Story Behind The Book
The story is behind the enslavement of a princess, taken from her island home, and the master who took possesion of her, changing his life course, forever. In the beginning, he tried to see her as his time period and society dictated that he should. However, time spent with her, loving her, getting to know her, showed him what impact on his heart and life she would make. This story is different from any other master and slave story ever written; in fact, the story is not about slavery, but about a love between a man and a woman; and the people that they love. It goes on show to some degree, the relationship that existed between this master and his slaves. It shows how they were more of a family, than a plantation where a tyrant ruled. Webster Fields as many readers found, was run on love. That love, lasted for some time until a change was forced to be made, and once made, nothing there, would ever be the same, to their lives, hell had come.
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Reviews
<span style="margin-right:5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0"><span>5.0 out of 5 stars</span></span> </span> <span style="vertical-align:middle;"><strong>WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!</strong>, October 3, 2005</span><div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"></div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1NS2BLK8316A3/ref=cm_cr_dp_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chrislain Noel <span style="white-space:nowrap;">Jr.<span class="swSprite s_chevron custPopRight"></span></span></span></a> - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A1NS2BLK8316A3/ref=cm_cr_dp_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview">See all my reviews</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_rn_bdg_help?ie=UTF8&nodeId=14279681&pop-up=1#RN"><span class="cmtySprite s_BadgeRealName"><span>(REAL NAME)</span></span></a> </td></tr></tbody></table></div> It is so good to see that these amazing writers put their talents into good use. Mercedes Keyes did an excellent job with all of her books! I read all 3 in 3 weeks! it was amazing. My boyfriend read the first novel and begged me to let him read the other two. it was great. I dont think there is an interracial romance novel that can top that one!or an interracial novel write that can top Mercedes Keyes. Im saying this witha all honesty! GOOD JOB Mercedes!<br /><br />===============================<br /><span style="margin-right:5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0"><span><br />5.0 out of 5 stars</span></span> </span> <span style="vertical-align:middle;"><strong>TOTALLY & REMARKABLY UNFORGETABLE</strong>, August 20, 2005</span><div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"></div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3AQO4BAH2N0N5/ref=cm_cr_dp_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;">E. Gail Flowers "Reading <span style="white-space:nowrap;">Monstress"<span class="swSprite s_chevron custPopRight"></span></span></span></a> (Milwaukee, WI USA) - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3AQO4BAH2N0N5/ref=cm_cr_dp_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview">See all my reviews</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_rn_bdg_help?ie=UTF8&nodeId=14279681&pop-up=1#RN"><span class="cmtySprite s_BadgeRealName"><span>(REAL NAME)</span></span></a> </td></tr></tbody></table></div> WARNING: Do not read this book unless you're prepared to get Part 2(Gold Raven) & Part 3(Family Reunion) also (available via download only at this time). <br /><br />This is one of the BEST books I have ever read. I have read hundreds of Fiction, Interracial & Romance novels. This book will make you laugh out loud. This book will make you shed tears and this book will make you feel anger to the utmost. <br /><br />The author is a genius in making the reader feel what each character is feeling. You will find yourself re-reading sections because you can't believe what you just read and you will find yourself cannot waiting to turn to the next page. <br /><br />At times, I found myself forgetting that I was reading a book of fiction. <br /><br />You will NOT be able to put this book down & will be disappointed when you finish the last page. Buy this book or you will miss out. <br /><br />Mercedes Keyes has a new fan that will spread the news of her work across the U.S. <br /><br />=====================================<br /><br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="0" align="right"> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" align="left"> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gif" alt="5.0 out of 5 stars" width="64" border="0" height="12" /></span> <strong>Best Book Ever written, should be a movie!!!!!!!</strong>, July 20, 2006</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/AW7PQ0ECK31D6/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Amelia L. Nelson <span style="white-space:nowrap;">"Lorrain"<img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/carrot._V47081519_.gif" class="custPopRight" style="border:medium none;" alt="" /></span></span></a> (La Crosse, WI) - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/AW7PQ0ECK31D6/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview">See all my reviews</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_rn_bdg_help?ie=UTF8&nodeId=14279681&pop-up=1#RN"><img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/reputation/c7y_badge_rn_1._V47060296_.gif" alt="(REAL NAME)" width="70" border="0" height="15" /></a> </td></tr></tbody></table></div> WOW, WOW, WOW!!!!! THis book is excellent!!!! I couldn't put it down and since purchasing it I have read it 5 times!!!! Talk about a wonderful and stimulating roller coaster ride!!! Can't wait to read other thing's this authur has coming out. She has certainly worked her way up to the top of my list of favorite authors!!!! </td></tr></tbody></table><br />==================================<br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gif" alt="5.0 out of 5 stars" width="64" border="0" height="12" /></span> <strong>Powerful, Gripping, Beautiful</strong>, August 4, 2004</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1OQ3PUO8N84UP/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Awesome Read <span style="white-space:nowrap;">"CC"<img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/carrot._V47081519_.gif" class="custPopRight" style="border:medium none;" alt="" /></span></span></a> (NC, USA) - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A1OQ3PUO8N84UP/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview">See all my reviews</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> Never in my life have I read such a powerful and well written novel as "Princess Ces'alena". I was so touched by it I had to write a review, and I don't write reviews, even for books I like. But I had to for this one. <br /> I got so wrapped up in the lives of Manny (Maynard Ramsey Webster) and Lena (Princess Ces'alena) that I almost forgot where I was. This is a pretty thick book and I read it in a few hours. I could not put it down. I didn't sleep or eat until I had finished the novel. This is a must-read book!! I laughed and cried. The characters of Lena and Manny were so real and beautifully written. <br /> Ultimately it is a love story. The ultimate love story. A love that knows no boundries. The world trying it's best to keep them apart, because he is the young master of Webster Fields and she is a young slave. What Lena and Manny have to endure and sacrifice for their love, proves to be the ultimate test in love and life. For Manny, his only purpose in life is to protect his "Lena" and their children. On the outside many characters see Manny as irrational, but when someone is dealing with their children and the only person in the world they have ever loved, who could be rational? Lena tries many times to do what people consider the "right" thing to do, which is just stay away from Manny. But when true love is involved, she can't always go with the "right" decision. When they are tested you see the lengths that each will go through for the other. Even the way Mrs. Keyes describes just the setting makes you feel that you are there at Webster Fields. Every single character written, whether you love them or hate them, is well-rounded. There is no -just cut and dry "villian" or "innocent" person. Like real life they all have flaws and can make mistakes. That is what makes this novel so real. The attention that was given to every little detail of each characters soul. <br /> I have no other words that can describe this novel. You just have to get it!!!! <br /><br />===============================<br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="0" align="right"> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" align="left"> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-4-0._V47081936_.gif" alt="4.0 out of 5 stars" width="64" border="0" height="12" /></span> <strong>Not Your Average Master/Slave Tale</strong>, July 10, 2004</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3HSU09QRIH6D2/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;">beebee0120 <span style="white-space:nowrap;">"beebee0120"<img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/carrot._V47081519_.gif" class="custPopRight" style="border:medium none;" alt="" /></span></span></a> (TN USA) - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3HSU09QRIH6D2/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview">See all my reviews</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> This isn't your typical master/slave tale, but a beautiful love story of a deep, abiding love shared between a man and a woman who were forced to endure one obstacle after another because it. <br /><br />Maynard Webster, along with his father, is the owner of the plantation called Wester Fields, where he resides over a small number of slaves. The slaves of Webster Fields, however, are not treated as property, but as family members instead, thanks to Manny(the name by which Maynard goes). You see, he really isn't a true believer in slavery, so these people are given liberties they wouldn't normally have anywhere else. In fact, they're so content at Webster Fields that they make no attempts to ever run from it. <br /><br />Manny's life changes forever when he is sent into town by his father to pick up a beautiful young slave girl that he won in a card game. Maynard is immediately smittened with this young woman who claims to be of royalty in her own homeland. There, she goes by the name Princess Ces'alena. They eventually fall in love and produce a son named Mikey. Manny's father is so concerned that he will never marry, depriving him of an acceptable heirs, that he threatens his son's newly made family, forcing him to make the decision to take a wife. <br /><br />This is when Manny and Lena's lives start to unravel for Katherine, the new wife, wants him to love her like he does Lena, which he can't do because his only excuse for marrying her in the first place is to protect his family, Lena and Mikey. It had absolutely nothing to do with loving Katherine. In fact, he seems to see her as more of an obstacle, and soon regrets his decision. Katherine vows to get even with Lena by breaking up Manny's little family, which results in one tragedy after another for them. <br /><br />"Why can't they just leave us alone?" I may be paraphrasing, but this is just one of many touching moments in the book. If you plan to read Princess Ces'alena, have the tissues handy. I look forward to the second book due out near the end of summer of 2004. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />===================================<br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gif" alt="5.0 out of 5 stars" width="64" border="0" height="12" /></span> <strong>Excellent!!!!!!!</strong>, May 23, 2004</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> By <strong>A Customer</strong><br /></div> Rarely is there a book that satisfies all your needs. This one had passion, drama and suspense. Beautifully written! You can feel the emotions of each character. I can't wait for the rest of the series. Don't miss out on this one!!! <br /><br />=================================<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="0" align="right"> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" align="left"><br /><div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <span style="margin-right:5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0"><span>5.0 out of 5 stars</span></span> </span> <span style="vertical-align:middle;"><strong>MAGNIFICENT !!!</strong>, August 30, 2008</span> </div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3MGMZNHGC7IXI/ref=cm_cr_dp_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;">R. Toni <span style="white-space:nowrap;">Dunlap<span class="swSprite s_chevron custPopRight"></span></span></span></a> (Cathedral City, CA USA) - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3MGMZNHGC7IXI/ref=cm_cr_dp_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview">See all my reviews</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_rn_bdg_help?ie=UTF8&nodeId=14279681&pop-up=1#RN"><span class="cmtySprite s_BadgeRealName"><span>(REAL NAME)</span></span></a> </td></tr></tbody></table></div> What we have in the book Princess Ces'alena is a riveting, powerful page turner. Yes, I read it in a day. Absolutely, could not put it down, literally. It's the telling of a story in the times when slavery existed. This story speaks of slavery in a way quite different than what I think most of us know or think about it. Or at least I should say what I've grown to know about the cruelty of that time in our history. I found this tale revealing the deep emotions and love that existed among human beings during that period. And while there was that segment of people who mis-treated slaves and thought of them in a derogative way, the other way was to love deeply and care for the people who found themselves in the position of being a slave. <br />Mercedes Keyes is a brilliant and prolific writer. She knows how to get you on the edge of your chair and how to keep you there. You won't leave it, until you are done. Ms. Keyes tells a tale of the times of slavery like no other that you've ever read. <br />I so enjoyed reading Book One of "Webster Fields". I am looking forward with great anticipation to reading Books Two and Three of this agnificent trilogy. <br />WOW! WOW! WOW! </td></tr></tbody></table>