In 19th-century Charleston, a Catholic priest grapples with his secret African ancestry and his love for a slaveholderâs wife.
Joseph Lazare grows up believing his black hair and olive skin come from a Spanish grandmother, and heâs shocked to learn she was an enslaved African. At thirteen, Joseph allows racial prejudice to limit his future and chooses the seminary. At twenty-three, he is ordained âa priest forever.â
When he meets Tessa Conley, a devout Irish immigrant who shares his passions for music and botany, Josephâs ordered world cracks at its foundation. He must conceal his true feelings as Tessa marries another manâa plantation owner who treats her like property.
Acting on their love could ruin Joseph and Tessa in this world and damn them in the next. Can two broken people heal each other and find heaven on earthâor will there be hell to pay?
Necessary Sins is the first book in the Lazare Family Saga quartet. If you like character-rich dramas, vivid period detail, and heart-wrenching choices, then youâll be swept away by this epic series, perfect for fans of The Thorn Birds and Outlander.
Contains mature themes.