Sultana
by Lisa Yarde
In thirteenth-century Moorish Spain, the realm of Granada is in crisis. The union of Fatima, granddaughter of the Sultan of Granada, with the Sultan’s nephew Faraj has fractured the nation. A bitter civil war escalates and endangers both Fatima and Faraj’s lives.
All her life, Fatima has sheltered in lavish palaces where danger has never intruded, until now. A precocious child and the unwitting pawn of her family, she soon learns how her marriage may determine her future and the fate of Granada.
Her husband Faraj has his own qualms about their union. At a young age, he witnessed the deaths of his parents and discovered how affluence and power offers little protection against indomitable enemies. Guilt and fears plague him. Determined to carve his own destiny, Faraj struggles to regain his lost inheritance and avenge his murdered family.
Throughout the rugged frontiers of southern Spain, the burgeoning Christian kingdoms in the north and the desert states of North Africa, Fatima and Faraj survive ruthless murderers and intrigues. They unite against common enemies bent on destroying the last Moorish dynasty. While Fatima and Faraj establish a powerful bond, the atmosphere of deceit creates opportunities for mistrust and tests their love.
(100,000 words; available as ebook, print, and audiobook)
“This is a novel which will appeal to historians and romantics alike. The author provides just enough history to tease and educate the reader and, at the same time, weaves in exactly the right amount of emotion and human interest from her characters to hook the reader from the get-go. For those who say that history is boring, this reader would respond, “Then go pick up a Lisa Yarde novel.” Historical fiction takes a special kind of literary skill and this author has it!” —Readers’ Favorite
