In the autumn of 1598, Abraham, a melancholy young Jewish gem merchant, seeks his fortune far from the imprisoning ghetto walls of Venice. Traveling halfway across the world, he lands in the lush and exotic Burmese kingdom of Pegu—an alien place, yet one where the jewel trader is not shunned for his faith. There is a price for his newfound freedom, however. Local custom demands that Abraham perform a duty he finds troubling and barbaric . . . and thus Mya, barely more than a girl, arrives to share his bed. Gently banishing his despair, awakening something profound within him, Mya ultimately accepts Abraham''s protection and, unexpectedly, his love. But great social and political upheaval threatens to violently transform the Peguan empire—with devastating consequences for Abraham and Mya and their dreams for the future.

When given the choice between love and honor, what are you willing to sacrifice? Destiny, longing and betrayal await you in this sweeping historical novel set in Elizabethan England and the Ottoman Empire of the late 16th century.England, 1591. Eager to see the world and travel the seas before settling down with a wife, English Lord William Bateman sets out for adventure while leaving his secret admirer, a local young lady named Elizabeth, behind. However, during his journey to the East, he is falsely imprisoned as a spy by the Ottoman governor of Rhodes. William is given two choices: endure torture in an Ottoman prison or convert and serve the Sultan, Murad III. Staying true to his family, faith and country, William refuses to give in.By a twist of fate, William gains an unexpected ally in the form of the young governor's daughter Safiye who falls in love with the mysterious and handsome prisoner. Captivated by their immediate bond and attraction, both vow to remain faithful for seven years until they can be together again.Meanwhile in England, William's family suffers tragedies and misfortune. The years of absence left their estate in jeopardy but turned Elizabeth - still hopelessly in love with him and awaiting his return - into a beautiful and spirited woman. Can William escape his fate in Turkey and save his legacy . . . and if he does will he keep his promise or betray his honor?The Forenoon Bride is the second novel by Jeffrey Hantover, inspired by the centuries' old British ballad Lord Bateman. This book is a great read for everyone who enjoys historical fiction with a romantic twist!

When given the choice between love and honor, what are you willing to sacrifice? Destiny, longing and betrayal await you in this sweeping historical novel set in Elizabethan England and the Ottoman Empire of the late 16th century.England, 1591. Eager to see the world and travel the seas before settling down with a wife, English Lord William Bateman sets out for adventure while leaving his secret admirer, a local young lady named Elizabeth, behind. However, during his journey to the East, he is falsely imprisoned as a spy by the Ottoman governor of Rhodes. William is given two choices: endure torture in an Ottoman prison or convert and serve the Sultan, Murad III. Staying true to his family, faith and country, William refuses to give in.By a twist of fate, William gains an unexpected ally in the form of the young governor's daughter Safiye who falls in love with the mysterious and handsome prisoner. Captivated by their immediate bond and attraction, both vow to remain faithful for seven years until they can be together again.Meanwhile in England, William's family suffers tragedies and misfortune. The years of absence left their estate in jeopardy but turned Elizabeth - still hopelessly in love with him and awaiting his return - into a beautiful and spirited woman. Can William escape his fate in Turkey and save his legacy . . . and if he does will he keep his promise or betray his honor?The Forenoon Bride is the second novel by Jeffrey Hantover, inspired by the centuries' old British ballad Lord Bateman. This book is a great read for everyone who enjoys historical fiction with a romantic twist!

Fumiani is dead...again.

In 1706, the artist Giovanni Fumiani fell to his death while painting the immense ceiling of Venice''s San Pantalon. When he turns up dead again four years later, the parish priest asks Stefano Bigio, an impoverished nobleman, to unravel the circumstances of the artist''s deaths and disappearance. So begins a journey into the corrupt underbelly of the dying Republic of Venice. Lies, murder, and the ambition of the powerful block Bigio''s way. He has no choice but to seek clues to the mystery in the magnificent art of the city to which he has paid little attention.

*

Like Raymond Chandler''s true detective, Bigio is a man of honor and character who travels down the mean byways of a secretive and corrupt city seeking the truth for the sake of the dead and the living. Blending a historical mystery with a tour of the great works of the city, The Three Deaths of Giovanni Fumiani draws a compelling picture of 18th-century Venice and the power of honor, love, and art to open eyes and change lives.

In the autumn of 1598, Abraham, a melancholy young Jewish gem merchant, seeks his fortune far from the imprisoning ghetto walls of Venice. Traveling halfway across the world, he lands in the lush and exotic Burmese kingdom of Pegu—an alien place, yet one where the jewel trader is not shunned for his faith. There is a price for his newfound freedom, however. Local custom demands that Abraham perform a duty he finds troubling and barbaric . . . and thus Mya, barely more than a girl, arrives to share his bed. Gently banishing his despair, awakening something profound within him, Mya ultimately accepts Abraham''s protection and, unexpectedly, his love. But great social and political upheaval threatens to violently transform the Peguan empire—with devastating consequences for Abraham and Mya and their dreams for the future.

When given the choice between love and honor, what are you willing to sacrifice? Destiny, longing and betrayal await you in this sweeping historical novel set in Elizabethan England and the Ottoman Empire of the late 16th century.England, 1591. Eager to see the world and travel the seas before settling down with a wife, English Lord William Bateman sets out for adventure while leaving his secret admirer, a local young lady named Elizabeth, behind. However, during his journey to the East, he is falsely imprisoned as a spy by the Ottoman governor of Rhodes. William is given two choices: endure torture in an Ottoman prison or convert and serve the Sultan, Murad III. Staying true to his family, faith and country, William refuses to give in.By a twist of fate, William gains an unexpected ally in the form of the young governor's daughter Safiye who falls in love with the mysterious and handsome prisoner. Captivated by their immediate bond and attraction, both vow to remain faithful for seven years until they can be together again.Meanwhile in England, William's family suffers tragedies and misfortune. The years of absence left their estate in jeopardy but turned Elizabeth - still hopelessly in love with him and awaiting his return - into a beautiful and spirited woman. Can William escape his fate in Turkey and save his legacy . . . and if he does will he keep his promise or betray his honor?The Forenoon Bride is the second novel by Jeffrey Hantover, inspired by the centuries' old British ballad Lord Bateman. This book is a great read for everyone who enjoys historical fiction with a romantic twist!

When given the choice between love and honor, what are you willing to sacrifice? Destiny, longing and betrayal await you in this sweeping historical novel set in Elizabethan England and the Ottoman Empire of the late 16th century.England, 1591. Eager to see the world and travel the seas before settling down with a wife, English Lord William Bateman sets out for adventure while leaving his secret admirer, a local young lady named Elizabeth, behind. However, during his journey to the East, he is falsely imprisoned as a spy by the Ottoman governor of Rhodes. William is given two choices: endure torture in an Ottoman prison or convert and serve the Sultan, Murad III. Staying true to his family, faith and country, William refuses to give in.By a twist of fate, William gains an unexpected ally in the form of the young governor's daughter Safiye who falls in love with the mysterious and handsome prisoner. Captivated by their immediate bond and attraction, both vow to remain faithful for seven years until they can be together again.Meanwhile in England, William's family suffers tragedies and misfortune. The years of absence left their estate in jeopardy but turned Elizabeth - still hopelessly in love with him and awaiting his return - into a beautiful and spirited woman. Can William escape his fate in Turkey and save his legacy . . . and if he does will he keep his promise or betray his honor?The Forenoon Bride is the second novel by Jeffrey Hantover, inspired by the centuries' old British ballad Lord Bateman. This book is a great read for everyone who enjoys historical fiction with a romantic twist!

Fumiani is dead...again.

In 1706, the artist Giovanni Fumiani fell to his death while painting the immense ceiling of Venice''s San Pantalon. When he turns up dead again four years later, the parish priest asks Stefano Bigio, an impoverished nobleman, to unravel the circumstances of the artist''s deaths and disappearance. So begins a journey into the corrupt underbelly of the dying Republic of Venice. Lies, murder, and the ambition of the powerful block Bigio''s way. He has no choice but to seek clues to the mystery in the magnificent art of the city to which he has paid little attention.

*

Like Raymond Chandler''s true detective, Bigio is a man of honor and character who travels down the mean byways of a secretive and corrupt city seeking the truth for the sake of the dead and the living. Blending a historical mystery with a tour of the great works of the city, The Three Deaths of Giovanni Fumiani draws a compelling picture of 18th-century Venice and the power of honor, love, and art to open eyes and change lives.