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Against the Wind
Leslie Collins, an African-American bank officer, is forced to flee her hometown to escape a man who attempted to rape her. After three years in jail, he is seeking revenge. Leslie takes a job as a cook on the Saber, Estate for Jordan Saber, a successful, white university professor. Even though there is a powerful attraction, Leslie fights the relationship. In the midst of the danger facing Leslie, Jordan becomes overzealous in protecting her, forcing her to leave the estate and putting her in easy reach of the stalker. Can Jordan break through and save Leslie in time?
316 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
12 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Gwynne Forster
70 books122 followersGwynne Forster (1922-2015) was the pseudonym of American novelist, short fiction writer, demographer, and sociologist Gwendolyn Johnson-Acsadi. Forster was best known as an early innovator of the African American Romance fiction tradition. Forster was a prolific writer who authored more than 50 books, as well as multiple studies in the field of demography. Forster won a wide readership with her novels and garnered awards, including the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Black Writers Alliance Gold Pen Award.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 14, 2010
I really struggled with this book. So much so that I stopped reading it for a few weeks then came back to it. It starts out really good. You have solid characters here, and you sympathize quickly with Leslie and her situation that brings her to Jordan's home looking for work. Jordan, I fell in love with instantly and the more I got to know him I fell even harder. The people he trusts and surrounds himself with are well written as well. The chemistry with Jordan and Leslie was good but..
The problem I had with this one was all the ridiculous back and forth, with Leslie and Jordan. Her weak excuses as to why she felt she could not get involved with Jordan. Although she knew he loved her and she loved him. The entire 7 months she was working for him everything this man said was always backed up by his actions. Not to mention the fact that everyone who worked with or for him, and those who basically raised him all had great and positive things to say about Jordan. His character, his beliefs, his cares, etc.. The fact that he continued to encourage her to pursue and complete her education, as was her goal, he offered to help her in any way he could to help make this goal a reality for her. So she would not have to suffer to achieve this goal. How Leslie twisted this up in her head that he would be or try to be a major issue with her completing her education is lost on me. All I can say was Simple minded, stupidity, & FEAR were her main motivations behind this way of thinking.
Also the whole angle with the "villian" was weak. The whole way how they handled this issue and the ultimate outcome was just pitiful. I can't even say this part of the story was not executed well, cause it was not executed @ all! The whole thing with Jordan's nephew could have been left out. I failed to see the point of him being there. I mean he was a sweet kid & it was unfortunate how he came to be there, but what was the point? How did it contribute to the story of Jordan and Leslie?
Julie was kinda getting on my nerves with her reservations of the fact that Jordan was white and Leslie was black. So was Ossie, but not so much so that I felt like slapping them.
Also the story seemed to jump in certain parts and @ times I got kinda confused on who was saying what or what exactly was happening.
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately I don't. So I cannot recommend this read. I would suggest you get this one from the library or have someone lend it to you but do not purchase it.
The problem I had with this one was all the ridiculous back and forth, with Leslie and Jordan. Her weak excuses as to why she felt she could not get involved with Jordan. Although she knew he loved her and she loved him. The entire 7 months she was working for him everything this man said was always backed up by his actions. Not to mention the fact that everyone who worked with or for him, and those who basically raised him all had great and positive things to say about Jordan. His character, his beliefs, his cares, etc.. The fact that he continued to encourage her to pursue and complete her education, as was her goal, he offered to help her in any way he could to help make this goal a reality for her. So she would not have to suffer to achieve this goal. How Leslie twisted this up in her head that he would be or try to be a major issue with her completing her education is lost on me. All I can say was Simple minded, stupidity, & FEAR were her main motivations behind this way of thinking.
Also the whole angle with the "villian" was weak. The whole way how they handled this issue and the ultimate outcome was just pitiful. I can't even say this part of the story was not executed well, cause it was not executed @ all! The whole thing with Jordan's nephew could have been left out. I failed to see the point of him being there. I mean he was a sweet kid & it was unfortunate how he came to be there, but what was the point? How did it contribute to the story of Jordan and Leslie?
Julie was kinda getting on my nerves with her reservations of the fact that Jordan was white and Leslie was black. So was Ossie, but not so much so that I felt like slapping them.
Also the story seemed to jump in certain parts and @ times I got kinda confused on who was saying what or what exactly was happening.
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately I don't. So I cannot recommend this read. I would suggest you get this one from the library or have someone lend it to you but do not purchase it.
September 30, 2009
To begin with, the typos in this book were insane! I am not a writer or a publisher, but I would have been embarrassed by the whole thing. However, with that being said I actually enjoyed this book. I found the hero extremely likable. He was direct, somewhat brutish and to the point. The heroin, though crazy in my opinion, was likable as well. The resolution at the end with the "bad guy" was a bit anticlimatic and flat, but it did not bother me at all (not as much as the typos). So if you are like me and just like reading the rollercoaster ride of a budding romance with your villian as just a small side show you will be satsified.
December 16, 2010
This was my first interracial novel. I loved the old-fashioned down home I'd rather read this than eat a biscuit feel it delivered. I particularly enjoyed that race was not a overriding theme. The backgrounds served as minor (sometimes forced by the female protagonist) tension. Thanks to the comforting story-line I am now interested in more interracial novels with woc as the leads. I gave the review a 3 because it was poorly edited causing me to lose track of paragraph themes often. I got the book discounted so I thought it was a flawed copy. From the looks of other reviews I was sadly mistaken.
March 8, 2017
I enjoyed this book tremedously and fall in love with every character!
May 28, 2025
how do I read the book
July 27, 2013
The book kept me interested, good storyline. But the personality and speech of the love interest was a little unrealistic. The book was published in late 90s, but the main characters aged 28 and 36 spoke too formally. Just couldn't get with that....
April 6, 2011
i loved this book.
June 22, 2013
I could not connect with the characters.I wanted to like this story but I could not imagine love between Jordan and Leslie.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews