I’m delighted to be kicking off the blog blitz for The Girl from the Sugar Plantation, written by Sharon Maas and published by Bookouture 🙂
Blurb:
An unputdownable story of a woman in search of the truth, the man she falls in love with, and the devastation of the Second World War.
1934, Guyana. All her life, Mary Grace has wanted to know the truth about who her parents really are. As the mixed-race daughter of two white plantation owners, her childhood has been clouded by whispered rumours, and the circumstances of her birth have been kept a closely guarded secret…
Aunt Winnie is the only person Mary Grace can confide in. Feeling lost and lonely, her place in society uncertain, Mary Grace decides to forge her own path in the world. And she finds herself unexpectedly falling for charming and affluent Jock Campbell, a planter with revolutionary ideas.
But, with the onset of the Second World War, their lives will be changed forever. And Mary Grace and Jock will be faced with the hardest decision of all – to fight for freedom or to follow their hearts…
An utterly compelling and evocative story about the heart-breaking choices men and women had to make during a time of unimaginable change. Perfect for fans of The Secret Wife and Island of Secrets.
My Review:
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
5 Stars
Where to find this book:
About the Author:
Sharon Maas was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1951, and spent many childhood hours either curled up behind a novel or writing her own adventure stories. Sometimes she had adventures of her own, and found fifteen minutes of Guyanese fame for salvaging an old horse-drawn coach from a funeral parlor, fixing it up, painting it bright blue, and tearing around Georgetown with all her teenage friends. The coach ended up in a ditch, but thankfully neither teens nor horse were injured.
Boarding school in England tamed her somewhat; but after a few years as a reporter with the Guyana Graphic in Georgetown she plunged off to discover South America by the seat of her pants. She ended up in a Colombian jail, and that’s a story for another day…
Sharon has lived in an Ashram in India and as a German Hausfrau–the latter giving her the time and the motivation to finally start writing seriously. Her first novel, Of Marriageable Age, was published by HarperCollins, London, in 1999 and reprinted as a digital edition in 2014. After working as a social worker in a German hospital she finally retired and now has time for her favourite pastimes: reading, writing, and travelling.
Where to find the author:
Here are the details of the blog blitz in case any of you wish to follow it:
LittleMissNoSleep Daydreams of Books 
I’m really quite taken with that cover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so pretty. I love the colours.
LikeLike
Such a beautiful cover, I always want to read books like this one but then some fail to impress me, this looks like it wouldn’t!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really is a beautiful cover ❤ Annie, this is an absolutely wonderful trilogy, but I definitely recommend starting with the first book, and working through them in the correct order, so you can make the most of the story from the beginning. Such an emotional read.
LikeLike