AAMBC gives ***** 5 out of 5 stars
Growing up in Forrest Town, Arkansas, Alison Tillman was always taught to “know her place” as well as the place of the coloreds who worked for the family and lived within a neighboring section of her town. However, after finding the body of a black man floating in the river, Alison begins to challenge everything she knows.
Prior to her discovery, her engagement to Jimmy Lee was the best thing she could possibly hope for. Now she is realizing that his views, behavior and hatred towards blacks are becoming a serious issue for her. So serious, that when Jackson shows up to work on her father’s farm in place of his injured brother, Alison turns to him for companionship.
With a wedding mere months away and a forbidden love affair with a black man, Alison must decide if she will continue to live her life in the manner in which she was raised, or if she will take her own personal stance against racism and follow her heart.
Have No Shame tells the story of one young woman’s racial awakening against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. When newfound revelations force her to question everything and everyone she was brought up to believe in—she is shocked to discover that other woman in her family are also welcoming change. Although I would have loved to know more about the upbringing of Jimmy Lee, Jackson and several other characters, I understand that this is Alison’s story and I’m content with her limited view.
Melissa Foster weaves a very interesting plot with enough unexpected twists and turns to keep you turning pages to the very end. If you are not open to evolving racial views and interracial harmony, this is not the book for you. But, if you are one who believes that love knows neither bounds nor color, than you will enjoy the hidden treasures revealed within the pages of Have No Shame.
Michelle Cuttino
AAMBC Reviewer
Thank you for the lovely review of Have No Shame. I’m delighted that you enjoyed Alison and Jackson’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is such an important story. I’m so happy that you shared it with your readers. Thank you. xox