The Stacks Podcast Episode 413: "Indigo" by Beverly Jenkins

The Stacks Book Club with Jasmine Guillory
Host: Traci Thomas
Guest: Jasmine Guillory (NYT bestselling romance author)
Date: February 25, 2026

Episode Overview

This Stacks Book Club episode dives deep into "Indigo," Beverly Jenkins's iconic historical romance. Traci Thomas and returning guest Jasmine Guillory (celebrated romance novelist) break down Jenkins's 1996 classic—its plot, themes, craft, and enduring relevance. The conversation flows organically, touching on Black history, romance tropes, consent, writing techniques, and why Beverly Jenkins is such a revered figure in Black romance. This summary avoids intro/outro/ads and spotlights the lively, spoiler-heavy conversation centered on the novel.

1. Opening Thoughts & Setting the Stage

Timestamps: 03:13–08:36

• Jasmine Guillory announced her upcoming YA debut, "It’s Only Dancing," out Oct 6, 2026—an updated Black riff on "Dirty Dancing."
  • Jasmine Guillory: "There's lots of dancing, some romance, some political activity. It's all very fun." (03:30)
• The hosts’ initial impressions: both loved "Indigo," with Traci realizing she might prefer historical to contemporary romance for the genre's heightened, melodramatic tone.
  • Traci: "It's melodrama. It's Bridgerton... So corny, but I'm here for it in this time period." (07:19)
• Contemporary vs historical romance: Jasmine and Traci note more forgiving standards for historical romance "men," given context and stakes.

2. Context & Social Relevance

Timestamps: 05:26–06:48

• Both were struck by the topicality of the book’s central conflicts—slave catchers, colorism, Black intra-community dynamics—and their echoes in modern America.
  • Jasmine: "I did not realize how topical this book would feel right now. There's a whole big plot about, like, the slave catchers coming from the north... and I was like, wow, we're doing that right now." (05:26)

3. Beverly Jenkins: Her Influence and Place in Romance

Timestamps: 10:23–11:50

• Jasmine affirms Jenkins as a foundational figure for Black romance writers, shaping the genre and paving the way for others' careers.
  • Jasmine: "All of the authors there were fangirling over Beverly Jenkins... She and her contemporaries really paved a path for a lot of other Black women to follow." (10:57–11:50)

4. Plot Walkthrough & Notable Scenes

Timestamps: 12:22–59:16

a. Opening Letters & Hester’s Backstory

• Book opens with tragic letters providing Hester's origin (scar on finger, lasting trauma).
  • Traci: "Cut the tip of the finger off my kid so we know who she is... Her name's Hester. Love you. Goodbye." (13:25)

b. Introduction of Galen (“Black Daniel”) and Hester

• Hester, a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Michigan, nurses an injured Black Daniel (Galen).

• Galen notices Hester’s indigo-stained hands, a result of her former enslaved labor, and coins her love-name “Indigo.”

  • Traci: "Her hands are purple... for the rest of their lives... And he pretty quickly turns it into his pet name for her. He calls her Indigo, which I thought was very cute." (17:05)

• The motif of shame transforming into intimacy: Galen cherishes what Hester is ashamed of—a classic romance dynamic.

c. The Romance Unfolds

• Early kiss scene features traditionally euphemistic romance language:
  • Quote: “His mouth brushed her lips and he gathered her in closer... He could no more stop himself now than ... the pounding in his blood.” (19:04)
• Discussed evolution of sexual language in romance since 1996—historicals are still more euphemistic; this book has only one mention of “orgasm.”
• Galen is the archetypal pushy, wealthy, pleasure-giving romance hero.

d. Plot Twists & Tropes

• Foster, Hester’s supposed fiancé, returns married to Janine—efficiently erasing the “cheating” concern.
  • Traci: "Foster just turns up married, to greet his fiancée and says, here's my wife." (27:01)
• Hester’s virginity as a plot point; “innocent woman / rake” trope dissected.
• Janine and Lem caught having sex in the schoolhouse—seen as scandalous and used for sexual awakening contrast.

5. Craft Discussion: POV, Structure, and Head Hopping

Timestamps: 32:44–36:28

• Jenkins “head hops” in POV—flipping between Hester and Galen within scenes, often without explicit breaks.
  • Jasmine: "One of the things, like people talk about a lot in craft... is like no head hopping, right? ... But like, she does this and it works great constantly." (34:11 and again at 00:30/later segment)
  • Traci: "It felt it sort of signified like a mutual enjoyment or like a mutual understanding." (34:45)
  • Both note this is highly effective here, but not the modern norm.

6. Consent, Power, and Complicity

Timestamps: 08:38–09:20, 55:43–58:11

• Consent’s complexity: Traci and Jasmine parse Galen’s pushiness—he sometimes overrides Hester’s objections, especially around marriage.
  • Jasmine: “Consent is real big for me. I didn’t love that he kind of forced her into marrying him.” (08:54)
  • The church scene is discussed as borderline nonconsensual; she feels “I can't say no, I have to say yes." (55:44)
  • Both agree Jenkins glosses this over quickly, prioritizing the romance’s forward momentum.

7. Rich Social & Historical Layers

Timestamps: 46:46–49:57

• In-depth intra-Black community colorism and class explored—“the color of butter” descriptor for Galen.
• Jenkins seamlessly weaves in Black history, e.g., indigo labor, fugitive slave laws, John Brown.

8. Community, Care, and Modern-Day Parallels

Timestamps: 74:04–75:59

• The book’s depiction of mutual support and community organizing is called out as especially resonant today.
  • Traci: “The need for fun in serious times. And like the communal care elements. ... We all owe each other that much.” (74:42–75:02)
  • Jasmine: “Just the scenes of like, the community. There's an emergency in the community and they all come together and solve it... some of the most beautiful parts of the book for me.” (75:23)

9. Mystery & Villainy: Twists and Betrayals

Timestamps: 62:06–66:22

• Key reveals: B (the midwife) betrays the community to find out about her lost children, manipulated by her son Lem (also a traitor).
  • Traci: “She was helping Lem identify families, like, sort of giving them sacrificial families to capture because she had two other kids and she wanted to know their whereabouts... Turns out they were already dead.” (63:21)
• Janine, previously comic relief, pulls a gun on Foster and Hester; her practical betrayal underlines complexities of survival.

10. Final Tropes & Structural Choices

Timestamps: 71:34–74:07

• Trope rundown:
  • Virgin and rake
  • Sickbed healing
  • Surprise wedding (nonconsensual)
  • Rich benefactor
  • “Enemies” to lovers (sort of; weakly employed)
  • No third act breakup (“dark moment” is not in the relationship, but external)
  • Secret baby (sort of, toward the end; “secret baby lite”)
• Unusual structuring—marriage (ostensible HEA) arrives before the book’s last third; the action shifts into rescue, community, and “bonus” maternal reunion at the end.

11. Jenkins’s Style and Why "Indigo" Endures

Timestamps: 32:20–33:45, 78:10–78:30

• Both hosts praise the quality, voice, pacing, and tightness of Jenkins’s prose.
  • Traci: “The tone, like, it’s pitch perfect, all the way through... The book is like a well written document.” (32:29)

12. Film/TV Aspirations & Covers

Timestamps: 76:03–77:53

• Traci and Jasmine want a miniseries or film adaptation—comparing it to Bridgerton, affirming its cinematic dialogue and imagery.
  • Traci: "I would watch this movie every day for the rest of my life." (76:04)
• Love for the clinch covers: classic romance iconography; disappointment with current bland covers.

13. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Jasmine: “All of the authors there were fangirling over Beverly Jenkins.” (10:57)
• Traci: “This could also be a horror novel” — on Galen sneaking into Hester’s bedroom (24:11)
• Traci: “Hot, problematic man who’s rich and wants to go down on her... Sign me up.” (73:37)
• Jasmine: “I always do signed pre orders from East Bay Booksellers, which is my local Oakland bookstore…” (79:31)

14. Conclusion & Takeaways

Both Traci and Jasmine found "Indigo" remarkably entertaining, rich in both romance and history, and still deeply relevant. Its community focus, vivid characters, and Jenkins’s trailblazing place in Black romance cement its masterpiece status. The discussion highlights the book’s enduring craft, its nuanced handling of consent and social context, and the pleasures (and limitations) of historical romance tropes.

Next Stacks Book Club:

Paradise by Toni Morrison (March book club pick)!

For further info & book club schedule:
www.thestackspodcast.com

This summary covers all major discussion points and memorable lines, providing readers or listeners with a robust understanding of the episode’s content, flow, and tone.