I would like to share a new book with you. The Gardens of Byzantium by J.F. Hughes. I received a copy of in the book in exchange for this review which is part of a Blog Tour I’m taking part of.
Set in the 7th Century, The Gardens of Byzantium, can be called a romance as well as a historical fiction books that shares a heart wrenching story of two fated lovers bound and torn apart by war in Constantinople. Once you begin reading the story you will find yourself drawn back in time and you will not want to put the book down until you finish the story.
I found myself wanting to learn more about Constantinople which would be a History lesson for my son. In the story there is romance and tragedy so make sure you have plenty of Kleenex on hand. You will also want to purchase plenty of copies of the book because you will want to share the book with all of your girlfriends/ If you know someone in a book club I hope you recommend The Gardens of Byzantium to them as soon as possible.
About the book:
“An evocative, rich portrait of a tumultuous time, in which the main characters must ascertain which of them is indeed the captive of the other; humans reduced to themselves through the vicissitudes of history, and the limitations of landscape, class, and war. Hughes possesses a sense of the past that enables us to see and sometimes even to hear his various subjects, conveying a compelling sense of mystery and inevitability.”
– SUSANNA MOORE, author of In the Cut, The Whiteness of Bones, and The Lost Wife
The year is 622 A.D., and the Persian and Byzantine empires have been fighting a war in the deserts since before she was born…
Asana’s life has been one of turmoil and change. Every year found her uprooted and brought to another foreign land to live an austere life in a garrison with her father, an officer in the Persian Army. But the middle of a war is no place for such a gentle soul.
Before long, she is swept away from her family and forced to flee on the back of her beloved horse. Fate leads her into the hands of a handsome and mysterious Roman soldier who sequesters her in a beautiful palace in the heart of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine empire.
She begins to fall for him, and at last it seems as though she may have found an oasis of happiness in her war-torn world. That is, until news of a Persian army marching toward the City upends her life again, setting in motion an unstoppable chain of events that bring the story to its breathtaking and tragic conclusion…
About the author: J.F. Hughes
Born in New York City and raised in New Jersey, J.F. Hughes graduated college with a degree in Business. He is the father of five children, raising them with his wife. He works full-time as a property manager, and moonlights as a music teacher. He has been a lecturer at colleges, a freelance musician, a landscaper, and founder of a real estate business among many other things. Creative at heart, Hughes has been actively pursuing his passion for writing and is excited to launch his debut fiction novel, The Gardens of Byzantium.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
