Beneath a Burning Sky

Beneath a Burning Sky - Jenny Ashcroft

*I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
"When 22-year-old Olivia is coerced into marriage by the cruel Alistair Sheldon, she leaves England for Egypt, his home and the land of her own childhood. Reluctant as she is to go with Alistair, it's in her new home that she finds happiness in surprising places: she is reunited with her long-estranged sister, Clara, and falls - impossibly and illicitly - in love with her husband's boarder, Captain Edward Bertram.
Then Clara is abducted from one of the busiest streets in the city. As Olivia sets out to discover what's happened to the sister she's only just begun to know, she falls deeper into the shadowy underworld of Alexandria, putting her own life and her chance at a future with Edward, the only man she's ever loved, at risk. Because, determined as Olivia is to find Clara, there are others who will stop at nothing to conceal what's become of her."

Review

I was initially interested in this book because it takes place in Egypt, and everyone knows I'm a fan of all things Egypt! It takes place in Alexandria, during the end of the 19th century, when Egypt was still under British rule. 

I had no expectations going in, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful, rich, historical mystery and love story. The writing is beautiful, giving lush, detailed descriptions of the beauty of Egypt. I felt transported to the setting.

The characters and their relationships are what drive this story forward (I did, for some reason, keep switching Olivia and Clara in my head. For me, for some reason, the name Clara seemed more suited for the main character! But that's just me). Olivia really grows as a character. After a lifetime of abuse and neglect, she finally starts to heal, only to be rocked by more tragedy. Her determination in the face of such great challenges is inspiring and you find yourself rooting for her from page one.

The romance between Edward and Olivia is heartbreaking. Yes, it's literally love at first sight, which usually I'm like, blergh. But it works here. And knowing that they can't be together because she's married to Alistair is tragic and agonizing, especially as Olivia really blossoms under Edward's attention, and he also grows by being with her. This tension also drives the story forward.

I really liked seeing the perspective from Nailah, a native Egyptian woman who gets caught up in the mess. We don't just see Egypt from a white, British perspective, but also through the eyes of the people who are from there. The contrast is stark and sharp. I also liked Nailah's character--She's a good woman who is trying to help those around her the best she can.

Alistair was evil but in a believable way. I would have liked to know a little more of his background to find out why he became so petty, jealous, and cruel, but it was sufficient to know he was sadistic and vengeful. 

There were three or four storylines running side by side. The romance, the mystery, and a couple other side ones. After several twists and turns all the pieces finally came together in the end. I didn't see the ending coming, though that was more because the reader isn't given key information until the very end. I think some people could maybe have guessed it, but I didn't! The ending is realistic, even though I love happily ever afters, I also don't love when everything works out perfectly just because. This book finds a great balance between the two.

Over all, a lovely historical romance and mystery set against the backdrop of beautiful Egypt. 

Rating

I give this book 4 stars.

Details

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance.

Language: Some strong language occasionally.

Sex: Characters do have sex, but nothing is graphically described.

Violence: There is violence, including sexual violence, but nothing is ever graphically described.