Saturday, March 23, 2013

BIANCA by Bertrice Small



The Silk Merchant’s Daughters Series, Book One
New American Library (NAL)
October 2nd, 2012
978-0-451-23795-8
Historical Romance
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Self-Purchase

 


Bianca Pietro d’Angelo is forced to accept the most awful thing: marriage to the one man who is blackmailing her family. Determined to make the best of it, she is shocked by her new husband’s behavior towards her and she finds herself afraid for the first time in her life. When her mother is finally able to see her Bianca, shocked at her daughters condition and Bianca is whisked away from her new husband, hidden as she tries to annul her marriage to Sebastiano Rovere. But forces are in motion and as Bianca finds peace in the countryside, she knows her time is short for Sebastiano is determined to have his new wife back-no matter what. But fate tosses in a man who will show Bianca the sweetness of love shared and as Bianca grows stronger, she finds she will need all her strength for the man she is in love with is none other Prince Amir, grandson to the Ottoman Sultan and an infidel. Can Bianca and Amir find peace and happiness when the Christian world informs them it I s not to be?

Bertrice Small is one talented storyteller. In the first book of her new series, The Silk Merchants Daughters, we meet the Florentine silk merchant Giovanni Pietro d’Angelo and his large family. In BIANCA, we meet the eldest daughter, the dutiful one who finds her life totally turned upside down by a dangerous first marriage and the fear she holds in her heart over her new husband. With a stroke of her keystroke, the author does a marvelous job in creating a lush background in Florance, Venice and Istanbul, to name a few exotic places mentioned in BIANCA. What really drew me in were the characters and in this first book in the series, we meet Bianca and her siblings. Bianca is a complex young lady hidden behind a pious and dutiful façade. Forced to do the impossible, she gets stronger and I loved how she went against tradition to grab at her happiness with both hands. I have to caution though there are scenes in this book that are not for the faint of heart. It even gave me a shock at times though it set up the storyline as Bianca sought her freedom.

BIANCA is a wonderfully lush story about family duty, falling in love and more. It is about courage to stand up for your heart’s desire even as you go against tradition and your family. It is about finding the strength to leave a world you only know about and settle in one where you know nothing. It is about finding that hidden core of strength and letting yourself enjoy love in all its many splendid forms. With the right amount of tension, passion and more, Ms. Small delivers a wild ride from start to finish. I highly enjoyed meeting the wonderful Bianca and I look forward to seeing the next daughter in the silk merchant’s family to be settled in marriage. I think if they are anything like Bianca, sparks are going to fly fast and furious. If you enjoy a passionate historical romance, than try BIANCA and settle in for an afternoon of reading pleasure. I look forward to seeing what else this author has in store for her beloved readers in the future.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement


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