Historical Fiction > England
16th-19th Centuries
The Hawk and the Jewel
Back of the Book:
For years Lord Gallagher’s family thought Sunny had perished with Lady Gallagher in storm-tossed seas off the Arabian coast. Unknown to them, the beautiful violet-eyed toddler had been found and taken to the palace of Darhabar, where she was raised as the ruler’s own child. Now the emir, Ahmad Khan, had contacted the family and asked them to send a ship for her. Why after all this time? And what of the mysterious gift he sent with her?
Brandon Hawkesbury, friend to the Gallaghers and appealing young captain of the vessel, gazed at Sunny as she came aboard. It would not be easy for the restless girl to accept a new life…a new family…a new faith.
Brandon put aside these thoughs as he turned his ship toward sea. For now, Sunny was going home. What lay ahead was in God’s hands.
My Review:
As this book began, I was surprised at how different the culture of the Middle East was. I was shocked and appalled at some of the things that the emir had done to Sunny. You instantly feel sorry for the little girl, especially when she is dumped onto a strange ship with no explanation from the emir.
As this book went on, I wondered how this would turn into a love story. Yes, Sunny was growing up, but the prominent male character, Brandon, was so much older than she was. They had more of a brother/sister or father/daughter relationship since Brandon taught her so much about English society when she was only 13. By the end of the book things start falling into place, though. It was a very entertaining story.
The aspect of being thrown into a strange culture was intriguing. Sunny had to learn all about what to wear, how to behave, and what to say. For someone who wasn’t alive at the time (me), it gave a very real picture of what life was like.