On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: Island of Gold (Sea and Stone Chronicles) by Amy Maroney #BookReview #IslandOfGold #HistoricalAdventure @wilaroney @maryanneyarde

1454. A noble French falconer. A spirited merchant’s daughter. And a fateful decision that changes their destiny forever.

When Cédric is recruited by the Knights Hospitaller to the Greek island of Rhodes, his wife Sophie jumps at the chance to improve their fortunes. After a harrowing journey to Rhodes, Cédric plunges into the world of the knights—while Sophie is tempted by the endless riches that flow into the bustling harbor. But their dazzling new home has a dark side. 

Slaves toil endlessly to fortify the city walls, and rumors of a coming attack by the Ottoman Turks swirl in the streets. Desperate to gain favor with the knights and secure his position, Cédric navigates a treacherous world of shadowy alliances. Meanwhile, Sophie secretly engineers a bold plan to keep their children safe. As the trust between them frays, enemies close in—and when disaster strikes the island, the dangers of their new world become terrifyingly real. 

With this richly-told story of adventure, treachery, and the redeeming power of love, Amy Maroney brings a mesmerizing and forgotten world to vivid life.

My Review

There are two things I look out for when I am browsing the bookshelf - a beautiful cover and an enticing blurb. Island of Gold (Sea and Stone Chronicles) by Amy Maroney has both. However, as my Gran used to say, "the proof is in the pudding"! I am pleased to report that this book certainly lived up to my expectations. 

This is a masterfully composed novel that captured my attention so much that I spent the better half of a night sat up reading it. Even with the short chapters which gave me ample time to find a good place to stop and go to bed, I carried on reading! Once started, I found this book next to impossible to put down.

So much happens in this novel which I think is one of the reasons why I could not put it down. I came to really care for the characters, and as events began to unfold around them, I feared for their safety. The author also explored the barbaric practice of slavery in this story. It is hard to imagine a time when slavery was so acceptable. Going to the market to buy a slave was no different to going to the market to buy some fine cloth. Like me, Cédric despises slavery, although his wife, who is desperately trying to keep up with the fashionable world would rather like one. It certainly was a very different time, and the fact that Rhodes' economy depended upon human misery, made it quite a harrowing read at times. 

I also learnt a great deal more about falcons and how they were so prized in this era. I did not realise that to be a master falconer was such a prestigious job! How the birds were transported made for some slightly sickening reading, why on earth would anyone sew shut their eyes, honestly, what were these people thinking? Their pain must have been insufferable. 

At the end of the day, Island of Gold is one of those sit-down-and-finish books. It really should come with a warning, because once started it is near on impossible to put down again. I will certainly be looking out for more books by this author in the foreseeable future.

Buy this Book (you really should)

Amazon 

This novel is available on #KindleUnlimited

Amy Maroney 

Amy Maroney lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, and spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction. When she's not diving down research rabbit holes, she enjoys hiking, dancing, traveling, and reading. Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail. To receive a free prequel novella to the Miramonde Series, join Amy's readers' group at www.amymaroney.com. (Just copy and paste into your browser.)

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