Of Daggers and Deception brilliantly transports the reader to late 14th century Greece where battles, intrigue, and romance capture the imagination. While I didn’t have the opportunity to read the previous book in the series Of Sword and Shadow, it didn’t stop me from really enjoying this book and wanting to immediately pick up the first. It definitely has something for everyone whether you like action, adventure, intrigue, or romance, this has it all.

The story begins in a bathhouse in Thebes where Rasheed and his friends Eudocia and Gil hope to eek out a profitable, quiet existence. However, the quiet doesn’t last long and they’re soon thrown into political intrigue, warfare, and deception. Rasheed’s long lost brother finds him which leads to some touching moments where the two carefully build a relationship sharing their differing faiths and earning each other’s trust.

When Rasheed meets the beautiful, intelligent Cecilia, it’s hard to know whether he can trust her. Literally forced to be together, a strong attraction grows between them. However, not all is as it seems and I honestly didn’t know until the last chapter what would happen.

Uniquely told from Rasheed’s perspective, I was immediately drawn in by his first person narration. He’s such a valiant, faithful character and I was charmed by his humor, his inner struggles, and his love for his friends/family and Cecilia. I also loved his wisdom and strength in character. One of my favorite quotes was “Living a life of faith doesn’t mean everything will be easy. It just means you have better perspective when the hard things come.”

Because I didn’t read the first book, it took a few chapters to really understand the plot, culture, and history. Thankfully, the author includes a fantastic reference guide to help the reader quickly familiarize themselves with 14th century Greece. I absolutely loved learning about this time period and fabulous location.

This definitely stands out as a truly memorable book. Whether you love romance, history, or action/adventure, I highly recommend this book!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for advanced copies of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. ( )

Of Daggers and Deception by A. L. Sowards continues the story of Rasheed, Gil, and Eudocia that began approximately eleven years earlier in Of Sword and Shadow. I recommend reading these novels in order. Although Of Daggers and Deception gives backstory, reading them sequentially establishes the characters and vividly depicts their prior actions.

Rasheed serves as the narrator in Of Daggers and Deception and the story hooked my attention early on. I stayed engaged as the plot clipped along brimming with danger, suspense, and mystery. Although Rasheed seemed super-human in some of the battles, he made an admirable male lead for other reasons: his wisdom, the way he valued contributions by women, his pursuit and protection of Cecilia, his bravery, and his devotion to the Lord.

Of Daggers and Deception by A. L. Sowards felt balanced – not too heavy, not too light. A recurring theme of God as a loving God rather than a dictator doling out commands and consequences added spiritual depth to the novel that I appreciated. At times, I found it challenging to keep all the warring factions and their motives straight, but the story earned four stars from me and has a permanent home on my bookshelf beside Of Sword and Shadow.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. ( )