What Passes as Love Audiobook By Trisha R. Thomas cover art

What Passes as Love

A Novel

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A young woman pays a devastating price for freedom in this heartrending and breathtaking novel of the nineteenth-century South.

1850. I was six years old the day Lewis Holt came to take me away.

Born into slavery, Dahlia never knew her mother - or what happened to her. When Dahlia’s father, the owner of Vesterville plantation, takes her to work in his home as a servant, she’s desperately lonely. Forced to leave behind her best friend, Bo, she lives in a world between black and white, belonging to neither.

Ten years later, Dahlia meets Timothy Ross, an Englishman in need of a wife. Reinventing herself as Lily Dove, Dahlia allows Timothy to believe she’s white, with no family to speak of, and agrees to marry him. She knows the danger of being found out. She also knows she’ll never have this chance at freedom again.

Ensconced in the Ross mansion, Dahlia soon finds herself held captive in a different way - as the dutiful wife of a young man who has set his sights on a political future. But when Bo arrives on the estate in shackles, Dahlia decides to risk everything to save his life. With suspicions of her true identity growing and a bounty hunter not far behind, Dahlia must act fast or pay a devastating price.

©2021 by Trisha R. Thomas. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Historical Fiction African American Freedom Fiction Literary Fiction Marriage Heartfelt Genre Fiction World Literature Civil War Era

Critic reviews

“Thomas’s (Un-nappily in Love, 2020) well-researched and compelling novel charts Dahlia’s complex journey of escape, reinvention, and self-acceptance. Fans of Alena Dillon and Lucinda Riley will be moved by this historical glimpse into a brutal time period. Not shying away from the cruelties of slavery, Thomas gives a voice to the enslaved by exploring the power of shared humanity and newfound courage.”—Booklist

“The author really gets inside Dahlia’s head…She’s resourceful, a chance-taker who dreams and schemes until opportunities present themselves. It’s impossible not to root for her, however risky her actions.”—Historical Novels Review

“The scribe who sold us on living Nappily Ever After turns her talents to historical fiction.”—Essence

Historical Authenticity • Engaging Plot • Fantastic Narration • Emotional Depth • Well-written Descriptions

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The narration of this book made it outstanding! What emotion! The story itself was slightly predictable.

Great narration, good story

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I guess I was expecting more at the end

Last encounter with Rhyland? Hmmmm

But good plot twist throughout
Fast paced and keeps you interested

Ending felt shorted

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This book had a lot of very implausible things in it and I enjoyed it anyway because the writing is good. Great character development and interesting personalities.

Easy listen, good writing

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From start to finish this audiobook had me wanting more!! It is historical fiction and written very well. My emotions were all over place, it just goes to show the extent anyone will go to for their freedom! The narrators were fantastic as well!!

Incredible…

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Completely unrealistic and not particularly well written. I was somewhat annoyed with myself that I finished it.

A generous 3 stars

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