Bride of a Distant Isle (Daughters of Hampshire, Book 2) by Sandra Byrd

"Malta is a small island, wholly surrounded by blue," he said, his gaze searching my face, "perhaps the very color of your eyes. Our homes and buildings are sculpted from butter-yellow stone and are hung with black lanterns so each can find his way in the dark."

-excerpt from Bride of a Distant Isle





Book Summary:

An unforgettable romance set in Victorian England, Bride of A Distant Isle is the engrossing story of Annabel Ashton, who fights to save her family home and her mother's honor while trying to figure out if the man she loves wants her—or just wants to use her to achieve his own ambitions.

Miss Annabel Ashton is a teacher at the Rogers School for Young Ladies in Winchester when she takes a brief visit to her family home, Highcliffe Hall at Milford-on-Sea. She believes her stay will be short but soon learns that she will not be returning to the safety of the school. Instead, she remains at Highcliffe, at the mercy of her cousin, Edward Everedge.

Annabel protests, but as the illegitimate daughter of a woman who died in an insane asylum, she has little say. Edward is running out of money and puts the house up for sale to avoid financial ruin. He insists that Annabel marry, promising her to a sinister, frightening man. But as the house gets packed for sale, it begins to reveal disquieting secrets. Jewelry, artifacts, and portraits mysteriously appear, suggesting that Annabel may be the true heir of Highcliffe.

She has only a few months to prove her legitimacy, perhaps with assistance from the handsome but troubled Maltese Captain Dell’Acqua. But does he have Annabel’s best interests at heart?

And then, a final, most ominous barrier to both her inheritance and her existence appears: a situation neither she nor anyone else could have expected. Will Annabel regain her life and property—and trust her heart—before it’s too late?

(Book Summary Courtesy of Simon and Schuster)


My Review:

The story was intense from the moment I began reading! There were good guys and gals, bad guys and gals, and those that were an enigma, that you just couldn’t quite figure out. It had all the elements of a gothic romance, a mysterious hero, the supernatural, and those eerie spaces. Bride of a Distant Isle was riveting from beginning to end.

I loved the romance part of the story. The hero hails from the same place as the heroine's father, the island of Malta. Byrd weaves the story in such a way that the romance moves in slow fashion, unfolding slowing over the 350+ pages of the book, and you don’t know the outcome until the very end.

I also enjoyed learning about some of the history of Catholicism in the story. The main character, Annabel, is Catholic as is her mother. It was interesting to see the practices of the time period, the attitudes toward Catholicism of some, and how some things unfolded for Catholics after the Protestant Reformation.

My least favorite part of the book, but pivotal to the storyline, was the disturbing look inside the asylum, which was commonly used during that period in history. If you visit Sandra Byrd’s website, she shares a list of common, albeit outrageous, reasons for people being committed during that time period.

Sandra Byrd is always excellent in her research, and her novels are like taking a step back in time. We get to “see” British history, food, dress, architecture, design, culture, and common social practices. Additionally in this book, we get to learn about some of those same elements of the island of Malta.

I had heard of the island of Malta before reading the book, so it was interesting to see it as part of the story. Malta is the island the apostle Paul arrived on after the shipwreck in the book of Acts. You can find the story in Acts 27-28.

The story is very clean, which is something I appreciate. I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction or gothic romance. It was definitely a bit more intense than the first novel in the series, but with a definitive theme of redemption. You can see the review of the first in the Daughters of Hampshire series here.

Many blessings to you as you live out your own redemption story!

In Him,

Beth



For more background information about Bride of a Distant Isle, or Sandra Byrd, please visit her website at www.sandrabyrd.com.


Disclosure Statement: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a favorable review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd

 

"We are all concerned for your well-being Majesty," I said.  I slipped one more rose into her Tudor arrangement but had, apparently neglected to snip off a thorn and it broke my flesh and I began to bleed.



"And I for yours.  Be careful," Elizabeth said as she turned back to her dispatches. "Roses have thorns."

 

 

 



Amazing.  That is the word that keeps coming to mind about this book.  The content is fantastic.  Roses Have Thorns is a fictional work based on actual events that occurred during the 16th  and early 17th century in England when Elizabeth I reigned as queen.  Told from the point of view of Elin von Snakenborg, a young women who comes to live in England from Sweden, and becomes one of Elizabeth's "ladies in waiting," the story is about women, relationships, the power that being a servant produces, and the sacrifice that often comes with it. 

 

There is so much I want to say about this book, but cannot so as not to give away information, so the story may unfold for the reader as it did for me.  I will say that I found it amazing the amount of content in this novel.  I remember looking at the number on the page and thinking, " I am only at page 70?"  Because this is a work of historical fiction, much research was done to stay as true as possible to actual events.  In this particular genre, as well as in Biblical fiction, that is a trait I esteem highly.

 

I grew to love Elizabeth while reading the novel, but at the same time wanted to withdraw from her because she was often extremely fierce.  Elin von Snakenborg, the voice of the story, was also a woman I came to admire.  The relationships among women and the courses they take is something worthy of study.  The relationship between these two women and the events they weathered makes for a very good story.

 

A few other thoughts on this novel. As with the other two novels in the trilogy, this one could also be considered Christian fiction, yet it is a little more subtle.  I think that is due to the nature of Elizabeth.  She was quietly spiritual, as is this novel.  There is reoccurring discussion of the division between Protestants and Catholics, but it is not the focus of the book.  There are also many references to scripture, but it is not as overt as was To Die For and The Secret Keeper, the other two in the Ladies in Waiting trilogy. 

 

Also, the novel, if given a movie rating, would be considered PG-13.  There is mention of physical matters between a man and a woman, but only in the purest sense between a husband and a wife, as God, who created sex, intended it to be.  I felt as though I should mention it because it in my opinion, as such a well done work of historical fiction, it would be a good novel to be included on a homeschool senior level reading list.  There is a lot of information that can lead to further historical research.

 

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will enjoy this book.  Those interested in the time period surrounding the Tudors will especially enjoy this novel.  

 

Many blessings to you as you read!

 

~Beth

 

Disclosure Statement: I received this book free of charge from the publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.