‘Ground Sweet as Sugar’ is the first in a duology by Catherine C. Heywood, the sequel ‘The Virtues of Vice’ is out early 2021, so not too long to wait for the conclusion of this story.
Within a backdrop of oppression and rebellion, Heywood’s story surrounds a young girl who, by luck or fate, escapes the hangman’s noose and begins a new life in a new land. I really enjoyed the backdrop to the story: its turmoil, dangers, and lurking menace. The historical setting contrasts between Ireland and the West Indies, and this provides a richness of landscape for the characters’ stories to play out.
At its heart this is a romance, but it comes with many challenges, the first being ownership and status. I liked both the lead characters of Charlotte and James, and you must understand as a reader that they exist within the context of the period settings. Their relationship develops over a long journey of challenges, and despite these, they constantly revolve back towards each other. The chapters are generally short, and I did find them too choppy in the latter part of the book, so I preferred the first half of the book to the second – I wanted more understanding of Charlotte’s decisions towards the end of the book, as I found myself disconnecting a little.
Overall, this is an entertaining read that takes you out of reality and into a well told story of romance, heartache, and war.
A story of connection, passion, injustice, and secrets; a story of two lands caught up in oppression and strife, pulling the reader into a world where danger and desire burns freely, and where the protagonist’s courage can cause both pain and pleasure.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"1797: Sweeping from Ireland’s bleeding battlefields to St. Croix’s burning sugarcane fields, Ground Sweet as Sugar is Book I in an epic saga of power, punishment, and undying love."

Mostly, I liked the setting in the Caribbean. There's just something that makes an appealing story featuring good hearted pirates, rum and sugar plantation owners. But, I would have liked to read more about the history aspect vs all the bodice ripping.

2.75☆