Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "love"

A Falcon Flies by James Boschert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Trouble comes at inopportune times. Just when all is going right for Sir Talon de Gilles, old charges of witchcraft resurface and he comes under close scrutiny by the Bishop in Acre and his henchman, Brother John. But Talon must leave his affairs in his friend Max’s capable hands, for Sir Guy de Veres requires his special talents. Salah ed Din, the Sultan of Egypt, has been too quiet, and Sir Guy fears what that silence might mean for the Templars and the king of Jerusalem in 1177. Additional peril comes from the Assassins of Rashid ed Din, who have been attacking Templar castles – a fact that Talon and Sir Guy experience firsthand when an assault comes from unexpected quarters. Talon’s suspicions help the Templars to gain the upper hand and capture several prisoners, one of whom reveals that Reza and Rav’an yet live.

News of his best friend and his heart’s true love rekindle hope. For six long years, Talon has feared both died soon after the Templars took him prisoner and shipped him back to his real family in France. He yearns to find Reza and Rav’an, but trouble intervenes once more when Salah ed Din’s true intent becomes known: he plans to attack the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Talon’s knowledge of the Egyptians proves invaluable, and his participation in the Battle of Montgisard gains him the edge he needs to be given special dispensation to leave the Templars and search for Reza and Rav’an. But the way to reunion is fraught with escalating perils that threaten to thwart him time and again. Then he hears that Rav’an is a sultan’s wife, her brother’s pawn in an alliance that promises only death if her secret becomes known.

From first page to last, A Falcon Flies keeps the reader spellbound with serpentine twists more numerous than coiled rope and more breathtaking than the plunges and climbs of a roller coaster. As always, Boschert introduces an array of intriguing and unique characters, not least of which is Talon’s servant, a young thief whom he rescues from death. Maps and translations are included to orient readers as they journey from Acre to Antioch, Jerusalem, Bagdad, and Isfahan. A Falcon Flies, the Fifth Book of Talon, is heart-stopping adventure not to be missed. It is also a journey of true love, where one man is willing to risk all to reunite with his beloved.




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The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd by Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


She weds for love the third time, an enduring love that weathers unforeseen storms. But these events come later.

She begins life as Sarah Bradley in 1670. Fourteen years later, her mother has died and her father, a sea captain, wishes to start life anew and so he, Sarah, and her two brothers sail for Manhattan. Within a year, she marries a wealthy merchant named William Cox. According to law, she is now his property with no legal identity of her own. Nevertheless, she is clever and inquisitive and soon suggests a way that he can expand his business ventures to reap greater rewards. This retail venture takes advantage of her creativity and her sewing skills, as well as providing her the rare opportunity to be a “she-merchant” at the age of seventeen. Two years later, Cox is dead.

Sarah marries again in 1690. Through her second husband, she meets a confident and wealthy privateer. His name is William Kidd and he helps the new governor put down a Jacobite rebel and his followers, which gains Kidd much respectability within New York society. When Sarah’s spouse dies suddenly, she and William wed in 1691 after attending the rebel’s execution. They settle down and start a family, while William follows his trade as a sea captain. He eventually grows restless and, after consulting with Sarah, sets sail for England to secure a privateering commission. Circumstances, manipulations, and misadventures steer Kidd’s desired course from his chosen path and forever alter Sarah Kidd’s life.

The Pirate’s Wife is Sarah Kidd’s story, from respected member of society to disgraced wife of a convicted pirate. Although the historical record provides a decent amount of information about this dutiful, loyal, and religious woman, Geanacopoulos postulates the whys and wherefores behind some of Sarah’s thoughts and actions. She also introduces readers to Governor Benjamin Fletcher (a friend to pirates) and Lord Bellomont (an enemy of pirates), as well as taking time to discuss pirates and their way of life near the close of the 17th century. She provides overlooked information about Kidd’s agreement with Bellomont, Sarah’s arrest, and Sarah’s attempt to rescue her husband from a Boston jail.

The book includes endnotes, a bibliography, and an index. In addition, Geanacopoulos shares Kidd’s own 1699 account of what happened aboard the Adventure Galley.

Most authors present the lives of the Kidds from William’s perspective. Geanacopoulos, who has written before about the women in pirates’ lives, shines her spotlight on Sarah. This breathes new life into their story and shows this tenacious woman as she was, both as an individual and as a product of the time and circumstances fate dealt her.

(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Geanacopou...)



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Silver Bounty by Victoria McCombs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Dressed in his old uniform, Arn Mangelo masquerades as a naval officer captured by pirates. It is a dangerous plan; the king is out to destroy all pirates – especially turncoats like himself – and a rift has developed between himself and the man posing as his captor. Not to mention the fact that some of the crew blame Arn for the slaughter of half their comrades. Or that a debt is coming due and the form of that retribution may be more dear than he can afford. The primary reason he participates in this risky venture (to trick other imprisoned officers into revealing the king’s whereabouts) is to save the love of his life, Emme.

Time is not her friend. They both know this. Emme is bound by an oath and she is sick – both will kill her if they do not acquire the healing tonic and she fails to deliver on her promise. She loves Arn, but is he willing to forego the sea and live on land for her? This is but one question she confronts during their voyage, for she also deals with loss and the grief that accompanies it. Another is whether she dare trust the man Arn brings back to the ship (an acquaintance whom no one trusts but who claims to have access to the king). And then there’s the old fortune teller who predicts that Emme will be a catalyst – one that brings death to many – whether she lives or dies.

Stabbed by the Nightlock Thief and believed to be dead, Emric discovers the opposite is true. Instead, he’s in limbo on a cursed island that refuses to release those relegated to spend eternity there. The island is not a solitary prison; another is imprisoned here too, but she is heartless and single-minded. She possesses one chance to seek help, but refuses to use it. Emric, however, has no such qualms. When his companion is otherwise occupied, he summons the mermaid whom he loves. Coral agrees to help, but in doing so, each prisoner loses something precious because the island is reticent to release its prisoners. Is Emric willing to make such a sacrifice?

Silver Bounty is the second book in The Royal Rose Chronicles. Although readers new to the series need not have read the first to follow this story, they may be less invested in the characters. All readers will need to decipher some sentences to figure out how they should read (examples: “blood with be spilled” instead of “blood will be spilled” (25) or “into my pocked” rather than “into my pocket” (248).) There are enough that some readers may become annoyed.

Love and betrayal are key themes here, as is the fact that all actions, regardless of how large or small, have consequences. And those outcomes are rarely what the characters or the readers expect – earmarks of a dexterous weaver of tales. Clues abound for the many twists and surprises that occur. But at no time does the author betray the reader; each revelation makes sense and heightens the stakes because McCombs lays the necessary groundwork.

She also does well eliciting readers’ emotions and in portraying Emme’s illness. Beware, though, this is a tale that incorporates violence, including what the pirates (and others) seek from the king. There are villains to loathe and heroes to like and others who fall somewhere in between. All story threads are satisfactorily resolved, yet there are compelling kernels in the conclusion that entice readers to venture into book three.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-fant...)



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The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Imogen loves what she does. Work is everything. No one in her office is aware that the pictures of her family are fake and so is her dog. When the dreaded bring-your-dog-to-work day arrives one December, she invents reasons as to why Midas can’t participate. Before long, the carefully built life she has invented topples and reality intrudes. Enough so that her boss forces her to take the month of December totally off. With her life in shambles, what can Imogen do?

Dorothy has no idea what she’s doing, but she succeeds at doing it. And Imogen, with her marketing ideas, has played a key role in making the winery a success. When they meet to discuss the latest event Imogen has planned, Dorothy learns about Imogen’s predicament. Heartache at past Christmases has led Dorothy to save animals. Since Imogen needs saving, Dorothy invites her to stay at Holly Cottage for the holidays because no one should ever spend the holidays alone.

Family is what matters to Sara, Dorothy’s daughter. When she learns that her mother has invited Imogen to stay for the holidays, Sara fears that her carefully constructed walls may crumble. How will she protect herself, her family, and her mother then?

This captivating tale arouses a host of emotions. You will laugh and cry. You will feel anguish and pain. You will experience hope and love. Although you may not identify with all the incidents that these three characters encounter, you will have experienced at least some of them. The Holiday Cottage is a romance, and so much more. It’s a story of facing yourself, finding balance in your life, letting go, and forgiveness.




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