A.L. Sowards transports readers to the 14th century with "Beyond the Crescent Sky", the second full-length novel of her riveting Balkan Legends series (there is a prequel novella.)

Continuing expansion of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks successfully employ a divide and conquer strategy, thereby pitting the Greeks and Serbs against each other. Ivan Miroslavević, injured and forced to be treated by the Greeks, finds himself falling for the "enemy". Gifted healer and midwife Helena is initially resentful; however she uses her skills to save Ivan.

With extensive research and attention to detail, Sowards proves she's a master of historical fiction. Cultural differences here are profound, i.e. harems. Even today, some Muslims have multiple wives. Oil wrestling is a Turkish sport to this day. As it is important to the plot, Christianity and Islam both play a part. This novel is not for the faint of heart. There are realistic and at times heartbreaking depictions of childbirth and miscarriage. Gruesome violence is at times vividly described. Again, while shocking, it is true to the time period. It was WAR, not a leisurely picnic.

Characterization is wonderful. Sowards' prose is crisp and evocative. Not only are her novels enjoyable, they are informative, and I always learn something new. There are no detailed love scenes; therefore this is a clean read. I suggest reading the installments in order. There is a time progression, and some characters feature in multiple books. I look forward to the next tale.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this compelling work.

#BeyondtheCrescentSky #NetGalley

This is the third book in the series. I learned so much about the wars and people of the Ottoman Empire. Helena is a midwife apprentice who is past the age to marry. She takes pleasure in helping babies be born but doesn't think she will ever be a mother. There's so much depth to this story with the war, prisoners, and trying to survive. The research this book must have taken to be so well written.

This was an incredibly well-written book! The author does an amazing job of transporting the reader into the heart of an unfamiliar setting and making them want to turn page after page. The plot line was very unique and full of twists and turns I never expected. The characters were strong and endearing and had me rooting for their successes and grieving their losses.

This engaging story is a wonderful addition to The Balkan Legends series by A. L. Sowards! Ivan had been portrayed weakened by illness, young and in need of protection in the earlier books - but he came into his own in this book. I loved his deep sense of honor and moral rectitude. Helena is practical, skilled, and feels deeply. I loved the respect she had for life as a midwife and the perspective this brought to the narrative. Though the timeline of this book spans years, the character growth and strength is something I came to rely on.their eventual happily ever after was all the sweeter for the wait. I'm looking forward for the series to wrap up a few loose ends and the other beloved characters to have their stories told!

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

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance.
Content Warnings: Nothing is on the page, but it is explained that rape is part of war.
Readability: Though second in the series, I think you could read them out of order and still make sense.

BEYOND THE CRESCENT SKY is the second book in the Balkan Legends series and follows Ivan and Helena. It's interesting because we see the conflict between the Greeks, Serbs, and the "Turks" (the Ottoman Empire). I actually think this is a romance first and a historical fiction novel second. I loved seeing how Ivan fell for Helena. And the obstacles to keep them apart are heart-wrenching!

If you're interested in the Ottoman Empire, historical romance, or sweeping series without too much gore or sex, this is the book for you.

Happy reading!

A. L. Sowards does it again in this sequel to the Balkan Legends series, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of the world. It continued the story perfectly and was engaged with what was happening. The characters felt like they belonged there and was glad I read this.