First things first - the secret romance here is incestuous. And not just that, there is a lot of bragging about how satisfying their sexual intercourses are. This one issue makes this an disgusting read (the reader knows firsthand, even if the cheating couple does not).
The book is also quite boring, which is a shame, as it tackles a beautiful island and a tumultous time in history.

All in all - save your time and read something else.

DNF - 50%

I eventually put this book down as I felt it was just a bit boring for me, I wasn't glued into the story and I didn't care about the characters. I found the romance between Deidre and Jefe way too sudden and far fetched - also totally gross seeing as they are half-siblings (even though they didn't know). I just couldn't really bring myself to care about the rest of the story.

After reading book one and loving it, I was delighted to pick up book two and continue with the story of the next generation’s story.

Nora and Doug Fortnam are still successful years later, still in love, and carrying on with their plantation run the way their convictions about slavery would have them run things making them the talk of Jamaica. Now Nora wants to assure herself of her daughter’s ongoing place by a coming of age society party for Deirdre and see her safely settled.

Deirdre has grown up protected and sheltered as Doug’s step-daughter and Nora’s illegitimate daughter with the African slave. A little spoilt and a very naive, Deirdre has little notion that her position is precarious and most would rather her live as a free black or black slave rather than parading around as the ‘white’ daughter of plantation owners. Her parents worry for her even as she has met and fallen in love with Dr. Victor Dufresne son of wealthy French plantation owners on Saint Dominique.

Meanwhile, Nora’s former friend once a slave has styled herself as Maanu. Akasa her slave husband who took Nora captive long ago has died. Maanu has found a home on Grand Cayman with her son, Jefe, who has wild ideas of being an African warrior and hates all whites though he has freedom and more opportunity than most though he throws it away because he feels he deserves more. He is spiteful, lazy, and makes excuses for his life and circumstances playing mean tricks on people who don’t do him harm and ignoring his mother’s attempts to help him find good work. He and his young slave girl friend are ready to set out on what they think is a grand adventure into freedom with pirates.

This had its interesting points for me and I really wanted to enjoy it and finish it. And maybe I will someday. However, I’m over a hundred pages in and I can’t seem to make myself care about the new generation of characters who are front and center now. Deirdre and Jefe are okay, but very immature and a little annoying at this point. It’s very obvious the pair are in for some rather rude awakenings when this story continues. It’s moving along slowly which isn’t a bad thing, but also another factor in why I’m not engaged with the story. In the meantime, I’m not really into their stories and don’t have enough curiosity to want to see it through so I’m going to set this aside for now.

The colorful and rich historical backdrop is all that I could love in a historical and I love the feel of a vast saga that spans generations to keep telling the story of the characters from book one. It’s interesting to see how the actions of the earlier generation are seeing fruit in the younger. And maybe this is exactly why I could care less about these younger ones. They are young and know it all and aren’t willing to accept the wisdom and concerns of those who have lived out tough lives to get where they are now.

So, I can still applaud the good writing and work that went into this one (the translator did a fab job of translating it from German to English). It is a slow go at first as things are being established just like the earlier book. Even though it is one I’m setting aside, I would still encourage those interested in historical family sagas and/or the history of the Caribbean during the Colonial period to pick up both books.

I rec’d this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.