The Exiles (The Creoles #1)2003

Readers follow Chantel Fontaine through the streets and swamps of Louisiana as she falls in love, faces the loss of both her parents, and searches for the baby sister she thought was lost forever. The culture of the citizens of nineteenth-century New Orleans was as varied and intriguing as their complexions--French, Spanish, African, and American. As the layers of these cultures intertwine, a rich, entertaining story of love and faith emerges. It is the early 1800s, and Chantel Fountaine, has finished her education at the Ursuline Convent. But the trials and tragedies that preceded her graduation have put her Christian beliefs to the test. The authors' unique perspective and the distinctive cultural setting make this novel come alive in the minds and hearts of readers.