I have come to realise that a Sharon Maas novel requires nothing less than 100% attention, and nothing less than 100% devotion. I'm not saying that other books require less, I'm just saying that because of the strong and complex storylines which this author produces, it would be wrong to only pay this book (as well as her others) a little bit of attention.

Mary Grace is living life as a mixed-race person, yet nurtured by a white mother. In this day and age, race and skin colour isn't the be all and end all. Well, it shouldn't be. However, different cultures and skin colours weren't at all respected in the past. If you weren't white then you would find yourself on the lowest bar on the ladder - if you were lucky enough to make it on the ladder full stop. Reading Mary Grace's story was exceptionally eye-opening due to how coloured people were treated in those days. Of course we could pick up a history people and read all about it, but it becomes ten times more raw when you're reading someone else's story and finding out their feelings during said time. My heart went out to Mary Grace, that's for sure.

The further into the book I read, the more complex the storyline became. A lot more characters were introduced and due to a lot of them being called 'auntie' and 'uncle', I struggled to keep up with who was who. Thankfully it didn't deter me from enjoying the story, it just meant that I had to focus more on the characters names so that I knew which part of Mary Grace's life they were from.

I really did enjoy how complex the storyline was as I found myself able to sink my teeth into every chapter. I became hungry for more storyline, more secrets, more challenges - the works. As I reached around three-quarters of the way into the book, I surprised myself by becoming rather emotional due to the intense, from the heart feelings the author managed to convey within her writing. Nearly each and every character had to jump over a hurdle in the lifetime - most of which we were able to follow in 'The Girl from the Sugar Plantation'. Those hurdles were heart-wrenching, highly emotive, eye-opening yet weirdly enchanting. I could feel the sadness jumping off the page. I could feel the heart-warming moments warming up the room. I could feel the authors heart being plowed into each individual word. This book made me feel from the pit of my stomach.

Obviously, the circumstances in which this book is based around, aren't exactly easy to read - especially as you find out how certain people were treated by people in your society as it were. I felt quite ashamed that situations like that happened by white people. It just goes to show how much things can change in the blink of an eye and how respect has greatly changed over the years.

'The Girl from the Sugar Plantation' is a beautifully executed, highly emotive, and poignant read which is guaranteed to make any reader find emotions which they never knew existed. From the eye-opening situations regarding society, to the beautifully written and well crafted moments regarding multiple characters and their hearts - Sharon Maas seems to have included it all.

I am in awe at how poignant just one novel can be.
Honestly? I am in awe at 'The Girl from the Sugar Plantation' full stop.

Thanks Bookouture.

Wonderfully romantic historical fiction set in Guyana. You don't need to have read the earlier novels (I missed the first one) to fall in love with Maas' writing and this family. Mary Grace, the secret multiracial child, is now an adult and she's in love- in a big way with Jock, a sugar plantation owner who has emigrated from the UK. The themes of racial prejudice and social injustice are explored a matter of fact way as you follow the life of Mary Grace. This is unabashedly romantic but also, oddly, educational. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. This is a family saga of the sort we don't see much anymore, with great writing and a terrific plot.

5 Words: Prejudice, music, family, secrets, historical.

From the first page, I was in love with the beautiful writing. Something about the tone reminded me of Pirates by Celia Rees, and when I had to put the book down because life got in my way, I couldn't wait to dive back in.

I really loved Grace's story, how she thought she had everything worked out and then it was turned on its head. I loved her passion for music, and I got as lost in the writing as she got in playing.

This is part of a series, but I have not read any of the previous books and I read this no problem. It was definitely easy to read as a standalone, I don't feel like it impacted my enjoyment of the story. I am interested in reading the other books in the series though.

Sharon Maas is a wonderful writer who can bring her stories and characters to life so vividly. This is actually the last book of the (Quint Chronicles) I have read it out of order but find that it could be a stand alone book. This story takes place in British Guiana, 1934 through the 1960's. I had really not known much about this area or part of Guyana at that time, a time of sugar plantations and the era of prejudice and bigotry, towards the workers on them. They were not slaves at the time but treated as if the were. Everything for the wealth of the plantation owners, leaving the workers to live in deplorable conditions and with no schools, Doctors, or time off at their disposal.
The story follows the owner of a plantation,Promised Land, YoYo Smedley-Cox and her daughter, Mary Grace, who is of mixed race, and who is YoYo's adopted daughter. The other sister Aunt Winnie, whom Mary Grace adores, and who became an outcast when she married a man of a different race and had many boys. They were a very loving family and Grace, loved to go there and to feel a part of that love, as she was an only child.
A young man, Jock Campbell comes over from England to work for his families many interests in Guiana, and ends up living on the neighboring plantation to Promised land, a place called Albion. He and Grace became close and have a love which is bitter sweet, as Jock is trying to change the life of all workers on the plantations for the better and this seems to be his main interest.
Jock Campbell and two other people mentioned in the book Cheddi Jagan, and his wife Janet were true figures in Guyana's history, and were mixed into the story line.
There is so much more that goes on in this story, we follow Grace as she pursues her musical interest and get to know Aunt Winnies boys and their many interest.
I love the authors books, and plan to read them all.
Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.

I’ve been in love with this wonderful series ever since I fell in love with the original cover for the first book, The Secret Life of Winnie Cox. The cover has now changed to go with the rest of the series, but I still prefer the original that shows George and Winnie holding hands, because of the emotions it stirred within me a couple of years ago. It is also one of my all-time favourite books.

Each time I start one of the books in The Quint Chronicles, there is a mix of excitement as well as concern that I won’t love it as much as the previous book. It took a few chapters to open my heart to this book, but it wasn’t long until I fell deeply in love with the story and characters all over again.

These books have taken me to a far off land, to another time, that feels nothing like the world I have grown up in. The experience is always a very overwhelmingly real and emotional one, but I just can’t get enough of it. The Girl from the Sugar Plantation is no different. The magic and power of music, the pain and pleasure of love, the destructive nature of secrets and lies all delved deep into my heart and I expect will stay there for some time. This is a powerful and emotional story that will melt even the coldest of hearts. I challenge you to enter the world of The Quint Chronicles and not fall in love.

Over the last two years I have watched Winnie go from a somewhat naive and reckless girl to a strong and wise woman. I have shared her happiness and cried many tears for her and those close to her. I’m going to really miss Winnie. Just the thought is making me feel tearful.

Although this book could be read as a standalone, it does give away things that happened in the previous books, hence me not mentioning anything about the plot. So if these books do appeal to you, I personally would recommend starting from the beginning so you can experience this powerful and wonderfully emotional family saga in the correct order.

The Secret Life of Winnie Cox
The Sugar Planter’s Daughter
The Girl from the Sugar Plantation

This is a beautiful book to read!! I adored the writing style and the story was perfect - for me the whole thing was evocative, emotional and simply exquisite - it really is such a perfect addition to the Quint Chronicles and I loved every page.

The characters are great and they lead the story so well, the descriptive nature of the scenes makes you feel that you are with them in the book, it really is a treat to read - Sharon is definitely one of my favourite authors for this genre - no hesitation in giving the book 5 stars

This book is an amazing five star! I was eagerly awaiting its arrival, as it's the third and last in the series "The Quint Chronicles". The other two are just as brilliant and this author is one of my favourites. You could read this book as a standalone but I really think it's well worth the money to get the first two, so that you can start at the beginning. This story is set in British Guiana in the 1930's. Mary Grace is the coloured, adopted daughter of the white, sugar plantation owner, Yo Yo Smedley-Cox. Mary Grace has always been told she is adopted, but later finds out she is Yo Yo's daughter and her father is George Quint, her Aunt Winnie's coloured husband. The "Quint Chronicles" first book starts when Winnie and Yo Yo were children and Winnie fell in love with George. This situation obviously brought the couple lots of troubles and racism however mainly due to the strength and character, of Winnie, the romance blossomed. In our story of Mary Grace we find that she struggles very much to fit in and when she falls in love with a white man, the romance is doomed because even though she thinks her colour does not matter, society does!

The Girl from the Sugar Plantation is a beautifully written story that has it all.

A tragic love story about Mary Grace, a mixed race beauty, who doesn’t belong amongst the aristocratic elite, where she was brought up with her adopted parents, nor amongst the sugar plantation workers. Feeling lost and lonely, her only comfort comes from her extended family, Auntie Winnie and her eight male cousins, as well as her music.

I whizzed through this beautiful book, unable to put it down. Sharon Maas has a way with descriptions that don’t go overboard and at times her words are so realistic, I feel as though I am there.

A wonderful and heartrending story with lovely characters.

Very highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a copy of this book and this is my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers, Bookouture, for this review copy, given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Noelle from Bookouture for organising the Blog Blitz.

This is the story of Mary Grace. She is the mixed race daughter of two white plantation owners in Georgetown in 1934. She has wanted to know the truth about who her parents really are, the parents that she knows obviously aren’t her real parents. What happened before her birth was always kept a secret from her and she spent her childhood being subjected to rumours about herself and her parentage. Mary Grace feels that she cannot stay at home and goes off to make her own way in a world on the brink of World War II. Here, she meets and falls for Jock Campbell and her life changes forever.

This is the third and final book in the Quint Chronicles. I haven’t read any of the other books, but whilst it would have helped understand the story, you don’t need to have read them before this one. This is also the first book that I have read by this author.

I wasn’t sure whether I would like this book. I don’t usually go for historical fiction, well not American. I don’t know why but I find American history hard going! Saying that, I was offered the opportunity to be part of the Blog Blitz for this book and decided to give it a try. I found the first few chapters’ hard work and struggled to get into them. I persevered with it, and was very glad I did!

Without going into too much detail and spoiling it, the story of Mary Grace was heart-warming and heart-breaking all in one go. She spent her childhood so obviously not being the child of who she knew as her parents – a mixed race girl with two white parents. As she was growing up she obviously wanted to know what the secret was behind her birth and why it was kept so quiet. Her relationship with fellow planter, Jock Campbell was founded on the brink of World War II. How heart-breaking for her to deal with the circumstances of her parentage and then the onset of war. I loved the character of Mary Grace and really felt for her story and her situation.

This is a powerful book of love, relationships and trust mixed with the ugliness of racism, society and war. What great writing from a great author. Not my usual read at all, but one which I will definitely try again.

Five Stars!

I absolutely adore Sharon Maas's books - she is one of my favourite authors, someone whose stories give me hours of reading pleasure. And this wonderful book is one of her best! What an amazing end to the Quint trilogy! I loved this book from start to finish, savouring every word, the author's beautiful prose. An evocative, powerful story of a family and a country. LOVED every word and I absolutely cannot wait for more from this amazing author.

I practically read this book in one sitting (or certainly would have, if life hadn't interfered)! I became invested in this story from the opening line and it held my attention to the very last. After reading this book, I found myself at the computer looking up whatever information I could on Jock Campbell. (Interestingly enough, this is the second book, in less than a month, that has sent me flying to the computer for more information!) It would seem that Jock was an incredible man, not only as portrayed in this book, but in real life as well. I especially loved the main character of this book, Grace. She was portrayed as a young woman trying to find her place in the world and even in her family. Perhaps among the greatest tragedies was the time she was estranged from her biological mother. Seemed that way too much time passed before they reconnected again. I wish that her story could have included a HEA with Jock, but true to Jock's life, he did not remain and returned to his family in England. I highly recommend this book, not only to lovers of historical fiction, but anyone who just loves to read! (I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.)

Susan:

I've loved the other books in this series and this one just rounded things off very nicely indeed. Sharon's writing is effortless and lyrical and the story floats along like a melody. That's not to say that this is in any way whimsical or light - far from it - but the writing transports you and the story flows with ease despite some of the events in the book turning dark and ugly with the onset of war. The themes of racism, women's rights and cultural differences are woven into a plot of love, trust, society's expectations and what it must have meant to go against not just the grain but the whole bag of corn.

I felt so involved with the story from the start and Mary Grace seemed so real and vulnerable. I felt as if I wanted to try and help her, protect her and wanted to know Jock's intentions from the start! There was so much against them and her, so many people against her and all she wanted to do is to find her own place in the world. That would be hard now, let alone in a country so divided and a world on the edge of war. This novel again read like a film, the setting is stunningly vivid and the colours build up to form quite a picture of history and culture. The plot is nicely done, steady and builds to a climax of twists and secrets. The girl from the sugar plantation is a fascinating read.

And without giving too much away - Jock Campbell is one of the most fascinating characters I have read about in a long while. The story behind the name and the legacy....that's all I'm going to say as to discover this for yourself is more than a treat worth savouring for yourself. Fascinating!!

Αn excellent read,giving insight into the history and belief of a British colony from a different point of view,very entertaining good plot throughout the book,and development of characters can not wait to read what happens next.

As the mixed race child of two white planters, Mary Rose has naturally wondered about her parentage, but the truth is clouded in secrets and rumors. Mary Rose, meanwhile has fallen for another planter, Jock Campbell, but as the world creeps ever closer to war, nothing is certain and nothing is sacred. Maas transports her readers to a tropical paradise on the eve of World War II in this absorbing historical