DAUGHTER OF EGYPT -- Constance O'Banyon
Leisure
ISBN -10: 0-8439-6006-X
ISBN - 13: 978-0-8439-6006-8
July 2008
Historical Romance

Egypt and Bal Forea - 36 B.C.

Thalia spent her early childhood on the streets of Rome, stealing food to survive, and always keeping one step ahead of the man with the eye patch who was trying to capture her. Having only vague memories of a fire, a lovely woman, and being carried away by a servant, Thalia knows nothing more about who she is or how she came to be in Rome. One day, as she flees the wrath of a merchant after stealing food, the little girl is rescued by a wealthy young woman, and her life is changed forever.

Count Ashtyn is on a mission for his king, Melik of Bal Forea, and is in Egypt to search for his monarch's granddaughter, Thalia. For many years, the king has had men combing the streets of Rome to find the last surviving member of his family, and now they have discovered that the blond-haired girl was taken in and raised by a noble Egyptian family. Ashtyn knows it will not be easy to either convince the girl or kidnap her and return her to her birthplace, but when Thalia is grabbed by men from the opposing forces on Bal Forea, Ashtyn must rescue his future queen and get her to safety.

Little does Ashtyn know what a fiery, strong-willed girl Thalia is. She doesn't make it easy on her "rescuer", trying to escape at every opportunity until he manages to get her on board his country's warship and away from the coast. He doesn't reveal everything to her, but leaves her to study the scrolls written about her country and its history. Slowly Thalia comes to understand that she is, indeed, a princess and that her ailing grandfather is desperate for her to be crowned before he dies. But with the evil usurper, Lord Sevilin, and his manipulative mother, Lady Vistah, also trying to get to Thalia and wed her to Sevilin, Thalia has no idea what her future holds once they land on Bal Forea.

DAUGHTER OF EGYPT continues a story started with LORD OF THE NILE and then SWORD OF ROME. Readers will recognize many of the same characters. Thalia is a brave, stubborn young woman who only wants to stay with her adoptive family in Egypt. It's the only happiness she has ever known. After her abduction, she fights valiantly against her growing knowledge of her past, and her growing desire for Count Ashtyn. Ashtyn begins his quest having nothing but duty on his mind, but returns to Bal Forea with more than just his future queen. His heart has been opened to the lovely, willful princess. Can he protect her from Sevilin?

A nicely written, adventurous novel, DAUGHTER OF EGYPT will capture readers with its historical detail and appealing characters.

Jani Brooks