Between the Lines

The Bloodstone Ring

THIS IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE AS WELL AS A NATURAL ONE.

Love chooses whom it will, but Lady Carmen Wright knew English society of the 1840s would never accept her mixed-race daughter, so she sent baby Lilly to America with a wealthy family. The Bloodstone Ring by Barbara Taylor Sanders (Tate Publishing and Enterprises, 2016, $19.99) is the compelling tale of Lilly’s difficult journey back to her mother.

Savannah, Georgia, seethed with unrest leading up to the Civil War, with slave traders protected by corrupt police officers while others worked to abolish slavery. This environment alone would have been difficult for a mixed-race girl, but Lilly and her adopt ed sister, Lady Katelyn, have been left with Baroness Genevieve, a woman with an evil heart and unhealthy addictions. When the baroness’ gambling debts become overwhelming, she sells Lilly to a slave trader and the desperate search begins.

As Lilly fights for freedom, Lady Katelyn enlists the aid of Andrew, a lawyer and a potential suitor. They work with the police and search for anyone who may know where Lilly could have been taken, while Andrew’s mother gathers her prayer group to intercede for Lilly’s safe return. This is a spiritual battle as well as a natural one, and the life of a young girl is the prize.

Barbara Taylor Sanders has experienced loss in her life, and her deep understanding of that grief brings realism to this story. It is not just a story of loss, though, rather a story of faith triumphing over circumstances, as terrible as those may be.

It’s ultimately a story of redemption, something we all need at times. This is a journey worth taking.