Steven's initial misgivings regarding the secret, he and the rest of his family are eager to hear what Selina has to say, and their lives are forever changed as the past is revealed...

Weaving together history, scandal, romance and suspense, Maria McKenzie is the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Governor’s Sons, and books one, two and three of the Unchained Trilogy: Escape, Masquerade and Revelation. Taking a brief departure from historical fiction, Maria is currently at work on her next release, the comedic mystery/clean romance, From Cad to Cadaver, featuring ex-FBI agent turned detective,Tracy Black, of Black Ops Detective Agency, and her partner, ex-Marine Raider Adam Slade. She's black, he's white, but the situations they stumble into are hardly black and white! Join them in a series of adventures that will keep you laughing! Maria lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two boys. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, small business owner and author, Maria worked in Georgia and North Carolina as a librarian for several years. She attended Wittenberg University and received a bachelor’s degree in English, and later graduated from Atlanta University with a master’s in Library Science. You can visit Maria at www.mariamckenziewrites.com or send her an email at mariamckenziewrites@gmail.com. She would love to hear from you!