Scan barcode
A review by ekalmusla
The Spanish Pearl by Catherine Friend
5.0
Another rip-roaring ride from [a:Catherine Friend|141922|Catherine Friend|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1272999634p2/141922.jpg]! Filled with history, women in disguise, trials and tribulations on foreign grounds, time travel, and - of course - romance, Catherine Friend's first lesbian adventure has something for everyone.
Though I have to admit that I was not as taken with this novel as I was with Friend's other adventure, [b:A Pirate's Heart|2929544|A Pirate's Heart|Catherine Friend|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359485801s/2929544.jpg|2956966], I can still heartily say that this did not disappoint. Following along as 21st-century born Kate Vincent stumbles through 11th century Spain without any idea as to how she got there - or how to return home - was a fun experience. Watching Kate adjust, as well as begin to welcome life in such a place, was a great development in my eyes. You could witness her going through the various stages of change - including denial, anger, depression, acceptance, embrace - to her predictable, yet without confirmation of occurrence until the very end of the novel, "happy ending."
The camaraderie between Kate and Luis was something that started off slow, in my opinion, but came to a well-rounded fruition of a relationship in the end, including an entire scene that legitimately made me shed real, unbridled tears (something that has not occurred in a novel for me since last year reading [b:Just Three Words|22750233|Just Three Words (Soho Loft, #2)|Melissa Brayden|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416873467s/22750233.jpg|42295527] by [a:Melissa Brayden|4789680|Melissa Brayden|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1332018247p2/4789680.jpg]).
Overall, I am always happy with Catherine Friend novels - as they promise adventure, intrigue, romance, and more - and always deliver. I am looking forward to reading the next novel in the series, [b:The Crown of Valencia|1142267|The Crown of Valencia|Catherine Friend|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359485875s/1142267.jpg|1129690].
Though I have to admit that I was not as taken with this novel as I was with Friend's other adventure, [b:A Pirate's Heart|2929544|A Pirate's Heart|Catherine Friend|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359485801s/2929544.jpg|2956966], I can still heartily say that this did not disappoint. Following along as 21st-century born Kate Vincent stumbles through 11th century Spain without any idea as to how she got there - or how to return home - was a fun experience. Watching Kate adjust, as well as begin to welcome life in such a place, was a great development in my eyes. You could witness her going through the various stages of change - including denial, anger, depression, acceptance, embrace - to her predictable, yet without confirmation of occurrence until the very end of the novel, "happy ending."
The camaraderie between Kate and Luis was something that started off slow, in my opinion, but came to a well-rounded fruition of a relationship in the end, including an entire scene that legitimately made me shed real, unbridled tears (something that has not occurred in a novel for me since last year reading [b:Just Three Words|22750233|Just Three Words (Soho Loft, #2)|Melissa Brayden|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416873467s/22750233.jpg|42295527] by [a:Melissa Brayden|4789680|Melissa Brayden|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1332018247p2/4789680.jpg]).
Overall, I am always happy with Catherine Friend novels - as they promise adventure, intrigue, romance, and more - and always deliver. I am looking forward to reading the next novel in the series, [b:The Crown of Valencia|1142267|The Crown of Valencia|Catherine Friend|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359485875s/1142267.jpg|1129690].