#ofdaggersanddeception #netgalley

I loved this story, it was filled with suspense and intrigue. I enjoyed reading it!

Loved this book. In haven’t read many books set in this time period but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It kept me entertained from page 1!! Well done!

Of Daggers and Deception is A.L. Sowards followup to Of Sword and Shadow. Her sequel is just as exciting with its rich history of the region, sword fights and a beautiful romance.

Rasheed and his friends Gil and Eudocia live a quiet life in Thebes running a bathhouse together. They keep a low profile as they were once mercenary soldiers who helped take Thebes from the Catalans. Even though that life is behind them they are always cautious of strangers. So when a beautiful woman named Cecilia enters the bath house accompanied by two relative strangers asking for the slave girl and the two Basques and Moor who helped overthrow Thebes, they deny who they are and naturally become suspicious.

Before long Rasheed, Gil and Eudocia are once again drawn into conflict through no fault of their own, throwing Rasheed and Cecilia together again and again. Although Cecilia is pledged to another, she and Rasheed are drawn to one another and as their love grows their lives become more dangerous and complicated. As Rasheed begins to discover the intricacies of Cecilia’s life, he uncovers her use as a spy by her family and country leaving Rasheed to wonder if her heart is true. But to secure their future in Thebes, Rasheed, Gil and Eudocia have one final battle to win and they require help. That help unexpectedly comes from Cecilia, but the question remains, can she be trusted?

It was so wonderful revisiting the characters from Of Sword and Shadows, GIl, Eudocia and especially Rasheed. He was my favorite character from book one and it was wonderful that he was finally able to give his heart to someone who would appreciate him for the man he truly is. I also enjoyed the introduction and the reuniting of Rasheed’s brother Aban. A.L. Sowards writes historical fiction so beautifully. I have read several of her books and they never disappoint. I’m always excited to see what she comes up with next. If you love historical fiction, this is a series you will want to read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of Of Daggers and Deception by A.L. Sowards. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Beautifully written. A.L. Sowards weaves the story of a man and his loyal friends set in historically accurate times. A great read full of suspense and surprises. I can recommend Sowards' books wholeheartedly and look forward to enjoying many more.

I thoroughly enjoy history. I always have. I married a history teacher to boot. But neither my husband or I have the skill to find such amazing details and stories in history like A.L Sowards. She had a knack for being able to blend history and make it livable, relatable, and interesting to learn.

Rasheed was a great character in the first book of the Duchy series, but it was so good to hear more about his back story and the deep love he has for people. He is loyal to those he loves and cares about. He has not had an easy life, but he still has the ability to see the good amongst it. Cecilia is a Venetian and meeting her ignites a spark in him that he keeps trying to say no to. But they both feel it and feel a pull to one another that should not be happening when she is betrothed to someone else.

When the are forced into situations that make them work together, the current between them grows and they can no longer ignore it. Yet, Cecilia feels a duty to her family and country. Rasheed feels a duty to ones heart and to find true happiness. Through many adventures in a time of Greece that was constantly being ruled under different hands, the two of them have to overcome abductions, pirates, spies, war, and revenge. Can Rasheed trust Cecilia when it matters most, and can she put trust in her own ability to make choices for her own happiness?

I really enjoyed the brotherhood that is found in this book. The bond between Gil, Rasheed, his brother, and Eudocia is a special thing to read about and be absorbed in. I loved the theme that you have the ability to choose your family, apart from those you are blood related too.

I am very thankful to have been able to read an advance copy of the book Of Daggers And Deception by A.L. Sowards courtesy of #NetGalley and #CovenantCommunications. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
This book is number 2 in the series centred on the Duchy of Athens. I loved the first book Of Sword And Shadow and found this one to be equally mesmerizing. When I started reading, I immediately felt I was coming home to characters that I knew and liked. In the first book, we heard the voice of then slave girl Eudocia and discovered how she met her future husband Gil and became involved in helping him and his companions (including one Rasheed Ibn Musa) to help wrestle control from some ruthless leaders and fight for a better future. In this novel, some years have passed and Rasheed, Eudocia and Gil are co-owners of a bath house in Thebes and are trying to live a peaceful life. Rasheed is the one whose voice the reader will hear and we learn more of his past, how he was rejected by his fundamentalist Muslim family over a simple kiss given to a woman being forced into an arranged marriage. We learn of his conversion from being a Muslim to a Christian. In Thebes he has found a new family with Eudocia and Gil and although he has yet to marry, he is happy and settled.
Life does not stay static though and his bad day begins with a rowdy customer at the bath house who treats Eudocia with disrespect leading to a rapid ejection from the premises. Then a strange girl named Cecilia comes in, who speaks as someone from Venice. She is joined by two men who seem to know way too much about the background history of the three co-owners, history that they have tried to keep quiet in case of retaliation for past events. These men want the threesome to come and work for them but the friends have no interest and only concerns about this sudden request. Gil & Eudocia head out after these three to see if they can find out more about them leaving Rasheed to man the bath house and receive a surprise visit from his uncle Sebastie who brings sad news and a rather judgmental brother that Rasheed has not seen in years and years.
Rasheed takes his brother home with him but before the night is through he learns that Gil may be dead and that Eudocia and one of the men they were following appear to have been abducted. Gil is badly beaten but survives and thus begins a whole new set of adventures as Rasheed, his brother Aben, Gil and Sebastie set out with the remaining Venetians in search of Eudocia and Cecilia’s betrothed. From this point on the action rarely slows down as the search is on. Cecilia turns out to be very accustomed to sailing, having done so for years on her father’s ship before his death. Her uncle is now her guardian and appears to have little respect for her knowledge or capabilities, but Rasheed is quickly drawn to her and when Turkish pirates abduct her, he rides off after her in a flash. After an incredible escape, they spend several days chained together as they make their way back to the ship belonging to her uncle.

I really had trouble putting the book down even to sleep. It was heartwarming to see Rasheed and his brother get to know each other and learn to understand each other better. Rasheed’s affection for Cecilia has not gone un-noticed by her uncle and ultimately leads to a harsh betrayal and death of someone very dear to Rasheed.
If you like action – you will find it in this book. If you like sword fights, yup you’ll find them here. Encounters with pirates? Several! If you like stories where friendship means everything, and faith is something lived rather than preached this will be a good book for you. If you like a clean romance, that too is here. I was not familiar with the time period, or area before reading the first book in the series and that whetted my interest for more, but this book can definitely stand alone, and the author gives a very handy glossary and historical background right at the beginning of the book along with a map to set the reader up with a good basic understanding of the words that will be encountered while reading. The cover artwork is very appealing and I finished the book wanting to read more though the storyline was nicely tidied up. Sowards writing is always well researched and enjoyable and I would certainly recommend this book to others who enjoy historical fiction. I look forward to reading more of her work.

With vivid descriptions, Ms. Sowards makes this tale set in the 1300’s in Europe come alive. I love historical fiction, but know little about this time period. After reading this book, I feel like I have gained more knowledge and experienced what it would have been like to have lived then. The well-written plot transported me to a war torn era with danger and suspicion around every corner.

Many years ago, Rasheed risked and lost everything he had in order to honor and protect a young lady’s reputation. His actions changed the course of his life and proved that he was an honorable man. I enjoyed seeing Rasheed learn to trust and deepen his relationships with family and friends, both old and new.

Political conflicts, uncertainty, mystery, and love were all there in this book. If you enjoy Middle Ages stories, you will enjoy reading this second book of the Duchy of Athens series. You can read it as a standalone book if you so desire.

I was given this book to review by NetGalley, the publisher, and author. I was not required to write a positive review, all opinions are my own.

Of Daggers and Deception is the second book in a series following Of Sword and Shadow by A.L. Sowards. I loved the first book and I loved this second book just as much.

I enjoy romance books, but I also love to mix it up, and this book does just that. It is full of action, warfare, strategy, deception, and of course there’s some love in there too. I’ve always found the Mediterranean area and culture fascinating, and this book includes so much interesting history.

While there’s a lot of action and fighting in this book, the characters themselves soften the feeling of the book and make it a page turner. The romance between Rasheed end Cecelia is a roller coaster of surprises and circumstances that are far from predictable.

I loved Rasheed’s loyalty, fearlessness, faith and how he treated his brother and friends. I loved moments he shared his thoughts about God with his brother, who didn’t understand his conversation to Christianity.

Cecilia is a very interesting character as more and more of her past and her role in political affairs becomes more clear. I can’t help but like her and cheer for her, while at the same time being a little weary about trusting her with Rasheed’s heart.

The growth of Rasheed’s relationship with Cecilia was so fun to read about. Their forced proximity situation was unique and kind of funny at times.

I highly recommend this book if you like a good adventure!

OF DAGGERS AND DECEPTION by A L SOWARDS is an historical novel which takes place in the fourteenth century. The story starts in Thebes where Rasheed and his friends Gillen and Eudocia have a bathhouse. Rasheed’s friends have become his family since his Muslim family disowned him for becoming a Christian and also for kissing his first love, when it was she who had actually kissed him. He owned up to this in order to save her from dreadful punishment.
Thinking he would never see any member of his estranged family again, he is not sure what to think when his younger brother, Aban, arrives on the scene.
Another event that affects him deeply is running away from the enemy forces while being attached to the beautiful Cecilia with a chain.
It is an exciting story, full of intrigue, bloody battles, deception and not knowing who to trust. There is also an undercurrent of hope, forgiveness, love and redemption.
I like the way the author’s research opens up this interesting time of history to us.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Covenant Communications. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

4.5* Sowards' latest novel is full of danger and battles and tests of loyalty.  I was on the edge of my seat with the twists and turns!  Note many battle scenes are fairly graphic.  I found it helpful, and thoroughly enjoyed rereading the earlier book in the series (Of Sword and Shadow) to reorient myself with the characters and their shared backstory.  The interactions between the characters and the romance lend a depth and a softer edge to this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Of Daggers and Deceptions is the medieval story of Rasheed. He is 1/3 part-owner of a bath-house in Thebes, who meets and falls for Cecelia, a lovely woman engaged to a nobleman. After Rasheed's business partners are attacked, with one being taken captive, he embarks on a dangerous journey to free his business partner with his loyal friends. This story is filled with intrigue and sheer knuckle-biting suspense. For me, and added bonus was the author's attention to detail and medieval settings. A map of the Old World, a glossary, and historical details were provided to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of the political issues during this time. If you enjoy medieval stories filled with grit, loyalty, and intrigue with an added dash of romance, then this one is for you. The plot for Of Daggers and Deceptions is filled with unique twists and turns--a real page-turner.