“And I thought you were my savior in my darkest hour. How very wrong I was.”
1794: Devastated by the violent disappearance of her husband, Charles Sharpe, Eliza struggles to save Pleasant Hall from the hands of crooked creditors and the governor’s greed. In the aftermath of the attack, her husband’s enemies have branded him a traitor and declare him dead.
But an unlikely source carries knowledge that he still lives, and he alone knows who has taken Charles. Eliza’s desperation drives her to form an alliance with the king of the underworld himself: Captain Hiram Bruin, a notorious man who is more pirate than privateer.
Eliza’s death has been ordered by Lord Dunmore, and Bruin himself tasked with the deed. But Hiram Bruin has never been a man to follow orders. He offers her passage on his ship, the Fortuyne, and his personal protection. In her hour of distress, Eliza accepts—for she has no other choice.
Bruin takes Eliza on a wild and dangerous voyage from the island of New Providence to the wild and untamed Saba, and finally to England, where her journey started three years ago.
Eliza endures her new sinister reality, one where death creeps ever closer, and quickly learns that the only monsters at sea are men. Ensnared by the salt air and damning secrets, one thing is startlingly clear: Bruin wants to take everything she holds dear. For the roots of revenge lie deep…
Will Eliza be able to save the life of her husband before it’s too late? What price is she willing to pay for his freedom? And can she escape this unimaginable nightmare, fueled by a man of unspeakable cruelty?
Wow! Consider my breath well and truly taken. What a stunning conclusion to an outstanding series! I have loved every single one of the Strange Eden books and it was very fitting to return Eliza to England where the story first started. Color of Fire is the story of Eliza's dangerous journey across the sea in search of her missing husband.
After the heart-stopping cliffhanger in book two, The Island King, I raced straight on to Color of Fire as I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The dastardly governor Lord Dunmore has had enough of the Sharpes and orders the death of Eliza and her husband Charles. When Eliza is told that Charles has been killed and men turn up at her door to take possession of her home, Eliza fights as much as she can as she is convinced that Charles is still alive.
Eliza joins forces with the man who is sent to kill her and Bruin takes Eliza away from her Caribbean home on his ship. The high seas are a dangerous place to be though and Eliza finds that out pretty quickly. I admired her fortitude and conviction that she would find Charles, despite Bruin having his own agenda.
The storyline is riveting and the character's are so well developed they almost pop out from the page. Some of the characters are actually based on real people and I found the author's note as fascinating and entertaining as the fictional tale.
Unmissable, unforgettable and unputdownable, Color of Fire is a fantastic historical fiction novel in a magnificent series. I already want to read it again and really can't recommend it highly enough.
I received a gifted paperback for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
About the author:
Gina Giordano always had an insatiable curiosity and a penchant for history. Born in New York City, she is a writer, artist, and a conjurer of the past. She holds a BA in history and a master’s degree in historical fiction from New York University, and has traveled to over sixty-five countries across the globe. When she is not climbing ancient ruins or exploring forgotten palaces, she enjoys swimming with sharks in remote pristine waters. Her debut novel, Strange Eden, was longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award.
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