REVIEW: The Merchant's Pearl by Amie O'Brien

The Merchant's Pearl
by Amie O'Brien

Publisher: self
Page Count: 466 (according to Amazon)
Release Date: July 24, 2016
Format: Kindle E-Book

How got: free from author

First attention getter: setting

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

As a missionary’s daughter, Sarai was taught that love and faith conquer all. But when her parents are murdered, she quickly learns that the world doesn’t stop for love.

As a teen, Sarai—now called Leila—is enslaved, a palace concubine-in-waiting for the Ottoman Sultan Aziz. Though she does her best to elude him, she’s forced out of her shell when his son, Prince Emre, claims her for his own. Tossed into competition with the other girls in his harem, Leila must face the lavish attention of her young master and the resulting retaliation from his prior favorite, Aster. But it’s an unexpected gift and a glimpse inside his family’s struggles that collide headfirst with Leila’s upbringing. Soon, despite her better judgment, she finds her heart has a mind of its own.

Can she subject her faith and independent spirit to such a future—a future in which the best she can hope for is to be his favorite? How will she stand sharing him with the other girls in the harem? As the sultan’s fragile kingdom unravels around them, will it even matter?

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 3.5

For a self-published work, this novel has a lot going for it. The author put in the effort to research her timeframe and society setting, not an effort many put in with a harem setting. I also loved the slow build for our main relationship for most of the book. Yet, there are some issues that keep this from true stardom.

1870s Ottoman Empire is a world in flux, the modern world and European powers encroaching on a traditional Muslim world. Told through the eyes of a captive Ottoman prince and his harem favorite love, the reader gets an in-depth and intimate look at a powerful family in freefall from power. Just a short 40 years after this book’s events, the Sultanate and the empire they rule fall. I was as intrigued by the political conversations and maneuverings as I was our main relationship.

I appreciated the time and care the author took in building our relationship into something believable and real. Most historical romances don't take this route, instead of going straight for the sexy times. This is especially true of a harem setting. Emre and Leila reached a pinnacle of mutual respect and friendship before they even start to think of a physical consummation of their relationship. Starting out as friends first is always the best way to build a relationship, I feel, so I was very pleased to see that here.

I also enjoyed our lead’s personalities overall. Emre was the perfect blend of a gentleman and friend. He respected Leila as an individual, enjoying her mind and personality just as much as her physical form. Being trapped in the insular society that was Ottoman palace and harem politics made his personality stand out all the more as he had to please other parties besides himself, so acting in a way that was hard for him and his dealings with different hair him and family members.

My like for her starting out strong way, Leila proved herself to be a strong, iron-willed gal who didn't take gruff from her fellow harem members while also possessing an equally strong diplomatic streak. Ever since the death of her parents, Leila’s life has been one tragedy or struggle after another. So her finally finding a meaningful relationship with Emre and other harem members gladdened the heart.

Yet, as the story progresses, she started to wear on the nerves. She'd blow hot and cold on Emre, alternately wanting to be with him then punishing him for small, sometimes even imagined, slights with silence and the cold shoulder treatment. The latter half of the book contained these instances more and more, as we went along. By the time we got to the end, at times, I felt like Emre could have done better.

I also felt that this book was far too long. Clocking in at over 400 pages, this book felt like it had extra padding. The relationship journey between Emre and Leila could have been told in half their scenes together. Repeated themes and the conversation topics bogged down their time together in the latter half. Maybe that's why Leila started to grind on me a bit; she was rehashing emotions and thought patterns that I felt should have been resolved or at least evolved by that point.

Still, at the end of the day, this read stands out far above other historical romance titles in the harem sub-genre. It takes the time to explore the world of the Ottoman Empire and the many political maneuvering's that were a part of daily life, both within the harem and without. The main relationship is also build up with a firm foundation and respect and friendship, with romance coming after that. Our leads are relatable for the most part and enjoyable, with occasional bursts of irksome behavior from our heroine. While the heft of this volume is daunting and unnecessary in many places, I'd still look into this title if you're looking for a well-written historical romance.

Note: Book received for free from author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Girl in Disguise by Greer MacAllister

Girl in Disguise
by Greer MacAllister

Page Count: 308
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Release Date: March 31, 2017
Format: EBook ARC

How got: ARC via NetGalley

First attention getter: book about Kate Warne

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:
For the first female Pinkerton detective, respect is hard to come by. Danger, however, is not.

In the tumultuous years of the Civil War, the streets of Chicago offer a woman mostly danger and ruin-unless that woman is Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective and a desperate widow with a knack for manipulation.

Descending into undercover operations, Kate is able to infiltrate the seedy side of the city in ways her fellow detectives can't. She's a seductress, an exotic foreign medium, or a rich train passenger, all depending on the day and the robber, thief, or murderer she's been assigned to nab.

Inspired by the real story of Kate Warne, this spirited novel follows the detective's rise during one of the nation's greatest times of crisis, bringing to life a fiercely independent woman whose forgotten triumphs helped sway the fate of the country.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 4

It took me a while to get into this work; my beginning it timed up with a stretch where I didn't read that much due to the other aspects of life that intervened. So how long it took me to read this novel shouldn't reflect on how I ultimately felt about it. I enjoyed this look at an obscure female historical figure whose life reads like a James Bond novel. Near death getaways, the trials of detective work, and war make this book hard to put down. Once you're in there, you can’t get away.

I bet most people will hear the name Kate Warne and not know the significance of it. Yet, this woman blazed so many trails for women in law-enforcement, showing that just because she wore skirts didn't mean she couldn't think or shoot with the best of the men. The author does a great job in getting into Kate’s head, letting us see the woman behind the detective. While she's highly intelligent and earns the respect of her peers and Pinkerton himself, there's also a vulnerable side, a woman who wants a connection to family, friendship, or romance. The author does a fantastic job and balancing both aspects of this complex woman.

I loved getting into the nitty-gritty of Kate’s 19th century detective world as well. With no forensic evidence or fingerprints, the work of bringing justice and ferreting out information is much harder. Exploring the different, clever ways in which Kate and her colleagues went about their work was amazing. Their intelligence and acting skills were showcased to perfection. Then there were the difficulties Kate faced as a woman in this dark world. Having to work extra hard to gain the respect of her clients and fellow detectives, the world at large still feeling it abnormal, unnatural for a woman of her time. My heart went out to her every time she was faced with a slur or accusation; a woman truly ahead of her time.

As another reviewer pointed out, this novel contains a ton of life events that Kate experienced and that shaped her. There's enough material in here for a full series, I felt. Yet, the author chose to just provide really snapshots of Kate’s life. I felt like I wasn't getting as deep as I could have if this tale had been spread over multiple books. Maybe the book might have been better served focusing on a part of Kate’s timeline rather than her whole life? But then that has its own problems too. It probably speaks to the writing skills of the author overall that even though I only got my appetite whetted by a few of Kate’s life events, I still felt deeply connected to her.

Even though I personally felt like we could have gotten deeper to Kate’s life, I still found myself enthralled by this look at Kate Warne. She's an incredible woman, born before her time, whose intelligence, courage, and strength of will make her a figure for admiration. That's all balanced out with a very human vulnerable side that makes her very relatable. This book is a fantastic first look at this obscure historical figure. While I was left hungry for more, this book still stands out as a solid work. Definitely recommended reading.

Note: Book received for free via NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.