Island of Gold
(Sea and Stone Chronicles)
By Amy Maroney
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.
Cédric father had run out of time. As he lies dying from a mortal wound inflicted by those damnable écorcheurs, he realises that he has not prepared for Cédric's future. As the third son, Cédric would have to make his own way in the world. He made Cédric vow that he must make his own fortune. Little did Cédric know where his future would lead.
What a wonderful novel Island of Gold (Sea and Stone Chronicles) is! It is one action-packed event after another, and there is a little of everything - romance, love, hate, knights, the plague, some deplorable villains, slavery, and not forgetting the most beautiful falcons!
I must admit that I know nothing about Rhodes in the 15th Century and even less about the Knights Hospitaller, but the author has such skill that I did not find myself at all befuddled as to what was "historically" happening and why. Saying that, however, there is a really interesting Historical Notes section at the end of the novel.
As for the characters, I thought they came across as really believable and also relatable. Sophie was a character that I really enjoyed reading about. Her characterisation reminded me, for some unfathomable reason, of Caroline Penvenen from Poldark. Sophie is wealthy, spoilt but that does not stop her from being exceeding likeable. Likewise, I thought the depiction of Cédric was masterfully portrayed.
If you like your novels to be action-packed, then this book should be on your to-read list. I will certainly be checking out more books from this very talented author.
Head over to Amazon to buy your copy. This book is avaliable 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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Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you so much for hosting Island of Gold on the blog today, and for this lovely review! All my best, Amy Maroney
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