The Highest Price for Passion

Book excerpt: Set during the pre-Civil War period, The Highest Price for Passion delves into the lives of various individuals who are deeply affected by the outcome of the largest sale of slaves in U.S. history called “The Weeping Time.” When Amelia “Passion” Smith, a biracial and beautiful woman, is sold as a slave to the Wellsworth household, she finds herself in the middle of a marriage steeped with secrets. The husband, and master of the house, finds himself drawn to Amelia. Unbeknownst to him, his wife holds a secret love for Amelia, and when she discovers her husband forcing himself on Amelia, the unthinkable happens. The Highest Price for Passion reflects one hundred years of the most volatile era to divide American soil, interspersed with the uncontrollable fervor from the unlikeliest of sources—when both master and mistress vie for the affections of a slave too beautiful to destroy, with a quiet intelligence neither can outwit. Discover a time when the concept of family paled against the principle of human bondage. Fight for the cause. Die for the freedom to live, to choose, to love. Unyielding. Uncompromising. Undeniable. These are the qualities that make The Highest Price for Passion unforgettable.